JR was silent but shook her head in agreement. “More problems to watch for. And if those new gun owners aren’t proficient at shooting, they’ll probably be shot by someone who is.”
Sam shifted Breyna on his lap. “She’s getting bored and antsy. I’ll put this disc of The Carnival of the Animals in and read the book for it to her.”
JR smiled and listened to the age appropriate tunes as Sam read the story.
He knew he could adjust to having a child around easily enough. He’d always liked kids and been good with the small children he’d been with. They’d soon learn Breyna’s fate and deal with that if it was negative. He would need to deal with it; it couldn’t be shoved off to JR. She had done what her maternal instincts dictated, and he couldn’t castigate her for following what her genes dictated. Some so-called experts claim there’s no difference between males and females. He disagreed with that opinion vehemently. Each biological sex inherits strengths and weaknesses. That’s why each is necessary to complement the other in a family.
Over the next few hours, they witnessed confrontations at rest areas, gas stations, and restaurants as tempers flared or fender benders occurred and led to fights between people fleeing the zombie invasion. Heated arguments caused by fear of zombies, frustration, and the unknown became more common.
Some business owners drastically raised prices for their goods because of shortages caused by late or cancelled deliveries; or simply because they could. When mingling with others at meal and fuel stops, they listened to revelations of violence involving fist fights, knifings, and shootings. One couple even told of a pickup driver trying to run over them after an argument and confrontation inside a restaurant.
They stopped a little before eleven Monday morning in Mc Cook, Nebraska, at a fuel station charging almost triple the local average price only because the lines were shorter than at most other fuel stops.
“I’ll park over there by the restaurant in two spaces,” JR said. “After we eat and fuel, I can drive again for another hour, if you don’t mind.”
Inside, Sam ordered a double cheeseburger, fries, and a coke. JR ordered a chef salad and a small order of chicken tenders for Brayna. Breyna was snippy and picked at the food and only ate a few bites. No amount of coaxing or cajoling interested her in the food or a glass of chocolate milk. Her temperament had changed drastically from the curious, happy child they original dealt with. Sam paid with cash and left the server a generous tip before they left the restaurant.
After waiting in line, JR stopped beside the fuel pumps, and Sam got out to pump the diesel. JR’s credit card had room on it, but it was rejected. Sam went inside to learn why the card was refused and then prepaid with cash. Outside, he told JR, “Well it finally happened. Visa is rejecting all charges. The clerk said it started about three hours ago. He said Mastercard is rejecting new charges too.” He set the nozzle to pump automatically and let the fuel run to fill the tank they’d been using. He wondered how long it would be until paper currency was rejected. Then the frequency of violence would escalate exponentially when people with limited bartering power were forced to give up personal items for food and fuel or be stranded where they were and left to deal with the horror of the approaching zombies.
In the next aisle over, a tricked out black Chevy 4 X 4 pickup with loud exhaust cut off a full size SUV pulling a small camping trailer to get to a fuel pump first. The SUV driver honked loud and long. Each driver stared at the other until the truck driver stuck his arm out the window and flipped the other man the bird. The older man in the sedan was red faced and waving his arms and yelling at his wife.
Three rough looking fit men in their late twenties or early thirties exited the black pickup laughing loudly and acting like arrogant, obnoxious asses. The blond driver was tall and muscular. The SUV driver got out yelling and gesturing as he approached the blond. He was past middle-aged, about five feet ten, and stocky. Other people fueling watched the building confrontation. From fifteen feet away, the older man yelled, “Hey jackoff, you cut me off from that pump I was waiting in line for! Who the hell do you think you are, asshole?”
Sam watched intently. He was positive severe trouble was brewing and people were going to be hurt.
“Get back in your car before you get hurt old man.” The other two rough characters slipped around to stand behind the older man.
The SUV driver got in the younger man’s face, then threw a hard left fist into the younger man’s stomach and followed with a fast right cross to his jaw. Both punches appeared to be solid hits. He crouched forward in a boxer’s stance. The younger man staggered backward to his truck’s grille and rubbed his jaw before one of his friends threw a hard punch to the older man’s kidneys. Then both friends grabbed his arms and pinned them behind him as he struggled violently.
The blond rubbed his jaw while pushing away from his truck. “You’re going to pay for doing that you old fart.” The blond
