“Ok, so.” Murph shook the box. “It’s light, but I think we should have enough. I’ll go out tonight and scavenge.”
“Man, I hate when you do that,” Terrence said. “All they need to do is bust you after dark for looting. You’ll be shot dead.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Careful isn’t always gonna work. We need to work on the cart tonight or we’ll be carrying all this on foot.”
“Not for long,” Murph said. “I’m confident once we get out of the area, we can find a car.”
“We’d have Deana’s if they didn’t take it.”
“You heard the rumors. The occupation doesn’t go into West Virginia,” Murph said. “We’ll find something there.”
“Let’s hope,” Terrence replied. “Still it’s a long walk with a kid and an old woman.”
“Don’t let your mom hear you call her an old woman. She walks to Zone six for rations.”
“Yeah,” Terrence said almost iffy. “I’m not sure I want her, Macy or your wife going out anymore. I mean we’re playing the system to get stuff, already. With rations cut after what a few weeks? It’s gonna get bad. It’s not worth it, there has to be food out there, somewhere.”
“We can’t take that chance. We don’t know what’s out beyond this point.”
“There has to be something better.” Terrence stopped and looked around. “There just has to be.” The war had hit everyone in a different way, people began to destroy what the bombs didn’t. They gutted buildings to make a living space with no attempt to do any better, they didn’t clean up. They barely lived like humans, more like rats, they roamed the streets and the pavement was their bathroom. They scurried about when authorities walked by. It was such commonplace to be screamed at with people begging for food, and even being accosted, that Terrence got to the point where he stopped giving. He went from ignoring those who got hostile to shoving them away.
They just didn’t care. It was as if they were waiting and death was just a matter of time.
To Terrence humanity quickly turned as rotten as the stench that filled the streets.
He was glad that Deana’s place was more in an upper scale neighborhood. The only thing they worried about were looters.
Finally, they arrived back at Deana’s townhouse in the gated community. The gate was locked, not that it entirely secured the community, but it gave people a sense of protection. Everyone took turns watching that gate.
When they arrived, Douglas let them in.
Terrence opened the flap on the box and handed him two cans of meat. “They shorted rations. No bread products.”
“That’s fine. I appreciate it,’ Douglas said.
“Did my wife get back?” Terrence asked.
“Safe and sound about thirty minutes ago.” Douglas started closing the gate. “Oh, hey, Terrence. Some guy was here. I didn’t let him in.”
“Good,” Terrence said and started to walk.
“He asked about Deana.”
Terrence stopped.
“He said he went to the hospital to find her, she wasn’t there,” Douglas said. “I told him occupation moved her.”
“Did he say why he was looking for her?”
“Well, he claimed he was her father, but I remember hearing her father died.”
Terrence’s eyes widened. “How long ago was he here?”
“No more than ten minutes ago.”
“Do you know which way he went?”
“Down Walnut…” Douglas stopped talking when Terrence handed Murph a box.
“Take that in, I’ll be back.” Terrence opened the gate.
“Terrence,” Murph called out. “Her father’s dead.”
“No… he’s not.” Terrence shut the gate, said no more and kept on running. He had to find out.
He never believed that Dennis had died. Never. He was training at the White House for his new position when he learned of Dennis’ heart attack. In fact, he was doing inventory when Terrence swore he saw him getting in a black SUV the day after the news of his death broke.
He never said anything to anyone at the White House, but he told Macy and Deana, they semi believed him until Sandra insisted that he had died. She saw his body. It had to be someone else.
“Sometimes, when we lose someone, we want so badly to see them once more,” Sandra had said to him. “You loved Dennis, Terrence, it wasn’t him. I’m sorry.”
In fact, as Terrence ran down Walnut street, he started to wonder if that was the case. Did he want for him to be alive so badly, that he believed he wasn’t dead?
Terrence was a smart man.
Dennis having a heart attack and dying a few days before all war broke out. It had to be a political move. Something he hadn’t thought about until that second when Douglass said, ‘He claimed he was her father.”
Walnut street was a residential street. Many of the homes were occupied by survivors of the bombs. It was easy to tell the homes that still housed their original owners. Those homes were boarded and locked up tight.
At the end of the street, just about to turn the corner, Terrence saw a man walking along. He wore a long overcoat, carried a camouflage backpack and wore a knit cap.
“Hey!” Terrence shouted. “Hold up.”
The man kept walking.
Terrence tried to pick up the pace, but he had a hard time catching his breath. “Wait. I can’t catch you.”
The man turned the bend.
Hands on knees, half bent over, Terrence hollered. “Dennis!”
He would give it another few seconds, then try to follow once more. Then Dennis returned from around the bend.
He looked at Terrence, paused, then picked up speed rushing Terrence’s way.
Terrence felt instant energy and raced to Dennis, whole bodily embracing him. “Oh God, I knew it,” Terrence said. “Everyone said I was nuts. I knew I saw you.”
“Terrence, my God, it’s good to see you alive.” Dennis stepped back from the embrace and squeezed Terrence’s arm. “I’m gonna assume you look better than you did a few weeks ago?”
“Yeah. I feel a lot better, too.” Terrence stared at Dennis. What had he been through? The once prestigious looking politician was pale and thin, a gray beard spread across his chin and cheeks. “I’m sorry Doug turned you away.”
“No, it’s okay. Deana wasn’t there.”
“I owe my life to Deana. I do. She saved me, let us live in her home. Have you been out here all this time?”
“Yeah, about six weeks now, trying to get to D.C.…”
“So you’ve seen what’s out there? Is it better? Better than here?” Terrence asked.
“Depends on what you consider better. Some places yes, some… no. Do you know where she is?” Dennis asked. “Do you know where my daughter went?”
“Not specifically. She said they were moving her south. She has to be at a medical camp.”
“Then I’ll start searching them. At least she’s alive.”
“She is very well, too,” Terrence said. “Maybe you shouldn’t search. Stay put. Stay close. She’ll eventually come back.”
“No, I have to look for her. This whole rescue and aid thing is going to fall apart and she’ll be out there. I have to find her.”
“Then search tomorrow. Rest today. Come back, have a meal, get some sleep. We’ll make sure you have enough supplies. What do you say?”
Dennis nodded then embraced Terrence again. “You’re a good guy.”
Terrence didn’t respond to that. How could he? He never thought whether or not he was being the good guy, he just did what was right. When it came to Dennis, there was no question.
Dennis was worn out, tired, Terrence wasn’t sure how far he had traveled, but he was certain not finding his daughter was devastating.