Surviving The Grid (Survival Series Book 1) Page 7

She looked so cute lying on the sofa with her eyes closed and her arms splayed out around her. Applejack was by her side, ever the watchful guardian. It seemed a shame to wake her. Darren wished he could let her sleep through all of this. The instinct to shield his children from the rigors of the world was strong, but he knew deep down that he would be doing them a disservice if he did that. They needed to experience real life so that they were better prepared for it when they didn’t have him to depend upon.

  As he looked at her, he thought about the day she had been born. The pregnancy had come as a surprise since he and Stacie had been having some problems. He wondered if they would have stayed together as long as they had if Michelle had not been born, but that day had been so joyous. When he saw Stacie holding their little girl, he had been immensely happy. He’d walked in with Brent, Stacie introduced the brother and sister. Darren remembered telling Brent that as the big brother he had to take care of Michelle and make sure that nothing bad happened to her.

  It had proven to be an omen.

  They were a happy family in that moment. But sadly, that moment couldn’t last, just like Michelle’s sleep couldn’t last.

  Darren reached out and caressed her cheek softly. She looked like an angel as her body writhed, her eyelids fluttered, and then her mouth opened in a yawn. She looked at him through the haze of sleep and smiled.

  “Hey Sweetie, I brought you a little something to eat,” he said, using one hand to lift her gently into a sitting position. Michelle rubbed her eyes, yawned again, and then looked to the window. She seemed confused that it was so dark.

  “But it’s not morning,” she said.

  “I know. There’s something I need to tell you,” Darren said, struggling to find the words that would make sense to her young mind. Explaining it to Brent was one thing, but to Michelle it was quite different.

  “Something has happened outside. There was a big storm, and now a lot of the things that we’re used to using don’t work anymore. And there’s a good chance they’re not going to work for a long time, things such as the TV, clocks, cellphones,” he said. Michelle looked at him with numb interest. She was scooping up the chocolate flakes as he spoke, milk spilled out from the spoon onto the couch.

  “What this also means,” Darren continued, “is that we have to leave home for a little while.”

  Michelle’s face transformed into fear. Darren reached out and stroked her arm, speaking in a gentle voice.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said. “We’re all going to stay together. We just have to go somewhere else, and we’re going to go to our special fun place in the woods. You know, the small cave we’ve been to before?”

  Michelle smiled at this. Darren sounded confident, but he was afraid that they’d arrive and someone else already would be in the cave. It was the only option, though. They couldn’t stay here, they couldn’t go to the city, and he wasn’t going to take his kids traipsing through the woods without a destination in mind. That small cave was going to be their new home.

  “We’re going to go camping. You like camping, don’t you? It’s going to be me, you and Brent--”

  “Can Applejack come too?”

  “Of course Applejack can come! We’re going to stay out there for a little while, just the four of us. Does that sound good to you?”

  Michelle nodded. Thankfully she had so much trust in Darren that she didn’t question him, merely continued eating her breakfast and rocked a little on the couch.

  “Now, we’re just going to gather things up to take with us. We can’t take too much though, okay? So, I’m going to go up to your room and get a few clothes for you. Brent is in the kitchen packing some food. You just stay here with Applejack and eat your cereal.”

  “Can I watch cartoons?” Michelle asked.

  “No, Sweetie. Remember that there’s no power?”

  “Oh,” Michelle said, crestfallen. Darren kissed her on the forehead, which made her smile, and then he left her in peace. He just hoped there wouldn’t be more gunshots while he was gone.

  Before he bounded upstairs, he checked on Brent again. His son was working methodically, and Darren was glad to see that he was taking a bite of a sandwich now and then.

  Darren went upstairs and started going through Michelle’s dresser drawers, picking out warm, sturdy clothes that would last a long time. He worked so frantically that, for a moment, he lost himself entirely in the task. Then he looked up and really took in the room around him. This was Michelle’s little piece of heaven, a room just her own. It was filled with her toys, her books, everything that had defined her in her five short years of being alive.

  And now it all was going to be left behind. Darren wished he could take it all with him. She loved all these things so much, especially her stuffed animals. Leaving them behind would be like leaving her friends. It was going to be difficult for her to understand the reality of the situation. Darren was going to have to be patient with her.

  “Damn it, Stacie, I really could use you right now,” he said. Despite her struggle with depression, Stacie always had been able to calm the kids, especially Brent. It would have been good to have another adult around as well.

  A few of his friends had tried getting him to move on from Stacie and meet someone new, but it had seemed an impossible task. Darren was a mess, financially and emotionally, and he didn’t think anyone else needed to be burdened by that. It would have been too early to let anyone into Brent and Michelle’s life anyway. Now it was the end of the world, and the chances of him meeting someone else were slim. He was faced with the very real possibility that he would have to spend the rest of his life alone.

  There were tears in his eyes as Darren took a last look around this room. He had a few outfits for Michelle. It hardly seemed enough, but it was all he could take. He went downstairs again and stuffed them in one of the bags. He looked up. Brent had done a sterling job.

  “You’re doing great, Son. Thank you for doing this, it’s a real help.”

  “You can count on me, Dad. I’ve tried giving us a good variety of food. I hope I’ve chosen the right things. I’ve been eating as well; once I started, I realized how hungry I was. I guess you were right.”

  “Hey, I would have thought by now you’d know that your old man is always right,” Darren said, getting Brent in a playful headlock. Brent struggled and broke free. He was getting stronger every day. There were times when Darren actually had to put up a fight when they wrestled.

  “Why don’t you go to your room and see what there is that you’d like to take? We can’t take much, but it might be a long time before we ever come back here. I’ll finish up here,” Darren said. Brent nodded and disappeared upstairs. Darren grabbed a little more food, and then checked Brent’s work.

  The cans all were distributed evenly. Darren picked up the bags and felt their weight. They were perhaps a little heavier than he would have made them, but Brent had done a good job at making sure not to overfill them. There was still so much food left behind, though. Darren grabbed an apple and bit into it, feeling the satisfying crunch on his teeth. Juice trickled down his chin, and he wondered how long it was going to be before he enjoyed the simple pleasures in life again.

  He packed the four bags until they held as much as he and Brent could carry, and then zipped them up. Then he looked around the kitchen for anything else they might need. He gathered up some cutlery and a small pan and, of course, a manual can opener. He also made sure to get some knives. They would come in handy for more than one thing.

  Behind him, Darren heard the pattering of footsteps. Michelle had come into the kitchen and put her bowl in the sink, like a good girl.

  “That’s a lot of food,” she said.

  “I know. We’re going to have to take it with us, but we can’t take it all,” Darren said, crouching down so he was at eye level with his daughter.

  “This is going to be very difficult for us all,” he explained, “and we’re going to have to be strong and brave. I kno
w you can be my brave little girl, and you’ll have me and Brent and Applejack to look after you. Something has changed in the world, Michelle. There’s going to be no kindergarten anymore. It’s just going to be the four of us. We’re not going to be able to watch movies like we used to or eat around the table as we did before. A lot of things are going to be different--”

  “Just like when Mommy left,” she said.

  “Yes, exactly like that. But one thing that isn’t going to change is us. Me and Brent are going to be here. We’re not going to leave you, okay? And what’s more important is that what makes this place a home is that we’re all here. So, so really, home is wherever we’re together.”

  “So, the woods are going to be our home, just like Tinker Bell!”

  “Yes, exactly like Tinker Bell. We’re going to have adventures and share stories and we’re going to be sitting around a campfire. It’s going to be great fun, and there’s not going to be anyone who can stop us!” Darren said, trying to sound excited.

  Michelle nodded eagerly and seemed to be happy to go. At that point, Brent came downstairs, holding a picture of the four of them together. It had been taken just after Michelle had been born. Darren took it from Brent and looked at them, at Stacie’s smiling face staring back at him. It was hard to believe she had turned into such a cruel and callous creature.

  “You sure this is the only thing you want to take?” Darren asked.

  Brent nodded. They all had been so happy in this moment. That was another life, though. Darren tucked it away in one of the bags, making sure it wasn’t going to get broken.

  “Good job on the food, by the way,” Darren said, putting a strong hand on Brent’s shoulder.

  Brent smiled. He was an entirely capable young man, but the coming days would test them all. Darren looked anxiously at his children, wondering if he truly was making the right decision. This was their home. It was the place in which they were supposed to be safe, a fortress to keep other people out. Maybe venturing into the woods wasn’t such a good idea.

  Then, the air was alive with another gunshot.

  Darren knew he had to get away from other people. He had to keep his kids safe. He already had seen enough kinds of monsters out during the night, and he didn’t want his kids exposed to them.

  “Come on, guys, let’s get ready and we’ll go.”

  Darren already was dressed. He decided to keep the clothes he had taken from the camping store since they were newer and sturdier than the clothes he already owned. He helped Michelle get dressed. She was telling Applejack about the adventure they were going to go on.

  “What about the others?” she asked.

  Darren had been dreading that question.

  “Well, I just don’t think we’ll be able to take them. Besides, somebody needs to stay here to watch over the place in case we ever return. They’ll have each other, just like we have us. Sometimes in life you have to say goodbye to the people you love.”

  “Like Mommy,” Michelle said.

  “Exactly,” Darren said, even though they hadn’t technically said goodbye to her.

  Stacie had left before that. Darren didn’t understand how she could have lived with herself after not having a final goodbye with her children, leaving them to wonder if it was really their fault. Darren had tried explaining to them that it had nothing to do with them, but Stacie had been at the center of their world. Brent especially still was struggling with the thought that he was the reason she left.

  Darren couldn’t imagine being away from his kids permanently. The thought of never seeing them again made his soul quake, and he once again wondered if he even had known his wife at all.

  Once they were all dressed and ready to go, Darren inspected them as though he was in the army. He got them to stand at attention, and then gave the two lighter bags to Brent. Darren took the two heavier ones, as well as Michelle’s hand. The three of them, with Applejack in tow, left their house. Darren took a last look around, wondering if he ever was going to come back here.

  Chapter 9

  “Remember, stay quiet. It’s like we’re playing hide and seek,” Darren said. Michelle giggled excitedly, and Darren had to shush her.

  The three of them walked on in silence. Darren took the lead with Michelle, and Brent was a few steps behind him. Darren wondered if he should have given Brent a weapon. At the moment, Darren held all of them. If it came to it, then he’d toss Brent a knife. He’d want Brent to run away with Michelle anyway. Darren was going to protect them, with his life if need be.

  He sorely hoped it wouldn’t come to that. It was bad enough taking them away from their home, let alone thinking about them living life by themselves. It had been hard for them to deal with Stacie leaving them, but to be orphaned? Darren didn’t know how they would handle it. He didn’t want to know.

  It was difficult to shake the morbid thoughts from his mind. They had plagued him ever since his life had fallen apart. Now that the world had joined him, it seemed chaos was all around.

  Periodic gunshots peppered the air. Darren tried keeping the kids moving, so he didn’t look around. He knew that their fear and strength would be derived from him. He had to act as though this was as normal as possible so they would act the same. The last thing they needed was to panic.

  Darren kept an ear out for any uncommon sound, but as far as he could tell nobody was near. He had left the house by the back door so Michelle didn’t have to see the body laid out in front of their house. Darren wondered about the killer who had run away. It seemed strange to think that a lot of unpunished crimes would occur over the course of the night. Darren had perpetrated a few of his own, but he told himself that stealing clothes he needed wouldn’t be high on the list of unforgiveable sins. Neither would breaking that man’s nose. That was self-defense.

  He wondered what they had been arguing about. Was it something important, or something petty? Emotions were running high, rash things easily could be said. Thankfully, Brent wasn’t the bratty teenager that was so prevalent in TV shows and movies. He was obedient and trusted his father. This would have been a longer journey had he opposed Darren’s plan.

  The rain had stopped, thankfully, although there were lingering effects. The road was slick, and deep puddles were scattered about. Michelle took great delight in jumping in these where she could. Darren had to tell her sternly not to do that. Even a splash could seal their doom if the wrong person was alerted to their presence

  The darkness was suffocating. Everywhere Darren looked he expected to see lights, but instead saw a wall of black. As his eyes adjusted, he could see the outlines of trees and houses. They walked past the neighborhood park. A lonely swing creaked, interrupting the deathly silence.

  Darren wasn’t going to risk using his lantern here. He knew the way like the back of his hand, since they had made the journey so often. He wanted to cloak himself in the night to remain undetected, protected from whatever horror lay in wait for them.

  This was a new beginning, and the unknown beckoned. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time. Darren had been getting used to the idea of moving through a monotonous life, always working two jobs, always believing that one day he’d get back to where he had been. That had been torn to shreds. Now he was with his children, leading them away from their home, to what he hoped was a safe place.

  The last thing he wanted was for them to see the same things he had seen. He wanted to keep them away from fire and shattered glass, away from people hailing this as the end of days.

  A noise.

  Darren stopped breathing. He peered into the darkness and waited. Tension rose through him. With his free hand he began reaching around for the gun, when a pattering of footsteps scampered across the path before him. It was a stray dog, his pink tongue lolling out, his beady eyes gleaming as they reflected the light of the Moon.

  A leash was dragging along by its side. Michelle tugged on Darren’s arm.

  “Can we have it?” Michelle said.

&n
bsp; “I think it’s got somewhere else to be, Honey,” Darren said gently. He exchanged a troubled look with Brent, though. The same thought was running through both their minds. The dog was without its owner.

  Darren thought about the animals and how savage they would become when they started craving food. It had been so easy for everyone to lose their fear of animals since it was so common to domesticate them and see them caged in zoos, being docile. As humans lost their grip on the world, nature would fight back. The primal energy would prowl around the country and seek revenge for the years of domination it had suffered.

  It felt as though the world was fighting back.

  Since he just had eaten, Darren wasn’t hungry, but as he thought about the dog, he wondered how many wild animals were out there, and what lengths he would go to in order to eat. It had been a long time since he had skinned an animal. Modern society made it so easy to live life without getting your hands dirty. Everything was convenient. Animals were killed, packaged, and shipped to your door, the same with other food, and even clean water.

  There was no place for that now, though. It struck Darren that so many people would die purely because they didn’t have the means to survive. Society had coddled them in softness and comfort, taking care of everything, and now that safety net had been taken away. How many people now knew how to make a fire, or skin an animal? It wasn’t like they could ask the Google oracle to find the answer. There had been a serious downward trend in the way people retained information, Darren had noticed. Attention spans were short, and instead of retaining information people were learning how to search for information, knowing that it always would be there.

  The homework that Brent did was far different from the homework that he had done when he was the same age. Everything was so easy for Brent now. The whole library of human information was available at the tap of the button. There was so much of it that it was overwhelming, and it was no wonder that nobody learned it all, because there was simply too much.