beat,” he said. “Think I’ll go back to my place now.” His solemn gaze landed on Justin and Amy. “Could you young folks accompany me to the balcony? I want you to pull up the ladder once I get down. I don’t like it dangling in the open like that.”
Confused, Justin and Amy followed after him. Once they stood in front of the railing, Garrett pulled out the folded pamphlet he’d put into his pocket and handed it to Justin.
“I drew a crude map to the farm. It isn’t hard to reach, really. Takes about two hours by car, but all you have to do is take the Great Memorial Highway, and then make a left turn right after you see the neon sign that says, ‘Harold’s Diner.’ Just follow the map from there.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Amy whispered. “Aren’t we going together?”
“We are,” Garrett replied quickly. “But plans don’t always work out the way we want them to. This is just in case we get separated.” He lowered his voice. “I didn’t mention this earlier because I didn’t want to worry the others. But I’m sure everything will work out just as we planned.” He reached out to chuck Amy under the chin. “Cheer up, kid. We’ll all be fine. Stay positive, all right?”
They watched as Garrett climbed down the ladder and hopped into his balcony. He gave them a cheery wave before entering his apartment. Deep in thought, Justin pulled up the ladder and let it drop on the floor. A while later, he pulled out the folded paper and stared at the map with intense eyes, as though he were memorizing all the details.
Amy looked up and saw a few people in the building across from theirs staring at them. They were the same people who’d stared at her earlier in the afternoon. Even from this distance, Amy could see that they weren’t faring well at all. Once their meager supplies ran out, hunger and desperation would soon drive these people out from the safety of their apartments in search for food. Some would make it. But many others would not. Amy tore her gaze away, suddenly feeling immense guilt for having food to eat while others were starving right before her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at them.
“We should start packing,” Daniel said, startling Amy from her torturous thoughts. He and his wife, along with Benson and Walter, had joined them.
“Don’t forget the armor!” Benson added, sending Daniel a reprimanding look. “That’s the most important part.”
Justin blinked and hurriedly pocketed the map. He turned to smile at the boy. “That’s right. We’d better pack and get those cardboard armors ready. We’re leaving in three days, so let’s stay busy.”
Everyone seemed optimistic, even excited, about leaving. But Amy still couldn’t shake off her previous feelings of premonition. It didn’t help that the map inside Justin’s pocket only served to increase her fear.
This is just in case we get separated , Garrett had said.
Just in case .
Chapter 12
The first day went by quietly, and the second day looked like it would turn out the same. Justin and Amy packed some of the canned goods and packaged meals into separate backpacks, along with medical kits and personal items. Justin paused as he held up his wallet.
“Do you think we’ll need money and credit cards?” he asked with a sudden grin.
Amy shrugged. “Who knows? Some people might still want cash. I know I’m definitely not leaving my ID card, passport, and credit cards behind. They go where I go.”
Justin tossed his wallet into his bag. “What else? We’ll need a spare change of clothes and shoes. Maybe a thick jacket. We’ll definitely need bottled water. And a Swiss Army knife. What else?” He paused to drum his fingers on his thigh. “Hmm. Oh, yes. A flashlight and a box of matches.”
Amy raised her brows. “Wow, you’ve really thought this through. But we won’t need most of them in the campervan.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But I’d feel safer knowing that I have
Confused, Justin and Amy followed after him. Once they stood in front of the railing, Garrett pulled out the folded pamphlet he’d put into his pocket and handed it to Justin.
“I drew a crude map to the farm. It isn’t hard to reach, really. Takes about two hours by car, but all you have to do is take the Great Memorial Highway, and then make a left turn right after you see the neon sign that says, ‘Harold’s Diner.’ Just follow the map from there.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Amy whispered. “Aren’t we going together?”
“We are,” Garrett replied quickly. “But plans don’t always work out the way we want them to. This is just in case we get separated.” He lowered his voice. “I didn’t mention this earlier because I didn’t want to worry the others. But I’m sure everything will work out just as we planned.” He reached out to chuck Amy under the chin. “Cheer up, kid. We’ll all be fine. Stay positive, all right?”
They watched as Garrett climbed down the ladder and hopped into his balcony. He gave them a cheery wave before entering his apartment. Deep in thought, Justin pulled up the ladder and let it drop on the floor. A while later, he pulled out the folded paper and stared at the map with intense eyes, as though he were memorizing all the details.
Amy looked up and saw a few people in the building across from theirs staring at them. They were the same people who’d stared at her earlier in the afternoon. Even from this distance, Amy could see that they weren’t faring well at all. Once their meager supplies ran out, hunger and desperation would soon drive these people out from the safety of their apartments in search for food. Some would make it. But many others would not. Amy tore her gaze away, suddenly feeling immense guilt for having food to eat while others were starving right before her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at them.
“We should start packing,” Daniel said, startling Amy from her torturous thoughts. He and his wife, along with Benson and Walter, had joined them.
“Don’t forget the armor!” Benson added, sending Daniel a reprimanding look. “That’s the most important part.”
Justin blinked and hurriedly pocketed the map. He turned to smile at the boy. “That’s right. We’d better pack and get those cardboard armors ready. We’re leaving in three days, so let’s stay busy.”
Everyone seemed optimistic, even excited, about leaving. But Amy still couldn’t shake off her previous feelings of premonition. It didn’t help that the map inside Justin’s pocket only served to increase her fear.
This is just in case we get separated , Garrett had said.
Just in case .
Chapter 12
The first day went by quietly, and the second day looked like it would turn out the same. Justin and Amy packed some of the canned goods and packaged meals into separate backpacks, along with medical kits and personal items. Justin paused as he held up his wallet.
“Do you think we’ll need money and credit cards?” he asked with a sudden grin.
Amy shrugged. “Who knows? Some people might still want cash. I know I’m definitely not leaving my ID card, passport, and credit cards behind. They go where I go.”
Justin tossed his wallet into his bag. “What else? We’ll need a spare change of clothes and shoes. Maybe a thick jacket. We’ll definitely need bottled water. And a Swiss Army knife. What else?” He paused to drum his fingers on his thigh. “Hmm. Oh, yes. A flashlight and a box of matches.”
Amy raised her brows. “Wow, you’ve really thought this through. But we won’t need most of them in the campervan.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But I’d feel safer knowing that I have
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