services?”
The man looked at his friend and laughed. “Do I look like I’m with FEMA?”
Ryan shrugged, his instincts suddenly screaming at him that these guys were up to no good. Guarding the cellar, he kept an eye on each of them. How was it already getting to this? There were already looters roaming the area? Maybe he was jumping to conclusions too fast.
“Well, can I help you with anything?”
The other guy spoke up. “You got any food down there?”
Ryan didn’t want to turn them away. If the situation were reversed and he needed help, he’d hope the people he came across would be hospitable. But he couldn’t give up much. They didn’t have a whole lot to spare.
“A little. You’ve been walking around, yeah? How does everything look?”
“Terrible. You’re the first person we’ve found, and we’ve stopped at several farms. Either people are staying in their cellars, or they got blown away with everything else. What kind of food do you have?” The man ran his hands together, his smile making the hair on the back of Ryan’s neck stand up.
“Can I ask you something?” Ryan said. “Did you see a car down the highway by chance? A silver Toyota? I’m not sure how close to town it would’ve gotten, but did you see one?”
“I don’t think you understand how serious this situation is, mister. Everything from here to Fox Lake and God knows how far has been wiped off the map. If you weren’t below ground when the shit came through, you’re probably dead. Whoever was driving this silver Toyota that you speak of is probably dead.” The man paused, his smile widening, exposing yellowed teeth. “It was your lady, wasn’t it?”
“I’m gonna grab you two a little food. I’ll be right back.”
Ryan didn’t want to let them get out of sight, but he also wanted them off his property. Maybe if he gave them what they wanted, even if it wasn’t much, they’d move on. He grabbed a couple of cans of potted meat and stopped before going back to ground level. Ty was safely in the far corner, oblivious to what was happening above them. He remembered the nine-millimeter Glock he kept in one of the cabinets. He had put it there a few months back after purchasing it in hopes to keep it out of reach of Ty. And now, it served a purpose.
Putting it in his waistband of his jeans, he adjusted his shirt to hide it. He went back up and extended the cans to them, each scoffing as they snatched them away.
“Potted meat? You gotta be kidding me. I know you got more shit down there. A guy like you probably stocked up like all those jackasses in line at the grocery store. What else you got?”
“That’s about it.” Ryan felt the heavy gun on his hip, it’s weight a reminder that he wasn’t going to let these guys push him around.
“Bullshit.” One of the men stepped forward, but Ryan stood his ground, not moving away from the cellar entrance. “You believe this guy? Thinks he can take on both of us?” Getting in Ryan’s face, he could smell the man’s stale breath. “Step aside. I’m going down there to see what else you have.”
Ryan didn’t move. How could it already get to this point? Was it really as bad as they were claiming, or were they just seeing an opportunity to rob people?
“Take what I gave you and go. My son is injured and the rest of the food is to keep him healthy until help comes.”
“I got news for you. Ain’t no help coming. Keep telling yourself that, but it’s like the end of the world out there. I already told you that you’re the first person we’ve talked to for miles. No one is coming.”
“Well, you’ll have to go loot someone else because I’m not giving you anything else.”
“He’s a brave man, ain’t he!” The man turned to his friend, and that’s when Ryan took the chance to grab the gun from his pants. Holding it out, he pointed it the stranger, gripping the handle so tight that his knuckles ached. He was trained in how to shoot and handle a gun,
The man looked at his friend and laughed. “Do I look like I’m with FEMA?”
Ryan shrugged, his instincts suddenly screaming at him that these guys were up to no good. Guarding the cellar, he kept an eye on each of them. How was it already getting to this? There were already looters roaming the area? Maybe he was jumping to conclusions too fast.
“Well, can I help you with anything?”
The other guy spoke up. “You got any food down there?”
Ryan didn’t want to turn them away. If the situation were reversed and he needed help, he’d hope the people he came across would be hospitable. But he couldn’t give up much. They didn’t have a whole lot to spare.
“A little. You’ve been walking around, yeah? How does everything look?”
“Terrible. You’re the first person we’ve found, and we’ve stopped at several farms. Either people are staying in their cellars, or they got blown away with everything else. What kind of food do you have?” The man ran his hands together, his smile making the hair on the back of Ryan’s neck stand up.
“Can I ask you something?” Ryan said. “Did you see a car down the highway by chance? A silver Toyota? I’m not sure how close to town it would’ve gotten, but did you see one?”
“I don’t think you understand how serious this situation is, mister. Everything from here to Fox Lake and God knows how far has been wiped off the map. If you weren’t below ground when the shit came through, you’re probably dead. Whoever was driving this silver Toyota that you speak of is probably dead.” The man paused, his smile widening, exposing yellowed teeth. “It was your lady, wasn’t it?”
“I’m gonna grab you two a little food. I’ll be right back.”
Ryan didn’t want to let them get out of sight, but he also wanted them off his property. Maybe if he gave them what they wanted, even if it wasn’t much, they’d move on. He grabbed a couple of cans of potted meat and stopped before going back to ground level. Ty was safely in the far corner, oblivious to what was happening above them. He remembered the nine-millimeter Glock he kept in one of the cabinets. He had put it there a few months back after purchasing it in hopes to keep it out of reach of Ty. And now, it served a purpose.
Putting it in his waistband of his jeans, he adjusted his shirt to hide it. He went back up and extended the cans to them, each scoffing as they snatched them away.
“Potted meat? You gotta be kidding me. I know you got more shit down there. A guy like you probably stocked up like all those jackasses in line at the grocery store. What else you got?”
“That’s about it.” Ryan felt the heavy gun on his hip, it’s weight a reminder that he wasn’t going to let these guys push him around.
“Bullshit.” One of the men stepped forward, but Ryan stood his ground, not moving away from the cellar entrance. “You believe this guy? Thinks he can take on both of us?” Getting in Ryan’s face, he could smell the man’s stale breath. “Step aside. I’m going down there to see what else you have.”
Ryan didn’t move. How could it already get to this point? Was it really as bad as they were claiming, or were they just seeing an opportunity to rob people?
“Take what I gave you and go. My son is injured and the rest of the food is to keep him healthy until help comes.”
“I got news for you. Ain’t no help coming. Keep telling yourself that, but it’s like the end of the world out there. I already told you that you’re the first person we’ve talked to for miles. No one is coming.”
“Well, you’ll have to go loot someone else because I’m not giving you anything else.”
“He’s a brave man, ain’t he!” The man turned to his friend, and that’s when Ryan took the chance to grab the gun from his pants. Holding it out, he pointed it the stranger, gripping the handle so tight that his knuckles ached. He was trained in how to shoot and handle a gun,
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