Chapter 4

It was like another time, another place, was I perhaps transported to another world. I eased one foot inside the barn for fear it was a dream. Was I so tired that I imagined the possibility of perfection? I eased the other foot in and breathed deeply.

Hay bales lined the walls, pitchforks, rakes, hoes, and various other tools, hung along the wall. A bench sat against the other wall. I shook my head, closed my eyes, then opened them again. I walked slowly towards the bench for fear everything would disappear.

A can of tuna, with a pop top, a box of crackers, and a jar of peaches were laid out neatly, as if I were expected. I was hungry, and so tired, and suffering greatly from the aftertaste of that hot Pepsi.

Nessie nudged me and I patted her head. “You are right Nessie. You are so full of milk I think you might just bust. We need to find something to put your milk in.” A bucket sat in a corner. I really hated to waste the milk. I know I would drink some of it, but there would be more than I could use, and it would spoil before I got back to the other survivors

Maybe the situation was not funny, but at the time I just had to laugh. Three little kittens came from nowhere and looked like they were half starved. There was no mama cat so looked like they would take care of some of the extra goat’s milk.

Now I was full, refreshed, tired, and darkness had descended. With nothing left to keep me going I would rest a bit before my journey back to town.

I did not want to go, but I had to help the other survivors. Now we had a place to hole up for a bit, recover our wounds, and regain our sanity.

I knew there was safety in numbers, but I also knew, if I had brought them at the time, they would have slowed me down, and I could not afford that.

I sat down laying my head on a bale of hay. I closed my eyes for a moment, but only a moment. I could hear scratching sounds. I grinned probably the kittens. But it was not. To my amazement there were two laying hens and a rooster, and a Billy goat.

This kind of made sense, but maybe not. Were they to repopulate the city? And a dire thought struck me, was it just the city and surrounding area, or the whole of the earth? Tomorrow would be soon enough to find out.

Nessie snuggled beside me, the kittens, and even Billy lay with me. The hens and rooster were close by watching the door. Well that is what it looked like anyway.

They were protecting me. I smiled and I remember nothing else for a long, long time.

Chapter 5

I was at peace. I felt like I was floating in the air, reaching for the clouds…and then voices. They did not sound to be pleasant voices either. The looters had found my sanctuary. I needed to hide, yet afraid to move, but if I did not, what would they do to me? I opened my eyes and tried to peer out the door.

Why had the animals not given me any warning? I almost laughed out loud. What animals? Had I dreamed the whole thing. There was not even a Nessie here. I must have been hallucinating. Yes, that was it, had to be.

The barn was in a shambles. Boards scattered across the floor, nails here and there. There was even a musty smell from rotting hay. I had even been sleeping on rotted boards. Even the bucket I milked Nessie in was not only on its side empty, but had traces of green dried, I do not know, maybe paint?

“So, what we gonna do now Hank? Can’t get near that old barn. Might fall down around our ears.” “The water can’t be too deep Bill, ain’t like we had a flood or anything.”  “What about you George, care to try?”  “Yea, I’ll give it a try, Gotta be something in that old barn.”

Water? What water? Even if I had been hallucinating at the time, I would still be wet. But I was not in the least bit wet. I sure do not remember any water around the barn, in fact, I remember a beautiful field, with lush, green grass.

I heard a plop in the water, then loud screams, and could still hear them at a distance. What in the world had scared those tough sounding looters. They had to be looters, what else would they be doing out at this time of night.

What the……okay what was going on here. Am I hallucinating again? There was light in the darkness, Nessie and the other animals were back, and I lay back down. Nessie lay on one side, Billie on the other, the kittens curled up on top of me, and the rooster and hens guarding once again.

I slept peacefully the rest of the night.

Chapter 6

Beautiful sunshine woke me, and I felt so refreshed. I jumped up and was preparing for the day. I was really happy and then, I remembered all that had happened…yesterday? Was it just yesterday? Seemed like such a long time ago.

During all my time spent in this barn, I never thought about what I could use out there. It would be so nice to stay here surrounded by these animals and forget about the real world, but I could not.

There were some peaches left in the jar, and at the growl of my belly, I finished them off. The tools would be safe here. I would bring the survivors back and we would plan how to make our next move.

There was a cupboard in a corner, and I opened the doors. I know a sparkle must have come into my eyes. Fours shelves loaded down with jars and cans of food. Fruits, beans, even ravioli, and at the bottom was two, two-liter, Pepsi’s.

A shopper’s bag was in the bottom right corner and I proceeded to fill it up with food. Mostly cans went in the bag because I was so afraid the jars would bust. The Pepsi’s definitely went in, though I sure would love a cold glass of iced tea.

I fixed the straps to go on my back like a backpack and started for the door. In the corner, leaned up against the door jamb was a machete. A little voice inside my head said take it, you will need it, so I did.

The animals stayed where they were except for Nessie, she followed, and I let her. A little way through the field I looked back, I screamed, but only for a minute. The barn was caving in, totally destroyed, and where once had been dry enough for me to walk through, was now almost pond size water. The water looked deep and was like a green ooze. A skeleton popped up, it turned its head and looked straight at me. It moved its mouth to say help me, then disappeared under the depths again.

He had been one of the looters, and that is what scared the other two away. I do not understand the why’s and why not’s of what happened last night. Why the Lord decided to help me, I really do not know. But I am thankful. The Lord sure does work in mysterious ways.

{And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”   Isaiah 32:2}

{Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?}

Chapter 7

No eagles soaring over the mountain tops, no fresh air, only eerie darkness in a restless morning. Smoke hung everywhere and I had to cover my mouth and nose to keep from inhaling the strong odor. Dust kept blowing in my eyes from the breeze. It was a dry breeze. I felt like I was suffocating, but I had to move on.

I tried to run Nessie back, she was good at finding shelter, but she would not leave my side. There was a rumble beneath the earth. It shook so strong it pulled me off my feet. The ground opened. A massive gap split the area in two parts. How was I to cross now? How were the survivors to get through? There was no way to get to the other side.

As I sat on the ground where I fell, I could hear the echo of screams. I could see people in the distance running, toward me, and I could see flames burning higher and higher, blowing smoke and ash. There was no way out for them. I could not help. I hung my head and cried. A few more minutes and I would have been in the middle of all that. Death would have found me just as it would find those that had survived, but no longer. The earth swallowed them, and the screams ripped my soul. For several minutes I watched the earth burn.

Nessie lay her head in my lap and nuzzled me. She had become my little ball of comfort, my companion, my friend. I wonder if she had been an angel once upon a time sent to protect me.

I rose from the ground and smiled. It was a half- hearted smile, but a smile nonetheless. My little guardian angel. There was only one thing left to do, go the other way and hope when I reach the next city, this would all be over. Maybe this was a nightmare that would end soon.

Chapter 8

Days? Weeks? Months, I really do not know anymore. Time no longer held any meaning, no purpose. The earth sank into total darkness. Day or night, it all blended together as one. My journey was endless and lonely. I saw no one for days and days.

I can well imagine what Will Smith felt in the movie I Am Legend. To feel you are the only one left alive, the only one to survive earth’s destruction, was a scary feeling.

The difference being in the movies there are zombies, mutants, and all kinds of evil beings. Not saying it did not happen, or could not happen, just saying so far, I have not seen anything like it yet, and hope I do not.

Before, I had always loved my alone time, but now, I just do not know. Funny is it not? You are always wanting something till you get it, then you decide you do not want it after all. But I think I would rather be alone than deal with flesh-eating cannibals, or super strength mutants.

I will say that all the movies I have seen never quite prepared me for the reality of the city’s destruction. I hope it is just this city and its outskirts, but what if it is the whole earth? What will happen to me? To Nessie? To any survivors, if there are any? Well, it is in God’s hands now, and whatever He asks of me I will do my best to accomplish.

I could hear a small rumble in the distance, then it grew once again splitting the earth. Instead of splitting in the middle this time, it split along the roadway. It was chasing me. “Come Nessie,” I yelled as I ran. I did not have to tell her twice.

We ran side by side, trying to outrun the cracked earth. My breath was becoming shallow and I was giving out. Gasping for breath, I thought to stop but oh no, I could not. It was almost upon me. My legs were giving away, yet I knew I had to push on.

I should have rested earlier, I should have… well I should have done a lot of things I did not do. No use in worrying over it now when I was so busy running.

Nessie got right behind me and rammed the back of my knees, knocking me sideways on the ground, but I did not stop there. I rolled and rolled down a very steep hill, and at the bottom was a thicket of blackberries, and through the middle was a beautiful stream. The water looked so clear, and cold. I cautiously took a small sip to make sure it was good, oh and it was. And after all the ash, thirst, dirt, and sweat, I decided a quick wash would do me a world of good. Nessie must have agreed because she got in too.

Just for a few minutes, the world had gone away.

{Psalms Chapter 121}

{1 (A Song of degrees.) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.}