that. Matt offered Murphy a large flashlight but he declined.
“That’ll only attract attention. By the way, turn off the generator. They are focusing in on homes and companies that have generators. Those will be the first places they hit.”
“I’ll go do that,” Jim Emerson, owner of a local bar and grill, disappeared off down the hall.
Murphy walked back over to Matt. “Only use the gun if they get through those doors. Unless they break in, don’t fire. We’ll knock three times when we get back so you know it’s us.”
Ally hugged her father one more time and we moved out. At the back of the building we began pulling the chairs away. Matt and a few of the other men got ready to block it the second we got outside. As the door cracked open my heart started beating faster. Murphy was the first out. Except for the glow of fires in the distance it was pitch-black outside. Staying together in one line we moved with purpose across the parking lot keeping ourselves low to the ground. The lot came out on Cedar Street and shoehorned around an elementary school. So far we hadn’t seen anyone except a couple of locals who still seemed to be oblivious to what was taking place in the town. Murphy tried to warn them but they just thought we were insane and darted across the street away from us. It probably didn’t help that we were creeping along holding a wrench, a knife and two chair legs.
Murphy shook his head looking over at them before Edgar spoke.
“There’s no time. We just need to get there.”
He nodded and we pressed on, circling the school. Cedar crossed over Sixth Street, went past the Oasis Museum and several fish restaurants. We hung a right on Sixth Street and double-timed it north. We remained in the shadows, ducking into alleyways every time we heard movement.
“You think they are all on Main Street?” Edgar asked.
“That’s where they said they were heading. Down to the large church building.”
We had made it as far as the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum. High above us was I-90 that passed overhead. The initial goal was to go underneath it and head into the forest just beyond but that would not happen. They had blocked off the road with multiple vehicles and up ahead were six skinheads keeping watch. One of them had a chain in his hand and was swinging it around while the others were raiding Alibi’s Steakhouse. They had taken a large metal trashcan and thrown it through the front window. Several of them were inside. We could only see six from where we were but we were sure there were more.
“Okay, change of plan. We are going down Pine Street.”
“But that’s going to bring us out close to Main Street.”
“Not if we hang a left four blocks down and go north on Front.”
Luke let out a chuckle. “If we can make it there.”
“It’s a straight run.”
“Yeah, straight past those baldies over there.”
Murphy leaned back against a wall close to a large industrial dumpster.
“The alternative is we head back and go west on Cedar Street,” Edgar said.
“Which will bring you directly into Main Street,” I added. “No, listen up, I know what to do. Just hang back here.”
“What?” Murphy said in a hushed tone.
Before I could explain or he could stop me, I tucked the knife into the back of my jeans and darted out between two vehicles. I began rushing in the direction of the six skinheads.
“Oy! Cops are heading for Main Street.” I didn’t wait to see if they would follow, I just kept running. With my green bomber jacket on, my jeans and trimmed hair, they didn’t think twice. They just assumed I was one of them and began running to catch up with me. I turned back momentarily. Now that the skinheads were facing the other direction, the others were able to get across the street without being seen. I slowed down and placed my hands on my knees pretending to be out of breath. They shot by me, only one of them turned back to ask if I was okay. I waved him on and
“That’ll only attract attention. By the way, turn off the generator. They are focusing in on homes and companies that have generators. Those will be the first places they hit.”
“I’ll go do that,” Jim Emerson, owner of a local bar and grill, disappeared off down the hall.
Murphy walked back over to Matt. “Only use the gun if they get through those doors. Unless they break in, don’t fire. We’ll knock three times when we get back so you know it’s us.”
Ally hugged her father one more time and we moved out. At the back of the building we began pulling the chairs away. Matt and a few of the other men got ready to block it the second we got outside. As the door cracked open my heart started beating faster. Murphy was the first out. Except for the glow of fires in the distance it was pitch-black outside. Staying together in one line we moved with purpose across the parking lot keeping ourselves low to the ground. The lot came out on Cedar Street and shoehorned around an elementary school. So far we hadn’t seen anyone except a couple of locals who still seemed to be oblivious to what was taking place in the town. Murphy tried to warn them but they just thought we were insane and darted across the street away from us. It probably didn’t help that we were creeping along holding a wrench, a knife and two chair legs.
Murphy shook his head looking over at them before Edgar spoke.
“There’s no time. We just need to get there.”
He nodded and we pressed on, circling the school. Cedar crossed over Sixth Street, went past the Oasis Museum and several fish restaurants. We hung a right on Sixth Street and double-timed it north. We remained in the shadows, ducking into alleyways every time we heard movement.
“You think they are all on Main Street?” Edgar asked.
“That’s where they said they were heading. Down to the large church building.”
We had made it as far as the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum. High above us was I-90 that passed overhead. The initial goal was to go underneath it and head into the forest just beyond but that would not happen. They had blocked off the road with multiple vehicles and up ahead were six skinheads keeping watch. One of them had a chain in his hand and was swinging it around while the others were raiding Alibi’s Steakhouse. They had taken a large metal trashcan and thrown it through the front window. Several of them were inside. We could only see six from where we were but we were sure there were more.
“Okay, change of plan. We are going down Pine Street.”
“But that’s going to bring us out close to Main Street.”
“Not if we hang a left four blocks down and go north on Front.”
Luke let out a chuckle. “If we can make it there.”
“It’s a straight run.”
“Yeah, straight past those baldies over there.”
Murphy leaned back against a wall close to a large industrial dumpster.
“The alternative is we head back and go west on Cedar Street,” Edgar said.
“Which will bring you directly into Main Street,” I added. “No, listen up, I know what to do. Just hang back here.”
“What?” Murphy said in a hushed tone.
Before I could explain or he could stop me, I tucked the knife into the back of my jeans and darted out between two vehicles. I began rushing in the direction of the six skinheads.
“Oy! Cops are heading for Main Street.” I didn’t wait to see if they would follow, I just kept running. With my green bomber jacket on, my jeans and trimmed hair, they didn’t think twice. They just assumed I was one of them and began running to catch up with me. I turned back momentarily. Now that the skinheads were facing the other direction, the others were able to get across the street without being seen. I slowed down and placed my hands on my knees pretending to be out of breath. They shot by me, only one of them turned back to ask if I was okay. I waved him on and
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