The Last Word 3

Sitting in the predawn chill I replayed our last conversation.He had gotten home shortly before midnight saying he was staking out a pot lot on his turf.Hidden along the forests border tucked here and there were multiple sites of illegal commerce. Did you get a chance to restock our bug out bags he asked wearily?The seasons are changing.We will be needing warmer clothes. Yes Arlis!It is all I ever do.My whole life is as consumed with it as yours,maybe more so. Yes sir!I always complete my work sir. What is wrong with you ? he asked noting the honed edge to my voice.I am not sure.Something. Later laying awake I watched as he mumbled and flailed about in his sleep.Sleep quality I would have settled for gladly.Instead I watched as the bedroom Progressed through an hombre array of grays till morning arrived with me unprepared to receive it. Today I was to procure six oil lamps and lamp oil in large quantity. After sending him off with breakfast and lunch to go as was his habit I revolted.I am not doing it!I have stepped and fetched till I am sick of it.Let him lug five gallon cans of kerosene. After a long calming soak in the hot tub I turned on the computer just to see where a person would buy fuel in that quantity.Real after real showed west coast disasters.Chaos on west coast! What? Turning on local news I saw not one but two natural disasters were piggy backing off of each other.I tried the phone.Arlis' personal cell,his work phone,the station he worked out of.Family in St. Louis.All lines went straight to voicemail.The grid was completely overwhelmed. I went to bank and drew out all but a thousand dollars of our reserve.People everywhere looked like I felt stumbling along as if sleep walking. I tried till two to contact Arlis.Maybe I wasn't thinking straight.I kept hearing him say get out while you can.Use your head.Just get to the shelter.If it is a false alarm you can always come home.Get out of the city. I grabbed our yet to be updated go bags and left a note saying going home our decided upon code for the cave. As I got into the car our neighbor was packing his.I am sure it will settle down he asked as much as said.How bad can it get? The exodus of People had already began.People who were going to be hurting,hungry,tired,and above all wanting to survive.How bad could it get?Really bad! Yeah,your probably right we are just overreacting I bet I bare face lied to his anxious,confused,yet hopeful face. I cried all the way.Every last mile.