He turned the map around and around. If he could get to I95, he should be able to find it easy. He pulled out and did a U-turn and began to drive along the empty streets. The bodies were now unrecognizable. He looked at the lumps of black material and grizzled remains.
Each of those things had been people, he thought, still trying to come to grips with his new reality. His eyes stung with the prickling of tears and he blinked rapidly. He came to a stop at a stop sign and started laughing at himself. Why stop? No one was driving but him. Shaking his head, he pulled forward. He was driving along W. Oregon avenue when movement from his peripheral caught his eye. He slowed down and looked over at Marconi Park. His jaw dropped open, he watched as several giraffes loped across the park. His eyes tracked the animals until they disappeared behind a stand of trees.
It was then that he noticed the elephants as well. He slowed the car down and stopped. He wished he had binoculars, to see if there were any other animals in the park. He wondered if the polar bears were around and if in the heat, they would die? Perhaps they sought out the many large fountains? There was no telling. He was glad he was leaving Philadelphia. It was no longer suited to human habitation.
He resumed driving, his head on a swivel. Curving around a turn he slammed on his breaks. Ahead was a road block. Cursing, he wondered what was going on. All he wanted was to get the hell out of the city and away from the growing nightmare. He pulled to within fifteen feet and leaned his head out.
“Hey, what’s going on? I need to get the hell out of this place.” He yelled, feeling his face heat with anger, frustration and fear.
“Casper has us blocking all major roadways into the city.” A tall thin man announced. He held some kind of rifle in front of his chest. Flynn wasn’t familiar with weapons, except what he saw in his games.
“Well I’m not coming into the goddamned city, I’m leaving. Let me pass, I just want to get the hell out of here.” He yelled. Another man, this one had a pitted face, and a broken nose, walked toward him, a handgun in his grip and pointed at Flynn.
Goddamn it! Can’t I just leave in peace? He thought, near panic. He shrank back as the man bent down to look into the window.
“What all you got in this piece of shit car?” He asked, his voice gravelly.
“Dude, I only got a few things, from my apartment. Please, just let me get on my way. I don’t want any trouble; I just want to get out of here.” He pleaded.
“You’ll need to see Casper first.” The man said unmoved.
“And if I don’t want to go?” Flynn asked desperately and defiantly.
“Then I shoot you here and we take your shit.” The man grinned nastily. He nodded and another man opened the passenger’s side door and got in. He grinned at Flynn and Flynn’s shoulder’s slumped. He really did need to find a gun.
Ӝ
Brian was tired, he’d gone back to the park and set up the temporary coop for the chickens. It had taken over an hour. He’d made sure he set up the water buckets for the chickens and gave them plenty of food. The sitting hen was still on her eggs, though the towel was on the bottom of the kennel beside her. She raised up threateningly when he placed the water dispenser inside her kennel. He dropped a handful of food in there for her and closed it again.
He’d headed home after that, the day growing late. Poor Cooper had been exhausted and had slept the whole way home. He’d hoped to make a stop or two on the way home, but didn’t have the heart to wake the child. After getting home, he’d turned on the generator and had begun dinner and also preps for using the meat left in the freezer. He’d make sandwiches for tomorrow’s trip. He’d given Coop a bath and had fed him dinner. He had decided to leave the next morning. With so much of the supplies now at the new camp, he felt it was better just to leave in the morning, complete the move. There was nothing holding him here. Going back and forth to the park would be a waste of gas. He needed to work smarter, not harder. He was only putting off the inevitable.
Brian never lied to himself. He knew why he was reluctant to leave. He’d be leaving his old life, all that he knew. He’d be leaving the home and the life that he and Christa had built. He’d be leaving Christa behind. That was difficult to even comprehend, leaving her, but for Coop’s sake and his own, he’d have to leave the old life behind.
Once Cooper had gone to bed, Brian had set about packing all of his clothing. He’d load them up tonight. He’d seen a mattress store on the way home and thought it best that he swung by tomorrow to pick up a couple of mattresses. His own bed was bloody and in wretched shape. It also reminded him of Christa. Till now, he’d not thought of her, and he
