“You haven’t got any,” Tom snapped. “None. And I ain’t talking about what’s dangling between—”
“Okay, all right.” Mick cringed as he held up his hand. “Why are you packing?”
Tom stopped. He locked eyes with Mick for a moment then shook his head. “Have you heard the news? There’s a strong flu bug running around.”
“I know that.”
“But you don’t know the truth if you’re just listening to the news. Go on the internet.”
“The internet is still running?” Mick asked surprised.
“We have phones, don’t we?” Tom asked. “Some sites are down. Some aren’t. I went on the Minute Man Militia site last night. You have to see the pictures they have snuck out of LA. Bodies, Mick. Bodies in dump trucks, bodies burning. These aren’t the pictures that they’re showing on the news. This flu is bad. This flu is really bad.”
“I know this, Tom.”
“It may have shut down the country. It may have shut down Lodi, but I’ll be goddamned if I’m gonna let it shut down my life or the lives of my family.”
“So you’re leaving?”
“Absolutely,” Tom said strongly. “We’re going to Uncle Herb’s cabin down in West Virginia. Wait it out there. Figured out a non-quarantined route, packing up Marian, Dylan and the boys…”
“Whoa!” Mick stepped to him. “You are not taking Dylan and the boys. No. They stay right here.”
“They go with me.”
“Over my dead body.”
“Fine then… where’s my shotgun?” Tom turned around as if to search.
“Tom, this is ridiculous. I need you in Lodi.”
“There’s nothing left in Lodi. It’s a shell like the rest of the world.”
“Not if I have anything to do with it.” Mick’s voice dropped. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I didn’t have the balls. I do now.” On the counter next to Tom, Mick laid the sign that was on the video store’s door.
Tom looked at his sign. “You certainly do have balls taking down my sign.”
Mick had to chuckle. “No, Tom. I’m not talking about taking your sign down. I’m talking about taking down the ordinance.”
“Explain,” Tom said snidely, as if he didn’t believe Mick.
“The ordinance to shut down all businesses. Well, I’m ignoring that. I took down your sign because I want you to open the store back up. Start it, Tom. Get every business to do the same. Open back up. Things are gonna start happening. There’s a plan…” Mick dropped his hand onto the sign. “The world around us may be dying, but we’re keeping Lodi alive.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lodi, Ohio
Why me? thought Patrick, syringe with vaccine in one hand and a small arm in the other. Eight doctors in addition to Lars had gathered to administer the shots, and Patrick was the lucky one who had to vaccinate Tigger. The child’s tiny arm was lost in Patrick’s hand, and he just stared at it.
“It’s just a shot,” Tigger said.
“I know.”
“Are you afraid?”
“No. Yes.” Patrick looked around the gymnasium for help from someone, anyone, and then Lars approached.
“Trouble?” Lars asked.
“Yes.” Patrick stated in relief. “Can you give Tigger the shot? His arm is so small I’m afraid I’ll hit the bone.”
“You won’t hit the bone.” Lars assured.
“I’m afraid I’ll hit the bone.”
After watching what seemed a ping pong match of words, Tigger interjected. “Can one of you give the shot? People are waiting.”
Lars, shaking his head, took the syringe. “Baby.” Holding Tigger’s arm in the palm of his hand, Lars pinched the flesh and prepared to give the injection.
“Hi, Mick,” Tigger said brightly when Mick approached.
“Hey, you.” Mick rubbed Tigger’s head then looked at Lars. “You’re gonna hit the bone.”
Patrick tossed up his hand. “I told him that.”
With seldom seen irritability, Lars enunciated slowly, “I am not going to hit the bone. Watch.” He injected the syringe.
Tigger let out a high-pitched screech. “You hit the bone.” After he saw all concerned eyes were upon him, he smiled. “Kidding.”
Laughing, Mick lifted Tigger from the table and set him down. “Good job. And Lars is tough. See?” Mick lifted his tee shirt sleeve. “I’m bruising.”
Lars watched the pair walk off, Tigger barely topping Mick’s knees. He looked crossly at Patrick. “Hit the bone,” Lars scoffed in disgust, then, shaking his head, he too walked off.
The next person stepped forward and Patrick’s eyes went from Lars to the woman. “I still say, he could have hit the bone. Don’t you?”
Mick figured that once word got out that vaccines were available, the people of Lodi would come to the school gym for their injections. He just didn’t figure it would work that well and that quickly.
The small gym was packed, and he was grateful that his height allowed him to be able to see his destination. So many people waited inside, and more waited on the other side of the doors. They lined up by the tables and moved around as if it were a social event. Most of the people waited for the tiny cup of juice Marian Roberts handed out at her little table she had set up as if she were a Red Cross volunteer.
Mick squeezed through, trying to make it across to the other side of the gymnasium. He held onto Tigger’s tiny hand for dear life, then, fearing he’d break the little fingers, Mick gave up. “Tigger,” he reached down and picked him up, “I know you hate to be carried, but humor me.”
“I hate this,” Tigger complained as he perched upon Mick’s hip like a two year old. “Kids I was supposed to go to school with will see me. They’ll think I’m a baby.”
“They’ll think you’re cool.” After adjusting Tigger, Mick realized that he’d lost his bearings, so before moving any farther in the wrong direction, Mick peered easily over the top of the crowd.
“Mick.” Dustin tapped on his arm.
“Ah.” Mick heaved a sigh of relief as he turned to Dustin. “Tell me you got your shot.”
“I did,” Dustin answered.
Tigger seized the ‘big brother’ opportunity before him. “Dustin, tell Mick to stop carrying me like a baby.”
“He has to carry you like a baby, you’re-pint sized, people will trample you. You think he’s carrying you like that ‘cause he wants to?” Dustin lectured. “He doesn’t… or do you, Mick?”
“No.” Mick continued to look around.
“Mick, you need to do something about Chris,” Dustin said.
Quickly, Mick looked at him. “Bingo. That’s who I’m searching for, do you know which table?”
“Fourth. Dr. Lyons,” Dustin answered.
“Good let’s…” Mick moved forward but was stopped when a woman approached him.
“Chief,” she said, “I hear there’s gonna be an assembly of sorts to explain all that’s going on.”
“Yes, Lil.” Mick, holding Tigger, his hand on Dustin’s shoulder, tried to get by her.
Again, she stopped him. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”
“Now if I did that, then I wouldn’t have to have an assembly. If I don’t have an assembly, I’m gonna be having to tell everyone what I told you. Understand?”
Confused, Lil looked at him.
“Good.” Mick smiled. He hurriedly led the boys away.
Nearing table four, Mick spotted the problem. Chris. He wanted to make it there before Chris did it again, and Mick was close to missing his opportunity. Handing Tigger to Dustin, eyes focused, Mick moved closer to table four.
He had watched Chris do it three times prior, but Mick was too busy to stop it. He wasn’t at that moment, and Mick was determined there wouldn’t be a fourth time.