How It All Ended

Chapter 8

I didn't really know how to respond to what Jonathan told me. I just blurted out, "How'd they take Shauna?"

"Tommy's group managed to break into the place one day, and they grabbed her when she was down here. I tried to help out Shauna, but one of Tommy's lackeys managed to knock me out. When I came to, they were all gone."

"Damn," I sighed. "So that's what the group was doing out there today? Telling you what they were planning to do to Shauna?"

Jonathan gave me a solemn nod. "Yep. They told me that they would kill Shauna, unless..."

"Unless what?" I asked Jonathan.

"I give them their food back."

"Then just give the food back to them, Jonathan."

"If it were that simple."

"Why isn't it?"

"Most of the food's gone. That's why. And no, I didn't eat all of it. Other survivors needed it more than I did."

I rubbed my forehead. "Let me guess, this is the part where you're gonna ask me to try and help?"

Jonathan shook his head. "Nope. We just met. Why would I do that?"

"Good point. So you're just gonna let Shauna die then?"

"No. I'm trying to think of something I can do."

"Since you're not asking me, I guess I'll just volunteer then."

Jonathan objected. "Dominik, you don't have to do that."

"Is Shauna important to you?"

"Very. Shauna's stuck by me through thick and thin. She was the first employee I hired here at the bar. We're close friends, and I don't want to lose her. Shauna left here to try and get to her apartment. She wound up coming back when she saw that her roommates just took off without her." Jonathan answered, wiping a tear from his face. "Sorry."

"It's fine. I get it," I responded. I decided that I should try and change the topic. "So, Jon, do you know anything about what happened to the world?"

"Not particularly. Everyone's gone crazy. I know that much. I did hear that the power grid's been completely wiped out. The backups too. It's all gone, Dom."

"I sighed, "Damn."

"Other than that, I don't know a damn thing. What about you?"

"I was on my way home from work, this 'shockwave' appeared over the horizon and made its way through the area."

Jonathan's eyes grew wide. "You saw it too, Dom?"

"Yeah."

"It was some freaky shit, wasn't it?"

"You got that right."

"Do you live around here?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Well, I did. I was out and about trying to locate that damn aid station. Maybe find some more food."

"Yeah, you mentioned that station before. What's with this aid station?"

"A friend of mine and myself, we ran into another survivor out there. A guy named Cal. He mentioned to us that there was a military aid station on Hartwell road."

"Hmm. Interesting," Jon replied. "I've been stuck here since all this began. I've never heard anything about an aid station."

"How many people have you talked to since this all started, Jon?"