“Why? What aren’t you telling me Trish?” he asked nervously, his own voice a whisper.
“Hogan, there is no way any of the remaining states can absorb that many people. Our food supply has been decimated. It’s October, and whatever crops we have, have been harvested and gone either to other countries or to market or destroyed. The skies are covered, and the temperature has dropped. I honestly don’t know when or if the skies will clear by spring. We’re going to be lucky to have enough food for ourselves. Especially, now that a very large portion of the land for growing food has been destroyed. I, honestly, don’t think the government will be able to help those coming east. I don’t think they’ll be able to help us. The nukes hit oil pipelines. We’re going to have gas shortages. The prices on food and fuel will skyrocket.” She said.
He looked at her, shocked. Yet, he knew she was right. She’d figured this out fast.
“You think that’s why there is such a pinch on information coming out of Washington?” He asked.
“Yes, I do. I don’t think the American people know what’s coming. I think shit is really going to get ugly. Especially, when much of the food processing has been destroyed. A lot of large cattle ranches are in the west. As well as poultry, wheat, oats and other grains. Our food supply has been cut. We’re not even talking about economics either, the dollar has started its plunge.”
Hogan was speechless. He looked at Trish, her brown eyes filled with fear. What in the hell was he going to do? How could he get home? It would take him months and he was pretty sure he’d have to walk. He could drive until the gas gave out. He was sure once he got deeper west, it would be dangerous to have a working vehicle. Yet, he couldn’t not go. He had to get to his wife and girls.
“I’ve got to go find my wife. I can’t just leave her there.”
“I hate to say it, and please forgive me for being brutal, but she may not be alive. Again, the government isn’t telling us a lot about the locations of the hits, only that there were over a hundred nuclear bombs dropped. Even if you could get to her, you’d have to bring her back this way and I can’t even imagine trying to get there and back.” She said, doubt clear in her voice.
“If I could get a vehicle, I could get cans of gas and food supplies. I could drive there, maybe through the barricades or around them.”
“Hogan, I’m a prepper. I’ve thought about these kinds of scenarios for years. What do you think desperate people are going to do when they see a working vehicle? Their chance to get away from the disaster in a fast way. You’re going to be the only one going west, while millions are coming east.” Trish whispered harshly, looking over her shoulder.
Hogan looked at her, open mouthed. Prepper? How would she know what would happen? Then he too thought about it. His panicked mind only wanted to get to Laura and the girls. Trish was right though, he could almost hate her for it, for bringing him back down to earth and reality. He could walk, but again, it would take him months, if ever and add winter’s fast approach, and not to mention, his hurt leg. He’d have to know where the bombs had been dropped and what would happen if while walking, he walked into a dead zone? With radioactive fallout? His eyes filled with frustrated tears. Trish blurred in front of him and he felt her hand on his shoulder, squeezing.
“I’m sorry Hogan, I am. This is a really shitty situation, that is only going to get worse. I saw that you have a tattoo on your arm. Army, right?” She asked.
“Yeah. I was in transportation. Like my civilian job, I moved supplies.”
“Look, things are going to only get worse as the days go by. You’ve been trained by the army. The city has had local news crews out in choppers and there are thousands of people on the move, heading our way. It’s going to take them a while to get here, but they’re coming. Many of the cities are already deploying the National Guard to help. But we both know, with that many people heading our way, it’s going to get ugly fast. Especially, when the local people realize that those thousands, if not millions, heading our way will take all of our resources. Like locusts, the refugees will chew through everything. They can’t help it, they will be desperate and by the time they reach Kansas City, they will be beyond frantic. There isn’t going to be enough for everyone, especially with half of what we had destroyed.”
“You’re right. You’re smart. It’s gonna be a shit show.”
“Look, I live out in the country, east of Jacomo Lake. You’re going to have to have a place to go once you’re well enough to leave. I know you want to go back home, but right now; I don’t think that is a possibility. You’re welcome to come and stay at my place. You can watch the place while I’m at work and maybe we can think of something, to get you home safely. Again, we’ve got no information on what is going on west of us. Only that there are refugees heading our way. Look, I’m off in an hour and I won’t be back for two days. You can give me your answer then. Your phone and personal items are in the drawer beside you. Think about it. I’m going to be heading to the stores and stock up while I can still
