After overseeing the shutdown of the Twin Cities' HFS restaurants, Danica shopped at several hardware and grocery stores, amassing a collection of batteries, battery-powered lights, a camp stove and fuel for it, tools and nonperishable food. She saw a few other people buying heavily, especially at the Kowalski's Markets which was the last store she visited. She drove to Maplewood with her cargo and on arrival at Judy's house found her firstborn, Timmy, transferring boxes from their Plymouth Reliant wagon to a dolly. She noticed a big bag of quicklime in the cargo compartment.
Quicklime! Danica had seen a demonstration of its potential firestarter reaction with water in senior high school. It would be a useful emergency sanitizer.
Timmy, who had a week to go until his 12th birthday, made eye contact and said, "Aunt Dani! Mom says something bad's going on and we need to prepare." He had the look and tone of an adventurer.
Timmy's twin sisters Nancy and Naomi, who were four years younger than Timmy, scampered out of the house. Judy was right behind them. The faces of all three lit with smiles. All three children were thin, but Judy had the heavy build that so many busy moms seem to get while raising a few kids.
Danica traded hugs and noticed the serious look in Judy's eyes. Judy said, "Kids, put the food away. Aunt Dani and I will take the quicklime to the shed."
As the two carried the hundred-pound bag Danica said, "I bought a lot of stuff to share with you. There really is a killer germ in Texas and maybe elsewhere."
Judy said, "Definitely elsewhere. One of my co-workers has relatives in Arkansas. Little town called Shoyo. It's saturated with flu and many have died, including the sheriff. Before going he was so delirious that he deputized a deaf-mute who never lived in Arkansas."
"My boyfriend and my boss are near what appears to be ground zero in Texas. They say it's horrible as can be, with people dying like flies."
They arrived at the shed and put the bag near rakes and shovels. The twins ran near, screaming in a carefree way as Timmy, growling like a wolf, chased them.
"You three go in the house and set the table," Judy snapped. "Your aunt and I will join you shortly. We all need to talk."
The joy left all three. Danica's eye contact with them might have been as effective as Judy's voice, because her eyes were close to overflowing. The two men she admired the most were sick, many others were dying or dead, and the government was covering up.
Why? she thought, and then tears did flow.