Chapter 12
She didn’t hesitate when she saw the storage door open at the end of the hall.
It was the second access point to the basement and the only other place she hadn’t yet checked for Alan.
Still, Sarah was happy he was in a secluded location.
He was a devoted family man, and the news that Meredith was about to share with the others would hit him hard.
She wanted to tell him beforehand so he could be prepared.
When she found him in the room, he was taking count by candlelight.
He smiled when he saw her and stopped scribbling on the notepad in his hands.
If he made it three rooms over, he’d find they were short on their stock after what she took.
Hopefully, he’d understand why when she told him the truth about what was happening.
There was still a hesitation in her. Chaos was going to ensue soon, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it from happening.
How were they going to keep three-hundred men locked up?
It would take the government weeks to get the power turned back on at best. More than likely, Sarah knew they were looking at months or potentially years in the same darkness that their ancestors had combated.
Unfortunately, they were no longer prepared for the harsh conditions that their predecessors had mastered.
People would be dying by the thousands. She couldn’t think about the chaos that had befallen the larger cities.
For the first time in years, she was grateful to her parents for insisting she had the skills to defend herself and survive in the harsh wilderness.
Her heart broke for those stranded around the world, those who had died in car crashes without knowing what was happening as the power left their vehicles.
The airplanes, the boats, the stranded people—she couldn’t think about it at that moment.
Not when Alan and her parents, along with others like John and Adam, needed her.
She had to keep her mind sharp for all of them.
“Well, that doesn’t look like the face of someone with good news,” Alan said. “What’s going on, Sarah?”
“It doesn’t sound like anyone in the country has power, and if that’s the case, it’s going to be a long time before we get any power back on.”
“What am I supposed to make of that?”
“It seems like the storm hit harder than anyone imagined. Word has it that it wasn’t just Florida that got hit with it. It’s literally everywhere.”
Alan grew silent.
“Look, I know you’re worried about Becky and the kids, but you have to remember how tough your wife is. No matter what she’s up against, she’ll find a way through it.”
“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Alan said. “Do I leave here and go find my wife and kids, or do I stay to help here.”
“No one is going to give you shit for leaving. You know that, right?” Sarah asked.
“I know, but I hate the thought of leaving when there are so many things to do here. Are we going to get any help at all?”
“Honestly, I doubt it. If they haven’t come yet, I’d just rather assume they’re not going to at all.”
“What about you?” Alan asked. “Have you figured out what you’re going to do? I can only imagine you’re worried about your parents.”
“I am. That’s why I’m going to stay and help out here for a couple of days, and then I’m going to go.”
“I need to think about this. On the one hand, I know how important it is to stay here. I mean, all these inmates can cause havoc out there.”
“Well, before you decide to do anything, we have to go to the courtyard. Meredith wants everyone to gather out there and let us know what’s going on.”
Sarah led the way through the hall, where the inmates were now growing restless.
They yelled at the guards, demanding answers as to what was happening, but neither of them stopped.
They would be able to tell the men more as soon as they were done meeting with the others.
By the time they reached the courtyard, Meredith and the others were already gathered.
She saw the guards from the tower were already with the group as well.
Sarah fell in with the rest of the group as they gathered around Meredith.
She cleared her throat, but Sarah could tell she was nervous.
“All right, everyone, settle down. What I’m about to tell you isn’t going to be easy to hear.
I need you all to stay with me just long enough for me to finish.
Sarah went to town to try to make contact with the commissioner, but it didn’t go as planned.
It sounds like the solar storm was far worse than they predicted,” Meredith said.
“How much worse?” someone asked.
Meredith’s eyes shot to Sarah. “The nation has gone dark; it’s suspected the effects have gone global.”
There was a notable rumble among the group. Sarah could see they were already starting to panic.
“This can’t be real; the nation is prepared for something like this!” someone yelled.
“It doesn’t look like we were,” Meredith said. “I know many of you have questions, and several of you have families waiting for you back home. I am not going to ask that any of you with families stay here with us. You can leave at any time. If you don’t have family, we could use your help in?—”
“In what?” someone asked. “What do you plan on doing with the inmates? We can’t take care of them forever.”
“We are still working on putting together a plan. What I can tell you is that our compound now houses not only inmates, but a built-in workforce, weapons, and supplies. If you stay here, you will be safe. Once you leave, we cannot protect you. Those of you who are leaving can go now. You can take your firearms as well, but nothing else. We can’t afford to lose the supplies. ”
Sarah watched in shock as twelve of the twenty guards headed for the gate.
She knew many of them had families, but a few left without anyone waiting for them back home.
It was easy to see the surprise in Meredith’s eyes as well, but she quickly recovered to address the remaining eight guards. She drew a ragged breath.
“I don’t know how we’re going to do anything yet, but we are going to get a plan together and figure it out,” Meredith said. “I appreciate anyone staying, and I hope we can work through this together.”
“I don’t know how long I can stay,” one of the guards said. “Until then, what would you like us to do?”
“I’m going to break you up into a few different units. I think it will be safer if we stick together.”
“That’s a good idea, but what are we going to tell the inmates? We’re going to have to give them something,” Sarah said.
“Honestly, I don’t know what to tell them,” Meredith said. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“I’m not really sure, either,” Sarah replied. "I can tell you one thing for sure, and that’s the fact that I need a smoke.”
Meredith chuckled and pulled out a pack from her shirt pocket. Sarah couldn’t help but smile as she watched the woman open her pack of cigarettes and pull one out. She took it from her hand and put it to her mouth, thanking her boss as she did.
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to take care of the inmates for very long,” the guard said. “Even if we ration out what supplies we do have, we have a month at best. What do we do when the food runs out?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Meredith replied. “For now, we take care of them the best we can.”
Sarah sighed. “He’s right. Even with the stock we have, we can’t care for them very long.”
“I’m open to any ideas.”
The group went silent, half of them smoking, though Sarah was sure that hadn’t been the case the day before.
It didn’t matter anymore. They were all realizing the same thing she had on the way home.
The world around them had changed overnight, and they were reeling from it.
The only chance that any of them had at survival now was working together.
They had to devise a plan to preserve the maximum number of resources and lives.
As an idea started to take shape in her mind, her heart raced.
They could make it work, and if they did, she could leave to help her parents with a clear conscience.