Barren Waters - The Complete Novel: (A Post-Apocalyptic Tale of Survival) (29 page)

“Got a hair tie?”

She pulled the elastic from her ponytail and passed it to him with pursed lips. With the blade of his pocketknife he sliced the band, looped it several times around the ruptured section of tube and secured it with a double knot. Through the hole, he blew as much air as he could manage, and frowned at the foul taste and grime that stuck to his tongue. At least he’d trapped air in the section without punctures. If this worked then the majority of the tube could remain inflated. Now all he had to do was come up with a plan for the part that was flat.

He set down the tire at his feet and glanced at their surroundings. Stalled and rusted cars ran the length of the freeway on both sides. In one of them would he be able to find some type of material to pack the rubber with? Not likely.

“What are you thinking?” Seth asked cautiously.

Jeremy set his hands to his hips. “Only three quarters of the inner tube is inflated. That only leaves a small section of the tire still flat against the rim. We can’t afford to damage the rim, but somehow we need to be able to ride the bikes to town. So we need to find something soft, something yielding, something we can use to pack inside that portion of the rim. Just to even it out,” he added. “Just so we can make it sixteen miles.”

Seth didn’t skip a beat. He turned toward the sun, lifted a hand to his brow, and peered at the shoulder of the road.

“Okay. What about grass? Grass is soft. Or Leaves? Mushy roots or plants or something?”

Jeremy arched a brow. “Not bad, kid. Okay. Let’s try it.” He followed Seth’s gaze to the rough shoulder of I-20 and frowned. “But there isn’t much grass around here. We’ve reached the beginning of what’s about to be miles and miles of desert.”

“True,” Seth replied as he moved toward the side of the road, “but what about these tufts of weeds? There’s got to be enough here—at least for what we need.”

Together the three of them crouched by the side of the road and pulled up thick handfuls of fountain grass and low scrub brush. They collected clumps of roots and clusters of dried leaves. Sam found yellow “wildflowers”, pushed a few behind her ear then added the rest to the pile. Jeremy watched as they worked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Through thick and thin they’d supported one another. Sam was right. Waiting for Seth to recover was the right thing to do. Jeremy felt renewed. It was as if he had regained a part of himself he thought lost, as if the universe was offering some sort of reciprocity. Some might call it karma, he mused, an exchange of goodwill or restitution for charitable deeds. Despite their dire circumstances they still had—and would always have—each other. A lump suddenly constricted his throat. Susan would be proud of him. Proud of Sam and Seth. Proud of the commitments they’d made to each other. Jeremy would never let Sam die. Not while he lived, and Seth wouldn’t either. Come hell or high water, they would make it to San Diego. Even if they had to walk the remaining distance on foot.

Seth took off his shirt, made a basket of it, and collected the pile of greenery and roots. He carried the lot to the bike where Jeremy proceeded to pack it beneath the rim. He tucked it first around the deflated portion of the tube then struggled to pull the tread back over the metal. Pressing down hard, he squeezed and pinched at the rubber. Not bad, he thought. Not a bad idea for a nine year old. Flipping over the bike he sat on the seat and leaned his full weight against the tire. He bounced and pedaled, traveled a small distance down the road then turned around. The going would be tough. The setup was unstable and hard to maneuver, but Jeremy thought it would hold.

“Okay, Sam. I would take this one myself, but I think it’s best for the rim if someone lighter takes the handlebars.”

Seth shook the dust and grass from his T-shirt, pushed past Sam and set his hand to the seat.

“Nope. I’m taking this one. I’m the lightest one.” He kicked the tire, shouldered his pack, and added, “It should be me. I’m scrawny, right?”

Jeremy couldn’t argue there. “Okay guys. Let’s do this. We ride slow and careful. Seth, you take the lead so I can watch from behind. If you feel like it’s gonna break, jump off and we’ll try to think of something else. I’ll take any number of miles we can get out of this. Anything is better and faster than walking.”

Seth nodded and without delay, swung his leg over the seat and began pedaling. Their pace was excruciating and soon Seth’s face was streaming with sweat. But he didn’t complain. The sun dipped below the horizon, and though the exit to Odessa still loomed far in the distance, Jeremy considered each mile a small victory.

When they finally reached the city limits, they poked around several burnt-out convenience stores and found a crumpled and faded brochure of apartment rentals in the area. These pointed them to a list of shopping centers in close proximity. Odessa boasted several retailers that might stock bike equipment, but Seth wanted to visit the Walmart first—of course. Understandable that he would harbor an emotional soft spot for the place his mother had died. And if that didn’t work out, the mall was only a short mile away.

Seth chattered as they rode. He talked of the garden they would plant in San Diego and the house they would select at the top of the hill.

“If you think about it we could have our choice of any house,” he explained. “It can be huge, so huge that each of us could have our own wing! It can overlook the ocean and maybe we can find a pair of binoculars. We could watch the ocean from the big house on the hill and see if there are any dolphins.” He peered at Sam’s reproachful gaze and quickly corrected himself. “I mean maybe one day there
could
be a dolphin. That’s all I’m saying. You know, like maybe we could be the supervisors of the sea. We could be the first to people to spot new life.”

His voice trailed away when Sam and Jeremy didn’t answer. Jeremy hated to disappoint him. “That’s a lovely dream, Seth, but I don’t think it’ll happen in our lifetimes.”

“Pessimist alert,” Sam muttered beneath her breath.

Seth ignored the remark and pressed forward. “So then how long will it take? Are you saying the oceans will be dead forever? Forever’s a long time, Carp.”

“It’s hard to say, Merlin. When the oceans die, everything dies. This same thing happened to the earth once before. Millions and millions of years ago. It was called the Permian Extinction, or as many scientists called it, The Great Dying.” Jeremy mopped his sweaty forehead with the collar of his shirt. “If this extinction is anything like that one was, then I’m sorry to say it’ll be close to ten million years before the oceans recover.”

Seth was aghast. “Ten
million
?” He was quiet a moment as he digested the information. “So
everything’s
dead?” He cocked his head. “How do you know? I mean if the ocean is as huge as you say it is, then how do you know
everything
in it is dead?”

They’d reached the entrance to the Walmart and kicked down their stands. Jeremy unhooked the gun from his hip holster and stood in front of the dusty double doors. “I guess you’re right, Merlin. Maybe everything isn’t dead. My dad once said it was possible that some species of snail or squid could have survived.”

“And jellyfish,” Sam added with a frown.

“True that,” Jeremy replied. “Definitely the jellyfish. But there’s an amazing thing that happens after an extinction level event. Other species emerge from the wreckage. Different kinds of animals. Things we can’t we can’t even imagine. Those animals learn to thrive in the new environment and make the new earth their home.”

Seth snatched a handful of dried oats from the container in his pack. “Like us?”

“Well, it might not be us this time. After the Permian Extinction, the resurgence of crabs and lobsters led to reptiles, which eventually evolved into the dinosaurs.”

Seth’s eyes danced. “There’s gonna to be dinosaurs?”

“Maybe. But if there are, it won’t be for millions of years. You won’t be around to see what comes next.”

Jeremy smiled as he nudged open the rusted door. This was nice. Normal even. Pleasant—for once—to be peppered with questions that didn’t concern their immediate life and death. Seth was special. Jeremy watched as he stepped to the side and allowed Sam to proceed in front of him. His eyes always tracked her, his movements an echo as if she were a lodestone. Yes. Seth was deeply committed to seeing this through. He’d shown grit and fortitude, and Jeremy knew he would sacrifice himself for Sam at any cost.

They entered the dark store and Jeremy’s mind wandered to the past. He wondered how deep Seth’s sacrifices might run. Would they match Susan’s? Or those of his father? Not likely. Commitment rarely ran that deep. No one had ever sacrificed as much as Liam. And apart from Jeremy, it was likely no one ever would.

A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.

-Mahatma Gandhi

“Did you know about this Mom?”

Jeremy was furious. So furious in fact that he’d refused to speak to his father the entire journey home. Shaking Susan’s hand from his shoulder, he’d abandoned them both and lumbered up the side of the mountain alone. He’d gotten so far ahead in fact that he was first to reach the cabin. Fists clenched at his sides, he’d thrown the door against its hinges and trudged through the living room. Clumps of dirt and grass littered his wake. Sam was still asleep, but Jeremy’s mother was busy and bent over the hearth. Rich scents of strong coffee and hearty oats filled the room. She had anticipated their arrival and risen early. There were bags and bags of coffee beans in the ark, and this morning she’d selected a rich Italian blend. In the grinder nailed to the kitchen counter, she’d ground the nuts by hand, had even thought to gather fresh dewberries from the shrubs by the stream. She’d even set out a service of four mugs with matching saucers and a bit of powdered cream. The whole thing felt wrong to Jeremy. The space was too warm, too polite and civilized. It didn’t fit his current mood. Their family was in trouble and all of this suddenly felt like pretend.

His abruptness clearly startled his mother. Her eyes flew open. She dropped her gaze to his grimy boots and frowned.

“Forget something, Jeremy?”

He repeated his question. “Mom, I asked you if knew about this.”

She set down the steaming carafe of coffee and her brows knit with confusion. Cautiously she crossed the room. “Jeremy? What’s happened? Did you not find a single thing of use out there?”

Jeremy was trembling. “I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about Dad and his Mother Theresa act. Has he already discussed this with you? I’m asking if you knew about this.”

Recognition and then uncertainty flickered briefly across her face. She firmed her chin. “Jeremy, come in. Let me pour you a cup of coffee.” She peered at the open door behind him. “Where is Susan? Your father? Is everyone okay?”

Jeremy felt his patience thinning. He was angry. Angrier than he’d like to admit, yet an unexpected weariness began to eclipse even that. His shoulders dropped.

“Mom, just level with me. Dad’s not taking his pills because of Sam. Right?”

She bit her lip. “It’s not that simple, Jeremy. Come on. Let’s get you inside. Boots off. You must be starving—“

“Jeremy.” Susan frowned as she strode into the room. “We need to discuss this as a family. You’re acting like a spoiled child.”

Jeremy rubbed his eyes and sank to the softness of the divan. He didn’t have the energy for this. They’d been out all night and returned with little to show for it. Not to mention the fact that his father had killed two men. Suddenly sarcastic, Jeremy wondered if
that
would be mentioned during family talk. He massaged his brow then met his father’s gaze and lifted his hands in resignation.

“I’m all out of fight, dad. After last night I’ve got nothing left. Not after what happened. I think I’ve seen too much for one evening, but I can’t rest. Not yet. Not till I understand this decision you seem to have made without telling anyone.”

In silence his father slipped out of his hiking boots and crossed the room. He perched at the edge of the sofa, poured from the silver carafe, and spooned a heap of powdered cream into his mug. His eyes locked on Jeremy’s and Jeremy was suddenly unable to breath. His father was clearly out of sorts. Confusion swirled amid glittering brown irises. It was an atypical turmoil of emotion, uncharacteristic for someone who was normally so confident. With a sharp intake of breath Jeremy realized his father was actually improvising. It was a behavior so aberrant, so peculiar that it took Jeremy completely off guard. His father was flying by the seat of his pants. That’s all it was. He had no idea what he was doing. For once he’d been faced with a situation he hadn’t planned for and it was killing him.

The full-bodied aroma of bitter beans helped clear Jeremy’s head. He sat forward and fixed his eyes on his father.

“Dad. None of this is necessary. I thought we said we could figure this out. Just last night we all agreed to it. What are you doing?”

Liam cleared his throat. He was never one to beat around the bush. “Son, we don’t have enough medication for Sam and I. Not for us both. Not enough to last both our lifetimes. You know this. So what do we do?” He lifted his mug to his lips and slurped as if he were pondering his own question. “Think about the people out there,” he continued, “the foragers and pillagers, the criminals and gangs. When people have nothing, they’re forced to conserve what little they have left. That’s all I’m doing.”

Jeremy scoffed. “We’re not talking about a bag of rice dad. We’re talking about something you can’t live without. Without the pills you’ll die.”

“I’m not suggesting that I stop taking the pills entirely. I’d be dead in a matter of days, Jeremy. I’m just talking about a smaller dosage. That’s it.”

Jeremy poured his coffee with a trembling hand. “Right. So you won’t be dead in a matter of days. Well that’s just great, Dad. A matter of months makes me feel much better. Thank you for your consideration.” He shook his head. “Good God. This is madness. This is nothing short of madness. One family member’s making plans to die for another.”

“What’s the alternative, son? What’s left to do other than to accept what is? Be honest. If it were you and Sam, instead of she and I, what would you do?”

Jeremy didn’t have an answer for that. Well—he had one, but he was too damn stubborn to share it aloud. The truth, he knew, was that he would do exactly the same thing. Any parent would. It was a natural instinct, an inbred response so strong that it overpowered any impulse of self-preservation. Jeremy ignored his father’s question and pressed him further.

“And how long do you think you can survive on a smaller dose?”

He noticed that his mother’s hand had slid across the seat and was now gripping her husband’s thigh. Tears had pooled in her eyes and now spilled down her cheeks and Jeremy felt like an ass. Guilt clawed at him as she sniffed and found her voice. He hadn’t considered
her
feelings in all of this. Smiling fondly at her husband, she squeezed his leg.

“I think it’s better if we focus on the positives of this situation. We’ve properly diagnosed Samantha. Isn’t that half the battle? Now that we know how to treat her—now that we know what we need to treat her
with—
we can form a plan. As flimsy as our plan may be, we still have one.”

Susan picked up the enthusiasm and added, “I, for one, will never stop foraging. We said it last night, didn’t we? There are hundreds of care facilities, clinics, and urgent care centers across this state alone. I propose that we put together an exploration schedule. We carefully log the places we’ve been so we don’t retrace our steps.” She peered around the room and brought her mug to her lips. “I mean, what else do we have to do? Sit around here get fat from all those cookies you put in the ark?”

Jeremy’s gratitude for his wife waxed so strong it nearly brought him to his knees. She was right. It was time he face facts and accept what is. His father would do this no matter how strongly he objected. He’d somehow convinced himself it was the right thing to do. Clearly Jeremy’s mother had come to the same conclusion. She seemed to have come to terms with her husband’s decision, undoubtedly realized she had little influence to change it. So the best thing Jeremy could do was find an alternative solution. And find it fast.

“Okay, Dad.” he acquiesced. “I guess I understand. But just like Susan said, none of us gives up looking. Right? We don’t give up. I’ll find a solution to this. That’s my commitment to you. So now you need to make a commitment to me. Promise me you’ll continue to take at least half a dose. Never less than that.”

Liam nodded. “I can commit to that.”

Silence followed his words and Jeremy watched him shift uncomfortably in his seat. Jeremy groaned.

“Oh for God’s sake, Dad. What else aren’t you telling me? Can we get it all out now please?”

Liam glanced at Olivia then pulled a bottle of pills from his pocket. “There’s one more thing you need to be aware of.” He rattled the bottle, cupped it to his chest as if it were a totem. “Over the past few years I’ve had to increase my dosage. My body is insulin dependent, but it’s not like a drug addict. My body doesn’t acclimate to a certain dosage and then demand more over time. It doesn’t work that way.” He took a steadying breath. “The only explanation is the pills themselves. They’re becoming weaker as they get older. The same dose that was effective three years ago is no longer effective for me now.”

Jeremy swallowed. “So you’re saying half a dose isn’t even half a dose anymore.”

His father met his gaze. “I’m saying that if I continue to take what amounts to ‘half a dose’ then we
still
won’t have enough for Sam.”

Susan had gone stiff beside Jeremy. She responded with words that were clipped and businesslike. “So this just confirms what I said. We need to be out there scavenging every week. Every night if we have to.” Sounding as if she were beginning to hyperventilate she wagged a finger at all of them. “Understand. I’ll not let my daughter die of this. I’ll travel to the dangerous streets of New York City or the smelly pits of the Florida Keys if I have to.”

Jeremy slid closer to her and rubbed her back as she leaned over her knees. A small cry escaped her lips. “This was a paradise. I’ll never forget the first time I saw it. We had everything we needed right here, enough for both our lifetimes. Sam’s as well. But if what Liam says is true, the pills will end up useless in time.”

Jeremy smoothed her hair. “We still have everything we need, Suse. We’ll figure it out.”

Her voice was muffled against her thigh. “I’m concerned about the explorative missions. We’re gonna have to do them, but what happens when it’s just you and me? After what happened last night—I just don’t think it’s wise for any of us to go out there alone.”

Olivia’s glance moved from Susan’s bent figure to Jeremy. “What’s she talking about? What happened last night?”

An inappropriate laugh suddenly bubbled from Jeremy’s lips. It wasn’t funny. None of this was funny. There was absolutely no reason at all to laugh. It was horrible. Inhumane. His father had committed a deadly sin. Maybe Jeremy was just overtired. The whole thing was actually quite macabre—tragic even, but he let loose his laugh just the same. It was like an unexpected fart in church. It caught momentum and Susan’s shoulders began to shake. She rolled onto her side, lost control, and Liam and Jeremy followed suit. Liam’s belly laugh was heartening and Jeremy struggled to regain composure. Though incredibly inappropriate, it felt good to laugh again. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, it felt good to let a bit of the seriousness go.

“Mom,” he choked, “I’m sorry. We really shouldn’t laugh. It’s actually not funny at all.”

Susan lifted her face from her palms. “Oh, it’s funny all right. It wasn’t at the time.” She pointed at her father in law. “Billy the Kidd over there shot two criminals last night. Shot ‘em right in their heads.”

Olivia sucked in a breath and peered at her husband in awe.

“You killed someone?”

Liam reddened. “Not someone.
Someones
.” He sighed and the corners of his smile bled to a frown. “I’m sorry, Liv. It really isn’t funny.”

She frowned. “No it isn’t. I’m sorry guys, but I guess I’m missing the punch line.”

“I don’t think we actually find it humorous, Liv,” Jeremy’s father explained. “I think we’re just coming down from the emotional high. I think it’s the incredulity of it all—the absurdity that life has suddenly become. The truth, simply put, is that the situation has become harsher out there. You haven’t been out there for a while. I think many more people have died—more than the initial wave of those who starved. And those who’ve made it this far have only done so because they’ve become vicious and heartless. People have no principles out there, Liv.”

Jeremy clarified further. “They’re desperate, Mom. That’s all it is. It’s the aftermath of the apocalypse, and everyone’s searching for the same things. Susan is right. We can’t venture out on our own. Not ever.”

Liam pulled his wife into his arms. “I’m sorry. We’re punch-drunk over here. It’s not funny. I did what I had to do. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It’s not that we’re rejoicing in the act of killing. It’s more of a rude awakening, a discovery of the way things are for most other people. We have to protect ourselves. Don’t think for a single moment those men wouldn’t have killed us if I hadn’t have done it first. They were toying with us. Playing us. They were gonna take everything in our packs and leave us for dead.” He shrugged his shoulders. “The concept we’re talking about actually makes sense mathematically. Think about it. The fewer people exist in the world, the longer the supplies will last for those who remain. It’s the basic principle of conservation. It means that those who’ve made it this far can find bounty in what’s left, but only if they act savagely against others.”

He leaned over and pulled the three new bottles of pills from his pack. Jeremy’s mother’s eyes lit up. “So you
did
find something. The night wasn’t a total loss then.”