now?”
Sandra wracked her brain while she tried to figure out what they needed. She had some seed, enough to grow her normal supply of vegetables, but that wasn’t going to be enough—they were going to have to go to town and try and find more. Sandra wasn’t eager to head back to town, but she really didn’t see any other option.
“We need some seed,” Sandra said. “I have a feeling it’s going to be pretty scarce here in not too much longer.”
“Is Rick’s Farm Supply still around?” Nathan said.
She nodded in response. It wasn’t the first place Sandra would want to look, but she had a feeling it would be much safer… a thought reinforced by the image of what had happened to the Stevenson’s house. She realized it wasn’t some random robbery… it was probably someone who knew what had happened.
“Yeah… I think maybe we should check there. I’ll go get my keys.”
Nathan stood up from the table, shaking his head.
“I think we should walk… Manuel and I will go get the seed while you stay here.”
“That’s like… like a six mile walk… each way.”
Nathan nodded.
“Why?” Sandra said. “It’s just a few minute drive.”
“Twelve miles is still twelve miles… whatever gas is in your truck right now is all you’ll have for the foreseeable future.”
“I’ve got about half a tank.”
“Yeah… it’s not worth it. Just let us walk… we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
“Are you sure?” Sandra said.
“Yeah… I’m sure. I want to be able to contribute. You’re allowing us to stay with you… you didn’t have to.”
Sandra smiled and nodded. She had always thought of Nathan as an honorable man and wasn’t about to argue with him. She knew he was right about conserving the fuel… they might have to get off the farm in a hurry and that gas could be more precious than all the food they could ever grow.
“Should we try to get any particular seeds?” Nathan said.
“Not really… whatever you can get.”
Nathan nodded and smiled at her. He and Manuel both stood up from the table and walked toward the front door. Sandra followed them, grabbing her purse off the counter. She took all of her cash, about two hundred and twenty dollars worth, and handed it to Nathan.
“This is all I have… I guess just use your best judgment and buy as much as you can with it.”
Nathan shoved the wad of cash into his pocket and smiled at Sandra.
“I’ll do my best… Manuel and I both have some money, so we’ll get as much as we can possibly carry.”
“Thank you… so much.”
“Of course,” Nathan said. “Keep your door locked and your shotgun handy… I have a feeling things aren’t going to be getting any safer… even around here.”
Sandra swallowed and nodded. She knew he was right… even though she didn’t want to think about how her beloved home state might have changed in a matter of a few days.
~~~
Nathan and Manuel stopped just down the road from Rick’s Farm Supply. They ducked into the backyard of a clearly abandoned house… the doors were all open and the contents of the house had spilled into the yard. Nathan stopped, looked and shook his head—it made him sad because he couldn’t tell if they had left in a hurry or something worse had happened. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that it was unlikely they had left their home, the place they had worked their whole lives to fill with memories, in such a hurry.
They climbed over the fence and into the yard of the next house.
“Wait here,” Nathan said, whispering to Manuel. He didn’t think there was anyone around, but he didn’t want to take that chance.
Manuel nodded and crouched down next to a bush, which was large… but not nearly large enough to conceal his companion. Nathan wanted to laugh, he knew Manuel had done it on purpose, but he forced himself to stay calm and keep his cool.
Nathan crouched as he approached the wooden fence. He held his breath as he tried to listen.
Sandra wracked her brain while she tried to figure out what they needed. She had some seed, enough to grow her normal supply of vegetables, but that wasn’t going to be enough—they were going to have to go to town and try and find more. Sandra wasn’t eager to head back to town, but she really didn’t see any other option.
“We need some seed,” Sandra said. “I have a feeling it’s going to be pretty scarce here in not too much longer.”
“Is Rick’s Farm Supply still around?” Nathan said.
She nodded in response. It wasn’t the first place Sandra would want to look, but she had a feeling it would be much safer… a thought reinforced by the image of what had happened to the Stevenson’s house. She realized it wasn’t some random robbery… it was probably someone who knew what had happened.
“Yeah… I think maybe we should check there. I’ll go get my keys.”
Nathan stood up from the table, shaking his head.
“I think we should walk… Manuel and I will go get the seed while you stay here.”
“That’s like… like a six mile walk… each way.”
Nathan nodded.
“Why?” Sandra said. “It’s just a few minute drive.”
“Twelve miles is still twelve miles… whatever gas is in your truck right now is all you’ll have for the foreseeable future.”
“I’ve got about half a tank.”
“Yeah… it’s not worth it. Just let us walk… we’ll be back as soon as we can.”
“Are you sure?” Sandra said.
“Yeah… I’m sure. I want to be able to contribute. You’re allowing us to stay with you… you didn’t have to.”
Sandra smiled and nodded. She had always thought of Nathan as an honorable man and wasn’t about to argue with him. She knew he was right about conserving the fuel… they might have to get off the farm in a hurry and that gas could be more precious than all the food they could ever grow.
“Should we try to get any particular seeds?” Nathan said.
“Not really… whatever you can get.”
Nathan nodded and smiled at her. He and Manuel both stood up from the table and walked toward the front door. Sandra followed them, grabbing her purse off the counter. She took all of her cash, about two hundred and twenty dollars worth, and handed it to Nathan.
“This is all I have… I guess just use your best judgment and buy as much as you can with it.”
Nathan shoved the wad of cash into his pocket and smiled at Sandra.
“I’ll do my best… Manuel and I both have some money, so we’ll get as much as we can possibly carry.”
“Thank you… so much.”
“Of course,” Nathan said. “Keep your door locked and your shotgun handy… I have a feeling things aren’t going to be getting any safer… even around here.”
Sandra swallowed and nodded. She knew he was right… even though she didn’t want to think about how her beloved home state might have changed in a matter of a few days.
~~~
Nathan and Manuel stopped just down the road from Rick’s Farm Supply. They ducked into the backyard of a clearly abandoned house… the doors were all open and the contents of the house had spilled into the yard. Nathan stopped, looked and shook his head—it made him sad because he couldn’t tell if they had left in a hurry or something worse had happened. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that it was unlikely they had left their home, the place they had worked their whole lives to fill with memories, in such a hurry.
They climbed over the fence and into the yard of the next house.
“Wait here,” Nathan said, whispering to Manuel. He didn’t think there was anyone around, but he didn’t want to take that chance.
Manuel nodded and crouched down next to a bush, which was large… but not nearly large enough to conceal his companion. Nathan wanted to laugh, he knew Manuel had done it on purpose, but he forced himself to stay calm and keep his cool.
Nathan crouched as he approached the wooden fence. He held his breath as he tried to listen.
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