Shocked Read Free

getting caught. It’s been like this for so long so long that now it’s my norm.
    When we stop to eat, drink and rest. Lucas estimates that we cover around seven miles so far. When he pulls out the map, we notice that in the next couple of hours there should be a town. Part of me just wants to avoid it. Although shelter for the night may be nice because the temperature’s sure to drop below freezing again. We pack it up and set course for Bradford, Ohio.



Smart
     
     
    By the time we cross the last field and small creek outside our destination the sun hangs low in the sky. Dusk gives the darkness a far more dominant presence. We’ve yet to see any signs of life and my anxiety is through the roof. Lucas is on edge too. However much he tries to hide it, it’s given away by the firearm in his hand: ready at a moment’s notice.
    Once again our anxiety is for naught. Somehow the lack of people is more disconcerting. There are plenty of houses to choose from so we pick one to crash in for the night. As we approach the front door Lucas gets all macho and tries to kick it down. It’s a big old wooden door though (not one of those cheap breakable kinds you typically see today) and he bounces off of it right onto his ass. With a chuckle and an eye roll I move around him and turn the handle. I give him a large grin when it opens.
    Lucas doesn’t say anything and looks quite sheepish. I offer him my hand and help him to his feet. We step into the hallway. I flick the first switch I see and do a little happy dance when the lights flick on (and almost fall over .) This leads to my own sheepish expression when I notice Lucas’ expression of amusement. Right. He doesn’t know about my severe lack of coordination. I’m sure he will…sooner rather than later.
    Lucas secures the door and moves towards the back of the house. After he’s certain that ever ything is secure he plops down on the couch and looks at me.
    “Hungry?” I ask.
    “Yeah. Let’s go see if they have anything here.”
    I follow him to the kitchen where we find quite a bit of food. Some of the perishables in the fridge can’t be saved, but the cabinets provide a plethora of options. We make some mac’n’cheese and pack a few more things into our bags while we wait. I can’t help but think again that whoever lived here left very quickly. The question is: where did they go?
    There’re some thing s you just can’t get in a cabin. A shower—for example. Blessed hot running water is a luxury I haven’t had in a while and a welcomed amenity in our digs for the night. After we eat and tidy up (it’s only right) I wander upstairs and eye the bathroom greedily. Lucas insists I go first. I happily agree. I hunt for new clothes to wear once I’m clean before I start.
    I open the first door off of the hallway and step into a child’s room. It’s obviously a little boy’s room from the toys and action figures strewn about. I close the door with a shudder and my mind qu ickly thinks of little Nate. I hope he and Becky are okay!
    The next room holds nothing personal besides an empty closet and dresser drawers. I can only assume that it’s a gue st or spare room of sorts. I move on and find myself in what must be the master bedroom. In the dresser I find clean undergarments—not exactly the right size but certainly close enough. In the closet I even find some jeans, a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie and some shoes—in my own size! I grab a sturdy looking pair of boots, kicking the too-small hated running shoes off my feet. Immediately I feel the relief. I lay the clothes on the pretty blue bedspread and step into the bathroom.
    Even the end of the world doesn’t keep me from appreciating this bathroom. I give the tub a longing stare and move instead to the large stand-up shower. The water starts and begins dripping from the large overhead spigot like rain. Sure we picked a nice house, but this is way more posh than anything I’m used to. It takes some fumbling,