Jacqueline Druga - Then Came War

Maybe another building blew up, or a terror attack hit the city.

He envisioned emergency workers everywhere. The train station stood a chance of being sealed off or closed down.

They’d emerge, dirty and dusty, blankets would be wrapped around them, and they’d be given a once over for medical reasons.

That was Harry’s vision.

Of course, as they walked and climbed, Harry wondered why rescue workers couldn’t make it from that end. Something had to have happened up in the city.

Harry trudged on.

The next mound of twisted metal was about four feet high; parts of the train formed a semi stepping stone for him. He placed the box on top and stepped up.

Harry had to pause. It was a strain and he started losing his breath. He didn’t realize how winded he was until that moment.

His eyes lifted to the small dirty hand that extended to him.

“You need some help, Harry?” Tyler asked.

Harry smiled. “Tell you what. Take that box, will you? I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just taking a moment.”

Harry didn’t want to take too long. The last thing he wanted was for the others to feel he was dragging them down or some old pain in the ass. After a brief break, Harry climbed up and over that portion of wreckage.

Lana saw it. She was certain the others did too, but no one was saying anything.

She was tired herself, not so tired that she couldn’t go on, but she knew that Harry needed to stop for a few minutes to rest.

With a heavy exhale as she made it over the latest obstacle, Lana plopped down with her bag. “Let’s stop for a few minutes please.”

Ben walked over to her and whispered, “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” She then nodded her head toward Harry.

Ben looked. Foster led the way by a good ten feet, Abby and another woman were keeping up, but Harry and Tyler were far behind them.

Ben hollered, “Foster! Hold up.”

Foster stopped and turned round. “The other tunnel isn’t that far.”

“Yeah, I know. But let’s break for a little,” Ben said. “None of us knows what’s beyond that last tunnel and we’re not gonna be any good if we’re worn out and have to face something unexpected.”

Foster shrugged and turned around and led Abby and the other woman back to the group.

It seemed most of them welcomed the break and chance to stop.

Tyler plopped down next to Harry. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m glad we stopped.”

“Me too,” Harry replied.

“My legs hurt.”

“Mine too.”

Tyler pulled out his blue book bag. “I still have a peanut butter sandwich left.” He pulled the small plastic bag out. The sandwich was smashed and Tyler retrieved it from its plastic covering. He broke off a piece and handed it to Harry.

“I’m good. You eat it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Eat.”

Tyler didn’t. He stood and walked over to Ben and Lana. His little hand extended a small piece to Lana.

“Oh, honey, thank you. You eat it,” she said.

“No one wants a piece of my sandwich. I don’t usually share.”

Ben held out his hand. “I’ll take a piece, buddy, and thank you very much.”

Tyler smiled as he placed the piece in the man’s hand. “Anyone else?” he called out.

There were two other takers and Tyler felt better about eating the rest of the sandwich.

Harry rubbed the boy’s head when he returned to sit next to him.

“So, Ben,” Harry called over to him. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a theater manager on Broadway.”

“You don’t say.” Harry nodded, impressed. “How about you Ben’s wife?”

“Lana,” she said. “I’m a fashion editor.”

“Boy you look like one,” Harry said. “What about you, Foster? Got a job at McDonalds?”

Foster laughed. “No, I actually work in theater, too.”

Ben peered over at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. The movie theater, that is. I was working weekends at the Plex.”

Lana snapped her fingers. “I thought I recognized you. I go there all the time by myself.” She shot a look at Ben.

Ben shrugged. “I don’t like movies.”

Then Harry turned to Abby. “What about you?”

“I don’t work,” Abby answered.

“How long have you lived in America?” Harry questioned.

“Not long. Not even a year.” Abby spoke softly and shifted uncomfortably over being the center of attention for the moment.

Lana asked, “Are you between jobs? Or are you a homemaker?”

“Neither, right now.” Abby lowered her head. “I was a homemaker. Now I have no home to make.” She sniffed. “My husband and son were killed a few months ago. Now instead of working, I spend my days wanting to die.” She stood. “And here…” she held out her hand, “I was given a perfect opportunity and I missed it.”

Her words drew an awkward silence from the others.

Harry felt those words; he knew those words. With the help of Tyler he stood. “Well, it hurts like hell to lose a spouse. I know that. And there’s no pain greater than losing a child. I know that one, too.” He walked over to her and laid a hand on her arm. “I hope you find your peace one way or another.”

His simple touch brought an abundance of feelings to her that she couldn’t sift through. She gripped his hand and whispered, “Thank you.”

Harry nodded. “Well, Lana, you rested?”

Lana rose. “Rested and ready.”

“Good,” Harry said. “Let’s head on out. Foster?”

“Yes, Mr. Hayward?”

Harry winced. “Harry, call me Harry. What’s your estimate? What do you think?”

“Not long. We should hit the abandoned tunnel soon enough. But that’s as far as I got.”

“Then we’ll go even farther.” Harry noticed both Lana and Ben had their phones out. “Playing with those again, I see. Anything?” he asked.

Ben shook his head. “No, we’ll check again in a little bit. Lana? Anything?”

“Me neither.” She shut off her phone and put it in her bag.

Ben powered down his, as well. “Doesn’t hurt to keep trying though.”

“Good. But, uh…” Harry gave an up motion to his head. “Who you gonna call when you get a signal?”

Ben laughed as he put his phone in his pocket. “I haven’t even thought of that. Why?”

Harry shrugged. “Just wondering.”

Waiting on Foster to take the lead again, Harry, box in one arm and a hand on Tyler, continued on with the rest of the group.

And like the rest of the group, he was hopeful that it wouldn’t be long before they emerged.

It started out with just one. Tyler chimed out an ‘ew’ to make the announcement that he saw the dead rat.

“Ignore it,” Harry told him. “We’re in an old tunnel.”

No one thought much about the tunnel at all. The fact that it was dark was expected, but no one seemed surprised that there was no sound, not a single sound except for their footsteps.

Then the one rat turned into several, then dozens and that was when they took notice.

The light in the distance was small but it was a goal for them. But as they drew closer to the destination, the frequency and intensity of dead rats increased.

Harry knew right away that something was wrong. “Foster, bring me that light.”

Foster did.

Harry crouched down and illuminated the rat. “What in heaven’s name?”

Ben crouched down, as well. “They all look alike.”

“Yeah,” Harry said. “Never seen anything like it.”

“Were they poisoned?”

“City ain’t wasting their time on cleaning up the sewer rats, not yet. They were all running here from somewhere.” Harry moved the light. “The little ones, those that were faster, made it farther before they died. These bigger ones didn’t get as far.”