Their intermediate goal was to get out of Connecticut into Massachusetts and try to find out what was going on.
But their long term goal was to be safe and stay alive. For that, Ben and Lana believed they only had one option and that was to keep heading north, get out of the country and head into Canada.
They didn’t look at it as abandoning their homeland in a time of need; they looked at it as just wanting to live.
Harry was too old to walk the twenty miles and smart enough to know that whatever the planes that passed overhead were heading east.
There were probably headed into New York and beyond.
He would have taken Mr. Hines’ horses had he been twenty years younger, but there was no way Harry was riding a horse that far. He had ridden when he was younger, but that was years ago. And Tyler didn’t have a clue about riding horses.
So, on a wing and a prayer, they took the car, staying on the road that followed the river north.
The road was a winding one and occasionally heavily tree lined. That afforded them some protection from anything that could spot them from the air.
Did he think they were a hundred percent safe? No. Actually Harry worried he was being foolish to drive, but he did have a destination in mind, a place he felt might be safe, if he could get there.
Just across the border of Connecticut, beyond the newly constructed housing subdivisions and two miles off highway159, was the town of Agabarn. It wasn’t big; it had probably more drinking establishments than business and most of its residents commuted to their work places.
Harry knew of the town because he knew George Miller. He met George by chance. Harry was with Leo having a cigarette while waiting outside to see Ronald Reagan speak. They got to talking and remained friends, especially after they discovered that their love of Ronald Reagan wasn’t the only thing they had in common.
George was a retired mechanic, but hadn’t always been a mechanic. He had been a fisherman who had loved his job. From sun up until sundown he fished for his living.
He did that until his oldest son drown and, consumed with grief, George swore he never wanted to see the ocean again.
He moved inland and put his other talents to work.
George lived in Agabarn and Harry hoped he was still there, that everything was fine and he’d find his buddy.
The drive wasn’t long or far and Harry inwardly wasn’t hopeful of finding anything different up north, especially since they didn’t see a car or person the whole trip.
Then again, it was only twenty miles.
Tyler was quiet.
Still a bit shaken after the plane experience, he didn’t say very much and his hand seemed to find some sort of security in resting on the Leo present.
Harry thought it was ironic, considering what the gift was.
They made the turn off from RT 159 and were a stone’s throw away from Agabarn. The McDonald’s, the landmark for the turn, was dark and empty.
No cars.
No people.
Harry was losing hope.
He swore he felt his heart hit his stomach when he pulled on the main street of the three block town.
Not that Agabarn was a bustling metropolis, but there were always people out and about. Cars were always parked on the street, especially in front of the grocer. But there were no cars and windows were all blackened and boarded up. It was a ghost town.
Harry pulled over. He needed a minute to get his bearings and think of a plan B. In his mind, the invasion force had swept through Agabarn, boarded up the place and moved on.
“I’m sorry,” Tyler said. “Maybe we should go to your friend’s house.”
Harry shook his head.
“Don’t you know where he lives?”
Harry did, but that wasn’t the reason. He just didn’t think he had it in him to see another dead body ravished by the flu or anything else for that matter. Especially if it was someone he knew.
Again, Harry shook his head. “I’d just rather not.”
Staring down, Harry saw through the corner of his eye that Tyler was gripping the box tighter. He lifted his eyes to see that Tyler’s head hung low as well.
“Hey.” Harry reached for him. “It’ll be okay.”
Thump, thump, thump!
The quick, triple hard hits on the driver’s side window made them both jump and scream.
Harry grabbed his chest and opened the window. “By God, it’s a living person.”
A younger man, probably in his mid-twenties, wearing a baseball cap was frantic. “Mister, ya can’t leave the car in the road. Ya got to move it now.”
“I’m sorry, move it?” Harry asked.
“Unless you’re going. If you’re going, you got to go. If not, you got to move.”
“Sweet Jesus,” Harry whispered out. “What in the hell are you saying?”
“Is you passing through or is you staying?”
“I’m looking for George Miller. Know him.”
“Everybody does.”
“Is he alive?”
“Last I checked.”
Harry grinned and turned to Tyler. “George is alive.” He returned to the young man. “We’re staying.”
“Ah, Gees, okay.” He adjusted his cap, shuffling some. “Head a block up, no gunning the gas, turn at the station into Mort’s storage units. I’ll run up. Meet you there, Ok?”
“Why am I going to Mort’s?”
“Mister, ya got to square away your car. Come on.” The young man darted a half a block, poked his head into the ‘Running Tap’ saloon, backed out and quickly ran in the direction he had told Harry.
Harry followed the dictate and when he arrived at Mort’s the young man stood by an open storage unit waving Harry forward.
Figuring the young guy wanted him to hide his car, Harry pulled forward and into the storage unit. He shut off the car and stepped out.
“Do you have belongings?” the young man asked.
“Yes, we do.”
“Can you hold off until dark to get them?”
“Well we’re just gonna head to George’s house.”
“Not until dark you aren’t. There’s a curfew right now, have to stay off the streets and inside.”
Harry blinked. “Aren’t curfew’s usually for night?”
“Not now, they aren’t.”
Harry nodded. “I understand. Should we just wait it out here?”
“No, you and the boy can come on down to The Tap. Lot of people are there, just hanging out, listening to the radio and waiting.”
“The Tap?” Harry asked. “Is that a bar? Because he’s a boy, can he go in there?”
“Don’t much matter now, does it,” the young man said.
“Guess not. Lead the way.” Harry placed his hand on Tyler’s back and kept the boy between him and the other man, just to be safe.
They were led from the storage area, quickly across the street and through the side door of a Laundromat. The windows were boarded up. A woman folded laundry and waved as if nothing was peculiar about them passing through.
From there they headed out the back door, staying close to the buildings and it was another half a block before they entered into the back of The Tap.
No sooner did they walk in than the young man secured the back door and led them down the hall.
Music playing at a soft level carried to Harry and Tyler, along with voices.
Tyler reached up and grabbed Harry’s hand. He held it tight.
“It’s okay,” Harry said to Tyler. “I promise.”
They then emerged into the back portion of the Tap. The interior lights were on, some red and blue. People played pool; some threw darts. Others filled the tables and there were children running around.
The man behind the bar gave an up motion of his head. “I see you got them, Rick.”
Rick nodded. “Didn’t quite understand about hiding the car, but they’re looking for George.”