concealed carry permit like Trev or Lewis, and even if it was legal in Utah the sight of a gun being openly carried might spook people and end up causing more trouble than it prevented.
Besides, it was just a twenty minute walk to the store.
Chapter Five
Day Seven: Afternoon
Lewis had picked a small lot a mile or so northwest of town to build his shelter on.
Trev hadn't cared too much about the location when he'd agreed to help his cousin with the project, partly out of boredom and partly because he really had taken Lewis's warnings about preparedness to heart and the opportunity to earn himself a place to sleep in the apocalypse seemed like a good deal. Now, though, footsore and shoulders aching from lugging a cripplingly heavy pack for 50 miles, he blessed that one mile less he had to walk with every step down the dirt road leading to the pair of low hills the shelter was nestled between.
A hundred steps. That was it, after the hundred thousand or so he'd just walked getting here. He was almost home.
He saw a sudden movement on the nearer hill, which turned out to be Lewis rising from the concealed post they'd constructed up there to watch the approaches to the shelter. Trev had helped dig it when it all seemed like a game, imagining hordes of zombies converging on the position while he blew them away with his newly purchased Mini-14 and his trusty 1911.
Now, in the middle of a pretty grim situation, it didn't seem quite so lighthearted. Especially when he saw his cousin sling his prized HK G3 across his back as he started down the hill at a trot, waving excitedly.
Trev waved back just as excitedly, taking the opportunity to unbuckle his pack's belts and let it slip off his shoulders even though he wasn't quite to the finish line. With his phone dead and occupied with making it home he'd been pretty much cut off from everything for the last week, and as eager as he was to finally rest he was equally eager for news about what was going on out in the wider world. After all the planning and speculation he'd done with Lewis it seemed almost unfair that when it all finally went down he was trapped on the road missing everything.
His cousin threw his arms around him, not seeming to mind his sweaty back, although he did back up after a moment and wrinkle his nose. “Well, even if I hadn't seen you coming I would've smelled you before you got too much closer. You've definitely been on the road exercising hard for a week.”
“Nah, just a bit of light backpacking,” Trev replied as Lewis helpfully picked up his pack to carry the rest of the way.
His cousin grunted slightly. “Light? I can't believe you came 50 miles carrying this much weight! Are you crazy?”
Trev grimaced. So he had overpacked after all. “I even left 20 pounds or so of stuff wedged between a couple rocks after I'd gone a mile. I didn't want to leave anything important behind.”
“Like your brain?” Lewis hefted the pack. “No wonder you injured yourself and it's taken you this long!”
“Yeah, it's good to see you too.” Trev clapped his cousin on the shoulder, nearly overbalancing him. “Have you talked to my folks recently?”
“Yeah, they've been calling at least once a day asking if you'd made it yet, every single time making me promise I'd call as soon as you arrived. Checking in with them is probably one of the first things you should do.”
“Definitely. How about your family? You heard from them?”
His cousin nodded, smile fading to seriousness. “They're doing pretty good, all things considered, although more worried than they'll admit about being out of the country during all this. My dad tells me Russia has been demanding more concessions for the oil Norway exports in from them. It looks like the Gold Bloc is trying to grow their influence now that the U.S. is collapsing on both the fuel and economic fronts and they're the only game in town. The Scandinavian countries will suffer along with the rest of
Besides, it was just a twenty minute walk to the store.
Chapter Five
Day Seven: Afternoon
Lewis had picked a small lot a mile or so northwest of town to build his shelter on.
Trev hadn't cared too much about the location when he'd agreed to help his cousin with the project, partly out of boredom and partly because he really had taken Lewis's warnings about preparedness to heart and the opportunity to earn himself a place to sleep in the apocalypse seemed like a good deal. Now, though, footsore and shoulders aching from lugging a cripplingly heavy pack for 50 miles, he blessed that one mile less he had to walk with every step down the dirt road leading to the pair of low hills the shelter was nestled between.
A hundred steps. That was it, after the hundred thousand or so he'd just walked getting here. He was almost home.
He saw a sudden movement on the nearer hill, which turned out to be Lewis rising from the concealed post they'd constructed up there to watch the approaches to the shelter. Trev had helped dig it when it all seemed like a game, imagining hordes of zombies converging on the position while he blew them away with his newly purchased Mini-14 and his trusty 1911.
Now, in the middle of a pretty grim situation, it didn't seem quite so lighthearted. Especially when he saw his cousin sling his prized HK G3 across his back as he started down the hill at a trot, waving excitedly.
Trev waved back just as excitedly, taking the opportunity to unbuckle his pack's belts and let it slip off his shoulders even though he wasn't quite to the finish line. With his phone dead and occupied with making it home he'd been pretty much cut off from everything for the last week, and as eager as he was to finally rest he was equally eager for news about what was going on out in the wider world. After all the planning and speculation he'd done with Lewis it seemed almost unfair that when it all finally went down he was trapped on the road missing everything.
His cousin threw his arms around him, not seeming to mind his sweaty back, although he did back up after a moment and wrinkle his nose. “Well, even if I hadn't seen you coming I would've smelled you before you got too much closer. You've definitely been on the road exercising hard for a week.”
“Nah, just a bit of light backpacking,” Trev replied as Lewis helpfully picked up his pack to carry the rest of the way.
His cousin grunted slightly. “Light? I can't believe you came 50 miles carrying this much weight! Are you crazy?”
Trev grimaced. So he had overpacked after all. “I even left 20 pounds or so of stuff wedged between a couple rocks after I'd gone a mile. I didn't want to leave anything important behind.”
“Like your brain?” Lewis hefted the pack. “No wonder you injured yourself and it's taken you this long!”
“Yeah, it's good to see you too.” Trev clapped his cousin on the shoulder, nearly overbalancing him. “Have you talked to my folks recently?”
“Yeah, they've been calling at least once a day asking if you'd made it yet, every single time making me promise I'd call as soon as you arrived. Checking in with them is probably one of the first things you should do.”
“Definitely. How about your family? You heard from them?”
His cousin nodded, smile fading to seriousness. “They're doing pretty good, all things considered, although more worried than they'll admit about being out of the country during all this. My dad tells me Russia has been demanding more concessions for the oil Norway exports in from them. It looks like the Gold Bloc is trying to grow their influence now that the U.S. is collapsing on both the fuel and economic fronts and they're the only game in town. The Scandinavian countries will suffer along with the rest of
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