Chapter Four ~ Jerry and Steve
Jerry and Steve sat patiently, as the plane they were supposed to be flying in, was waiting for thunderstorms to clear out. The captain had come on the intercom and told them that they would be leaving in about 45 minutes. Jerry rested her head on Steve’s shoulder. They had arrived at the airport so early, and after their wedding yesterday, a nap sounded like a great idea. The wedding had been wonderful. A wonderful ceremony on the beach at a really nice resort in Maine, it all seemed like a dream. Jerry yawned and closed her eyes.
In just a little while, the plane did take off and head toward Florida, where they were expecting to spend two weeks on white sandy beaches, visit some tourist sights and spend some “alone” time together. The weather did clear and at about 7am, the plane lifted off from the ground. And for the most part the first 3 hours were uneventful. About 10am the Captain came on the intercom…and everything changed.
“This is your captain speaking; I have just been informed that some sort of explosion has occurred just off the coast New York. At this time, we are proceeding to our destination, but we may need to make an unexpected emergency landing. I will keep you apprized of the situation, and of any other news, as I receive it.”
Jerry felt cold; she grabbed Steve’s hand and held on for dear life. She really didn’t like to fly and was just starting to gain a little confidence, which had just disappeared. Steve told her that everything would be fine and that they would be on the ground very soon. And they were, but it was not in Florida, where they were supposed to be. Their plane was rerouted to Kentucky.
The Captain had explained that Florida was largely underwater and they needed to land where the airport was above sea level. When deplaned, they found the airport largely empty. Those that were there were surrounding what TV screens they could find. Steve suggested that they try to find a rental car and a place to stay for the night, Jerry agreed, she wanted to see what was on the news as well.
They were able to find a car, and a hotel, just around the corner from the airport. As soon as they were able to get their luggage brought in, they turned on the TV, and sat down to see what was happening.
The news was grim. There was no power in New York, and many thought that it was unlikely that anyone survived the tremendous blast. Though no one knew for sure what had happened, many suspected that the blast was the result of a large meteorite or comet. Washington had taken a hard hit, but the President was alright, as he was on the west coast that morning. Parts of the country were hit by a huge tsunami. There was little news from those sections of the country. Lots of speculation, but no real idea what was going on. The major networks were just as much in the dark as the local stations. Without their local reporters they were not of much use.
Not knowing what else to do, the couple decided to see if there was a restaurant or some diner where they could get something to eat, talk to others and maybe just get away from the TV screen that held them captive. But some of what they were seeking, eluded them. They did find a restaurant, but there were televisions all tuned to whatever news that could be found. People were talking, in hushed voices. The food was ok, but with all that was going on in the world, it just didn’t hold the same satisfaction.
Over the next few days, more and more was reported. Pictures brought back from the hardest hit place, which apparently was New York City, showed building, bent and broken, piles and piles of wreckage and water, where water should not have been. Washington was largely unrecognizable. The Washington Monument still stood but many other important landmarks were washed away. Maps would have to be rewritten.
It appeared to Jerry and Steve that going north, to their home, would probably not be the best thing to do. They both wanted to know how their families were, but the phones and electricity were not reliable and they had not been able to get through. Gas was another worry, they didn’t want to get trapped somewhere where they would not be able to get out of. The hotel was kind enough to let them stay at a fraction of what they would have normally charged. No one knew if things would get better or worse. Food stores were being restocked, but the trucks that brought the supplies were not coming as often.
Clouds had moved in and it no one could remember when the clouds had moved in. The temperatures had started dropping. By the middle of August the clothes that Jerry and Steve had brought, were woefully inadequate. They found warmer clothes but wondered if these would last long. The temperatures seemed to be sliding even further downward with each and every day.
They tried for weeks, to contact their families, but, for whatever reason, they were never able to. They soon hoped that they would someday find them again, but knew that going north to find them, was out of the question. September arrived to flurries and cold wind. Several people started talking about going further south. Smaller groups soon gained more people who also wanted to get out of the cold. But before anyone could get plans together, the ground shook.
The shaking lasted for a few moments, and it wasn’t incredibly strong, but it did weaken buildings and many found the homes and places that they were staying were damaged. No one knew why the earthquake hit, or even where the epicenter was. But within days, a fine ash started to fall. It started out much like flurries, and quickly grew into a blizzard. The buildings that were compromised by the earthquake were further weakened by the ash, and so many fell, injuring and killing those who had retreated inside.
The group that Steve and Jerry had become involved in decided to look for a much safer place to live. There were many suggestions, but the one that got the most votes was for the cave. The ash was building up quickly and cars were undriveable. So, they started walking. The trip only took a couple days. The cave wasn’t difficult to find, getting through the ash however was. But the cave was big, and seemed to be adequate. It was crowded, but everyone worked together to make it comfortable.
They had brought food, blankets, and clothes. Jerry and Steve made the best of their situation. Being together was the thing that made it bearable. Jerry didn’t know if she would have made it through without him. He had been her knight and being married was like a dream. They did everything together. So when the virus started making people sick, Jerry and Steve were just the ones to volunteer to help. At first it was just some of the elderly, but within a week, it seemed to be making everyone sick. Neither Jerry nor Steve was ever sick. They don’t know why, but it seemed to be a confirmation for them that they were doing what they were meant to do. So they kept at it, until the last person left. So many of the group didn’t make it. It made Jerry sad to know that so many had died. But those who did make it, those were the lucky ones, at least that is how Jerry looked at it.
But 4 years on, she sometimes wondered, life was difficult and it seemed that they would never be able to live outside the cave. She longed for the blue sky. The memory of it was not enough, she wanted to feel the sun on her face and know that she could sit on green grass. Jerry wondered if there was any place on the planet where green grass actually existed. She wouldn’t have had any way to know, but the earth was in a sort of deep freeze, there was grass, but it was very hard to find.
Steve and Jerry spent their every day together, they didn’t have a perfect marriage but it had stood the test of time…for better or worse, and they both figured that if they could make it through this, they could make it through anything.
