We were tired when we reached Salinas, but we had decided to walk on after resupplying and washing.
We didn’t want to be in town when the worst of the scavengers arrived. They might be calm, tired after their day of burning and stealing, but I doubted it. I thought they would be drunk with power and hungry for more. As Bankole said, “Once people get the idea that it’s all right-to take what you want and destroy the rest, who knows when they’ll stop.”
He got the old man down to a price he seemed to think was fair, then he called us over, “Any of you know how to handle a relic like this?” he asked.
Well, Harry and I did, and he had us look the rifle over. In the end, everyone had a look at it, some with obvious awkwardness and some with familiarity.
Back in the neighborhood, Harry and I had practiced with the guns of other households— rifles and shotguns as well as handguns. Whatever was legal back home was shared, at least in practice sessions.
My father had wanted us to be familiar with whatever weapons might be available. Harry and I were both good, competent shots, but we’d never bought a used gun. I liked the rifle, l liked the look and feel of it, but that didn’t mean much. Harry seemed to like it, too. Same problem.
“Come over here,” Bankole said. He herded us out of earshot of the old couple. “You should buy that gun,” he told us. “You took enough money off those four junkies to pay the price I got that guy to agree to. You need at least one accurate, long-range weapon, and this is a good one.”
“That money would buy a lot of food,” Travis said.
Bankole nodded. “Yes, but only living people need food. You buy this, and it will pay for itself the first time you need it. Anyone who doesn’t know how to use it, I’ll teach. My father and I used to hunt deer with guns just like this.”
“It’s an antique,” Harry said. “If it were automatic…
.”
“If it were automatic, you couldn’t afford it.” Bankole shrugged. “This thing is cheap because it’s old and it’s legal.”
“And it’s slow,” Zahra said. “And if you think that old guy’s price is cheap, you’re crazy.”
“I know I’m new here,” Allie said, “but I agree with Bankole. You guys are good with your handguns, but sooner or later, you’re going to meet someone who sits out of handgun range and picks you off.
Picks us off.”
“And this rifle is going to save us?” Zahra demanded.
“I doubt that it would save us,” I said. “But with a decent shot behind it, it might give us a chance.” I looked at Bankole. “You hit any of those deer?”
He smiled. “One or two.”
I did not return the smile. “Why don’t you buy the rifle for yourself?”
“I can’t afford it,” he said. “I’ve got enough money to keep me going and take care of necessities for a while. Everything else that I had was stolen from me or burned.
I didn’t quite believe him. But then, no one knew how much money I had either. In a way, I suppose he was asking about our solvency. Did we have enough money to spend an unexpected windfall on an old rifle? And what did he intend to do if we did? I hoped, not for the first time, that he wasn’t just a handsome thief. Yet I did like the gun, and we do need it.
“Harry and I are decent shots, too,” I said to the group. “I like the feel of this gun, and it’s the best we can afford right now. Has anyone seen any real trouble with it?”
They looked at one another. No one answered.
“It just needs a cleaning and some 30-06
ammunition,” Bankole said. “It’s been stored for a while, but it appears to have been well maintained. If you buy it, I think I can manage to buy a cleaning kit and some ammunition.”
At that, I spoke up before anyone else could. “If we buy, that’s a deal. Who else can handle the rifle?”
“I can,” Natividad said. And when that won her a few surprised looks, she smiled. “I had no brothers. My father needed to teach someone.”
“We never had a chance to do any shooting,” Allie said. “But we can learn.”
Jill nodded. “I always wanted to learn,” she said.
“I’ll have to learn, too,” Travis admitted. “Where I grew up, guns were either locked away or carried by hired guards.”
“Let’s go buy it, then,” I said. “And let’s get out of here. The sun will be down soon.”
Bankole kept his word, bought cleaning things and plenty of ammunition— insisted on buying them before we left town, because, as he said, “Who knows when we’ll need it, or when we’ll find other people willing to sell it to us.”
Once that was settled, we left town.
As we left, Harry carried the new rifle and Zahra carried the Beretta, both empty and in need of attention before we loaded them. Only Bankole and I carried fully loaded guns. I led the group and he brought up the rear. It was getting dark. Behind us in the distance, we could hear gunfire and the dull thunder of small explosions.
20
God is neither good
nor evil,
neither loving
nor hating.
God is Power.
God is Change.
We must find the rest of what we need within ourselves,
in one another,
in our Destiny.
EARTHSEED: THE BOOKS OF THE LIVING
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2027
(from notes expanded TUESDAY,
AUGUST 31)
Today or tomorrow should be a rest day, but we’ve agreed not to rest. Last night was full of distant shooting, explosions and fire. We could see fire behind us, though not in front. Moving on seems sensible, in spite of our weariness.
Then, this morning, I cleaned the little black earring radio with alcohol from my pack, turned the thing on, and put it in my ear. I had to relay what it said since its sound could not reach the others.
What it said told us we should not only forget about resting, but change our plans.
We had intended to follow U.S. 101 up through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge. But the radio warned us to stay away from the Bay Area.
From San Jose up through San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, there is chaos. The quake hit hard up there, and the scavengers, predators, cops, and private armies of security guards seem bent on destroying what’s left. Also, of course, pyro is doing its part. This far north, the radio reporters shorten the name to “pro” or “ro” and they say there are plenty of addicts.
Addicts are running wild, setting fires in areas that the earthquake didn’t damage. Bands of the street poor precede or follow them, grabbing whatever they can from stores and from the walled enclaves of the rich and what’s left of the middle class. Yeah.
In some places, the rich are escaping by flying out in helicopters. The bridges that are still intact— and most of them are— are guarded either by the police or by gangs. Both groups are there to rob desperate, fleeing people of their weapons, money, food, and water— at the least. The penalty for being too poor to be worth robbing is a beating, a rape, and/or death.
The National Guard has been activated to restore order, and I suppose it might. But I suspect that in the short term, it will only add to the chaos. What else could another group of well-armed people do in such an insane situation. The thoughtful ones might take their guns and other equipment and vanish to help their families. Others might find themselves at war with their own people. They’ll be confused and scared and dangerous. Of course, some will discover that they enjoy their new power— the power to make others submit, the power to take what they want— property, sex, life… .
Bad situation. The Bay Area will be a good place to avoid for a long time.
We spread maps on the ground, studied them as we ate breakfast, and decided to turn off U.S. 101 this morning. We’ll follow a smaller, no doubt emptier road inland to the little town of San Juan Bautista, then east along State Route 156. From 156 to 152 to Interstate 5. We’ll use I-5 to circle around the Bay Area. For a time we’ll walk up the center of the state instead of along the coast. We might have to bypass I-5 and go farther east to State 33 or 99. I like the emptiness around much of I-5. Cities are dangerous.