Finding Utopia

Chapter Five: Now What?

Jim pulled into the parking lot and joined them at the picnic table.

"Oh no, not Katrina!" He blinked, fighting back tears. "Sorry it took me so long to get back, I stopped home and grabbed some guns, ammo, and supplies. We need to get out of town, I think. The men guarding the hospital asked me a lot of questions. I think things will get much worse and very soon."

"I have a lot of food and water in my basement," Nina told them. "I also have plenty of guns and ammo at my place. We should go there and take stock of our supplies. We need a plan."

"What about Katrina?" Lisa sobbed. "We can't just leave her here like this."

"There's nothing more we can do for her," Jim hugged her, gently. "I can't go back to the hospital. I'm pretty sure if I bring them any more victims they're going to decide to quarantine me, too. Just to be safe."

Edgar poked his head out the back door. "I think I'm going to close up, guys. I'll still pay you for the night, but I'm really not feeling well and there aren't any customers anyway."

Nina nodded and went back into the bar to shut down the equipment. Catherine, Lisa, and Jim followed her in to help, but she shook her head. "We won't tear down tonight. If we make it back to town, we'll worry about it then."

"I can't leave town without my best friend," Catherine's eyes filled with tears. "But, he's sleeping. He works so early in the morning. I don't know if I should try to call him or what, but we can't just leave him and his dog in town. What if they quarantine the entire town and we can't get back in and they can't get out?" She began to sob.

Jim wrapped her in his big arms and let her cry against his chest for a few minutes, not saying anything, knowing nothing he said right now would be likely to make her feel any better. He was like a big teddy bear and pretty soon her sobs tapered off into whimpers and she pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Sorry, I'm just so scared."
"It's okay, honey. We all are," Jim assured her.
Catherine gave him a weak smile. "I don't know. Maybe we should swing by there and I'll try knocking on the door. I know he's gonna be mad at first, but maybe if we're all there to explain what's happened..."
"I thought I was your best friend, but I guess we can go get them," Nina teased Catherine. "Seriously? What kind of friends do you think we are?"
"Thanks, I knew I could count on you guys," Catherine gave a weak smile. "Wait, where did Kendra disappear to?"

They looked around the bar, but the young woman was nowhere to be found.
"After she got done singing, she went out the side door. I haven't seen her since," Edgar told them, blowing his nose into a piece of toilet paper. "I'm sorry, but I really gotta go."

They filed out the back door and he locked it behind them.

"You going to be okay?" Nina asked the obviously ill bar owner. "You don't look so good."
"I'll be fine. You guys be careful. I'll see you tomorrow, I'm sure."

Nina slid into the front passenger seat of her van as Catherine and Lisa climbed into the back and Jim settled into the driver's seat.

"Let's stop at my apartment first," Catherine suggested. "I'll grab some bottled water and canned goods and the cats. Then we can try to get Justin to join us. Okay?"
"Sounds good. We'll come up with you, help you get everything you and the cats will need," Jim pulled carefully out of the parking lot. "We should try to hurry. I have a bad feeling about all of this."