Another Fire by Lyn McConchie

Author:Lyn McConchie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: plague, collapse of civilization, postholocaust, lyn mcconchie, another fire, bikers and gangs
Publisher: Night to Dawn Magazine & Books LLC

Chapter Fifteen

They drove into the town around 8:00 a.m. with both trucks, the ranch one driven by Annie and the newer one by Tim. Jason was with Annie. There was no one on the streets, no one they could see in any building’s windows, and Tim nodded.

“All commercial places around here, and we’ve come in the back way. Only trucks come that way, so we aren’t unusual. No one getting paid, so no one’s working. If we don’t make much noise, we might get clear with a load and no one seeing.”

It worked. Tim knew the franchise place he’d seen, and they went there. Jason could drive a forklift, and they’d brought charged batteries with them that would allow several hours of running time. Being electric, the small vehicles were silent, and Tim found padding that could be placed on the truck bed and then between each layer, so the items made little sound as they were loaded. With the larger truck filled, Annie drove it out of town and parked behind a billboard. There she would wait.

The men went looking further, watching every step. Twice they saw someone, and each time they were unseen themselves. They found more cement, reinforcing rods, another mixer, boxing for concrete, and various tools intended for that work. They loaded them in silence, being careful not to allow even a clink if it could be avoided. With that ready, they looked at each other, and Tim spoke in a low voice.

“We may not get back here again safely. Question is, while we’re here, do we look over a few more places or quit while we’re ahead?”

“You made a list?”

“Yeah, for all the stuff we’ve got, I did add a few things we could use if we found them. Axes for one, more ammunition, boots, kid’s clothes, Allie’s growing out of hers, and Geoff needs things too. Toys for them maybe, if we see anything we can get without trouble. More canned or packet food, spices, salt, sugar, coffee, hot chocolate, you know the sort of thing.” He looked at Jason, who nodded.

“Do it like the army. Advance one up at a time. You know what you need. Go ahead, and I’ll cover you.”

They ended up on the fringe of houses, and still, there were few people about. Jason spoke quietly as they loaded a trolley with items from a shop empty of people and half-empty of supplies.

“There’s been looting here, but they may have died before they emptied the place.”

Tim chuckled almost inaudibly. “Looting? You mean what we call salvage?”

Jason grinned. “Yeah, okay. Now, where can we salvage boots?”

They’d parked the smaller truck half inside the open back doors of the shop, where the loading bay was, and out of sight of the street. Tim stood, a hand on the open door, looking around.

“If I recall it right, shoe shop’s just on the other side of that alley. If we go down that, we can get the back door open and not be easily seen.

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