Chapter 2 The Blockade
"Dad, I'm going over the bridge now. What do you need from town again?" I asked my father over my cell, while I turned on my blinker to cross the French Broad river bridge that would take me into the little town Newport.
"Fear, you know. The basics for making pizza that kit, and extra pepperonis, cheese, and breadsticks. Oh don't forget to fill the car up." he turned to mumble something to his girlfriend. "Lois says to get the hamburger meat for the lasagna tomorrow night."
I rolled my eyes. He mentions lasagna or pizza and she goes for the hardest to make. Lasagna. Too bad she can't fix either. I wouldn't be stuck cooking for two nights.
"Anything else?" I always ask this because I usually have forgotten something.
"Milk. C.J. is supposed to come up this weekend. You may need to restock on some cereal," he advised. C.J. my only and youngest brother. "And Lenore needs some shampoo and conditioner."
I growled under my breath. "She should have came with me when I offered to take her to town."
"Get her some so she won't be on my ass about her not having any." I glanced at the soon to be setting sun.
"Sure, dad. Gotta go. Bye love you." I said as I hung up the phone while pressing the accelerator. I went straight to Wal-Mart because I do not like traveling at night. I mean I like the night but not the driving at night part. Also, I like the sun but not the driving during the day part either. Ha! I'm not prejudice of either.
"Fear!!" My best friend yelled at me in the parking lot. "Fear!! Get your butt here now!"
I looked over at her and rolled my eyes. "Ugh!! Bree, I thought you were grounded."
She smiled, "I am, but Chrissy is running errands for mom. I merely volunteered to come and watch over him. You know. Make sure he doesn't flirt with anyone, keep my 'vision' attuned to only him," she said referring to her ability to see the future thought it was not always trust worthy, "and only goes here and straight home."
I couldn't stop myself at laughing at my Goth friend. "You watch him?"
"Yeah. Mom trusts me," she said and added under her breath, "from time to time. Besides with his, this-is-his-nickname-for-her-so-don't-laugh, 'Clover-Lilly' its impossible for him to notice anyone but her." She took my arm in hers as if we were a couple and led me to the double doors of the great blue Wal-Mart.
I thought on 'Clover-Lilly'. "Oh Clair Lee. How's she doing now." I thought about our fiery friend, as she grabbed the buggy.
"You know same old same old. They, meaning mom, made me promise not to tell them their future together. As if I pick what I see!!" she made a face as she recalled her brother making out with an unknown female. "You've had some, yourself, creepy aren't they!" I have had a few visions myself all about other people who I've never met in my life.
"So where's Tara?" I asked about a friend who has been living with them for close to a year. She was a little weird so she fit in perfectly.
"Home boiling some healing potion she thinks we will need in the future. She has our cabinets stocked with every legal herb and all vegetable seeds known to man . I swear she thinks we are going to be in some sort of war. She has mastered some telekinesis I mean she can throw things and make them hover for about a minute." She shook her head. "Mom trusts her planning. I mean we could always use it for minor cuts."
"How's Chris? Do you need me to call him?" I asked her while grabbing the pizza kit.
She smiled, "Good. And he'll be coming this way to talk to you with the rest of your supplies in a second." I cocked my head to the side, closed my eyes, and breathed deep. I usually smelt his woods, chocolate, and metallic scent before I saw him. She turned me in his direction so I could better. Sure enough there it was. I don't know why I'm attracted to it, I just am, and I vowed he would never know.
"Bree, is she ok?" he joked to is sister. "I swear if that's how college kids behave, no thank you."
I smiled and opened my eyes as he took the last couple of steps to the buggy. He was taller than the last time I saw him. I had to look up at him. And he let his hair grow to cover his eyes. I knew the reason for this. They changed colors. They would be solid white if he was sick or sad, black if he was pissed, and green or blue if he was happy or passive. The first time he saw me they turned blood red. I was the only one other than Bree who was not afraid.
"Chrissy, be nice," she punched him in the arm. And walked ahead of us taking the buggy with her so we could be alone. I stood on my tippy-toes and pushed his jet black hair out of his eyes. They were red again. I was the only person other than his mom who was considered special enough to move his hair.
I smiled and asked, "Started any fires?"
He flashed me his famous grin. "Only the one you've seen. And melted some guys tires for trying to hit Bree."
I rolled my eyes. "I taught you well, my young apprentice. How's other things?" When he gave me the blank stare I saw what he was thinking. Clair broke up with him, today. "Oh," was all I could say. "Well thanks for saving me the trip."
"No problem," he gave me a hug before we got to the register. "Your parked near us." He had some mind reading skills, but I knew he couldn't mine. So Bree must be talking to him. That would explain the evil glances he was throwing at her.
"Red?" I asked him to test my theory. It would be rude to eves drop on a mental conversation. I poked him in his side. He jumped.
"What?"
"It's your turn." He gave me that blank stare again. "You gonna pay for you groceries, or not?" I snapped. One vision was enough for this girl.
"No. Bree is. Are you paying for yours?" he asked back.
"No. Dad is." I pulled out my wallet. We walked to our respective cars.
"So," Bree said as she broke the silence. "What are we doing for your nineteenth birthday?"
"Trick-r-treating. Can you come this year?" I asked. "I mean I know its for kids but I like the free candy." The twins laugh.
"Come on, Fear. There has to be a better way to spend you birthday than that." Chris looked over to Bree. "She'll throw you a party. Invite whoever you wish." He started putting my bags in the car.
"And we're not taking no for an answer," Bree stated. I laughed at the two of them. "You've always wanted to attend a masked ball. So here's your chance. I already have planned it ."
I started, "But I have nothing t-"
"You have an old prom dress. So it's settled then. If nothing goes wrong, we'll have this ball." She hugged me, "May good visions be with you."
"And may God be with you," I whispered in her ear. Chris stepped forward and quoted, "'I have seen Fear and laughed in her face. I told her I fear no man nor thing. But she laughed back and said,'"
"'you've never met my wraith.'" I quoted with a smile.
"'But all she did was hug me and whispered in my ear,'" he quoted.
"'I love you,'" I quoted.
"'And I knew Fear had fount a way into my heart,'" he finished.
"And its nice to see you remember my poem," Bree called from their car. "Chrissy, we gotta go before Tara blows the house."
"See ya later," he whispered.
As he got in the car I heard Bree begin the questions, "What happened to Clair? Did she break up with you?" He cranked up the stereo to drown her out.
I only laughed at them, started my car, got gas for it and headed back to the bridge. It was now dark.
There was a traffic jam from Pigeon River bridge to the French Broad. I like everyone else thought it was just a bad accident. When I got to the other bridge an hour later, the army was there.
As an officer approached my car, I immediately rolled down my window. "What's wrong officer?" I asked innocently.
"We are blockading the city for military purposes Miss. You cannot leave. Please turn around and head elsewhere," he explained.
"But I live over there!!" I shouted. "My dad's going to kill me."
"Sorry Miss. Please follow the other cars back to a friend or family members house."
"But I have to get across. Is there any other way out?" I asked thinking of how much trouble I was going to be in with dad. Tears started to gather in my blue eyes.
"No. I advise you not to try. You will be in the same situation you are in now. Again I ask you to follow the other cars."
I turned my car onto a road beside the river that would lead me to a road that runs through the center of Newport and North Carolina. As I passed Jabo's Pharmacy, I felt my phone vibrating. "Dad?" I asked half afraid.
"Fear! Thank God. Lois, I got hold of her," he screamed.
"Dad, I can't cross any of the bridges," I began to explain.
"Its ok. We know. There is some kind of army around the town. Its all over the news. They say they're trying to contain some kind of disease epidemic," he continued. "They advise any in the town to gather supplies and head for shelter."
"The only people I know to stay with is Bree and Chris. What do I do?" I asked afraid.
"First off, go to Wal-Mart and get supplies to go camping with. You know the important things to get first food and such. They are going to let us send items over to our trapped kin tomorrow. Lenore and Lois are packing your clothes. Is there any thing specifically you want?"
A tear slid down my cheek. I wiped angrily at it. "How long did they say this was going to happen?" I asked.
"All the army will say is 'as long as it takes,' but don't worry you'll be fine. Just stay indoors till tomorrow. Now what do you want besides your clothes and books. They're already packed?" He asked hoping for the best.
"My photo albums with more pictures of everyone than it has in it, charger, pillows including the red and blue bull," I wiped again at the tears. "My hunting equipment. I already have my school things and laptop. Something to remind me of you and everyone else." I started crying now.
"Fear," he said, "listen to me. You are going to be fine. We are going to be fine. You will go do what I have told you and everything will be fine. And I don't want to hear from you till you are with Bree. Understand?" he asked in his fatherly voice.
"Yes," was all I could say to him.
"Good. Bye baby, love you," he said.
"Bye," I whispered as he hung up the phone.
Immediately I started going into hysteria fits of crying then yelling at my self then silence. After this I called Bree.
"Fear!" she exclaimed in to the phone. "Your dad just called! He told us about the blockade and everything! We are so worried for you!" she was not letting me interrupt her. "Tara is concentrating on the future, so far you find everything you look for. And Chris is locked in his room making it more you. And remember to get extra supplies there are four of us now."
"What have you got?" was the only thing I was allowed to ask.
"Well I don't know. Your dad said to remind you to get ammo. He said something about your the lugger or rugger something." I really doubted he would be able to sneak that past the army, but it was worth a try. "IDK. Anyway, you know what we need. That's what your dad said."
"Ok. Be there a.s.a.p." I said. "Bye."
"Bye." She said as we hung up.
Tara can only force herself to see up to twelve hours ahead of time. The consequence of pushing too far could kill her. Since the future is constantly changing, no one's vision is set in stone.
When I arrived at Wal-Mart, everything was complete chaos. People were looting everything from TV's to hairspray. I began my mission grabbing a buggy and running to the food section, then sporting goods, then the isle that had first aid kits, hand sanitizer, and a few other things three girls would need. As I left, with everything I needed. A brigade was coming I could only guess to protect their main resource which had just been vandalized.