Curtain Fall: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 1) (37 page)

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” said John.

“What? I’m not scared,” said Travis, bringing his attention back to John.

John ignored Travis’ uncommitted declaration of strength and added, “The eruption will change things for everyone. Right now, most people don’t know the real danger they’re in, but they’ll figure it out soon enough. And when they do, they’ll run to the grocery stores and buy everything they can to survive. But the thing is, it’s almost too late. The longer people wait, the harder it will be to survive.”

“I don’t see how that will affect us here,” said Travis.

Though the man sounded confident, John could tell he was agitated, and he wanted to give him hope. “It will affect the entire country, and that includes Texas. But there’s still time. You still have time to prepare if you leave now.”

“What? I can’t leave. I work here. This is my job,” said Travis. He spread his arms as if to point out the presence of the pharmacy to John, and said, “I run this place.” John shrugged and the man continued. “Besides, I really don’t think ash will fall here.”

“Several inches I would think,” said John. “Perhaps even up to a foot.”

“No way,” said Travis.

John shrugged again and said, “It’s why I’m here. Ash is coming. I called our doctor for a prescription but she’s out of town, and I won’t be able to get insulin for my daughter before the ash starts to fall. And once it starts falling, once word gets out that half the country is buried in ash . . . everything will shut down.”

Travis looked into the store again, but he appeared even more nervous than before. “How do you know ash will fall here . . . are you a scientist or something?” he asked.

John sighed inwardly and said, “There’s scientific evidence that ash from previous Yellowstone super volcano eruptions fell along the Gulf Coast.”

The man’s complexion blanched and he took a half step back. “Look,” said John. “I’m sorry for upsetting you, but you still have time to act. It’s
why I’m here . . . because I need insulin for my daughter, either Novolog or Humalog. This is my last and only chance to help her stay alive, and you know she’ll die without it. So can you please help her? I’m not asking for narcotics, just insulin.”

“I don’t know. You don’t have a prescription. I really can’t give you the medicine without a proper prescription,” said Travis, as if from a far off place in his mind.

John knew it was the standard line, a scripted response for normal circumstances. But this wasn’t a normal circumstance. He wanted to reach across the counter and slap Travis, but he knew that wouldn’t help. “I know. I called the doctor yesterday, but she’s out of town. I was hoping the prescription would make it here today, but I can see that it didn’t. Isn’t there something I can do to get my daughter’s medicine?” asked John, and he placed his right hand on the counter. When he pulled it away he left the one-ounce gold coin behind. “I can pay with that,” he added.

The man stepped forward to look at the coin. John reached out and removed it from the plastic sleeve. He allowed the coin to strike the counter’s hard laminate surface with a hearty and heavy clank. Now free of the dull plastic covering, the coin sparkled in the bright florescent overhead lights. “I’ll give you that coin for all the insulin you can provide,” John said evenly.

The man glanced quickly up at John, as if gauging his intent, and then turned his attention back to the coin. Travis picked up the coin and examined it closely.

John gave him a moment and said, “I only ask that you give me a fair amount of insulin in trade . . . say at least half the value of the coin.”

Travis’ eyes flashed wide for a second, and John was glad to see that he appreciated the value of pure gold. Since first seeing the gold coin ring on Travis’ hand, John hoped he could appeal to the man’s interest in another, much larger coin. And it looked like he was right to think so.

“Are you absolutely sure the ash will fall here?” asked Travis without looking away from the coin.

“I am,” answered John. “We’ll probably see it in about twenty-four hours.” John didn’t know when the ash would arrive, but his goal was to get out of the store with as much insulin as he could. He didn’t believe the ‘when’ mattered half as much as ‘if’ because he knew the ash would come. But if the man needed John’s commitment, then he would give him one.

The pharmacist sat the coin on the counter and said, “I’ll be right back.”

John didn’t bother watching him. He had done nothing illegal, so it wasn’t like the man was going to call the cops on him. John was also sure he wasn’t calling his doctor, that he was most likely filling the prescription for his own advantage, an advantage that included a hefty profit, as well as an appeasement of his personal interest in gold coins.

On a whim, John grabbed the coin and held it up to the security camera. He wasn’t sure why he did it other than to provide some evidence of a pending transaction. Travis didn’t seem like the conniving type, but John knew better than to trust the actions of a man who was more interested in gold than the health of a little girl.

John laid the coin back on the counter, exactly where Travis had put it, and turned to look into the store. The store’s main door had slid open, and he wanted to see who entered. An old man went straight to the counter to buy a pack of cigarettes. John watched the transaction from across the store as he waited patiently for Travis’ return.

He was never interested in smoking, and was grateful for not having developed any personal dependencies. Smoking was, for the most part, socially acceptable, but it was still an addiction, and such addictions would most certainly be tested during the disaster.

Other than Abby’s insulin need, John had no dependencies. In fact, he had everything he needed except for her medicine. That irked him to no end, but he wasn’t God, nor did he claim to understand the purpose of such a trial for a little girl. In John’s eyes, God was not the source of anger, but rather curiosity. Why he would trouble Abby with such a disease was something he hoped to understand one day.

John heard footsteps behind him and turned. Travis walked up to the counter holding a white paper bag. He dropped the bag on the counter, and then slid the coin off the counter and into his apron pocket.

With the coin tucked away, Travis said, “There’s some of both. I gave you all the unclaimed inventory, or about five hundred dollars’ worth. It needs to be refrigerated. And don’t come back asking for more.”

“Thanks,” replied John, as he looked in the bag. He was happy to see a generous supply of insulin staring back at him.

“And if the ash doesn’t fall . . . I’m going to report it stolen. I’ll say you threatened me.”

“Fair enough,” replied John.

“So you really do think ash will fall here,” said Travis.

“Of course I do,” replied John, and for the first time he was annoyed with the man. “Do you really think I’d do all this if I wasn’t serious?”

The man put his hand in the apron, and John knew he was holding the coin. The scene reminded him of Bilbo and the ring, how the Halfling would feel the need to touch it, to reassure him of its presence.
“My precious,”
thought John, and smiled.

The man stepped back at John’s smile, and then stared at him for a moment. Travis began to walk away and John said, “Thanks again. It’s not too late to do something for your family, but you have to act now. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be able to provide for them.”

Travis held up a hand either to surrender, or to say farewell. John didn’t know which signal was represented. It was obvious to him that Travis wasn’t interested in John’s advice, or his warning, so John turned and left the pharmacy counter.

He walked quickly from the store, with purpose, but not at a run. Running attracted attention, and John didn’t want to attract attention. But when the woman at the register saw him, she smiled and said, “Have a nice day.”

John replied in kind, and stepped outside to enjoy some much needed fresh air. He walked up to the Suburban and was pleased to see Adam
sitting alert in the passenger’s seat. John climbed in and said, “Let’s get out of here,” while starting the truck.

Adam watched John put on his seatbelt and asked, “What took you so long?”

“I was bartering with the pharmacist,” replied John, as he pulled away from the store.

“Bartering . . . is that another name for robbing?”

“That depends on the angle, but no. I wouldn’t say I was robbed,” replied John.

“I meant the store,” said Adam.

“I didn’t rob the store, Adam. This bag holds enough insulin to keep Abby alive for at least six months, but I would have robbed it if he didn’t cooperate,” said John.

“Really? No way.”

“Way,” said John. “I’d do anything to keep you guys healthy and alive. But I didn’t rob the store. I gave the pharmacist a gold coin for the insulin.”

“You paid in gold . . . cool?”

“Yeah. He did well for the deal, but I don’t trust him, so we’re going to scoot on out of here before something bad happens,” said John.

“Like what?” asked Adam, as he turned to look back at the store as they drove away.

“Like that guy calling the cops on me.”

“But you said you didn’t rob it,” gasped Adam.

“I didn’t,” replied John. “I gave him a gold coin, but I didn’t have a prescription. I tried using my powers of persuasion, but that didn’t work. But it just so happened that the pharmacist liked gold, and he agreed to the deal. But that doesn’t mean he won’t try to cover his tracks.”

“You mean he will send the cops after us?”

“Maybe,” replied John, in an effort to gauge his son’s resolve.

“Cool,” said Adam. “Are you gonna run if they start chasing us?”

“Adam . . . seriously? I was teasing. No I wouldn’t run, but let’s not get off track here. The point is, I’ve got Insulin for Abby. We’ll be out of town in a minute anyway, so no worries,” said John.

“OK,” replied Adam, demurely. “I was just curious.”

“Well, remember what I said about trusting me. I won’t do anything to put you in harm . . . at least not if I can help it. Any luck with the phone?”

“No. Can I try the radio?”

“Sure,” said John. “We should be in range in a couple of minutes.”

J
ohn didn’t see Jenna and Abby in the garden when he pulled up to the house, so he assumed they were already inside working on the harvest, which was a good thing. So before John unloaded the gas cans, he asked Adam to run and fetch Jenna’s heavy-duty gardening wagon.

When Adam ran off to get the wagon, John grabbed a few grocery bags of snacks, as well as the important pharmacy bag, and went to find Jenna. As suspected, she was working in the kitchen, washing vegetables in the sink next to Abby. The kitchen looked something like a farmer’s market. Fresh produce sat in plastic buckets on the floor, or in bunches on the counters and kitchen table.

Abby squealed with delight when she saw John enter the kitchen, and she ran and fell into his arms. “Hi baby. Did you miss me?” asked John, as he sat the bags on the floor near the fridge, which was the only place to sit them. Every other open space was taken.

Jenna had the produce organized to her plan. Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower sat in one area, and the tomatoes, peppers, squash, and melons in another. She also pulled the beets, radishes, and carrots, though John thought they looked a little smaller than last year. He was just happy to see the chard, which he only liked fresh. And the garlic, which was another of John’s favorites, was also in a bucket. He managed to grab a carrot while balancing Abby in his arms.

“Yes,” said Abby. “We were talking about you the whole time.”

“Oh really?” asked John. “And what were you talking about?”

“We were saying how you managed to avoid all the dirty work,” said Abby with a wink, and she pulled away from John and returned to the sink to help her mother with washing.

John slid between the two and gave Jenna a quick peck on the cheek before washing his own carrot. He said, “Good news. I managed to get more insulin.”

“Oh, John. That’s great news. I really thought you’d forget about it,” replied Jenna.

“Not a chance.”

“Was the prescription called in?”

“Can we talk about that later . . . I’ve got Adam moving the gas. Let me get everything put away and we’ll talk in detail,” said John.

“Trouble in town?” she asked.

“Huh? No, it was eerily quiet,” replied John.

Jenna turned to study John’s face, to read what was not being said, and decided to let it go. John was relieved because he didn’t want to discuss the insulin acquisition in front of Abby. Instead he said, “Impressive harvest. Are you gonna be able to can all of this?” as he took a bite of the carrot.

“We’ll do our best . . . won’t we Abby?”

“Yeah, we can do this without dad’s help,” she said with obvious mirth.

“Hey!” said John. “I just spent a hundred bucks on junk food for you guys.”

“You did what?” moaned Jenna, as she let a cluster of beets drop into the sink. “You know Abby doesn’t need junk food.”

“I know, but it kept Adam busy when I was pumping gas,” replied John.