Alone Page 3

before. Without drivers, the cars had drifted into the side barrier walls of the free way, into the median, or into the opposite lane of traffic. With no one to stop the cars behind them, massive piles up had occurred all along the freeway. The cars had caught fire, burning the other cars, and starting grass fires at the same time. In fact, for the entire trip home, the landscape was blackened. As I came to my exit, I noticed that a huge traffic jam had blocked any access. I crossed the median and entered the city going backwards up the on-ramp.

  Despite no other drivers, it took me twice as long to get home because of the detours I had to make around jammed up intersections.

  I pulled into my driveway, went inside my house, and had a peanut butter sandwich. Then I cleaned the house. I manually opened the garage door so I would be able drive our 4 wheel drive Ford Escape. I inventoried the bottled water and canned goods in the garage. I had a weeks worth of food.

  Tomorrow I would figure out my next activity.

  It seemed as if it was only me and the animals left in the world.

  Day 3

  There were no longer any radio stations to listen to. I decided to take a walk down the street and knocked on every door. A lot of barking, but nobody answered the doors.

  On my walk I decided that I would have to let all of the animals free sooner than later. I would also have to start collecting food. I had enough food and water for several days, so I would start with letting the animals loose.

  I began trying front doors and notice a few unlocked, but most were locked.

  As I tried more of the doors in the neighborhood, I was concerned that I was breaking into peoples homes, and that they may return sometimes soon. I was also concerned that some of the dogs in the neighborhood were aggressive. However, I couldn’t just let them die of starvation, thirst or heat. I decided I would return home and prepare a little better.

  At home I pulled out my pistol and holstered it to my belt. Then I got my healthy 10-pound sledge hammer from the garage. I elected not to try entering the back yards.

  I spent the day knocking in doors, and sometimes fence gates to allow animals out. If the dogs were friendly, I would go inside and pulled their dog food outside. If not, I didn’t chance it. I left Java at home.

  Being a bit of a voyeur, I was fascinated as I entered peoples homes and saw their inner sanctuaries. Still feeling guilty, I didn’t explore very deep, preserving there secrets.

  As the sun set, I returned home hot and dirty. With no water for a shower, I went to bed dirty.

  Day 4

  I prepared a breakfast of canned soup on the camp stove. Then I loaded the dog and some water into our Ford Escape and started driving the roads I usually took to work. As I passed pastures and pens, I set the animals loose. Perhaps in the future, these animals would provide sustenance. Now, they wouldn’t die of thirst and starvation, hopefully.

  I continued until I had reached the end of the agricultural areas on my route. Then I drove another route that brought me past a dairy. I opened the gates to let them free. I returned home dirty. Tomorrow I would have to start looking after my own welfare, I smelled bad and needed a shower.

  Day 5

  It had been five days. If felt like a month, it seemed like my whole life had changed. I hadn’t spoken a word to anyone for five days. I was so lonely. I was so bored. I didn’t have a purpose in life.

  Today I would go shopping. I noticed that the Ford Escape was low on gas. I’d have to stop by the hardware stores, or maybe the farm stores, and see if I could find a hand pump. Thinking about it a little, I realized I could get anything I wanted. Yes, today I would buy the world.

  Cautiously driving down the road to Walmart I took stock of the vehicles stalled in the ditches, intersections and front yards. The number of sensible cars had increased since gas prices had topped three dollars a gallon, but a large number of behemoth pick-ups and sport utility vehicles were still present.

  Seeing the vehicles, caused me to begin thinking about what I would need in the future. With the roads clogged with derelict cars, four wheel drive would be a must. Also, a pick-up would be a good idea in order to haul all of the supplies and necessary equipment I would need to make life pleasant.

  Ah, but fuel was going to be a problem wasn’t it? Gasoline goes bad after a while, making a milky white, sickly sweet smelling brew. I’d have to retire our Escape soon. I would need a diesel engine. It was obvious, my shopping trips would require some trips to the library, probably the University’s library and academic departments, to research using vegetable oils in diesel engines.

  Also, I would probably needs a high efficiently diesel car, like one of those 1980 something Volkswagen Rabbits. Vegetable oil may keep longer than gas, but it wouldn’t be arriving by the truckload in the future.

  I pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot and right up to the front door. I parked the Escape right next to another vehicle, that had apparently been parked right at the front door when the owner disappeared. Apparently, myself and the other driver hadn’t been concerned about other people when we stopped in front of the store.

  Java and I walked to the front doors and I almost bumped into them. Once again I had forgotten that the power was out and the automatic doors wouldn’t open. Instead I stepped to the side and opened the manual doors. I stepped in and exclaimed, “Oh wow!,” loudly, as the odor of rotting meat and vegetables struck me. I would definitely avoid the deli and frozen food section.

  While Wal-Mart had skylights, it was definitely dark inside. Even in the dark, though, I could see many piles of clothes. By the registers, there were many, many more. Imagine the irony of passing out of existence while waiting at the Wal-Mart check out. Java busied himself sniffing everything in the store, including the piles of clothes.

  I decided I would run by the sporting good department to grab a flashlight or two to help me navigate. First I stopped by the office section and grabbed a pair of scissors to help open the flashlight and battery cases. In the sporting goods section, I found some lights that would attach to the cart like headlights. I put two on the front and two on the sides. On the way out of sporting goods, I grabbed some propane bottles. It occurred to me suddenly, that I wouldn’t be able to get everything today, with just one cart.

  Walking past the entertainment section was hard, there was so much I would have liked from their. It would have to wait, but I would be back.

  In the grocery section I stocked up on canned food, dried food, and bottled water. I also loaded up on baby wipes for keeping clean. For Java I got a 50 pound bag of dog food.

  As I walked out of Wal-Mart I said, “Cash, Check, or Charge Sir?” Answering myself I said, “I’ll be using the employee discount, Ma’am, I now own Wal-Mart. Thank you very much.”

  Again, as I loaded the back of the Escape, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to get everything I wanted today. I pushed the cart inside and turned of the lights, to use at a later time.

  I drove to a nearby agriculture supply store and found a hand pump. I would use it to siphon fuel from other vehicles into the Escape. I looked around a little, and formulated plans on what I could use in the future. There was no one to talk to, but there was plenty to do, to keep me occupied.

  Week 2.

  I spent the next week making my life comfortable in the silent world that I had inherited. I found a generator and turned the power back on within the house. In the electronic stores I brought back all sorts of movies and music cd’s, so that I would be able to hear voices. Of course, I also grabbed all of the movies I ever wanted to see.

  The malls and shopping centers were all very dark, but I had had returned to Wal-Mart for the shopping cart I had rigged up with flashlights. While the Ford wasn’t big enough to carry the cart, I had found a cargo trailer which allowed me to carry it, and many other larger items.

  Since I was the only in the home, I refurnished it in a way that I found most appealing.

  For the living room, I found some nice comforter chairs with
all of the accessories, like built in refrigerator, telephone and remote holder. I also brought the matching couch. I found the latest high-end television, stereo and computer and outfitted them with elegant oak stands.

  I replaced the appliances and furniture in the kitchen and dining room.

  I left the bed rooms alone. That is where I had placed what was left of my family, their clothing, resting on their beds.

  On the tables, stands and other furniture, I had placed pictures and photo albums of my family. At night I began looking through them more and more, despite the large selection of movies, video games and music I had introduced.

  Week 3

  On the third week, loneliness gripped me pretty hard. In the past, even when I was a single bachelor, I had always been able to visit someone or go somewhere when I needed to be around someone. Java received much more attention than he had in the past as I leaned on him for companionship.

  On the third week I began searching for people and leaving notes. I started locally, but then branched out in a ever widening net. I had printed large signs with my address and placed them on the signal poles at major intersections.

  I spent many days searching, intermixed with shopping. I added a CB radio, global positioning system, and satellite telephone to my gadget collection. I added that information to the signs I was placing around town.

  Week 4

  I continued searching and