Final Departure: Death Is Never On Time by Jeff Walton

Author:Jeff Walton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JTW Development Group DBA Sunbrook Publishing
Published: 2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Skunks at the Party

“I’ll make everything better. Give me time. Give us time!” He steered the pickup toward a sign that read AIRPORT DEPARTURES. The headlights caught the reflecting tape on a line of traffic cones blocking the road to the terminal.

“Don’t try to go there—can’t you see it’s closed?” she cried. “It’s still closed, Richie. I thought you were okay, I thought—”

He shook his head. “That cop was a little too nosy for me. I need to get to Dad and get that money. Once the airport opens and he flies outta here, he’ll probably never speak to me again.”

“That’s not true. He loves you. I love you.”

Ignoring her, he switched the truck into the 4x4 mode and mashed the gas, knocking over several of the orange cones as the pickup plowed forward on the deserted road.

They approached the departure area in front of the terminal. A uniformed security guard standing by the curb waved the truck away with his flashlight.

“Airport’s closed! Can’t stop here,” the guard shouted through cupped hands.

“Damn it!” Richie pounded his fists on the steering wheel. He slowly accelerated and headed back into the airport exit lane.

***

Ben took the last puff from his cigarette before grinding it into the receptacle as he watched the taillights of the pickup fade into the distance. While he ambled along his now familiar route back to the departure gate, the telltale flicker of lights caused him to quicken his pace.

Within seconds of Ben’s flopping down next to Dan, the power went out again and all were greeted by immediate darkness. Within a minute, emergency lights came on, but their weak yellow glow barely illuminated the gate area, and the heating system was now off. Ben again winced and fought to control the urge to panic.

“I guess I’m finally going to get the therapy I need—the hard way,” Ben announced.

“Wait,” cried Dan. He fished through a small side pocket and pulled something out. “Here, this should help.”

Ben took the small flashlight. “Thank God. You’ve had this all along?” He hated how frantic he sounded.

“Yeah, sorry. I forgot I had it,” Dan said with an apologetic smile.

Ben clicked it on and started to relax. After a second or two, he realized what he had said. “I just thanked God, didn’t I? I guess we all slip sometimes. Shows how deeply imbedded the concept of the Deity is in our culture.”

“I think it’s more basic than that. You’re wired to believe, even if you fight to repress it.”

“You might be right,” Ben said. Why does what he says feel so right? Am I getting soft in my old age, or is he on to something?

“This storm is more than anyone can handle. It’s gonna get real cold in a hurry in here if they don’t get the power back on soon.” Dan reached for his backpack and pulled out a spare light jacket.

Ben shifted in his seat to get comfortable and noticed the name “CHIEMSEE” printed over the right breast pocket of Dan’s jacket.

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