Enduring the Crisis by K.D. Kinney Page B

license years ago. However, he did know someone he went to church with that had one. “You know any locals that could help me send a message to someone I know?”
    “Maybe.” He squinted at Ben. “Who you got back there?”
    “My wife and five daughters.”
    “Damn.” He shook his head. Pausing for a moment before he shook it again. “That’s a shame.”
    “Yeah, well, they’re prepared. I’m sure they’re fine.” He knew he was nodding excessively, as if he was trying to convince himself more than the guy sitting in front of him.
    “Name’s Trav. I know most of the boats ain’t leavin’ soon. We got word there’s some action out there and everyone’s scared. I think that rescue boat has to wait for a Coast Guard escort so it’s slow comin’. I’ll tell ya where to go to find a radio and your best bet is to go to the Coast Guard to get outta here. They’re making the arrangements to get all these stranded people off the island and it sounds like you are now one of them. They know they need to make sure some food supplies are comin’ in for the rest of us so somethin’ has to be comin’ soon.”
    “I’m Ben.” He stuck out his hand and Trav’s greasy hand engulfed his as they shook. “Thank you so much for your help.”
    “Get you some food and come sit here. I’ll make some calls.”
    Trav made a few calls, chatted easily with whomever he had on the phone while Ben ate his fill. He closed his eyes as he took great pleasure in food that he didn’t have to make himself and was actually good. He hadn’t had fast food in months and he’d tried a lot of the Yupik’s traditional food and he was not a fan. Restaurant food was by far a step above fast food. When other people came in to eat breakfast, he stopped reveling in the flavors of scrambled eggs and bacon mingling in his mouth and realized he probably shouldn’t have eaten so much if the island was about to have to deal with a food shortage. Nate finally arrived and nodded at Ben when he spotted him.
    Trav finally set his phone down and turned his attention to Ben. “Gotcha a radio guy. He knows his stuff. Not sure about the ride. They wouldn’t give me info on the phone. Coast Guard wants you fellas to check in and they will tell ya what’s comin. They were worried I was a terrorist or somethin’ trying to get information from them.” He leaned back in his chair and rested his hands behind his head. “They’ve shut most of us fishing boats down for the time being. But with what I’ve heard, I’m fine sitting tight for right now.”
    Nate set his plate down on the table beside Ben. “So what have you heard?”
    Ben resisted the urge to head back for more food as he watched the other hotel guests fill their plates.
    “There’s action out at sea. Most of it is close to us. They haven’t said if it’s Russia or Korea yet. But it’s tense for sure. They are calling all our troops in from the bases around the world to come home to guard our shorelines and maybe bring in help to rebuild the grid. Sounds like an impossible task with everything gone to hell down there. Makes me happy I’m up here.” He rubbed his chin. “That is until we’re hit as hard as the rest of the states.”
    “Alaska has a good defense system in place if it took out the E.M.P. headed here. Doesn’t it?” Ben had seen it with his own eyes and it was obvious that the rest of the nation’s defense system totally failed.
    “We were just lucky, I think. The state is massive with less resources than you all have down south. I don’t understand it.” Trav shook his head.
    “Perhaps you all have more guts up here. Someone saw what was really happening and took care of business. There’s been a lot of pansy talk going on for some time now back home, obviously just ignoring the threats until it’s too late.” Ben clenched his fists at the ridiculousness of it all.
    “I ain’t going to politic with you. Alaska is in trouble anyway so it’s not like