Day of Reckoning by John Winchester

Author:John Winchester [Winchester, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-12T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Four

Walgreens

Exton, Pennsylvania

Jim had spent the last two hours shopping for more supplies. The Blazer was rapidly filling up again with boxes and bags from various stores. At the pool store, he had purchased a five-gallon bucket of calcium hypochlorite. He’d used the chemical before to keep algae and bacteria from growing in his backyard pool. The label said you weren’t supposed to use it to sanitize drinking water, but Jim figured there were enough other uses for clean water that it was a good investment.

After the pool store, he had stopped at Walgreens to get medical supplies. He wished he had time to go to his doctor to get antibiotics, but he wasn’t sure if they’d give him a script anyway. It seemed like the doctor didn’t ever want to prescribe antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. He wondered if there was some other resource he could tap in order to fill the need. As it was, he had twenty tubes of topical antibiotic, all the store had on the shelves. He’d cleaned them out. The cashier had given him a funny look as she handed Jim the mile-long receipt.

After carrying the bags out to the Blazer, he crossed off each of the supplies he’d picked up from the list. Band-Aids, topical anesthetic, iodine, bandages, ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, and dozens of other first aid supplies.

He’d already marked quite a lot off the list. It felt good having accomplished so much in one day. Pleased with himself for doing such a great job, he climbed into the Blazer and turned the key. The engine whined but wouldn’t turn over. After several attempts, the vehicle finally spluttered to life. It died twice more before he even got out of the parking lot, forcing Jim to compensate by keeping one foot on the gas pedal and the other on the brake pedal. It wasn’t turning out to be the most reliable vehicle in the world.

Once he pulled out into the street and the car stopped stalling, he realized he’d been hearing a buzzing sound for a while. It was his cell phone, vibrating on the seat next to him. He’d been so focused on keeping the engine from stalling that he’d missed it. Laura’s number popped up on the caller display, and in his haste to grab it Jim accidentally knocked the phone on the floor. He leaned over precariously, keeping one hand on the wheel, and was just able to reach and grab it with his fingertips.

“Laura?”

“Jim, thank God! I’ve been trying to reach you. I’m on my way back—”

“Where are you right now?” Jim asked.

“I’m at the airport. I came here after I got your message. I couldn’t get on a plane, flights were canceled, and the airport was a mess,” she said.

Jim grew worried as Laura described her narrow escape from the panicked mob at the airport. Evidently it hadn’t left enough of an impression on Laura, though. She still wasn’t convinced and began to make a case for staying at Amy’s.

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