Chapter 11
“Ihave to get back to the prison and tell my captain,” Sarah stammered.
“Really? No offense, but it’s kind of every man for himself right now. This shit isn’t going to blow over. Everything is fried. No electronics at all. No coffee makers, no phones, no cable, no?—”
“I get it,” she growled. “You’re the only one here. Do you really want three hundred-plus inmates taking over your town?”
His face paled.
“That’s what I thought,” Sarah snapped.
There was no point in sticking around to argue with the man.
Whatever he was doing was for the community's good, and she needed to get back to her own people.
For now, keeping the inmates locked up was their only option.
Sarah was unsure of how long that plan could stay in place.
Once news got out to the other guards that the entire world had been plunged into darkness, there was no telling if they would stick around.
Heck, Sarah had no intentions of staying longer than she absolutely needed to.
Her parents would always be her first concern.
She turned back and started for the road again, with the officer still calling after her.
There was no reason for her to stay and chat with the man, not with the information she’d learned.
The trip back took half the time of the one into town.
Knowing what she knew now, Sarah could feel a pressing sense of urgency with each passing minute.
Her parents were good people and wouldn’t hesitate to help out anyone who crossed their land, and that was what worried her most.
In desperate times, people could become monsters.
She wasn’t going to let her parents fall victim to the creatures that havoc could raise.
As she breathlessly reached the front gates, her hands shook as she fumbled with the keys.
Before long, she was back in her cell block but didn’t immediately go to the crow’s nest, where she knew Meredith was waiting.
Her first instinct had been to go to the storage room, but she’d quickly become distracted.
Now, she needed to see what resources were available.
It was roughly thirteen hundred miles to get to her parents’ place on the Maine and New Hampshire border.
The trip would take her at least twelve days by foot if she was able to keep moving at a quick pace.
Despite her hopes that the entire nation hadn’t been hit, Sarah could feel in her gut that the police officer had been telling her the truth.
Making her way down the dark steps that led to the basement, she reached the locked door and flicked her lighter to life to find the right key.
Before long, she was looking through the shelves and filling a book bag.
She wouldn’t dream of taking the supplies without Meredith’s approval, but Sarah had no misconceptions about what was going to transpire.
Once word got out that the whole world was dark, no one would be okay with sticking around to run the prison.
What was the point of keeping the men locked away when eventually the food would run out, and they’d all starve to death in their cells?
Sarah shuddered and thanked God it wasn’t a decision that rested on her shoulders.
Grabbing two extra gun clips and three boxes of ammo, she slipped back out of the basement and up the steps.
Seconds later, as she stepped into her crow’s nest, Sarah set the bag on the floor and looked at Meredith. As soon as the woman saw the look in Sarah’s eyes, her face paled. Meredith Harden hadn’t gotten to her position by not learning to read people. The woman swallowed.
“I’m going to take it that you didn’t find anything good out there?”
“From what the officer said at the station, it’s every man for themselves. He thinks it’s not just Florida but the whole world that has been thrown into darkness,” Sarah said. “It’s not looking good for anyone right now.”
“Oh my God,” Meredith replied, looking down at the bag Sarah had packed. “Are you leaving?”
“I can give this a few days. I don’t want to leave you in a situation like this. After a couple of days, if nothing changes?—”
“I understand. Your parents are going to need you.”
“I’m sorry, Meredith. I don’t really have a choice in the matter. I can’t imagine how the world is going to react, but I know my parents are going to take in anyone looking for help without asking questions.”
“There’s no need to explain yourself. Family is always going to come first, and I’m just glad you’re willing to give me a little of your time before you leave. I’m going to need all the help I can get here, but I can’t make you stay any more than the rest of the staff.”
“I’ll help as much as I can before then,” Sarah said.
“I appreciate it.”
“What are we going to do right now?”
“The first thing we need to do is get all the guards together and explain what is going on out there. I can only assume that you’re not going to be the only one wanting to leave. I just hope a few of them decide to stick around.”
“I’ll go find Alan. We’ll meet you in the common room shortly.”
“Thank you, Sarah. It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets any better,” Meredith said.
“Trust me, I know.”
Looking down at the common room below, a sense of dread filled Sarah.
She didn’t like the idea of the inmates overhearing the news she’d just shared with her captain.
All it took was one person listening in on the conversation and the news would spread through the inmate’s cells like wildfire.
They’d find themselves in a dangerous situation.
Everything had to be handled carefully. She didn’t know how many guards would still be there when the news broke.
Her stomach lurched. The moment of hesitation drew Meredith’s attention.
“What’s going through your mind?” Meredith asked.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to meet in the commons room.”
“What do you mean?”
“Once any of the inmates figure out what is going on, it’s going to be a mess. I think we should meet outside and tell everyone the news there.”
Meredith sighed. “I didn’t think about it like that. Good call. Listen, I know all hell is going to break loose once word gets around to the inmates here. I don’t know what to expect when that happens.”
“All I know is that it’s going to get bad around here, and I don’t think anyone is going to come to relieve us,” Sarah said. “I’ll let Alan know what’s going on, and I’ll also get word over to the men in the sentry tower outside. We’ll meet you outside.”
“Sounds good. I’ll get the others together so we can let them know what’s happened. I just wish it wasn’t such bad news.”
“Well, nothing we can do to change that. We just need to reassure them that staying is the right thing to do for now.”
“We can’t make them stay. Most of them have families they are going to want to check on.”
“I know, but I hope we can come to a group decision on staying.”
“Me too. Go get Alan and spread the word about meeting outside,” Meredith said. “If I were you, I’d take your bag and lock it in your office. Don’t leave it unlocked at any point.”
“I’ll make sure it’s secure,” Sarah replied. “Meet you in a few minutes.”
“Just be careful, Sarah. For the love of God, be careful. I don’t need anything to happen to you.”
As Meredith headed down the steps, Sarah tucked her bag beneath the desk before following after her commanding officer.
She checked to make sure the door locked behind her.
They parted ways at the bottom of the steps as Sarah headed into the bowels of the compound in search of Alan.
He deserved to know what was going on. The thought of Becky and the children fending for themselves nearly broke her heart.
The news would be devastating to her friend.
His wife was no helpless waif. Becky could hold her own and had the ferocity of a protective mother at all times.
She wouldn’t let anything happen to her children, but that knowledge would do little to put her friend’s mind at rest. Sarah wouldn’t hold it against him if he decided to leave.
In the same vein of thought, she had to wonder how many others there deserved a fighting chance.
John and certainly Adam didn’t deserve to die in their cells simply because of who they were in the past. Everything was different now.
They all had a fresh slate waiting for them.