Drive to Town

I could forget my worries of not seeing anybody else if it wasn’t for the abandoned vehicles and eerie quietness. Usually, I can hear cars, horns, and people, but I only hear the wind as I continue driving.

The truck has almost a full tank of gas, so that is something I don’t have to worry about yet. I pass a black truck going the opposite direction of me, I slam on the brakes and jump out, but the truck is already miles up the road. I sigh and slump my shoulders. The one person I've seen in days, and they’re gone.

“What is going on?” I mutter as I climb back into the truck. My mind keeps thinking back to the weirdness of everything. I saw one person and they were clearly in a hurry. I think about how this road would have been busy just a week ago. I wasn't focused on the road, and I had to slam on breaks as I came across a utility pole lying across the street. I look at the pole on the ground. I can't see what made it fall, but it goes all the way across the road.

There’s enough room on one side of the road that the truck can fit. I decide to drive around it. I was expecting the side of the road to be hard-packed, but I was surprised to find that it was mud. I leave tracks in the mud and on the street until the mud flies off. I drive towards town. After a while, the city comes into view. The lights are off, but I can see where the windows are because of the sun’s reflection against them.

I stare at her for a minute, wondering if this is some elaborate prank. I think back to the lack of electricity I have experienced over the past few days, so I know she’s probably not lying.

“You seem to be struggling with that bag a bit; want a lift?” I decided to help her after she helped me, and I want to bring her with me. If she is telling the truth then this will be a nice favor. If she is lying, then she might decline the ride, or I might be able to convince her to tell me the truth once she knows I caught on.

I give her a ride to the square, and we talk along the way.

"Since everything is down, people have been unsure what to do. Nobody paid attention to the dam, but it was left open. The water is rushing out and causing flooding in areas. The rivers are wider than normal, but at least for now, we have water, I guess." She worked at the dam. They were filtering water when the solar flare hit. The machines stopped working, and they couldn't close them.

She continues to fill me in with what I want to believe is the truth. The first day was the worst. People thought it was an apocalypse and decided to do what they "needed" to for survival. People stole food and supplies from each other. The military came in on the second day. They explained what was going on and that they were working on fixing everything. To keep tensions between people low, they distribute necessities in the square and reassure people.

We continue to the square. Once we got there I could see the military. There were men in uniform, all of which were armed. People seemed timid, but they were giving out food and blankets. People seemed to be conquering their feelings of uneasiness to get materials from them. The lady was telling the truth.