The Emerald Virus (45 page)

    
“Maybe we’ll have a chance to stop by a book store while we’re out. I wouldn’t
mind seeing if any of them are still in print. I’d like to at least give them a
try. Especially since it looks like we may be returning to life as it was back
then.

    
“By the way, what makes you think that someone may be in trouble at Sawmill
Pond in Delaware?”

    
“The message that was erased simply said, “Someone please help me, I’m at
Sawmill Pond”. I know it isn’t much to go on, and unfortunately there is a
Sawmill Pond in Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Maine that I’ve found on
the web. There may be more. Oh, and there is one on the California/Nevada
border near Lake Tahoe. But that one is so far out of the way that if we don’t
find anything on the east coast I’ll probably ask one of the western groups to
take a look. The bad part is that the Sierra Nevada Mountains are probably
buried in snow by now and it may be spring before anyone can get up to that
Sawmill Pond.”

    
“You said there might be a couple of people that need our help. Do you have
leads on other people also?”

    
“I’ve printed a couple of pages you’ll see in my satchel. There are other brief
messages but it kind of looks like kids just playing around. I think that’s
strange since I’m only looking at messages posted and erased during the past
two weeks, so the messages are recent ones, and they have to be from survivors.

    
“I still have work to do on those messages and I don’t yet know what that’ll
turn into.

    
“On the other hand, there’s a problem growing in Montana that I’m trying to
keep track of. I don’t think there is anything we can do to help, but I’m still
interested in the outcome. The lady leading that group is Sam Klein. She and I
talk most days now, and the next time I call her I’ll introduce you.”

    
“What kind of problem does she have?”

    
Jack explained the problem to Heather who said, “It sounds like they have a
good start on taking care of the problem. They’re well organized and they have
a militia. Wouldn’t someone be crazy to attack a group that was prepared for
them?”

    
“You would think so but apparently Bob Turner is a real bad guy and it looks
like he is most interested in getting revenge. I wouldn’t be surprised if he
wasn’t planning on taking over the park and running things his way. Especially
since Sam and her group are getting closer and closer to having everything they
need to winter in the high Rockies.”

    
“Is Sam’s group going to live in their RVs like we are, or will they move into
the lodge you mentioned?”

    
“I think they’ll stay in the RVs, although the Old Faithful Inn is large enough
for them. I checked the web and the lodge has over 350 rooms. The problem is
heating. They are currently running the generators a couple of time a day to
keep the pipes from freezing. During the rest of the day they have some taps
they keep open so the water is always moving. That makes it harder to freeze,
although if it gets cold enough the pipes will freeze anyway without heat.

    
“If they can find enough fuel tankers and get them to the park they may try to
heat the lodge and live in the rooms. We’ll have to wait and see how things
work out for them. My guess is that they’ll stay in the RVs. Since the park is
closed each winter the lodge is probably not well insulated, which means that
even with heat it’s going to be darned chilly in there.”

    
They drove in silence for a bit and Heather asked, “We have a CD player, do you
mind if I play a CD, I’ve brought a couple with me?”

    
Jack laughed and said, “There are no conditions under which I’m turning the
music over to a sixteen year old. Just the thought of it scares me to death.”

    
Heather giggled and said, “How can you stereotype me like that? You might be
surprised at the kind of music I listen to. Pleasantly surprised.”

    
“If I like the music you brought it will be a major surprise. Let’s look at
what you have, but if we’re going to play music we have to both agree on the
CD. Deal?”

    
“Deal. I only brought a handful. Now I like some of the modern music the other
kids like, but I left that at home because I’m smart enough to know that might
not be your music of choice. I brought a couple of country and western music
CDs and a couple of CDs by folksingers. What do you have?”

    
“I have a real wide variety, but I like country and folk so let’s play yours
first. By the way, I’m duly impressed with your choice.”

    
Heather smiled and put in a CD by Gordon Lightfoot and said, “This is a CD with
his greatest hits. My parents were big folk music fans so I grew up listening
to performers like this. I know he’s getting older, I think he was born in the
late 30s, but he still sings really well.”

    
“What else did you bring?”

    
“I brought a CD by Alan Taylor, A British folk singer you probably don’t know. He’s
done a lot of music but I brought ‘So Long’ since it’s my favorite I think.

    
“And then I brought a John Denver CD from 1988, it’s called ‘Higher Ground’ and
it has ‘A Country Girl in Paris’, my favorite of John’s songs.

    
“Oh, I forgot about this one. I love Eric Clapton so I brought his ‘Unplugged’
CD along.”

     
They continued to talk as they drove north. Jack decided to try the bridge and
tunnel across the bay and they crossed with no trouble.

   
Heather had been changing CDs as they drove and she sang along with her
favorite songs. Jack thought she was surprisingly good when she sang ‘Country
Girl in Paris’ with John Denver.

    
Jack said, “Heather, you have a really nice voice, you should sing more often.”

    
Jack looked over and saw she was blushing.

     
She said, “Don’t embarrass me please; I forgot you were here. I like singing
but I don’t think I’m very good. I used to sing with my folks, they were really
good together.”

    
Heather had started to sniffle as she thought about her family and Jack thought
that he needed to stay away from bringing up her past.

    
He asked, “do you play any instruments?’

    
“I play the guitar a little, and have played around with a banjo and a fiddle,
but I’m not very good with any of them.”

    
“Let’s stop and pick up a guitar. I’d like to see how good you are. I used to
play a little guitar myself so maybe we can suffer through each other as we
practice.”

    
“I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be playing in front of you but if you’ll try
I’ll try. Tell me the truth, how good are you?”

    
“I thought I was pretty good with an electric guitar as a teenager, but I haven’t
picked up a guitar in years and years. Maybe you can help me get back into it.
Live music is going to be at a premium in our world.”

     
They fell into a comfortable silence as they listened to music, until Heather
told Jack they were getting close to the turn. They were traveling from Pocomoke
City through Snow Hill to Berlin and north to Selbyville, where they needed to
turn east towards the Assawoman Wildlife Area. They were getting close to where
they would turn right to the wildlife area. Sawmill Pond was near the southern
boundary and they followed highway 364 into the wildlife area and stayed on the
main road until they neared the pond. Jack remembered from the map that there
was a road to both the east and west of the pond, and the road they were on
passed to the north of the pond. There was no road on the southern side of the
pond at all. It was close enough to the bay that Jack thought it might be
marshland to the south of Sawmill Pond.

    
Jack drove very slowly until he thought they were as a close as he could get to
the pond without being heard. He then told Heather that they were going to walk
quietly up the road and look around the pond. If they saw another RV they would
come directly back to their RV and make a plan.

    
As they got out of their seats Jack stopped in the living area and handed
Heather a holster for the 9mm that strapped around her upper thigh and held the
gun at her fingertips. He also had one for himself.

    
He said, “Wearing a shoulder holster under our down jackets doesn’t make a lot
of sense so I brought these along. I’d like you to bring your shotgun also. I’m
going to bring this rifle.

    
As he picked up his M-16 Heather said, “Jack, that isn’t the rifle we all
received.” And then she said, “Never mind, I don’t know why that even surprised
me. But if you like that rifle better you’ll have to get one for me and show me
how to use it?”

    
“Okay, I’ll agree to that. Now it’s no talking until we’re sure everything is
clear.”

    
Jack approached the first road to the right very slowly and stayed along the
right edge of the road. Even with the debris on the road it was going to be
quieter than walking through the woods. There was a nice mixture of evergreen
and deciduous trees so staying concealed was easy.

     
Jack turned right and this time stayed on the left side of the road, very near
the tree line. He whispered to Heather that he wanted her to look for any
tracks that left the road to the right. He would watch and try to get a view
across the pond as they walked.

    
At the end of the road Jack signaled that they would return to the main road
and approach the east side of the pond the same way.

    
Fifteen minutes later Jack said, “I thought we might at least see a car from
someone who came out here to die alone, but I’m glad we didn’t see anything. It
will be dark soon so let’s plan on staying here tonight. But first I want to go
back to that last group of houses and pick up a car for us. We’ll come right
back here and then you and I will use the car to drive through the rest of the
wildlife area. I’ll drive and you ride shotgun, literally.”

    
Heather asked, “Jack, do you mean the Assawoman Wildlife Area?” and she
giggled.

   
 Jack smiled and said, “Heather, I’m shocked that you would make fun of such a
nice Native American name like that.”

    
She giggled again and replied, “I wasn’t making fun exactly, but it is a funny
name.”

    
They finished reconnoitering the area and then settled in for the evening. They
had both brought books with them and after dinner they read. Heather had
insisted on cooking and Jack helped her cleaned up.

    
After a while Heather said, “Jack I shower in the evening so I’m going to do
that now. I might be awhile though; I’m pretty typical that way.”

     
“Okay, I think I’ll take a walk. I’ll have a flashlight, my nine, and my phone,
so don’t worry about me.”

    
When he returned Heather had made up the sofa bed in the living room and Jack
said, “Heather, I told you to take the bedroom for this trip; I even changed
the bed clothes for you.”

    
“I know you said that but I can’t take your bedroom. I’ll be fine here so just go
to bed, or sit here and read if you’d like. You won’t bother me unless you
laugh at my flannel pajamas, in which case I’ll smack you.”

    
Jack laughed and said, “No, I think I’ll shower and then turn in. We’ll be up
at six o’clock so it’s close to bedtime. I’ll keep the bedroom door closed but
if you hear anything unusual in the night get back here. You have your nine
with you and I’ll prop your shotgun up just inside the bedroom door so it will
be near if you need it.”

    
“Jack, I was perfectly fine until you said that. I don’t know how we could have
any trouble though. There shouldn’t be anyone around us.”

    
“I agree Heather. I’m just being overly cautious. Anyway, sleep well. I’ll be
here if you need anything.

    
The night was uneventful and Heather insisted on cooking breakfast. They were
headed north by seven o’clock.

    
Heather asked, “Are you going to stop and meet the Delaware group?”

    
“No I’m not. I don’t want any email or chat room traffic talking about us and
where we are, or what we’re doing. We might stop on the way home though.

    
The day was uneventful. They discovered the Sawmill Pond Jack had found in New
Jersey was a street, not a pond. Fortunately it was a short road and contained
only four houses. The houses were large and as much as he hated to, Jack
checked each one while Heather stood guard outside. He had brought along a pair
of facemasks with breathing devices, but he didn’t like wearing them. They
really restricted his view.

    
When they finished they drove west to I-95 and headed north again. There was
lightly drifting snow on the ground and Jack hoped it didn’t get any worse than
this. His RV was equipped with four wheel drive and he had chains for all
tires, but he really didn’t want to use them. The next stop was Sawmill Pond,
Connecticut.

    
Heather was driving as Jack perused the maps. His satellite map showed that
Sawmill Pond was long and narrow and looked like a stretched out Hooded Cobra
with the head on the north end while the pond curved back and forth to the tail
further south. All in all you would measure the pond by yards rather than acres
or miles.