- Spring 2030 Washington D.C.

“Ow, what the hell was that for?” Grady asked rubbing his face from the slap he had just received.

“You. You and your damn ilk, that is why we are here, now!” Sabine screamed, as she fell to her knees, still feeling tremendously weak from her journey.

“Jesus, what are you doing, talking in code or something? Am I supposed to read your mind? What are you talking about me and my ilk?”

“You know God damn well what I am talking about you bastard. You were in the Trenholm administration. You ­­­­­­­­­­– “

“Using the Lord’s name in vain I see”

“Did you not just use Jesus’ name in vain?”

“Christ woman, just get to the point.”

“As I said, you were in the Trenholm administration.”

“What does that have to do with anything. Trenholm was a bastard, but – wait, do you think he had anything to do with this?” Grady asked, waving his arms around to the snow-covered landscape.

“Yes, it was you people who unleashed this mess, I know you were fiddling around with –”

“No woman, you have it all wrong. You don’t even know a damn thing you are talking about. Who the hell are you anyway? How do you know me?”

Sabine fully sat down, feeling quite lightheaded. She really did appreciate the fire, but she wished that the person sitting across from her was just about anyone else on Earth.

“I --, I am a professor, or rather was before all of this.”

“Oh for crying out loud, well that explains it. I should have left you in the snow, this planet would be better off without you.”

“I think you have this all twisted Grady, the planet would quite literally be better off without you and your administration.”

“My administration? MY ADMINISTRATION!” Grady’s voice was rising in anger.

“If that had been my administration, do you really think it would have been run like that?” 

“You chose to be a part of it, have you forgotten that?”

“That damn administration represented the socialists better than it represented me.” Grady sat down and sighed in frustration.

“OK, well you were a part of it, whether Trenholm did things the way you liked. It still represented you.”

“Woman –”

“Sabine. My name is Sabine, not woman.”

“Fine, Sabine. Trenholm didn’t just go about things in a way I didn’t like. He railroaded his way through every damn principle I hold. By the end, right before the event I mean –”

“The ‘event’, is that what you are calling this?”

“Yeah, that is right. Anyway, at the time of the event Trenholm didn’t represent me at all and I was ready to be done with him. I even was about to hand in my resignation when it happened.”

“Sure, sure. I imagine that is what everyone will say when we have the tribunals.”

“Tribunals? You really think we will have tribunals? Look around you. There is nothing left of the old society. And frankly, good riddance. We didn’t need the damn government anyway.”

“So, you prefer anarchy?”

“Look, I was a Nozick libertarian before the event, but since then I have been just fine. I don’t think we need the government at all.”

“You really have become an anarchist. I, I can’t even with you.”

“What is wrong with anarchy? I have been doing just fine. No government whatsoever. What is there to miss? Being told what to do? Them confiscating things what I have earned for no reason?”

Sabine’s eyes began to droop.

“What about protection Grady. Can’t you see at a minimum the government maintained order and now all that is gone?”

“I have this, and that is all I need.” Grady said, pointing at his gun.

“Seriously? You really believe that? What about the gangs?”

“Gangs? What gangs are you talking about woman.”
“Sabine!”

“Excuse me. Sabine.”

“I am talking about the violent roving gangs. I haven’t seen a single individual who has been able to stand up to them. Everyone who has tried has just died. Why do you think I am here risking it all in the high radiation zone?”

“Hold on one minute there Sabine. Are you telling me there are roving gangs of armed men –”

“And women.”

“Ok, armed gangs of men and women, who are  mucking about?”

“Yes Grady. Are you really that thick? Where have you been staying anyway?”

“Over in that area, maybe 2 miles or so.” Grady gestured in the direction of his shelter.

“Over there? Really?” Sabine asked.

“Yes. What is wrong with over there?”

“It’s just –” Sabines eyes drooped more.

“It’s just, I didn’t think anyone would survive very long there. I mean when our guy measured the radiation there he said it was too high, unless you sheltered underground essentially the whole time. That was why we stayed away, well until now anyway.”

“Woah now, hold on. There is going to be more of you pests coming here?”

“We have no choice, we are running out of supplies and food.” Sabine said weakly.

“So you are telling me, there is going to be a band of you idiots coming here in my area? And probably followed by a gang of armed men?” Grady asked.

Sabine didn’t respond. Here eyes were completely closed at this point. Grady could see her chest rising and falling, but it was clear she was no longer conscious. Grady walked over and pulled a blanket over her, realizing it was probably useless to try and get any more information out of her.

So, Grady was just left to his thoughts. And he had a lot to think about. Did people really think the Trenholm administration did all of this? How much do people know of the behind the scenes technology usage? And perhaps a more immediate problem, what about these roving gangs that Sabine was speaking about?

Grady got up, a bit more cautiously this time, and reached over to grab some more wood to slap on the fire. He scanned the surroundings as he picked up a piece of wood. Nothing out of the ordinary was within sight. Satisfied, Grady threw the piece of wood on the fire.

Then something else came to mind too. What was the meaning of this high radiation zone? Was he really living inside of one? Grady had the feeling Sabine felt he should have three arms or something.

Grady reached down to touch Sabine. She seemed warm enough now. Unfortunately, she wasn’t of much use to him unconscious. He felt the need to prepare himself for a potential meeting with them. Most of his supplies were well hidden of course, but Grady always liked to be well prepared. None of those bastards would be taking anything of his without a fight that he knew for sure.  

Grady reached down to grab more wood as the flames were slowly creeping lower. He realized this was the last little armload he had. And in this weather that certainly wasn’t going to be enough to keep the two of them alive. Another trip to the hardware store was in line.

After piling the last pieces of wood on the fire, Grady briefly watched the flames climb higher into the air. Fire had always mesmerized him. There was something simplistic, worldly about it. Then he was up, this time making sure to sling his gun over his shoulder, heading back to his newly found stash of wood.

Grady made several trips back and forth to the store, dragging as much wood as he could each trip while also splitting and chopping into strips of proper size. He was sure to set a bit more wood on the fire each time to ensure the fire would not go out before his return.

After his most recent trip, Grady stared down at his pile, which at this point had become impressive. Sizing up the pile, Grady decided that one more load ought to do it for the night at least. And frankly he didn’t plan on staying here any longer than necessary. Once Sabine was up and, on her way, it would be back to the shelter for him.

As he stepped back into the store an idea hit him. On her way to where? Might she want to stay with an old grump like himself? He had plenty of meat and other supplies and it sounded like her group wasn’t surviving too well anyway. And though she hadn’t made a good impression on him to start with, it did feel nice to finally be talking to someone, or anyone really.

“Ah, that is all crazy talk.” Grady said to himself aloud.

He didn’t need to be with anyone else, he was just fine on his own. Wasn’t he?

Grady reached down and grabbed a couple more boards to drag with him back to the makeshift hut. He was taking it easier now, not trying to carry too much with him. There was no need to rush anymore, Sabine was safe and warm, and she just needed to sleep off the trauma.

Just as Grady reached the edge of the store with his boards, his head shot up and to the side. What was that noise?

He heard something, it was faint at first but seemed to be growing louder. But the sound went away. Was it just his imagination?

When he was satisfied that it was in fact just his imagination, Grady dragged the boards closer to the hut. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the sky light up. Grady dropped the boards and grabbed at the gun hanging off his shoulder. He aimed the scope toward the sky.

“That’s a flare!”

He dragged the boards more quickly now toward the hut and listening to the sounds in the distance. They seemed to be getting a bit louder now, and he was certain now that what he was hearing was gunshots.

Grady jumped in the hut as he arrived, and peering over the edge of the hut with his gun scope he scanned the horizon.