G Hopf - The End

“Fuck you, you’re lucky. If these people hadn’t stopped me I would have killed you! You fucking piece of shit!” Gordon yelled back.

“You son of a bitch, I will get you! I promise I will get you!” Dan yelled slowly sitting up. He brought his hand to his face to touch his broken nose.

“You won’t be doing anything. I am leaving with my family and others; we’re done here. You wanted this community, you can have it,” Gordon screamed still struggling to break free from those who had grabbed him.

“You can leave, Gordon, but not until you give us what you stole,” Mindy said.

Gordon turned and looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

“All the food and medical supplies you have stockpiled are not yours, they belong to the community. We intend on taking them so we can redistribute to your neighbors.”

“You’re not taking shit, Mindy. This is my food. I got all of this before any of this happened.”

“That’s not true!” yelled James from the middle of the crowd.

Everyone turned and looked at James.

“I was here the day of the attack and saw you and your friend come back and forth with food, hell; I even saw you the day after unloading stuff,” James said loudly.

James’ comments brought on lots of side conversations with many in the group.

“I got some of this food the day of the attacks and even more the morning after, plus I always kept a decent pantry full of food before the attacks. I can tell you that none of it came from our scavenger missions. Whatever you all are thinking is wrong. You have been misguided by Mindy and Dan,” Gordon cried out in his defense.

“Gordon, we believe you came by this food illegally and kept it when it should have been disclosed and shared with the rest of us,” Mindy shouted at Gordon.

“I don’t give a shit what you think Mindy, you’re not taking anything,” Gordon finally shrugged off the last person holding him and stood facing the crowd and Mindy. “James is right that I went out the day of the attack and found food, I was smart, I thought ahead. I didn’t stand around like most of you attempting to get your stupid phones to work and complain that you were missing the next ‘American Idol.’ I knew something was wrong and I went out to take care of my family. It’s not my responsibility to take care of you, you or you!” Gordon said pointing at Mindy and others in the crowd. “If you didn’t think and react appropriately, that’s not my fault. Mindy, you can talk a big game but you’re not taking anything from me or my friends, period!”

“Well, Gordon, I disagree; you’re not leaving nor are your friends till you give us our share of the food you have taken,” Mindy said defiantly. “We have met with many in the neighborhood and we have their support. Everyone must open their homes for inspection. Anyone who has more than they need will have that taken and spread out,” Mindy was not just talking to Gordon; she had turned around and was speaking to the crowd which continued to grow larger.

“You will not enter this house or any of my friends’ homes. This is my food; I secured it before we came together as a community. If you plan taking it, then you better bring an army.”

Mindy turned around and walked up to within a few feet of Gordon. “Gordon, you and your friends will not be allowed to leave through any of these gates till you have surrendered the food you took from us all. I mean what I say, so please be here; ready to open your house for us to inspect and yes, we will have an army; look around me.” Mindy said staring at Gordon intently and holding up her arms to acknowledge the large crowd behind her.

“If you or any of you out there plan on coming into my house, plan on dying!” Gordon yelled out to the crowd.

Mindy began instructing the crowd to back off. She announced that the situation with Gordon would be handled in the morning. Slowly, one by one or in small groups, the crowd dispersed. Dan was helped up and walked off without saying a word.

Gordon watched and turned to look at Nelson, who still held the shotgun.

“Are you ready for this?” Gordon asked Nelson.

With his typical shit-eating grin Nelson laid the shotgun barrel on his shoulder and said, “Son, I was born ready.”

Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado

Sitting on her toilet, crying, Julia was expressing not tears of pain but joy. In her hands she held the physical proof that supported the feelings she had been having for a couple of days. She was pregnant. Overjoyed, she could not wait to speak to Brad. If only he were here, she thought; seeing the look on this face would have been special for her. Wiping the tears from her eyes she placed the testing strip carefully on the counter. Washing her hands, she looked down at the “positive” sign on the strip to make sure she wasn’t mistaken. It all didn’t seem real in some way. Looking in the mirror, she saw a different Julia; she saw a youthful woman who would soon bless the world with a new baby. Her mind had already started the process of nesting as she went through everything she would have to do for the pregnancy. Then thoughts of what they would name the new baby came to mind, too. There was so much to plan, she thought.

Leaving the bathroom, she heard a knock at the front door.

Dylan was at the door. She was not expecting him, but didn’t take notice of the somberness in his face.

“Hi Dylan, how are you?” she asked. “Come on in.” she turned around and walked back into the room. Walking into the kitchen, she asked, “Can I get you anything?”

“No thank you ma’am,” Dylan replied, stepping into the room and not moving far from the door after he had closed it behind him.

“Mrs. Conner, can I speak with you?”

“Sure, one second,” Julia said as she grabbed a glass of water and walked back into the living room. She was startled when she finally noticed the look on Dylan’s face. “Dylan, is everything okay?”

“Mrs. Conner, I am sorry but can you sit down?” Dylan asked, pointing to the couch.

“Dylan, what is it?” she asked, the joy of moments ago was now gone.

“Please sit down, Mrs. Conner,” he said, this time not asking but making a point about it.

“Dylan, I’m old enough to know that when someone says to ‘please sit down,’ it’s not good news.”

“Mrs. Conner, I am sorry to be the one and believe me I don’t want to be here.”

“Just spit it out, Dylan!” she said as tears began well up in her eyes.

“Ma’am about 45 minutes ago the president and his convoy went off course on their way to the airbase. They diverted to address an urgent situation when they came under attack. When we received word of the attack, we immediately dispatched reinforcements.”

“Is Brad alive?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Ma’am when the reinforcements arrived…”

She stopped him again and asked, “Is Brad alive, or not!”

“Ma’am when they arrived…”

“Answer the damn question, Dylan!” she yelled at him.

“We don’t know Mrs. Conner.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? How can you not know?” her entire body was now trembling. She braced herself against a table.

“When the reinforcements arrived they found all of the convoy dead, and the president was not located. We believe this to be a good sign that he may be alive, but we do not know for sure.”

Julia’s body became weak and she fell to her knees next to the couch. Dylan rushed to help her up.

“Please rest, I’ll go get a doctor.”

Julia stopped Dylan by grabbing his arm, she pulled him close and said, “I don’t need a doctor, I need my husband. Go find him, do what you have to do. I don’t want to hear from you until you find him, do you understand me” She let go of Dylan’s arm and her body gave way as she fell into the couch.