Ray Gorham - 77 Days in September

“Well,” said Officer Jarvis, “the vice president said that we need to work as communities to get through this. I thought it would be a good idea to get as many people together as we can, to come up with some ideas. I know it’s quick, but I thought the sooner the better, before things get desperate.”

Jennifer smiled weakly and let out a huge sigh of relief while gripping the door with both hands to steady herself. “Sounds like a good idea, officer. What are you thinking?”

Officer Jarvis seemed very enthusiastic. “Please, just call me Doug. I wore the uniform because I thought it might help people take me a little more seriously. You know, in case they hadn’t heard about the situation.”

Jennifer nodded. “Sounds like a good idea, Doug. What are your plans?”

“I thought we could meet this afternoon at 2:00, while there’s still plenty of light. We’ll meet at my house, just a few streets over.” He gave Jennifer directions and a description of his house, then thanked her and headed in the direction of the Anderson’s just as the light rain started up again.

Katy, Texas

Kyle and Ed worked in the garage packing the Jeep for their trip. The “looted food,” as Ed described it, along with items Virgie had gathered from the house, was carefully boxed and loaded into the Jeep. The driver’s seat was clear of any supplies, but every other inch of space that wasn’t needed for Kyle and Virgie was packed tight with food and other essentials. Kyle was tying a gas can to the front bumper while Ed worked on stacking boxes in the backseat.

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Ed asked. “It seems like you’re putting your life at risk.”

Kyle’s hand slipped from the rope he was tugging on and banged hard against the grill of the Jeep. “I’m positive,” he said, shaking his hand to ease the pain. “You’re the one who needs to decide if you want to do this for me. Besides, everyone’s life is at risk right now, not just mine.”

After returning from their run to Wal-Mart the day before, Kyle, Ed, and Virgie had spent the rest of the day discussing how they were going to survive. It had been a long, emotionally exhausting conversation, but before going to bed, they had decided on a plan and were now in the midst of carrying it out. Virgie and Ed’s son had a large home on a couple of acres near San Angelo, an area that Ed thought would be safer than Katy. Kyle would ride with them to San Angelo, then start out for Montana from there.

After a night of packing, Kyle had spent the morning siphoning gasoline from cars that were stalled in the streets. He’d run into a couple of threatening neighbors, but the only real problems had involved spilled and swallowed gasoline. Kyle smelled of gasoline, his mouth tasted like a carburetor, and his head ached from inhaling the fumes, but he ignored it all, glad to finally be doing something that would get him closer to home.

“So, have you refined your plan any more?” Ed asked as he adjusted his seat to make more room behind it for another box of food. “Last night you were pretty vague.”

Kyle shrugged. “Well, the goal’s still the same.. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to accomplish it. The drive today will tell me a lot.”

“You could wait things out in Texas, you know, till things get working again,” Ed said as he jammed the last case of soup into the backseat. “The weather’s warmer. It would be easier to survive.”

“We talked about that last night,” Kyle said, tying the last rope on the gas can. “Nothing’s changed. I have a wife and three kids in Montana who probably think I’m dead and are looking at going through a winter without electricity or heat. What kind of man would I be if I waited it out safe and warm in Texas while they struggled up there.” He thought a minute. “If I didn’t make an attempt to get back, I don’t know that I could face them when this is over.”

Ed smiled knowingly and looked at Kyle. “I understand that, but what you’re talking about is dangerous. It’s more than fifteen hundred miles, and you don’t know how you’re going to do it. What good would it do them for you to die on the road?”

“What good would it do me to go home next summer and find my family dead?” Kyle replied coldly. “The pioneers did it. They walked to Oregon and to California without roads or real maps. The worst case is I walk if I can’t come up with anything better.”

Kyle handed Ed another case of food, and Ed worked it in behind his seat. “I’m not trying to talk you out of it. I would just hate to see you die.”

“Is your Jeep going to be able to handle the weight?” asked Kyle, changing the subject. “It’s already riding pretty low, and there are still three people to get in.”

“We’ll be fine,” Ed said, glancing at the suspension. “Besides, I can go as slow as I need to. I don’t think I’ll be holding any traffic up. They made these old things pretty sturdy, not like the plastic cars we’re used to today.”

The men finished loading the last few boxes and went back inside the house where Virgie was busy closing and securing windows.

“Did you talk to Maria or Carlos?” Ed asked.

Virgie nodded. “I just got home a few minutes ago. I gave them a key and they agreed to keep an eye on the house. I told them they could have the food we don’t take.”

“Did they say what they’re planning on doing?”

“No, and they’re pretty scared. They don’t have a car that works, and Maria said they don’t have much food. She didn’t say anything about family, so I don’t know that they can go to anyone for help. I’m worried about them.”

“Did you tell them to get to a grocery store?” asked Ed. “There was a lot of stuff there yesterday. Not sure how much might be left, but it would be something.”

“I told them you had gone down there. Couldn’t tell what they thought of the idea. I suppose they’ll figure something out,” Virgie said with little conviction in her voice.

Virgie stood in the middle of her kitchen, surveying her home and taking inventory of what she was leaving behind. She was preparing to leave most of her worldly possessions, and the emotions of the past day and a half caught up with her. It started with a few tears running down her cheeks, which she tried to hide from her husband, but soon, heavy sobs shook her body, and she gave up wiping at her eyes. “I think this is too much for me to handle,” she offered as an explanation.

Ed took Virgie in his arms and pulled her tight. “We’re together, sweetie,” he said as he patted her softly on the back. “We’ll be alright. I promise.”

“I’m scared, Ed,” she said when she caught her breath. “I’m really scared. I’m not used to running from things. No hurricane’s ever even scared us off.”

Ed leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m scared too,” he said. “How could we not be? But at least we’ve got each other.” He gave her another squeeze, then they held each other, not saying a thing.

Kyle turned silently and headed out to the garage to wait.

Deer Creek, Montana

David looked up as his mother opened the door and came in the house. She had a concerned look on her face, one that he usually only saw when he was in trouble at school. “How was the meeting?”

Jennifer glanced up as she took off her boots. “Well,” she said, “we didn’t accomplish much, but it was good to have it, I suppose”

“Did you learn anything more about what’s going on?”

“No, someone at the meeting said they figured it was terrorists, then got all worked up about the government. That led to a big argument about politics, which was a waste of time. There’s going to be another meeting on Wednesday, and we’re supposed to inventory what we have for food, weapons, and a few other things. I wrote down a list of stuff. Then we’ll try and come up with a plan to help each other survive through the winter.”