We had the timeframe right. That was no surprise. The rest of the message, however, was nothing less than stunning. After breaking the entire message down, Danny explained THIRST technology as military grade (Thermal High-frequency Imagery Radar Sonar Technology) systems that could track any form of warm blooded movement anywhere from a yard to fifty miles, dependent on the power of the individual box. It wasn’t yet hand portable but could operate from any military vehicle or aircraft. The enemy would be able to track our movements, no matter where we were, if they were close enough. We would be at an incredible disadvantage against it, but he did know of a few ways to misdirect and/or limit it.
The coded message played through a few more times—always the same—and then it never came back on that frequency. We all sat silent around the table, listening to it repeat each time, hoping for something more, or for something different. It never changed. Only when it stopped did anyone react.
Jenna started crying. Then Mom. Then me, and I don’t even know why. Everyone I loved was right here. Kate and Hayley were huddled together, perhaps praying. I couldn’t be sure. Cameron and Danny were talking to Dad, and although I could hear them just fine, none of their words made sense. It was like a stun grenade had gone off in my head. My ears were ringing, and the room was blurry. Everyone seemed to grasp why we couldn’t reach any other family members or friends. There may not have been anyone else out there. If the message were as honest as we feared, anyone who had survived had to just be as lucky as we were. Or as unlucky.
At some point I must have needed air because I walked outside barefoot, in shorts and a T-shirt, and didn’t even notice the cold. I trudged up the small hill to the bench by Sophie’s headstone overlooking the lake. I closed my eyes, put my head in my hands, and started a one-sided conference call with Sophie and God. Hayley came out a short while later and brought me my jacket. She stayed with me for a few minutes and then led me back inside. I couldn’t even tell you what was said. I just poured my heart out.
I felt better walking back into the cabin even though nothing had changed. I joined Danny and Dad at the table where they were still discussing the radio message, specifically its origin. Dad said it could have been next door or a thousand miles away. He figured someone with military experience was floating the message randomly around state by state, or region by region, hoping to help whatever survivors were still out there, but not make it too obvious. Using static was clever, but at some point the enemy was going to catch on. The messenger was, after all, using an international code. The enemy would know survivors were heading towards Hawaii. They could just sit on the West Coast and wait. But the message seemed to indicate the army would be on the move, coming from everywhere, to anywhere Americans might be. It wasn’t enough to cripple us with the chemicals. They wanted to wipe us out completely. Why didn’t our military fight back? Or did they and it didn’t matter? The message had emphasized we had no forces left. Maybe they were caught with their pants down like everyone else in America. If the decimation we’d seen on a small scale in Ely was what it was like nationwide—which we figured was likely the case—it wouldn’t take much to finish the country off now. In our case, it didn’t make sense to sit and wait for what might happen. We had the same chance of dying, stay or go, so we might as well go. And go now. One problem—I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to lose Sophie again.
THREE: “Last Supper”
I couldn’t imagine going back to sleep. Didn’t seem anyone else could either. Everywhere I looked someone was busy doing something to distract from the elephant in the room. The problem was, the more we talked and thought about the many challenges we were facing, the more elephants seemed to occupy the room. The more elephants the more stress. The more stress, the shorter the nerves. Eventually there were too many elephants in the room.
“I can’t just leave,” a male voice said loudly, snapping me out of my own haze. “And I don’t understand how you can expect me to.”
It was Cameron and he was talking to Danny. Jenna and Kate were standing by them, looking back and forth between their faces.
“It’s not about that,” Danny replied. “Jeez. Don’t you get it?”
“Get what? We don’t know for sure this is real. We don’t know everyone else is dead. Just because our phones don’t work doesn’t mean anything,” Cameron retorted.
“Come on, Cam. Don’t be stupid,” Danny said, and I saw him roll his eyes.
Apparently Cameron noticed it too, and he definitely objected to Danny’s choice of words. “Oh, so I’m being stupid?” His voice got louder.
“Boys,” my dad called out to them across the room.
Cameron ignored him. “You’re willing to just jet off and assume my family is dead. What if it were your family? Oh, that’s right…but it’s not. And you wouldn’t even care if it was your dad. But what if it were Hayley?”
Ouch! That was a low blow. I looked to Danny to see if he’d protest, and he did immediately.
“Hey!” Danny was riled up now and took a step towards Cameron. Cameron didn’t back down. Kate quickly stepped between them, and Jenna grabbed Cameron’s arm, but he shrugged her off. “I would care if it was my dad. I do care that it is your family. And I definitely would love to go down and get them.”
Cameron shook his head and laughed. Danny pointed his finger at him. “But I would understand that I don’t have a choice. I can’t risk everyone’s life by taking us all down there—”
“It’s not your call, dumbass,” Cameron fired back. “Who the hell put you in charge?”
“Boys!” Dad yelled louder, getting up from his chair and approaching them.
“Tell him, Kate. Tell him what you told me. Tell him you agree with me,” Cameron urged.
Danny was looking at Kate now. Kate glanced up at him but then looked away. “What’s he talking about?” Danny asked her.
“Nothing,” she replied quietly. “He’s not speaking for me.”
Dad was between the boys now. “Right,” Cameron muttered, shaking his head and turning away. “She’s just afraid to say it to your face. Just as much of a coward as you are.” Cameron headed towards a door leading out of the room. “Shit!” he yelled in anger, and shoved a stack of pans off the counter. As they crashed to the floor everyone jumped.
Jenna scurried to help Mom pick them up. “Sorry,” she said.
“It’s okay,” Mom replied. “Go make sure he’s okay. I can get this.” Jenna apologized again, tears pouring down her face, then stood and ran out of the room after Cameron. The rest of us were stunned.
“Kate?” Danny asked quietly, trying to see into her eyes and taking one of her hands. “What was that all about?”
She took a deep breath and looked at all of us before answering. “Cameron asked me if he was the only one who thought we needed to go down and check on our families. I told him I thought we should too. That’s what he’s talking about.” Danny sighed, but Kate wasn’t done. “Danny, of course I’d say that.” She grabbed his arm. “I don’t want to leave them.”
Hayley entered the conversation then. “We know you don’t, Kate. None of us do. Look, with everything your mom…with everything Jackie has done for me, I’m right there with you in wanting to go check on her. She’s my mom too.” Hayley had taken Kate’s other hand. I couldn’t see Kate’s face, but I saw her pull her hand away from Hayley’s and wipe her eyes. Kate’s head bobbed up and down a few times, and Hayley kept talking. “But I also heard the message and saw the town. The message said it was like this everywhere. Just like this. Can you imagine?” Danny was nodding his agreement. “You think Danny wouldn’t try to save Jackie if he thought there was any chance he could? You know he would.”