SurviRal by Ken Benton Page A

explained to the nation one evening—was food shipments had stopped coming from China and Thailand. He was a hard-right Republican and not known for using restraint in his role as Speaker of the House. Maybe that’s what this country needed right now, someone bold and not afraid of making enemies. “Cowards” and “criminal opportunists,” he called the Chinese and Thai companies, godless in their blatant manipulations. First they crash the western world currencies by dumping all their bonds, and then they sever trade relations because of the perceived low value in those currencies—a low value they themselves directly brought about. And where was their compassion? Any disaster anywhere in the world over the last century was instantly met by western countries rushing in with aid: food, clean water, medical supplies, skilled tradesmen, and whatever else was needed. Now the western countries are in dire need, and what do the easterners do? Pull out and watch them die, almost appearing to be chomping at the bit at the prospect of becoming the new rich kids on the block when it’s over.
    What Clint found especially fascinating was how much food actually came from China and Thailand. Canned tuna, canned tomatoes, frozen fish, vitamin supplements, and bottled fruit juices were high on the list. Americans had come to depend on the east for satisfying their insatiable appetite for these items. The supply was now gone.
    The new President ended his speech with a passionate pledge to increase food distribution throughout the country. All military reserves had been called up and were getting involved in the program. Large outdoor venues would be utilized as they began a campaign of continuous food and medical supply deliveries by aircraft. Clint envisioned the expansive lawns of City Park as being one of the possible locations. That would be a heck of a lot more pleasant than standing in line downtown. But could they really do it? Where were they going to get enough food for everyone?
    Roy came by the house the first Saturday night in May with an interesting proposal.
    “You said you wanted to make more room in your freezer, right? I’ll take some of that venison off your hands, buddy.”
    He held a bulk-size container of mixed nuts and two bottles of wine. One of them had a label in a foreign language. Clint agreed to the trade, more from a compulsion to be neighborly than from liking the bargain. Jenny was happy with it, especially the wine. But Clint went to bed that night not liking his thoughts. He no longer felt compelled to be neighborly, and even found feelings of resentment creeping in. It wasn’t like him. For that reason he readily agreed with Jenny’s suggestion that they try to get to church twenty minutes early in the morning.
    Good thing they did. With all the retail businesses closed, Clint half-expected their church to be closed as well. He certainly didn’t imagine it would be overcrowded like this. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. This was one of the last things left in Denver you could still go out and do.
    “A packed house today,” the minister said at the beginning of the service. Uncomfortable chuckles responded here and there.
    “It is an unfortunate human condition that we tend to seek God more during times of trouble. I wonder if that could that be part of the reason we have so much trouble? Because God desires to hear from us more? Something to think about.”
    When it came time for the sermon, the minister actually read from the book of Revelation. The passage went on about a great whore named Babylon being judged. It seemed to be referring to a city. But Clint heard people mumbling around him. One of them whispered “America” while another said “China.” Jake would be happy if he were here.
    Jake. Clint’s mind wandered off for the rest of the sermon and he thought about his brother. He hadn’t heard from him since Tuesday. It wasn’t like Jake to leave Clint