THE TRASHMAN Read Free

listen then you kill them. Man, woman or child.”
    “Shit. Ralph, I do something like that, Lucy would shoot me.”
    “Take your chances then, but don’t leave me defenseless. I’d like a shotgun and a couple dozen rounds for it.”
    “I’ll run it by Lucy.”
    “Sam, this place isn’t far from the interstate. I can hear the traffic at night. It won’t be long before scared, hungry people fleeing the cities and towns begin showing up. I’m not asking. Get me a weapon to defend my family or I’m coming to the house to get one. I mean it. What will you do, shoot me? I’m your brother. You’ve got me and my family isolated, yet you’re indicating you’d hesitate to enforce isolation from strangers. You just said you won’t shoot trespassers, well then I guess you won’t shoot me.”
    Sam was thunderstruck by my outburst. It was a long moment before he replied.
    “If people are dying as fast as the news is reporting, I reckon the fire department and police are thinned out too. This is a messed up deal, Ralph. You’re serious about shooting people, aren’t you?”
    “Damn right I am. Sam, I have to say this. You’re in denial. Just the fact you want to carry on like normal, go pick up an abandoned vehicle from the side of the road, shows your priorities are skewed. All you should be thinking about is survival, and survival means avoiding any chance of contact with someone carrying the plague. I mean no chances, no contact.”
    Sam shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. He didn’t do a very good job of it. “Good thing we have the fruit trees.”
    “Jesus, wake up would you? You won’t have fruit until summer. I wish you had some chickens or pigs. How much food do you have in the house?”
    “A good bit. Lucy went shopping the other day.”
    “I would say that was stupid and there’s a possibility she was exposed to the virus, but we did the same thing before we came here. That rope fence of yours works both ways. Skip the chairs and TV and any more food. We can’t accept food or supplies from you.”
    I called Becky from the house.
    “Bring the food back out. We’ll fix our own. Lucy was in town a few days ago and who knows, we could be in as much danger from them as they are from us.”
    Becky shook her head. “We’ve already hung blankets from their house and spread the bedding mats. If they’ve got it, we’re already exposed.” She gathered the rest of the containers and carried them in.
    Sam still hadn’t collected his wits. “We’re about out of propane for the furnace and stove. We may need to order some. I’ll pay on the phone with a debit and won’t have to go near the delivery truck.”
    “Try calling them. Ten to one they don’t answer or they refuse.”
    Sam pulled his phone from his pocket. Obviously, he had the propane company in his contacts because he hit a couple of buttons and put the phone to his ear. He listened for a while and then returned it to his pocket.
    “It went to voice mail. I’ll try again later.”
    “Dial 911,” I demanded.
    “And say what if they answer?”
    “Ask them if it’s okay to shoot trespassers if they won’t keep their distance.”
    He pulled his phone out again and pressed the numbers. To my surprise, he was answered.
    “Uh, er, I’m calling to see if it’s lawful to shoot trespassers that might be carrying the plague. Uh huh. Uh huh. I see. Maybe you should just go home.”
    When Sam returned the phone to his pocket, his hand was shaking.
    “The lady… I know her. She goes to our church. She works the switchboard. She told me she’s the only one who reported in today, and that none of the first responders showed up for their shift, police, firemen, nobody. She’s the only person in the building except for the janitor who let her in. She said even the State Governor’s office isn’t answering their phones. None of the government offices are answering. All she gets is voicemail.”
    “What did she say about shooting