The Nuclear Catastrophe (a fiction novel of survival) by Billig Barbara C. Griffin & Pohnka Bett

Author:Billig, Barbara C. Griffin & Pohnka, Bett [Billig, Barbara C. Griffin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Clearview Investments, Inc.
Published: 2011-04-12T03:00:00+00:00

The absence of a circulating breeze and the heaviness of the smoggy air was a guarantee that the inversion remained. Her journey toward the hospital had gone smoothly for what she estimated to have been an hour. An hour at her quickened pace, and Althea guessed she had covered four, perhaps five miles. The few people she had seen along the sidewalk had crossed over to avoid her, or had lowered their eyes and rushed on past her, avoiding any possibility for conversation. Althea felt the same way. She had no wish to be detained by anyone—for any reason—and she didn’t want to draw near another person. We’re all radiation lepers, she thought.

Increasing her pace slightly, she kept her attention focused on her direction. She walked for what must have been another mile, determined only to reach the hospital as soon as possible, when a car pulled up beside her. The stealth with which the vehicle was unexpectedly at her side was startling. She hadn’t seen nor expected to see any traffic, when suddenly here it was. She threw one fast, frightened glance at the machine and at the man behind the wheel, and continued her walk.

The car crept along beside her, keeping abreast with her stride. Althea moved away from the street to the far edge of the sidewalk, never slackening her pace.

“Hey! Where are you going?” shouted the man through his window.

Acting as though she hadn’t heard, Althea kept her face straight ahead but quickened the pace ever so slightly. She could feel rather than actually see him as he leaned out again.

“I asked you where you’re going!” he yelled.

Her heart was racing by now. The man seemed insistent on talking to her, the last thing she wanted from some white man cruising the neighborhood.

The driver reached over and tooted on the horn. Still she kept her face averted. He honked again, twice. “Can’t you hear anything?” he shouted at her.

Not knowing exactly what to do but fighting the urge to run, Althea stopped and looked at him. He smiled at her, a not unpleasant smile but one strangely out of keeping with the events and the day. “What do you mean by honking at me?” she asked nervously.

His smile remained but when he opened his mouth to speak he appeared not to have teeth. “I wondered why you’re out walking by yourself.”

His comment was valid because she had been wondering herself what was so urgent that the others she’d seen on this journey were outside. Nevertheless, she had no interest in a confrontation with this stranger. She started off, refusing to reply.

The car pulled to her once more and the man again leaned out. “What’s the matter with you....you scared or something?”

Scared? Of course she was. Maybe, though, it would be best not to irritate him so that he’d just go on his way. “No, I’m not frightened,” Althea answered. “I’m in a hurry.”

“Well, where are you going?”

She halted and looked at him again. He sounded normal, perhaps even kind.

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