“Oh, Floyd.”
“I thought he was watching for deer on Miller Run.”
“He is. Or was. Will be again. Bill, Art’s dad is up there now. He’s from Texas so you know he knows how to use a gun.”
Eb laughed.
“Anyhow, I’m gonna go inside, talk to Mark and get back to the station before Officer Floyd screws something up. Plus, he’s got to get some sleep. He’s pulling the night shift on the road. I suggested Ada, but Kit said he didn’t want her up there at night. But Ada said not tonight, anyhow.”
“That’s because she has the two new science guys coming over to discuss the fungus.”
Cass flinched a little at the oddity of that. “That doesn’t even sound remotely fun.”
“It’ll be informative. I’m looking forward to it. I don’t have anything to contribute, but hey, it doesn’t hurt to know what you’re up against.”
“I thought… I thought it was done,” Cass said.
Eb shrugged. “I thought so too, but Niles called the meeting with Ada.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time up there.”
“Well, don’t say anything, but I kinda think it’s cool hanging out with the celebrity lady.”
“She’s married.”
“I can still think it’s cool. Why don’t you come up.”
“Maybe, if I can get someone social media savvy to cover the station.” Cass looked at her watch. “I better get in there.” She opened the door. “Maybe I’ll see you tonight.”
She walked inside where a familiar buzz rang in the air. People’s conversation all meshing as one. The room was full with everyone from town. Although Cass didn’t do a roll call.
She spotted Mark off to the right of the stage, Niles and Art behind him. Mark was reviewing notes in his hand. He was focused and glanced up when Cass touched his arm to alert him of her presence.
“Hey,” Mark said. “Just in time.”
“You have a full house and it’s not even five yet.”
“How about that.”
“You think maybe you should have had it later? You know you’re gonna deliver this news and send them home to spoil their supper.”
“I had to, Cass, especially with the internet working they probably know more than me. Speaking of which… any takers on that post by Lena?”
“Actually, yeah, we got twenty-two calls so far. Six are from overseas.”
“Are they coming to Griffin?”
“Hopefully. I’m gonna call them back. I want to keep looking. Keep trying some of the people that talked with Trixie.”
“Good idea,” Mark said. “At least I have news of survivors beyond us.”
“And you know there has got to be more. There has to be.”
“I agree,” Mark told her. “And I better go.”
“Me, too. I have to get back to the station.”
“I’ll get some volunteers to help on the social media angle,” Mark said. “And I’ll let you know about the teams. My goal today is to inform them, give them time to think about solutions, and then have another meeting.”
“I hate meetings.”
“I know you do.” Mark tapped then pinched her on the cheek. “But you’re cute about it.” He turned and walked on to the stage.
“Ow,” Cass joked then shook her head watching him.
“Good afternoon,” Mark said. “If I can get everyone to take their seats. Please.”
The mumbles quieted down rather quickly.
“Again, thank you for being here. I know this is short notice. I am very glad you came. The last twenty-four hours have been a doozy and this town has been calm and level-headed about things. Many of you didn’t ask questions, that’s why we’re here today. To inform you, talk to you, plan with you and answer questions. Although.” Mark paused to nervously chuckle. “You probably all are informed now being that the internet is back.”
Immediately, the room erupted vocally, with everyone reacting rather shocked and saying, “The internet is back?” It seemed everyone grabbed their phone.
Cass again shook her head in amused disbelief. Fucking people of Griffin, she thought then began to head out.
That was when she heard it, everyone must have discovered the same news at the same time. She imagined they popped open their internet browsers and, chances were, their home screen and news informed them of what they had been sheltered from.
The world outside of Griffin was falling apart.
The tension swelled in the air, it was thick at first, then it grew loud.
Voices meshed together, shouting concern, a few sobs in the air.
“Did you know?” one man asked. “Were you hiding it from us?”
“Why would I hide it?” Mark replied.
“Then you knew?”
“I haven’t known for long, I just…”
“You kept something like this from us!” another shouted.
“No, listen, people…” Mark tried to calm them.
“My sister lives in Tulsa,” a woman cried out. “Do we know about Tulsa?”
“We don’t know,” Mark replied.
“I have to go.” She stood. “She’s all I have. I have to go find her.”
“Now everyone sit!” The usually mild-mannered Mark raised his voice, loud and firm. “No one is going anywhere!”
But Cass was. That was her cue to leave and she decided to make her escape. Kit or Mark could fill her in later.
She walked down the far aisle to the front door exit, listening to Mark as he returned to a calm state and began his explanation of the situation.
She reached for the right side of the double glass doors. As she casually pushed it open, she felt an abrupt brush against her, shoving her slightly forward as someone ran out past her.
It took a second for Cass to register what happened, and just as she thought maybe someone got sick, she saw Lena in the street.
She moved frigidly, left to right, then in circles. She brought her arms tight to her body, slightly hunched over, then dropped to her knees and cried out.
One long cry.
It went through Cass because there was a familiarity in that cry, one Cass had made before.
Slowly she walked to Lena. “Lena,” she called softly.
“They’re gone,” Lena sobbed. “They’re gone, Cass. My mom, John, my b—” She cried out the words, “My babies. They’re gone. They’re gone.”
The ‘oh’ seeped achingly from her chest as she crouched down, reaching out a hand to Lena. “Oh, I am… I am so sorry. Lena, I am so sorry.”
Lena’s shoulders bounced as she sobbed, grabbing onto Cass’ hand that gripped her arm.
Cass was at a loss. She wanted to grab Lena, embrace her, and hold her. As she moved to do so, Lena jumped up.
“Lena.”
“I can’t.”
Cass reached out to her but Lena swiped away her hand. “Lena.”
Softly screaming out her pain, Lena spun and took off.
Cass called out once to get her to stop, but Lena didn’t. She thought about chasing her, trying to get her to stop. But what would she say, truly what could she say?
Having been there, Cass knew no words spoken, no touch or embrace would make a difference. Not in the immediate aftermath of crushing news.
Cass let her go and let her run. She knew, before long, Lena would learn she could run, but there was nowhere far enough she could run to lose the pain.
She came under the guise of a fascination over the fungus, but Eb knew Lena was the real reason Cass was standing in Ada’s kitchen.
Not that Lena was in the kitchen, she wasn’t. Nonetheless, Cass came for her. Lena’s loss and heartache hit home to Cass, to Eb as well. She wanted to be there to lend her support.
Eb knew that without her saying a word. Even if she pretended to care about the talk.
Niles was a few minutes late. Before he showed the conversation had hovered around the happenings in Griffin.