Read Online No Normal Day by J. Richardson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. Richardson
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Lingner was. They rolled their eyes at each
other and Dianne stepped out on the front porch. “Hello, Mrs.
Lingner, what's up?”
Mrs.
Lingner's words all ran together in a rush, “Do you have power,
Dianne? Mine is off and something is wrong with the cars,
too. Isn't that weird? Is Jason at home? I was thinking since he is
in the Army and all, he would know what is happening...know what to
do”.
“ I
am sorry, but Jason and I don't know what's going on either. All of
our stuff is dead, too. If we figure anything out, we will let you
know. See you later.” Dianne turned and
went in
the house, leaving the neighbor opened mouthed at the gate.
The
late morning rolled into
the late afternoon, as they waited, talking about
what could have possibly happened and some options of what they could
do. They were increasingly concerned about their
children. Jason did not
want to tell Dianne yet, how strongly he was considering hiking to
the base. I really need to know what is going on. Everything
around them remained quiet.
Dianne got the
radio out and for the fourth or fifth time, they searched through
the channels, trying to get a broadcast. This time they hit on a
voice, broken and nearly not understandable over static but it was
someone talking.
“ ...all
roadways clogged...no cars runni.. been no explanation....base is
locked down....no law or military on the
streets...looting...dangerous in city.”
Jason
twisted the
dial, trying to get a better signal when they heard a
low humming of a motor and a horn honked at
the gate. Dianne ran to
the front porch. “Oh, thank god, it's the kids...Jason, it's
the kids!” Jason sprinted down
the steps and to
the gate, unlocked and
swung it
back. The long heavy old car that belonged to
Dianne's daughter Kathryn and her husband, Tate, rolled in
and he closed and
locked the
gate behind it. Tate was driving, Kathryn beside him on the bench
seat. Dianne's twenty one year old son, Dane and Jason's eighteen
year old son, Matt, sat in the back. The grand-baby BJ, age eighteen
months, was between
them in his car seat. Everyone piled out. Kathryn took her baby and
hugged him. The toddler reached out for
his grandmother, Dianne. She took BJ
and Kathryn
began to cry.
“ Oh
Momma, it was awful in town. We don't know what happened, cars were
blocking us everywhere and the cell wouldn't work. We don't know why
that big hunk of junk is running and I think we are nearly out of
gas. We went to the college to get Dane, you know how far that
is...and we stopped and found Matt.” She hugged her
step father, who she really accepted as her dad. They all moved into
the house. Tate took his
son to change his diaper. Matt went right
to the refrigerator and pulled out
a cola for he and Dane. “Still cold”, said Dane
after a sip.
Jason
said, “You know that big ride of yours is probably running
because it i s so old.” Tate and Kathryn had both been
trying to go to school and work and they have the baby. His
grandmother passed the station wagon along to them. She had owned it
since it was brand new, over 40 years ago. She kept it in a garage
and took perfect care of it. So, it was a gas sucking goliath of a
relic but still ran and hardly had a nick on it. He continued, “I
remember reading that older cars might still run after something
knocked out all of the ones with computers and electronics.”
Tate
said, “I was thinking the same thing. Not going to do us much
good without gas though and all the gas pumps are down.” He sat
BJ down on the floor with some toys. They all gathered around the
long table.
Jason
spoke to them, “Now that you are all here, we feel a lot
better. With old goliath out there, still running, I think we have a
chance to get away from here and make it to your Poppa and Gram's
house. I think that is what we need to do.”
Dianne
said, “I agree”.
“ My
truck has a full tank of gas and your mother's probably has at least
three quarters. I also have about three gallons
other and Dianne stepped out on the front porch. “Hello, Mrs.
Lingner, what's up?”
Mrs.
Lingner's words all ran together in a rush, “Do you have power,
Dianne? Mine is off and something is wrong with the cars,
too. Isn't that weird? Is Jason at home? I was thinking since he is
in the Army and all, he would know what is happening...know what to
do”.
“ I
am sorry, but Jason and I don't know what's going on either. All of
our stuff is dead, too. If we figure anything out, we will let you
know. See you later.” Dianne turned and
went in
the house, leaving the neighbor opened mouthed at the gate.
The
late morning rolled into
the late afternoon, as they waited, talking about
what could have possibly happened and some options of what they could
do. They were increasingly concerned about their
children. Jason did not
want to tell Dianne yet, how strongly he was considering hiking to
the base. I really need to know what is going on. Everything
around them remained quiet.
Dianne got the
radio out and for the fourth or fifth time, they searched through
the channels, trying to get a broadcast. This time they hit on a
voice, broken and nearly not understandable over static but it was
someone talking.
“ ...all
roadways clogged...no cars runni.. been no explanation....base is
locked down....no law or military on the
streets...looting...dangerous in city.”
Jason
twisted the
dial, trying to get a better signal when they heard a
low humming of a motor and a horn honked at
the gate. Dianne ran to
the front porch. “Oh, thank god, it's the kids...Jason, it's
the kids!” Jason sprinted down
the steps and to
the gate, unlocked and
swung it
back. The long heavy old car that belonged to
Dianne's daughter Kathryn and her husband, Tate, rolled in
and he closed and
locked the
gate behind it. Tate was driving, Kathryn beside him on the bench
seat. Dianne's twenty one year old son, Dane and Jason's eighteen
year old son, Matt, sat in the back. The grand-baby BJ, age eighteen
months, was between
them in his car seat. Everyone piled out. Kathryn took her baby and
hugged him. The toddler reached out for
his grandmother, Dianne. She took BJ
and Kathryn
began to cry.
“ Oh
Momma, it was awful in town. We don't know what happened, cars were
blocking us everywhere and the cell wouldn't work. We don't know why
that big hunk of junk is running and I think we are nearly out of
gas. We went to the college to get Dane, you know how far that
is...and we stopped and found Matt.” She hugged her
step father, who she really accepted as her dad. They all moved into
the house. Tate took his
son to change his diaper. Matt went right
to the refrigerator and pulled out
a cola for he and Dane. “Still cold”, said Dane
after a sip.
Jason
said, “You know that big ride of yours is probably running
because it i s so old.” Tate and Kathryn had both been
trying to go to school and work and they have the baby. His
grandmother passed the station wagon along to them. She had owned it
since it was brand new, over 40 years ago. She kept it in a garage
and took perfect care of it. So, it was a gas sucking goliath of a
relic but still ran and hardly had a nick on it. He continued, “I
remember reading that older cars might still run after something
knocked out all of the ones with computers and electronics.”
Tate
said, “I was thinking the same thing. Not going to do us much
good without gas though and all the gas pumps are down.” He sat
BJ down on the floor with some toys. They all gathered around the
long table.
Jason
spoke to them, “Now that you are all here, we feel a lot
better. With old goliath out there, still running, I think we have a
chance to get away from here and make it to your Poppa and Gram's
house. I think that is what we need to do.”
Dianne
said, “I agree”.
“ My
truck has a full tank of gas and your mother's probably has at least
three quarters. I also have about three gallons
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