I take my laptop and turn back, hearing them walking away with joy.
It is going to be a long walk to the cabin. I am glad that I put two energy bars in my jacket for easy access. My phone is also with me. I charged it with my portable solar panel at home. It should have enough battery to show me directions to the cabin on the offline map, as long as I don’t forget to turn it off after checking the map each time.
Chapter 3
I am surprised about finding a gas station on this country road.
After walking all day yesterday, I am finally away from the highway and big towns.
I am also surprised that the gas station store still has something to eat even though the only things left are chips. They are not in my favorite flavor but being picky about food is not an option in this post-apocalyptic world.
The beverage refrigerators are all empty, but I find an open juice bottle behind the counter. The cashier probably didn’t have enough time to finish it when the rioters broke in. I grab it hoping that the virus on the bottle already died if there was any.
I have two more days to go. I need to find more food and drinks if I don’t want to make another stop. It would be great to find some kind of blanket as well. The last night in the neighborhood park had been chilly.
Nice. I see cigarette cartons on the floor behind the hot dog stand. Just what I need right now! I don’t even smoke, but I put them inside a plastic bag anyway. Leyton will be happy to see them. We can also use them for bartering with other survivors. I wish there were hot dogs instead of cigarettes, though.
As I scan the back of the store, I hear a vehicle stopping in front of the door. I crouch behind a shelf.
“Go check inside while I fill the tank,” a man with an accent says. From his voice, I imagine him in his 50s.
“Okay,” a woman responds. I sneak a peek through the bottom corner of the aisle, and I see two women approaching the front door. Their red SUV is behind. I can’t see the man anywhere.
The women look like a mother and daughter.
I scan through the store to see if there is a back exit. There might be one, but I don’t have time to wander around to find the door. I decide to stay behind the aisle and hope they don’t walk to the back of the store.
“I will check the drinks section, Mom,” the younger woman says who is possibly in her early 20s.
Her mom walks toward the counter. Both are away from where I am. My hiding spot seems to be safe for now.
I keep an eye on the mom since she is closer to me. The daughter will probably spend some time checking each fridge.
The mom looks through the cigarette cabinet. I am not sure if it’s good to have three cartons of cigarettes in my plastic bag. This is probably what she is looking for right now. She seems disappointed already. Her hands are empty. She walks back toward the front door.
I breathe out. They will leave me alone.
“Show me your hands!”
I freeze. I can’t believe that I got caught two days in a row.
The younger woman is steadily holding her gun pointed right at my head a few feet away from me.
I stand up and raise my arms in the air with my right hand holding the bag that was stuffed with the laptop, chips, a juice bottle, and cigarette cartons.
“I… I’ve been just looking for some food... I wasn’t planning to hurt you,” I say.
The mother runs to where we are. “Miguel! There is somebody here!” she yells toward the front door. It looks like I will meet the man too. He is probably the husband.
He enters the place with an M16. This is the assault rifle I see often in the movies.
“Who are you?” he asks while pointing his rifle to me.
“I am Matt... Just on my way to the mountain. Please let me go, and you won’t see me again.” I hope he doesn’t take my bag.
He pauses for a few seconds. It seems like he is checking his options.
“I am on foot and you have a car,” I continue to say. “We probably won’t come across each other ever again. Just let me go... I am not with the gang or anyone else.”
He looks at the corridor behind me. “Go to the restroom and stay there until we leave,” he demands.
I am lucky, I guess. He doesn’t seem to care what I have in my pockets or my bag. They are just a family trying to stay away from danger and get to wherever they are headed to.
I slowly step backward while my body is still facing him. I glance at the daughter and mom to make sure they agree with his decision. I see a little kid with wondering eyes in the back seat of the SUV.
Acquiescing to his request, I enter the restroom, which is beyond filthy with human urine and feces spread all over the floor. The closet pipe must have pushed back after the city pumps lost electricity. It’s hard to bear the smell. I hope they get in their car and leave as soon as possible.
Shortly after, I hear the car doors slam. The SUV’s engine roars as the driver hits the pedal to the floor. They must be in a hurry to get to their destination.
Maybe they are running away from something.
Chapter 4
It’s around noon. I am dehydrated after walking all morning. The juice I found at the gas station yesterday is already gone.
I spent the night in the woods and drank water from one of the creeks nearby.
