Band of Preppers: A Prepper Fiction Novel (Book 1) Read online

  “I don’t think we’ll make it to a gas station,” Derek informed his family. “And this traffic is insane. It might be better if we walk.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?” Amy asked. “Won’t people want our stuff?”

  “We’ll stay off the highway, try to find wooded areas. Adam, can you look up walking directions?”

  Adam got out his phone and began typing. Derek was really glad he had sprung for a phone plan with data. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he peered around outside, looking for a path out.

  “I’m gonna write these down,” Adam said. “The battery’s gonna run out eventually.”

  “Good point,” Derek said. “We should only keep one phone on at a time, to save on juice.”

  Amy got out her phone to turn it off, but paused.

  “I got like ten texts from Ming.”

  “What’s she saying?”

  “Where are you? Things are crazy. They brought like twenty people in here. They look fine, but they’ve been exposed. A whole bunch of guys in hazmat suits are here. Won’t say if we need to be wearing them. And then she just asks where I am.”

  Amy put the phone to her ear, but after a few moments, hung up. She looked at Derek with worry in her eyes.

  “She didn’t pick up. I hope she’s ok…”

  “She’s a nurse. She knows more than most people how to stay safe.”

  “But nurses and doctors are always the first ones to get sick during something like this,” Amy interjected. “They’re the ones closest to the virus.”

  Amy directed her attention back to her phone and clicked on the keyboard.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m giving her your number in case,” Amy explained.

  Derek thought about stopping her, in case the phone was in the hands of someone he didn’t want knowing anything about him, but he bit his lip instead. He didn’t want to scare Amy and besides, if a government that let their own virus get out of control really wanted to get him, they would either have nabbed him already or were too distracted with bigger problems to bother. He said nothing as Amy finished texting and shut off her phone.

  “Got the directions written down.”

  Derek looked back at Adam, who was stretching out his arm to show his father the writing all down his arm.

  “What’s that? Did we not have paper?”

  “No,” Adam said. “And I looked around under the seats.”

  Crap.

  “Ok, well, just be careful. Maybe we can find some paper around somewhere else.”

  Derek checked the gas tank again. The alert button had come on. His stomach churning, Derek unbuckled his seatbelt. His family followed suit and awkwardly got their bags. Adam took hold of Roadie’s leash.

  “Ready?” Derek asked. “We’re going that way.”

  Everyone nodded. It all happened so fast. Derek unlocked all the doors and he, Amy, Adam, and Roadie all burst from the car and ran. Their bags bounced against their chests and legs, but they kept going. Cars honked and Derek thought he could hear people yelling through their closed windows. Afraid someone might be coming after them, he shot a look over his shoulder. Nobody. They wove through cars, Roadie pulling on his leash.

  “Buder Park is up ahead!” Adam called. “We just gotta cross another road.”

  Derek was almost thankful for the traffic as it made crossing the street less dangerous. He was also glad it was dark, except for headlights, so people were not alerted by their presence until they were passing them. They slowed their run to a jog until they reached the park. Derek had been through a few times before and passed it sometimes on the way to Buckle’s. It was 200-some acres with a riverfront and archery range. They had reached the front, where a sign read, “St. Louis County: Bruder Park” in large white letters.

  “Let’s find an empty spot,” Derek said, whispering.

  It didn’t look there was anyone around, but he didn’t want to take any chances. The streets were empty except for a few cars here and there. A bird picked at a piece of roadkill before noticing the family and flying off.

  “Look!” Amy said, pointing. “Closed for construction!”

  “That could be good,” Derek said. “No one really around.”

  “What about guards?”

  Derek hesitated. He didn’t see much in the way of security except orange tape and cones. He adjusted his backpack.

  “I think we’re ok. It’s a big park. Let’s stick to the shadows.”

  Derek reached back to get his flashlight, but his hand fumbled at air. His heart sank.

  “What are you looking for?” Amy asked.

  “Flashlight.”

  Amy’s face tightened. She looked away so Derek wouldn’t see her frustration. Adam came to his father’s rescue.

  “I have one! I kept it in there from camping.”

  He handed it to his father, who gave him a relieved and impressed look.

  “Thanks.”

  He turned it on to the dimmest setting and led the way into the park. There were some construction trucks around, but no sign of people. It looked like they were redoing the playground, but everything else was untouched. They walked back into the darkness for about 20 minutes before Derek decided on a picnic spot with a small grill beside it. It was lit by a tall, bug-blurred lamppost.

  “Guess this will do,” he said.

  He sat down on the bench and put his head in his hands. Amy sat next to him. Moving as if he had done it a million times before, Adam rummaged through his pack and brought out tinder, matches, and a Mountain House dinner.

  “Can I go get branches for wood?” he asked.

  “Not alone.”

  “I’ll take Roadie.”

  “Not good enough. I’ll go with you.”

  Derek stood and opened his backpack.

  “Amy,” he said, lowering his voice. “You stay here, but take this.”

  He pressed the gun into her hands. He knew she could shoot, so didn’t bother with instructions. She looked at him and nodded seriously, understanding. He kissed her head.

  “Be careful,” Amy said.

  “We will.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Derek insisted they keep close to their picnic area. Adam gathered twigs and leaves in his shirt while Roadie snuffled through the grass.

  “You’re doing great,” Derek told his son. “Way better than I would have.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  “How did you think about all those things to pack?”

  “Uncle Buckle gave you that list. Of the bug-out stuff? I found it in the kitchen like a week ago.”

  “Wow.”

  Derek watched Adam inspect a stick, and throw it away. He never expected that it would be his 11-year old son who would be saving the day. He had the flashlight, Roadie’s supplies, and probably the fire-starters, too. Derek couldn’t even remember if he’d packed it. Probably not. The whole Matt incident threw him off before he finished packing. As usual, Buckle had been right. Adam and Derek walked back to their camp. Amy had gotten out the pot and filled it with water. She started a little when she heard them coming, but the halo of the lamppost illuminated them almost immediately afterwards.

  “This dinner looks really good!” Amy said. “Did you guys eat these on the camping trip?”

  “Yep,” Derek said.

  He knew Adam would want to start the fire, but he was feeling a bit outmanned by his own son, so he didn’t offer the tinder. Adam was way ahead of him anyway; Derek was the amateur in this scenario. Derek arranged the sticks and leaves in the grill before scrapping the tinder like Buckle had said. At least Derek had remembered his knife. He had grabbed it from the kitchen drawer when he got the paracord. Striking a match, he gingerly lit the tender and drew his hand back as it shot out a long flame.

  “Whoa!” Amy exclaimed. “That was quick.”

  She set the pot on the grill to boil. The family sat in silence as they waited.
When the water bubbled, Derek emptied out the food and crumbled up the bag. He wondered absentmindedly if there were bears around. Probably not.

  I hope Katie is ok. She’s probably in quarantine. God, I hope she doesn’t have it. If I don’t, she wouldn’t. Unless the guy passed her and coughed or something, when he came in. Can’t think about that. Gotta stay focused. It’ll take about a day to get to Buckle’s, if we walk fast. Maybe longer, if we have to take a different route. Damn, this was easier with a car. Maybe if I find gas, we can go back to the car. It might still be there.

  “Should we look at the news?” Amy asked.

  “Um, sure.”

  As he handed the phone to Amy, Derek thought about going to find an outlet to charge their phones. There must be some, in a ranger station, or visitor center. Amy ran her finger down the phone, scrolling through stories. She frowned.

  “What’s it looking like?”

  “Not good. People are breaking out of quarantines. And more cases popping up all over the country.”

  “How is that happening?”

  “Well, people might be extra paranoid, and going in with a regular flu or cold, and they’re getting isolated just in case. Or the old quarantines were bad, and people they thought were fine are just getting sick now.”

  “Like the guards at the border.”

  Amy nodded.

  “Food’s ready!” Adam said.

  They all ate out of the pot and shared a fork. Roadie scarfed down the dog food Adam poured out of a large plastic bag. After dinner, Derek walked by himself to the nearest building and, after making sure it was empty, tried the door. Locked. He inspected the window. It was a good size and low to the ground. He searched in the grass for a moment. Finding what he was looking for, he took a step back and hurled the rock at the window. It broke in four large pieces. Derek almost expected an alarm to go off, but all remained dark and quiet. Using a stick to clear the glass, Derek gingerly stepped through. It looked like an office, with a desk and sleeping computer. The orange light pulsed like a heartbeat.

  Power cord, power cord.

  Derek found it and plugged in his and Adam’s phone. Amy didn’t have her cord. The phone screen lit up. Derek never thought he’d be so happy to see that little charging icon in the corner. It was 7:30.

  Seems so much later.

  Derek checked his emails and messages. There were a few spams, but nothing of note. He went through the big news sites and saw that blood pox was being covered all over the place. The biggest question seemed to be about the incubation period; the CDC had screwed the pooch big on that one, and experts were saying that having had chickenpox might play into how long the virus went unnoticed. Derek also found a story that said the guards that had been released were indeed some of those recently diagnosed. Alone, Derek finally felt his guard shake. Fear gripped his chest like his heart was a water balloon on the verge of bursting.

  They’re all depending on me. Me. It’s all on me.

  Derek lay shaking, hardly able to comprehend the words running through his mind. It was like his life had just transformed into a waking nightmare.

  Chapter 8

  It was strange to wake up cold with dew in an unfamiliar place. For a moment, Derek let himself be confused about where he was, like yesterday hadn’t even happened, but then Roadie was licking his face and the family was stirring. It was early. Morning brought cool air and pale, clear light that fell to earth like a shower. The Evers made a quick breakfast of trail mix and water, with Derek encouraging them to drink plenty to get hydrated. They would need their full strength for the day’s walk.

  The new route to Buckle’s took them on Old Missouri 21. A few cars passed them, but they were the only real signs of life. Checking the news revealed a worsening situation. Cases now numbered in the 40’s, with healthcare workers falling ill and general panic spreading through the country. Texas and Missouri were still the hardest hit, but reports of blood pox in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma were coming out. Derek read the news aloud to his family as they walked.

  “Large areas of Texas and Missouri have self-evacuated...is that a phrase? Self-evacuated?”

  “Apparently it is,” Amy responded, not very interested in the linguistics.

  “Self-evacuated, leaving highways clogged. Tempers are running high, and there have been reports of assault and armed robbery. Geez.”

  Derek tucked the phone back into his pocket. They had only been walking a few hours and it was already scorching. He reached back for a water bottle.

  “Here,” he said, bumping Amy’s arm with it. “You need to keep drinking.”

  “I know, I know,” she said, almost exasperated.

  She drank anyway.

  “How is everyone?” Derek asked. “Adam?”

  “I’m fine,” Adam replied from the front.

  He had tied Roadie’s leash to his belt buckle so he freed up his hand. Roadie trudged alongside Adam’s heels, panting.

  “Let’s stop for a bit,” Derek suggested. “Roadie needs to drink.”

  The road had a lot of tree cover, so they walked a little way off the street to hide. Adam got Roadie’s bowl from his bag and filled it with water. The dog lapped it up in greedy tongue-fulls.

  “Good boy,” Adam said, stroking Roadie’s head. “It’s a long walk, I know.”

  He poured the dog more water. Derek checked his bag to see how much water he had left. Four bottles. He looked in Amy’s and Adam’s bag. They each only had one more. Derek did some quick math in his head.

  Uh oh. Like 15 more hours to Buckle’s, at the least. Heat probably slows us down. And we can’t walk at night, so that’s another overnight, with water for cooking….that’s not enough. That’s not nearly enough.

  Derek hid his distress from his family. He did his best to shake off his anxieties and rose.

  “Ok, let’s go. We gotta keep moving.”

  Adam groaned, the first real complaint he had made. He stretched his legs and neck before hoisting his pack back on. Amy rubbed his shoulder.

  “You’re doing great,” she whispered.

  Adam didn’t respond. They continued walking. Old Missouri was considered a “scenic” route, but that didn’t make the walk any easier. At least it was quiet. It would take them all the way to Buckle’s, too. With nothing else to distract him, Derek began to feel guilty again. Last night had been emotionally-draining. He had stayed in the ranger’s office until the phones were fully charged and when he returned to their spot, Adam was asleep and Amy sat waiting for him. She tried to talk to him about the day, but Derek just couldn’t manage it. They both just went to bed, laying their sleeping bags on either side of Adam. They didn’t bother with tents. Derek woke once in the middle of the night and thought he heard Amy crying. He just lay there, listening. It was too much to go comfort her. She must have cried herself to sleep because soon she grew quiet again.

  As he walked, Derek stared at the back of his wife’s head. She had her hair in a ponytail, trying to keep it off her neck, and it swished back and forth as she walked. She was still wearing her scrubs from yesterday. They didn’t have any other clothes. Yet another thing Derek hadn’t thought of. Derek clenched his teeth in frustration. What good had all that prepping done in the end? Someone was just going to get all of it, probably just stay in his house, sleep in his bed. Maybe Matt would just call whatever scummy buddies he had and they would show up to untie him. They’d be living large with all the rice and beans they could eat, and the vodka Derek had stocked for bartering. Derek didn’t even know if Matt drank, but in his mind, he pictured destructive, booze-soaked parties that no police could break up. Derek wondered what the police were doing to handle all of this. If people really were as desperate as the news made them sound, there would be shootouts, maybe even raids on the police stations themselves. It would truly be every man for himself.

  Derek kept everyone going until the sun started to set. His legs burned like there were fire ants crawling inside his bones,
but he kept pushing. He tried to save as much water as he could for the others, but if he waited too long to drink, he started to feel like he was going to be sick and his head swam. By the time they stopped, he only had two water bottles left. They found a little clearing and pitched camp. Adam collapsed on the ground and lay face down for a long time. His parents quietly popped up the four-person tent and arranged the sleeping bags. Adam allowed himself to be carried and placed inside the tent. He rolled over on his back and promptly fell asleep. Amy sat down painfully and hugged her legs.

  “Poor kid,” she said. “He’s completely spent.”

  “No kidding,” Derek agreed. “How are you doing?”

  “I’m ok,” Amy said, not looking at Derek. “Still no word from Ming.”

  Derek put his pack down and sat on the ground next to Amy. His legs screamed in pain, causing him to grit his teeth. Amy let her head sink on his shoulder.

  “She’s probably busy.”

  It was a lame excuse. Derek wondered if it would have been better to say nothing at all.

  “I have to think about the worst case,” Amy said after thinking for a moment. “If I never see her again. It’s better than holding unto false hope.”

  “But you gotta have hope,” Derek insisted. “Or what’s the point of anything?”

  “Surviving,” Amy said.

  Amy had been a survivor all her life. Her father had been a mean son-of-a-bitch with a raging alcohol problem. Without the booze, he hated everyone, but with the booze, he hated his family the most. Amy’s mother did her best to take on all the blows herself, but it just wasn’t enough for Robert Banks. He pushed and slapped his only daughter around like she was a punching bag. He pulled Amy out of school and made her mother home school her so people wouldn’t be able to ask questions. He controlled everything about Amy’s life from her birth to age 15, when she ran away. That was right after the scissors attack, and Amy used the time in the hospital to find someone who would let her stay with them. While at the nurse’s, Amy arranged to go live in Missouri with an adult cousin and work for her keep. She also went back to school, graduated in the top 5%, and went on to college to study nursing. Derek had been friends with her cousin’s son and met Amy when she moved in. He was immediately smitten by the fire-haired, smart-as-a-whip girl from Louisiana, and, against all odds, she was smitten by him, too. It was quite the match: an ambitious girl who fought for a better life and the sullen, passive mailman’s son whose biggest dream was to have enough money to buy a truck. Still, they had both run away from home and never known real love before. Amy made Derek ambitious, and he made her feel safe. They got married when Amy turned eighteen and Derek worked two jobs to help her through nursing school. Everyone who knew them said they had never seen a man more in love with his wife.