Planning
A week later, Elmore and Ash sat around the dining table, sipping the last of their stored coffee. The quiet outside was unsettling, a sharp contrast to the vibrant wildlife sounds that used to fill the air around their country home. Now, the occasional cry of an animal felt ominous, like the wilderness was watching them, waiting.
"We're running low on supplies," Ash said, pushing her empty cup away. "We’ve got maybe another week of food, two if we stretch it. I don’t even want to think about water if the well pump dies."
Elmore nodded, his eyes scanning the window where the woods began to encroach on their property. “Power’s been out for most folks for two weeks. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the grid goes down. And it’s not like we can just run into town like everything’s normal. You’ve seen the roads, Ash. Every time we leave the house, there are fewer and fewer people around.”
“Do you think they’ve all left the state?” she asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
“Maybe. I mean, this state is 80% mountainous wilderness already. If people are scared and desperate, they’re either fleeing to the cities for some semblance of order or hiding out in places like this. But the longer we stay, the more I worry we’ll be left out here alone... with the wildlife turning on us.”
Ash sighed, rubbing her temples. “I noticed that too. The animals are more aggressive. Every time I walk out back, it feels like something’s watching. Do you think it’s connected to what’s happening with us? The Nexus?”
Elmore shrugged, his gaze distant. “It’s possible. The world’s changing, Ash. You’ve seen how weird everything’s gotten—the weather, the wildlife. Hell, even technology seems to be evolving on its own. If we stay out here, we’ll eventually have to deal with all of that.”
“So what do we do?” Ash asked. “Do we stay in the boonies, tough it out? Or do we head for a city, hope that there’s some kind of structure left? Because right now, staying out here feels just as dangerous.”
Elmore leaned back, running a hand through his beard. “I don’t know what’s safer anymore. Cities might have more people, but that means more people with... powers. People who could hurt us, steal from us, or worse. And we don’t even know if the cities are safe. The government’s cracking down on anyone who’s displaying anything out of the ordinary. They’re calling it a mutation, but we know better. It’s Aither. And it’s not going away.”
Ash nodded, chewing on her lip as she thought. “Maybe it’s worth checking the town first. See if there’s anything left to barter or trade for. Maybe buy some supplies—if money even means anything anymore. I could use [Silver Tongue] to keep us safe. Talk our way out of any bad situation, at least for a little while.”
Elmore grinned. “I’m not saying no to that. Your skill’s sound very useful. And if we have to talk our way through a tricky spot, I’m glad you’re the one doing it.”
She smiled but didn’t seem fully reassured. “You’re thinking of hunting, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” he admitted. “Might be the only way to keep food on the table if the stores are cleaned out. But that comes with its own risks. The animals out there aren’t acting normal. They’re bigger, more hostile. I’ve seen deer that shouldn’t be that size, and who knows what else is out there.”
Ash looked out the window, her worry evident. “So... we’ll try town first?”
Elmore nodded. “Yeah, together. We can’t risk splitting up. If we can trade for food or supplies, great. If not, we’ll figure out another way. But we’ll need the truck. I’ve been thinking—if I can get the old ‘64 Ford running again, I can switch it to diesel. That way, we can run it off almost anything we find, whether it’s motor oil, transmission fluid, whatever. It’ll give us transportation even if gas stations are empty.”
Ash raised an eyebrow. “You think you can do that?”
“I’ll figure it out,” Elmore said with determination. “We’ve got to be ready for anything. And the truck’s a tank—might as well use it.”
Ash nodded, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. “Okay. We’ll check out the town together. But, Elmore... if things are bad, we don’t linger. We leave, fast. I don’t want Edward in danger.”
Elmore reached across the table, placing his hand over hers. “Agreed. We’ll stay safe. Whatever it takes.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of the decision hanging heavy in the air. The future was uncertain, but they would face it together, no matter what awaited them in town or in the wild.
The ride to town
Elmore and Ash piled into their silver car, the familiar creak of the old doors echoing in the silence around them. As the engine sputtered to life, Elmore glanced at the gas gauge, frowning.
“Half a tank,” he muttered, shaking his head. “The gas stations are probably bone dry by now. Last time we went out, it wasn’t looking good.”
Ash buckled herself in, her eyes scanning the quiet road ahead. “We’ll make it to town,” she reassured him, though there was a hint of doubt in her voice. “We don’t have much choice, do we?”
Elmore sighed, pulling off down the narrow dirt road that wound its way through their little valley. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the familiar mountain air hung heavy around them, but something felt off—like the world was growing over itself faster than it should. As they passed the scattered homes of their neighbors, Elmore noticed the grass and weeds overtaking yards, creeping up porches, and spilling over driveways.
“That’s strange…” Ash said softly, nodding toward a house. The living room window had been shattered, but not by vandals. Inside, they could see what looked like a houseplant—grown to a monstrous size, filling the entire room. Its vines twisted out of the broken window, stretching toward the sunlight.
Elmore grunted. “Looks like nature’s reclaiming things faster than I thought.”
A few houses down, a dog stood gnawing on a tree stump that had been chopped years ago. Now, it was growing back, fresh shoots pushing out of the wood. The tree had to be at least ten feet taller than it had been the last time Elmore saw it.
Ash shivered. “Everything’s changing. Even the plants.”
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“Yeah. Let’s just hope the people haven’t changed as much as everything else.”
They continued up the mountain road, the car climbing steadily. It was a peaceful drive, all things considered, but the eerie quiet of the valley made it hard to relax. Elmore fiddled with the radio, searching for any news. Most stations were static, dead air or pre-recorded loops of old broadcasts. Finally, he found one with a signal.
A news anchor’s voice crackled through the speakers. “Reports continue to come in about individuals displaying strange, mutant-like abilities. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to local law enforcement. Some communities are already taking matters into their own hands, forming neighborhood watches and dealing with mutants on their own terms. Vigilante justice, while not encouraged, is becoming more common in areas without a strong police presence…”
Ash frowned. “That’s not a good sign.”
Elmore grimaced, switching the station. “No, it’s not. And with the gas shortages, things are only gonna get worse.”
The station next talked about shortages, the possibility of power restoration in two weeks, and general updates about the slow-moving crisis. The promise of the power grid coming back was small comfort, but at least it was something.
“Maybe we’ll have power again,” Elmore muttered, trying to find a silver lining. “Though I’m not holding my breath.”
Finally, he settled on a country music station. The soft twang of guitars and the familiar hum of a soothing melody filled the car, easing some of the tension between them as they climbed higher toward town.
As they reached the top of the hill, Elmore slowed the car, and they both stared at the gas station ahead. The sign for gas prices had been hastily updated, the numbers absurdly high.
“Forty-five dollars a gallon?” Ash blurted, her eyes wide. “That’s insane.”
Elmore parked the car and leaned back in his seat, rubbing his face. “We’ve got five grand left after I emptied the bank. That’s it.”
Ash looked down at her hands, worry flickering in her eyes. “It’s going to run out fast. We’re going to have to make this trip count.”
“Yeah,” Elmore said quietly. “We need to be careful. Real careful.”
The shopping trip
Elmore and Ash were both surprised to see that most of the stores in town were still open. Despite the chaos outside, businesses hadn’t completely shuttered yet. Some had jacked up their prices in response to shortages, while others were practically giving things away. It was a strange, almost surreal atmosphere—like a quiet before a storm.
Elmore steered the car toward the hardware store first, pulling into the nearly empty lot. They both stepped out, eyeing the storefront as if expecting something to be off. But as they walked inside, they found the store well-stocked, with only a few people browsing.
“This is... odd,” Ash said quietly as they moved through the aisles.
Elmore nodded. “Yeah. Figured there’d be more panic buying.”
The shelves were still surprisingly full, especially with car parts. Elmore’s mind quickly shifted gears. He had a diesel engine at home that he’d been meaning to swap into his old ‘64 Ford. Now seemed like the perfect time to make the change, given the uncertainty of when or if they’d find gas again.
He grabbed a cart and began picking through the parts he’d need—belts, hoses, gaskets, light bulbs, anything that would wear out over time. The prices were shockingly low, and by the time he’d filled the cart, he was feeling almost suspicious.
The man behind the counter looked bored as he rang up Elmore’s items. “Owner’s tryin’ to clear shop,” he explained. “Leavin’ state soon as he can. Doesn’t expect anyone to come buyin’ hardware when they’re scramblin’ for food.”
Elmore blinked, then smiled. “That makes sense. Well, I’ll take advantage of it while I can.”
Ash leaned against the counter, giving the man a sweet smile. “You think you could give us a little better price? We’re trying to stock up before things get worse.”
When Ash spoke Elmore faintly noticed what seems like a glow from Ash's mouth but only a split second and so faint it's almost imperceptible.
The man scratched his head, then shrugged. “I’ll knock off another fifty bucks. Why not?”
Elmore shot her a grateful look as they finished the transaction, the total coming out to only $250 for everything. Three trips later, after loading the trunk of the car with enough spare parts to keep the truck running for possibly decades, they drove off to the next stop—groceries.
This time, the situation was different. The grocery store wasn’t nearly as well-stocked. Shelves were bare in many places, and the few remaining carts were being pushed by desperate people scrambling for whatever they could find. Prices were sky-high for staples—bread, canned goods, and meat were either gone or ridiculously expensive.
They spent nearly an hours going aisle by aisle, and even after filling their cart with what little they could find, it wasn’t enough. The store was practically picked clean. After paying, they drove to another store—and then another. Seven stores later, they had just enough supplies to last a few weeks, but Elmore was calculating the cost in his head.
“Seventeen hundred,” he muttered, shaking his head. “That leaves us with only thirty-one hundred left.”
Ash tried talking the prices down at each stop, but while it had worked at the hardware store, the grocery stores were a different story. The cashiers seemed helpless to do anything about it. Corporate prices were set higher by those above, and no amount of charm could bring it down.
“We’re going to have to be real careful from here on out,” Ash said, her voice tight with concern.
Elmore nodded, loading the last of the bags into the trunk. “Yeah. We’ll have to make everything stretch. And it looks like I’ll be learning how to bake. Good thing no one else seems to want raw flour and yeast.”
Ash chuckled lightly, though her worry was still apparent. “You’ll do fine. Besides, with your Aither abilities, maybe you’ll make the best bread in the world. if not I know how to do it”
Elmore smiled, but it was thin, more out of resolve than humor. As they drove back home, the weight of their situation hung over them.
Wally world
As they loaded up the last of the groceries into the car, Elmore looked over the stuffed trunk and back seat, then turned to Ash. "Well, we’re packed full, but I think we should make one more trip. Get some other supplies while we still can."
Ash bit her lip, clearly anxious. "You sure? I mean, we’ve already been out all day... and what if someone comes by while we're gone?"
Elmore chuckled softly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Ditzy will protect the house. She’s a good girl. We’ll be in and out quick."
Ash hesitated, but then sighed and nodded. "You’re probably right."
The ride home was peaceful, with country music drifting through the car. Ash hummed along quietly, and Edward babbled in the back, cheerfully playing with his little wooden block. Elmore noticed with a smile that the block now had several carvings etched into it, simple little designs reminiscent of the spider-web shapes he’d been seeing in his Nexus system. Edward had been holding onto that block all week, and though it was a small thing, it felt significant somehow.
When they pulled into the driveway, Elmore hopped out and stretched. Ditzy, their loyal, dopey-looking dog, bounded over to greet them. Elmore gave her a scratch behind the ears. "Watch the house, girl. Don’t let anybody take anything, okay?"
To his surprise, Ditzy looked him directly in the eyes and… nodded her head.
Elmore froze, his hand still on the dog’s head. Ash, noticing the silence, looked over. "Did… did she just…?"
They both stared at Ditzy, who then flopped her tongue out of her mouth and resumed her usual goofy demeanor, rolling over onto her back for belly rubs.
Ash raised an eyebrow at Elmore, who shrugged. "Happenstance, maybe?" he offered.
"Maybe," she echoed, though neither seemed convinced.
After unloading everything into the house, they reloaded into the car and headed back to town for their final stop of the day—the one place they both dreaded: Wally World. The massive, sprawling store was the biggest one in the area, and they both knew it would be busy.
As they pulled into the packed lot, Ash sighed. "This place is always a circus."
Elmore gave a small nod. "Yeah, but it’s also where we’ll find what we need."
They parked and made their way inside, dodging the crowd of people pushing carts and grabbing items from shelves. Despite the chaos, Elmore couldn’t help but notice something strange. Some sections were entirely bare, while others seemed fully stocked, like the trucks had just arrived. Corporate efficiency at its finest.
“Of course, the wealthy are gonna sap what they can from the poor, especially during a crisis,” Elmore muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
He grabbed a cart, Ash grabbed another, and they started stocking up on tools and outdoor supplies. He headed to the gardening section first, grabbing a new mattock, a pick, a sturdy shovel, and a folding hand shovel. Then he filled the cart with as many seeds as he could find—vegetables, herbs, anything that could help them grow their own food. A few small fruit trees found their way into the cart as well.
Ash followed behind, her cart growing fuller with each pass. They added odds and ends, basic outdoor cookware, and things for fishing, like extra line and hooks. Elmore made sure to pick up a couple of cheap machetes, a quality hatchet, and a knife combo, just in case.
By the time they were done, both carts were packed to the brim. Ash was barely able to push hers. "I think we’ve got enough to survive a nuclear winter," she quipped, trying to ease her anxiety.
Elmore laughed. "Well, we might have to at this rate."
As they rolled the carts toward the checkout, their good mood was dampened by the total. The cashier rang everything up, and the price flashed on the screen—$2,000. Elmore winced. He looked at Ash, knowing this was going to be a stretch.
Ash, ever quick on her feet, immediately tried to talk the cashier down. "Look, it’s an emergency. The world’s falling apart, and people need supplies. You shouldn’t be charging these prices in times like this."
The cashier frowned. "Sorry, ma’am, prices are set by corporate. Nothing I can do."
But Ash wasn’t having it. With a fiery look in her eyes, she demanded to speak to the manager. Elmore shot her an amused smile as she launched into a long-winded, impassioned rant about the moral responsibility of businesses during crises.
The manager, a tired-looking man, finally sighed and nodded. "Okay, okay. I can take off a bit, but don’t expect much. We still have to stay in business."
After a few more exchanges, they managed to get the total down to $1,500, leaving Elmore with only $1,600 left from the money they had. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
As they loaded up the car once more, Elmore grinned at Ash. "That was some inspired work in there."
Ash smirked, leaning against the car. "You know me. Always looking for a way to get a better deal."
Again Elmore noticed a faint glow from ashes mouth but decided against mentioning it yet.
With everything packed and ready, they headed home, their supplies now bolstered for whatever was coming next. But even as they drove away from the store, Elmore couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that things were about to get much, much worse.