Two chainsaws on a shelf captured Sam’s attention. He asked the price to buy them and the remaining canned goods of food. Charlie said, "Take anything you want. Currency is or soon will be useless, so you can have what’s left for free. I'll leave the doors unlocked when I leave. Otherwise violent people will kick the doors in to take what they want. I’ve had to stop two different aggressive thieves from doing that this week." Sam grabbed extra chains for each saw and noticed a Paslode framing nail gun nearby. He took it and six packages of fuel cells, extra batteries, and a case each of 10 penny and 16 penny nails for the gun.
J.R. was busy gathering candles, brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies.
Sam asked where he might be able to buy diesel fuel locally. Charlie grinned. “There’s an elevated 500 gallon diesel tank out back; it has a little more than three hundred gallons in it. I keep it for the generators, the tractor used to mow the grounds, and a few select friends. Take as much as you need. Be sure to use the petcock on the bottom to check for condensed water. There’s a quart glass measuring cup hanging close by to catch the sample. At my age, I don't plan to ever come back here. I’ll miss the place dearly. I’ve been here for the past thirty-two years and had a good life with good friends nearby.”
They discussed remote locations close by and Charlie stated the area north and to the east or west of his store was about as remote as anywhere in Idaho. He directed them to a place he was familiar with. "If you’re serious about staying in this area, go back to Marion, then north to Little Bitterroot Lake on Kelsey Road, then take Pleasant Valley Road to near the end.” Sam hurriedly scribbled the directions on a paper towel as Charlie spoke. “You'll see a dirt road to the right that runs about four miles to a dead end. It's rough, but that truck you’re driving will make it if you drive slowly and carefully. About half a mile from the end, there's a trail off to the west that goes back nearly three miles to a log cabin that's been abandoned for several years. There’s good water nearby too. That is about as remote as you can get near here, and you may be far enough off the beaten path to avoid those damned zombies.
“I visited it two years ago when I hiked back there. Thaddeus Pohlman, the old bachelor who owned it, used to come here twice every year on a four wheeler for supplies and to visit. The old codger had a source for small amounts of gold. He’d come in with three or four ounces and I’d give him the market price for our standard ounces. I made a little profit on the difference between troy and our standard avoirdupois system weights. I digress. Hadn’t seen him in a while, so I contacted his brother who lived in Marion. Johann was a very successful businessman in the area. He emphasized he had no use for his lazy, loser brother, knew nothing about him, and didn’t care if he was alive or dead.
“The following weekend, I went looking for Thaddeus; he’d missed his spring visit by several months. Found his meager remains outside the cabin near a bench. Been there a while, so I buried what the animals left of him. Guess he had a heart attack. You’ll see a cross made of branches to the south of the cabin where I buried old Thad’s remains. His spade I used is likely still leaning against the cabin wall.
“Your truck and trailer won't make it over the trail, too narrow and grown up in saplings and scrub by now. But a motorcycle or four-wheeler will get you there. If I wasn’t going to Northern Canada with my lady friend, I'd definitely go there myself."
Sam went to the truck to get a Beretta 9mm pistol and two, fifty round boxes of shells. To those he added four gold coins taken from Breyna’s family’s caravan.
As Charlie ended a conversation with JR, Sam extended the gifts to Charlie. “I want you to have this semiautomatic pistol. Remember, only a head shot that destroys the brain will stop a zombie. And the gold will soon be the choice method of bartering. Good luck on your trip.”
Charlie was clearly surprised and thanked Sam profusely, “I’ll add this to the gold I exchanged for Thaddeus and kept. And the extra handgun is welcome too. I have a .44 magnum revolver I wear for protection from large predators when hiking.” Then he added, “It’s too late for you to head out for the woods. You’re welcome to spend the night parked out back here and then take off in the morning after I do.”
JR hugged him and volunteered to cook supper and, of course, the men accepted. “We’ll eat the last of the beef steaks Sam brought from home. But we still have meat a trucker in North Dakota gave us.”
Charlie grinned. “Fresh meat won’t be a problem in this area. The wild beasts are healthy and abundant. Be careful to not run into one on the highway and wreck your truck. Since traffic has fallen off drastically in the past weeks, the critters are a visible nuisance worse than ever.”
An ice maker in the back of the store provided ice to refill their three coolers. Charlie volunteered to give his remaining private stash of beer and Irish whiskey to his guest, and Sam carried three cases and two fifths to the trailer.
After a dinner of steaks, baked potatoes, and beer Charlie came to the campfire where JR and Sam sat
