After the Event (4 page)

              “You do realize it's not going to get better?”

             
Grant took a last bite of turkey and sat back on the wooden bench. Jack was sitting on the edge of the deck looking out over the lake as the sun slowly set on the horizon. The reflection of the sun on the lake made it look as if there were two, one above and one below. The only other noise was the rhythmic creaks of chains from a nearby tire swing that Alya and Joseph were playing on.

             
“What do you mean?” Grant asked.

             
“The world.” He wiped some sweat from his brow and let out a sigh. “You've made several comments that leads me to believe that you think the government is going to swoop down and return everything to normal.”

             
“Well, maybe not back to normal but as close as possible.” Jack shook his head. “What do you think happened?”

             
“Hell if I know, hell if anyone knows. It could have been a massive solar flare that fried the worlds systems. Or it could have been an EMP bomb that stole every ounce of juice in the world. Even if the EMP blast only took out the U.S. it would take years before they could get things back up and running.”

             
Grant looked the old man over. His face always looked weary and worn but somehow it seemed even more ragged as if the weight of the world was weighing it down.              

             
“Why would someone let off an EMP blast?” he asked.

             
“Terrorist attack. Whether it was a terrorist group or an attacking country the purpose would be the same, to send the country into anarchy. They would want to cause as much damage as possible and it doesn't take much to wipe us off the electrical grid.”

             
Grant sat up. “How do you know this?”

             
Jack let out a soft laugh. “At one point in time I was a bit of an end of the world preparer. During the cold war I was convinced the world was going to be nuked and I needed to prepare to survive on my own. When the cold war ended I never really could shake that feeling. I don't know a lot about EMP's but I do know all it would take is a single blast to knock out all the power in the United States. One blast a couple hundred miles over our country could take out everything.”

             
Grant took this all in. The only sounds were the birds chirping and Joseph screaming at Alya to leave him alone. “So you think it will be years before the government can get control of the country?”

             
“No.”

             
“You just sai-”

             
“I said if the blast only affected half the U.S. it would take the government years to get everything back up and running. I never said they would take control of the country.” He looked over at Grant and let out a long sigh. You remember that hurricane down in Florida a couple years ago?”

             
Grant nodded.

             
“The power went out and it took the government a couple of days before they could get down there and restore order. After the fact there were people sitting around complaining about how long it took for the government to come down and help them.”

             
Grant waited for more but Jack just stared back at him. “I don’t understa-“

             
“What I’m saying is that there are going to be people who just sit around with their thumbs up their ass waiting for the government to swoop down and save them. We’ve become a nation of people who are used to being taken care of and never having to take care of ourselves. Millions are going to die before this year is over. Hell millions are probably going to starve within the end of this month. When winter comes it is going to take out tens of millions more. Those who do survive the winter are going to have to team up to survive the elements, starvation, and to protect themselves from the dark side of humanity.”

             
Unfortunately Grant was aware of the dark side of humanity. He had been in the world long enough to know what people were capable of when there were laws and consequences to their actions. Without those two things he didn't want to think of what those people would be willing to do. “So what do we do?”

             
“Just try to survive, Grant. That's all we can do.”

              The morning wind blew in from the north, across the empty fields and through the tall trees that surrounded Jack’s farm. The sun’s rays edged over the tree line giving Alec just enough warmth to fight off the last traces of the cold night still hanging onto the morning breeze.

             
Alec quietly put the water container on Jack's front porch and started to tip-toe away. His father normally dropped off the water but he had been spending more and more time attempting to hunt every morning. Alec found if he dropped off the water early enough in the morning the old man was usually asleep so he could avoid him, not this morning.

             
“Good morning.”

             
Alec cringed and slowly turned around to watch Jack open his screen door. The man took in a deep breath of the morning air as he stretched. “Waking up early to drop off my water are you?”

             
“Yeah, got some things to do today.”

             
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, what's that?” When Alec didn't answer he let out a smile. “Look kid I know the last thing you want is for me to lecture you about anything, let alone about your old man.”

             
“Then let's not.” Alec turned and started walking down the porch.

             
“Before you go let me show you something.” Alec turned around and Jack lifted up his shirt. Small dark marks were littered throughout the man's chest.

             
Alec took a step forward to get a better look. “What are thos-”

             
“Burn marks.” The old man dropped his shirt. “Cigarette burns to be more specific. Funny thing is I never smoked a day in my life. My old man loved himself some cigarettes though. If I was bad, hell even if I wasn't, he would take his cigarette and press it against my skin.” The old man shook his head and looked out in the distance. “Said it would help me learn to deal with pain because that’s all that life is. Course he only did that when he had too much to drink. When he was sober he would pretend as if it never happened, pretend he didn't even see them.”

             
Alec took a step back. He knew what the man was trying to do. “No offense it-”

             
“None taken, I know you could give two shits about my life, but I wanted to let you know I understand. I hated my father, almost as much as I loved him. I know what it is like to hate a man not only for what he has done but for the things he hasn't. To hate him for the promises, the ones he speaks of and the one's his actions make. I know what it's like knowing things are never going to get better, but hoping with every ounce of your being they somehow will. Worst of all I know what it's like to hate a man, not only because of what he's done, but because he has caused you to be filled with so much hate.”

             
Alec looked down at the ground.

             
“My father has been dead over 30 years and not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of how much I hate him. You want to know the sad thing though?” Alec looked back up at Jack. “There's not a damn day where I don't wish I would have given him another chance.”

             
“You don't know shit about my situation.”

             
“Every situation is different Alec, I understand that. I'm not telling you to go running back to your father and jump in his arms. I'm not even telling you to go back and give him a good wallop across the head. I'm just telling you I understand what it's like to be consumed with hate for someone you should love. I understand the guilt behind that, the disappointment.” Jack ran a hand through his hair. “The only thing I ask is for you to remember one thing. No matter what happened it wasn't your fault.”

             
Alec walked off the porch towards the woods. “No, it's his.”

              Ben always enjoyed this part.

He paused and listened to the sounds around him just like Trent taught him.
He could hear the leaves rustling all around him and the birds calling out from the trees, but nothing else. He started to take another step when Trent tapped him on the shoulder. Ben involuntarily jumped and attempted to turn around at the same time, which caused him to end up butt first on the ground.

             
Trent stood over him with a smile on his face. “Why didn't you hear me?”

             
Ben was embarrassed and always cried when he was embarrassed. He looked away and told himself not to cry. “I don't know.”

             
Trent must have noticed. “Don't worry about it, practice makes perfect. I didn't learn in a day.”

             
Ben got up and wiped his eyes. “I was listening. I don't think my ears are very good.”

             
Trent let out another laugh. “There isn't anything wrong with your ears. All you could hear were the leaves right?” Ben nodded. “I made sure to only move with the wind was blowing strong enough that all you could hear were the leaves. You can trick someone's eyes as well as their ears.”

             
Ben wiped himself off and sat down on a nearby tree trunk. “When are you going to teach me to hunt animals?”             

             
“One thing at a time. Did you tell your dad about me?” Ben shook his head no. “Good. You're learning fast. As long as you do what I say you will be blending into the woods and hunting wild animals in no time.” Ben couldn't help but smile. “So you're dad only has one gun?”

             
“I think so. I heard him talking about it with our neighbor Jack. He was complaining that he didn't have very many bullets.”

             
“Yeah that is probably frustrating. Bullets are going to be pretty rare for a while. So what does your dad use when he is standing guard?”

             
“What's standing guard?”

             
“When he is looking out and making sure no one is coming on your property?”

             
Ben thought for a second. He didn't remember his dad doing anything like that. If his dad wasn't hunting or talking to Jack he was usually sitting on the porch of their house. “I don't think he does that, is that bad?”

             
“No that's not bad, he probably does it when you're not looking. Do you guys have a truck or a car?”

             
“A mini-van. It's my, was my mom's. My brother Alec doesn't like it but I think it's fine.”

             
“Yeah a minivan is nice and big but it uses a lot of gas. Are you guys running out of gas?” Ben shrugged his shoulders. “Well that's your next assignment. Next time you come over you have to tell me how much gas you all have and where you put it. But you have to look yourself and you can't let anyone catch you. Remember you have to blend in.”

             
Ben smiled. He was good at sneaking around the house. His father and Alec were always busy doing their own thing. Joseph was usually hiding from Alya and if she wasn't picking on him she was playing in the dirt somewhere. “Ok, I accept your mission.”

             
Trent patted him on the shoulder. “That's my little solider.”

              “Alec, where did all the lights go?” Alya asked as she flopped her head back in his lap.

             
He ran his hand gently through her hair and stared up at the dark night sky. How did he answer a question in which he didn’t know the answer? Of course he hadn’t really spent much time pondering the question. The first few days he had wondered but after that his attention had turned to trying to protect his family.

             
He turned his attention to the dark night sky and pointed out the thousands of stars twinkling above them. “Those lights are still there.”

             
Alya lifted her head and stared up at the stars. “Why did they get brighter?

             
“What do you mean?”

             
“They didn’t used to be so bright.”

             
Alec couldn’t help but smile. “When we lived in the city all the lights on the ground made it hard to see the lights in the sky.”

             
The little girl thought about that for a moment. “I like these lights better, they’re more pretty.”

             
Joseph came outside and sat down next to Alec. As if by pure reflex Alya reached out and took a swipe at him. Alec blocked the attack, gave her a look, and she gave him a sheepish one in turn.

             
“What are you all doing?” Joseph asked.

             
“Looking at the lights in the sky.” Alya answered and scooted closer to him.

             
“They’re pretty.”

             
“Duh, it’s because the lights on the ground aren’t blocking them no more.”

             
Joseph gave her a confused look, Alya gave him a bright smile, and Alec just shook his head.

             
“Are the regular lights ever going to come back on?” Joseph asked.

             
Alec gave the little boy a tight squeeze. “I don’t know.”

             
Alya jumped to her feet which caused Joesph to flinch automatically, even with Alec there to protect him. “I hope they never come back on. These lights are better.” Alya then began skipping around them.

             
Joseph snuggled in closer to Alec. “Don’t you miss watching TV?”

             
Alya quit skipping. “Maybe a little.”

             
The back door opened and Grant peeked out. “Everyone doing ok out here?” Alya and Joseph answered, Alec kept his attention elsewhere. “Don’t you all stay up too late.”

             
“We won’t dad. Hey dad, aren’t the sky lights prettier without the ground lights?” Alya asked.

             
Grant gave her the same confused look that Joseph had given her earlier. “Uh, yes they are honey.” Alya began skipping around them again. “Hey Alec, I’m thinking about heading into town tomorrow to see how things are there, you think you can come along?”

             
“Who will watch the kids?”

             
“I’ll watch us.” Alya suggested. Alec could feel Joseph shaking his head intensely at his side.

             
Grant smiled. “No, Jack is coming over to watch them.”

             
Alec didn’t like how nosey the old man was but he seemed trustworthy. “Yeah that’s fine.”

             
“Good, we’ll head out later in the afternoon.” They shared a couple beats of silence. “Alright you all get some sleep and I’ll talk to you in the morning.” With that said he went back inside.

             
Alya skipped around for a few more seconds then stopped suddenly. “Alec are you mad at daddy?”

Joseph pulled himself out of Alec’s side and looked up at him.
For a few seconds Alec didn’t know what to say. He tried to hide his anger at his father but he was certain the rest of the family was able to pick up on the coldness between the two of them.

“Is it because daddy wasn’t there when mommy got sick?”

Alec pushed those feelings down. “I…..I’m not mad at him.”

“But you don’t talk to him a lot.”
Joseph added.

“I don’t have a lot to talk to dad about.”

Alya sat down next to Alec and laid her head back on this lap. “Sometimes I’m mad that daddy wasn’t there when mommy was sick.” Alec looked down at her surprised; he had not been expecting her to say that. “Mommy said that daddy wasn’t around because he was sick too.”

“What was daddy sick with?”
Joseph asked?

Alya just shrugged her shoulders.

Once again Alec sat in silence. He didn’t believe his father was sick, that was an excuse. His father was weak. His father chose to bury his feelings in a bottle instead of dealing with them, so when his family needed him the most he could only hurt them.

For a brief second he saw her again.
Lying in bed, only a shell of her former self, trying to hide the moments of pain but failing miserably, and then she asked about him. Alec had been holding her hand, fighting desperately to keep it together, and she wanted to know where he was. She, of all people, should have already known that answer.

“Alec do you know what daddy was sick
with?” Joseph asked.

Alec shook his head no.
“I think that is something you should ask dad about.”

Joseph shook his head in acknowledgement.
“Do you think he’s all better?”

Through the anger that filled every ounce of his being Alec also felt, though only for a moment, fear.
It took him a second to realize where this fear was coming from. Once his father fell off again it would be all up to Alec, and the world was a much more dangerous place now. Both Alya and Joseph were watching him closely waiting for an answer. Alec pointed up at the dark starry sky. “Do you all know where the Big Dipper is?” They all answered no and Alec began to point it out and explain. He had taken care of them before, he was even stronger now, and he wouldn’t fail them.