Chapter 8

There were plenty of stores of all kinds. As we had ridden up here, we decided that food would be our last stop. I would wait on a radio until another trip. I did fire up the radio in the truck and call "CQ" on a number of different bands without success. Switching to two-meters, I tried some repeaters also with no luck. I had turned off the HF but left the two-meter on in scan to continue checking the repeaters.

Jane wanted some more clothes and some other things so we pulled in at the mall. We were seeing no one and hearing no vehicles. We pulled in at the mall and got out. I locked the truck and we were carrying our rifles. I parked close to the door but in a legal place. The truck was dusty and might be mistaken for one that had been there for a while unless you felt the hood.

The mall wasn't locked and we went inside. There were no bad smells. I was thankful for that. We looked around and saw little sign that any others had been scavenging. We had found a printer in the marina office and printed up some signs that said we had survived and gave my cell phone number for a contact. I put a sign up in the food court area.

We went to a couple of stores for Jane. She also had me pick up a few things for me. We were better equipped to camp and hike so needed things for summer wear on the water. We finished our shopping and went to the door where we had come in. I stopped Jane back from the door. "Let's check before we go out and get surprised." I got on my stomach and crawled to the door and pushed it open. It was quiet. I stayed down crawling to the outer door and pushed it open. It remained quiet. I looked out and around and saw no change in the parking lot. I squeezed out and looked out some more before standing up. I walked to the edge of the posts and looked out further and still saw nothing. I looked quiet and I could detect no change in anything in the parking lot.

I went back in and picked up packages and Jane and I exited the mall, loaded the truck, got in and left. We went to a couple of DIY stores. Each time, we went through the same process. Here, we found signs of scavenging. Only at the second did we find a generator that we could load on the truck and that had the capacity to handle a decent load. We left a sign at each place and went through the same procedure upon leaving. We didn't need much in the way of tools because our neighbor's house had a well-equipped shop full of all kinds of tools. We were ready to shop for food and found a grocery store. The produce section was a loser, totally and the fresh meats weren't. We did find frozen, dry, and canned items to give us a two-cart load for the truck. I left a sign and we left carefully. We could see signs that people had been here but still saw no one. We were on the entrance ramp for I-95 when we saw the car coming up behind us fast.

"Jane, there's a small car coming on my side! Brace!" I slowed down and it came in front of us a hundred feet or so and stopped sideways. We could get through if I wanted to but I slowed some more. The driver's side faced us and a small figure jumped out and began to wave wildly. I slowed some more and rolled the window down. I had loosened my pistol in its holster ready to use it. "Jane, watch for any company behind us."

I stopped thirty feet away from the car and the person came running up toward us. I hollered, "Stop! We're armed and I will shoot." I pulled my pistol out and held it pointing at the stranger with my left hand.

I heard Jane say, "No traffic coming. I have the car covered if someone else is in it. Let'em approach."

I yelled out the window, "Okay, You. Slowly approach the truck. Keep your hands out away from your body." The hands spread out to each side. I had determined this was a female of some age, probably young. She came up beside the truck.

She said, "Please, I've been alone for weeks. Please talk to me. I'm not armed."

"Get back in your car and follow us. I want to get down there where we are not quite so obvious. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Good."

I drove down a few hundred yards to a point where the Interstate was less elevated and we could pull over to talk. She pulled in behind me and jumped out of her car and was at the back of the truck when she saw me standing there with my pistol pointing at her.

"Please, I don't want to hurt anyone." She had her arms stretched out. She added, "Or be hurt either."

I heard the passenger door open as Jane got out. She walked to the back of the truck and said, "Okay, Honey. Come forward slowly and keep your arms out." To me, she whispered, "I'm going to frisk her. Watch around and her car."

The young girl stood before her and Jane frisked her quickly and thoroughly putting her hands where a man wouldn't but I guess, where a weapon could be hidden. Jane stood back and said, "What's your name?"

"I'm Bethany Stevens. My parents are dead. Mother died of the virus and I was very sick. After she died, Dad moped around and wasn't being careful. He stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted. I've been alone ever since. No one's alive." She was weeping and her face was forlorn. Jane pulled her into her arms and hugged her tight.

"Well, George and I are here now. We're alive and plan to stay that way. What if we had been bad people?"

Bethany said, "Then, I would kill you in your sleep like I did my neighbor, Bob, who captured me after Dad died. He forced me but I cut him bad later that night."

Jane nodded approvingly so I said nothing about that. What I did say was, "Bethany, what do you want?"

She shivered, still in Jane's arms, and then said, "I don't want to be alone. Please take me with you. I'll help. I can clean and cook."

"Beth, dear." With those words from Jane, she broke down and began to sob heavily.

In the sobbing, I heard her say, "Mother used to call me that." After a few minutes, she slowly got herself under control.

I looked over at Jane who nodded at me. I said, "Bethany, you can come with us. Where are your clothes?"

With Jane's help, she blew her nose and then said, "At home. I don't want to go there."

I shrugged and said, "Okay, we can go back to the mall. Go, pull your car over to the side and lock it. Your car will probably be as safe here as anywhere." She ran to her car and pulled it well off the road, locked it and came running back having pocketed the key.

We went back to the mall and the two ladies went in and "shopped" for a while. They returned with bags, which were loaded into the truck. It's good it's a big truck. We went back to Anna and our cottage.

Bethany thought it was beautiful. We gave her a spare bedroom and the three of us unloaded the truck and packed everything away. Some of the food had to go up to the marina for storage. Bethany asked why we got so much food and Jane replied that it saved trips.

It was late afternoon and Jane decided that we would have an early supper and get to know each other. Bethany and Jane prepared supper while I listened. I could tell Bethany was in awe of Jane and had quickly realized that Jane was also a masterful cook. She listened to our story primarily from Jane. It was interesting to hear what happened from my wife's perspective. I came out pretty well as smart, capable and caring.

At the end of Jane's telling of our story, Bethany said, "So you guys are on your honeymoon? Wow!"