America: Nephi
Josh was driving frantically when Whitney told him Jesse had taken his last breath.
"No he didn't, we still have to get him to the hospital. They can still do something". Said Josh on the verge of a breakdown.
Between sobs Whitney said "The hospitals...they...they can't do anything for him now Josh. T-t-the only thing we can do is give him a proper burial".
"No not until we see a god damn doctor!" Josh screamed. "I need to hear it from them."
"I'm sorry Josh, I'm sorry this is hard on all of us but the girls are already in shock. It's not fair to keep making them see him like this." Said Whitney.
.....
Two hours later Josh finally relented. They pulled into a cemetery that hadn't had any new burials since the early nineteen hundreds. Someone had kept it maintained. Even now it seemed someone had been keeping up on it.
They found a spot near the back of the cemetery to dig a hole. Jacqueline and Lydia were in such shock they were unable to move from the car. Josh dug the hole while Whitney held her son's lifeless body weeping uncontrollably. Once the hole was finished neither Josh nor Whitney could force themselves to put Jesse's body in the grave.
While they were huddled with their son someone started shouting, "Hey, hey!" They turned their heads to see a heavy middle aged man waddling his way to them.
"I'm sorry sir we weren't causing trouble our little boy was shot on our way to the mountains. He..." she couldn't finish but the stranger understood.
"No troubles ma'am. My name's Beau. I take care of this old cemetery." Said the stranger who had a name now. "I wasn't sure who was up here and you're the first people I've seen in several days."
"We'd just like to bury our boy but can't bring ourselves to do it." Josh spoke mutedly.
"I understand. Just had to bury my wife last week. She was in Salt Lake when this shit storm stirred." Beau said. "She was on her way back when she came across some roadblock or something. She stopped for them thinking they were there to help. Instead they shot her. Two times in the side. She had enough sense to drive away but barely made it back here before she died in my arms."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Whitney said.
"Don't be. Don't get me wrong it hurts but I know where she's going. I'm a pastor at the church in town or was anyway. No town to speak of since everyone evacuated." Beau told them. "I know I'm a stranger but I would be willing to help you bury him. If you'd like? That way you guys can grieve properly, after the funeral you can stay with me until you're ready to move on."
"We'd appreciate that. This is so hard. Our four year old...I just don't understand." Whitney said.
....
"...so with great sadness we ask you Lord to accept Jesse into the Kingdom with you. Amen." Beau finished his sermon. Behind Beau the sky was a dark gray; flashes of red added the only color to the sky. The air was cold, bitter actually, for this time of year. It was a dark day for them. A day that wouldn't be forgotten.
Josh and Whitney threw the first of the dirt over their son. Beau finished covering him up while Josh and his family huddled together in mourning.
.....
A few days had passed; Jacqueline and Lydia had yet to speak again. Since Jesse had been shot they were a mess; since he died they were inconsolable. They wouldn't speak, or couldn't, they didn't sleep or eat; all they could do was cry. The ominous sky, if possible, had become even more so. The temperatures were still bordering on bitter.
Josh and Whitney weren't doing great but were holding it together. Their new friend Beau had become a wonderful support system for them. Unfortunately, even Beau couldn't get through to the girls. He was getting through to them though. Over the last few days they had gotten to know Beau. They learned that Beau was a special operations commander during the second Gulf War. It was his plan that finally won the war after twenty two long years of fighting. When he returned from his last, victorious, tour he decided to become a pastor. After all the death he wanted to spread love. Since then he'd been living in the middle-of-nowhere Utah, about twenty miles east of Nephi, preaching to a dwindling congregation.
Shortly after his wife died his congregation left town in search of help. He'd been by himself for over a week. He refused to leave believing someone would eventually come to the rescue. Now, regardless of the situation, Beau was happy to have someone around again. He was also glad he was there to try to help Josh's family through such a difficult time.
.....
A couple more days passed but Jacqueline was finally starting to come around. She started eating first, and then slept for eighteen straight hours. When she woke up she was asking for her mom. Whitney came rushing, Josh wasn't far behind.
As soon as they got to her room she asked about Lydia. They told her she still wasn't talking or eating but had gotten some sleep. As she was taking a moment to digest the news she glanced out the window. She was struck with renewed horror when she seen the sky. It was almost like nighttime outside only it was late morning.
Frightened by the look on their daughters face Josh and Whitney glanced out the window too. They had all been so preoccupied with the girls they didn't realize how dark it had become. It wasn't quite pitch black but it was close. Without electricity there weren't any street lights on so there was uninterrupted darkness.
It was a scary sight. They were worried Jacqueline would go back into shock. It seemed like she was doing okay for the time being but they needed a plan. There had to be a safe place somewhere. A place they could get medical attention and some answers.
.....
Beau and Josh stayed up late devising a plan. They weren't sure which direction to head. There had to be a safe place; the military planned for every possible scenario. They had two options as far as they could tell; Offutt Air Force base in Bellevue, Nebraska or Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. They didn't have Intel regardless of which one they chose; they'd both be a gamble. Offutt may have been a primary target because it was a central hub for the air force. Being a central hub it’s possible they had defensive measures in place to prevent such disasters. Luke Air Force Base is smaller and not as strategic so it may not have even been a target. Either way they were taking a chance. Beau had been stationed at Offutt during his early career, disclosing to Josh the intense security measures in place at bases like Offutt. The thought of heading to Canada had crossed their mind but in the end the best bet seemed to be Bellevue, Nebraska. If they made it, if it hadn't been destroyed or overrun, they might be able to get some protection and hopefully some good news.
The next morning Josh pulled Whitney aside to explain the plan. She didn't like it one bit but she knew it may be their only chance. She also knew if they did make it, there may be doctors that could help Lydia. Plus, being in the dark twenty-four-seven lately had everybody on edge. No one knew what to expect if and when they got to the air force base. Looking at the maps they had a dangerous twelve hundred mile journey ahead of them. They were all thinking of the consequences of a wrong decision but staying in Utah, at least in the middle-of-nowhere, seemed to be suicidal.
.......
After one more day of rest it was loading time. Josh and Beau gathered as much as they could fit from the church and Beau's own home. They loaded up on first aid kits, flares, flashlights, and guns out of Beau's collection. Once both vehicles were stocked they loaded Lydia up. Whitney and Jacqueline jumped in with Josh and Beau rode by himself. As they pulled on to the highway lightning lit up the landscape. The land had been covered with an inch or two of dark black ash. Rooftops, streets, and cars were all covered in it. Plants were starting to die off all around. Once the lightning finished the blackness was back. Both vehicles lit their brights and headed south on I-70. Later they would try to take I-80 east
to Bellevue. Of course, both drivers knew their drive wasn't going to be that straightforward but what was a little dream in a moment of chaos.
"Do you really think this is the right thing to do Josh?" Whitney asked.
"I don't know but there has to be answers somewhere. There has to be somewhere safer then out on the road or in the middle-of-nowhere. We just need to find someone on our side and get some help. We have to do this; it's either die in Utah or die trying to find a safe place." Josh explained.
"I know but I'm scared. I want to make it. I want our kids to have some sort of life after this is all over…if it ever ends." Whitney said.
Josh replied "I know babe, so do I."
…..
"...protection for my new friends and I as we take this long and most likely foolish and ill-conceived journey. Amen." Beau prayed silently as he drove down the road.
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