The Aftermath by Shelby Gallagher

Author:Shelby Gallagher
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: A Great State: The Aftermath
Publisher: Prepper Press
Published: 2018-10-28T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 43

A Grand Plan

After what seemed like hours of waiting, Steve finally made it to the front of the line for emergency housing. By now, he had a routine down. While standing in line, he would use his precious cell phone time to stay on hold waiting for the insurance company to pick up his call. A few times, he did manage to get a person on the other end, only to find out his claim was still in process, and that the system was overwhelmed and they would contact him as soon as they could. Steve stepped up to the counter. The clock on the wall behind the clerk read 4:33 p.m. He had arrived when the office opened, at nine.

“I need to renew my emergency housing allowance,” Steve said as he greeted the clerk.

She took Steve’s information and tapped vigorously on her keyboard. “I have good news for you. You qualify to become one of the new residents of the transition housing community,” the clerk said with very little enthusiasm. She reached under her counter and brought out a brochure. It was the same one he’d seen before.

“The application you sent a while back has been processed,” she continued. She turned over the brochure with Telhas, “Teeze’s,” perfect picture.

“Portland has partnered with METRO for specific properties for transitional housing. Temporary shelters have been erected, and folks like you are being housed there now rather than hopping from hotel to hotel. The structures are a temporary, made of a hard plastic. There are also water and shower facilities.”

She gave a fake smile as she described where Steve would be assigned next. She pointed to the tents on the back of the brochure above Teeze’s picture.

“Tents? We are being put in a tent city?”

“No. They are temporary, weather resistant domes. Much more secure than tents,” the clerk explained. “The brand name is ‘Dome Homes.’ They mainly make tiny homes for upscale communities. The city has contracted with them for smaller, more portable and secure structures,” she continued.

Steve had no words. He was just thankful to not be put out on the street. He was thankful to not be in a dank hotel room. But he was not thankful to be housed in communal living in a structure that was one step above a tent. At least it has a secure entry, he reasoned. Can you be angry and thankful and scared all at once?

“I guess I have no choice, do I?” Steve said to the clerk. “What do I do next?”

The clerk gave Steve a housing ID number. “All the family members you listed on your application need to reference this number when entering or exiting the community.”

Steve didn’t listen to what she said next. Her words were humiliating and Steve could barely pay attention. I’m homeless. I am homeless with a baby and two women who hate me, he thought.

“You will want to check in at this location here,” she said and pointed to a map. It was near the industrial part of the city, with wide open spaces normally used for shipping containers.

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