This Crappy Life (Season One)

Episode Twenty Three

Ushering Suzie and Grant into the laundry room, I handed Mindy over to Grant. I glanced around the small space, trying to locate what Thomas had left for me. I had a suspicion it was a gun. I could only hope.

Just as I spotted one of our thick comforters hanging over the side of the washing machine, the pounding on the door repeated as someone hollered from outside.

"I'm coming." Jim let out a heavy cough as he hollered. "Hold your horses. I can't move like I used to."

Grabbing the blanket, I threw it at Suzie. "Cover Mindy's ears and cover yourselves up. You guys have to stay quiet and hide. Grant, you too. If anything happens, I need you to take care of Suzie and Mindy."

"I will." Grant's lips pressed together as he nodded, pointing at the washing machine. "Thomas hid it behind there."

"What?" I asked.

"The gun," Grant whispered.

Thank God. Thomas had thought of this situation.

Suzie crawled under the counter, which was as far away from the door as she could get. Grant handed Mindy over to Suzie and crept in next to her. Grant covered the three of them up with the blanket, but they were still easy to spot.

I looked around for anything I could add to make them inconspicuous. We were a clean family before, so there wasn't much to cover them with, but there were a few large flattened Amazon boxes that Mom liked to have on hand. I quickly pulled them out and unfolded them, placing them haphazardly around their hiding spot. When I finished, it looked like a mess, but I couldn't see them anymore.

I grabbed my gun from behind the washer and shut the door as quietly as I could, effectively snuffing every bit of light from the room.

"What if they want to hurt us?" Suzie's whisper trembled as Mindy cooed. I could hear Suzie beginning to hyperventilate.

"Calm down, Baby. I won't let them take you or Mindy." Grant whispered to Suzie. "They won't even know we're here if we're quiet."

"They won't find you. I hid you really well." I said into the darkness. "Just be quiet and don't come out, no matter what you hear. Protect Mindy. She's important, Su. Hold it together."

"Okay." Suzie's whisper was squeaky.

"I'll protect them," Grant whispered, resolute.

"I'm going to hold you to that. Now, please be quiet." Knowing Grant would take care of them made me feel better, but he was still young. He could learn though. He'd already proven that. And if this was how the new world worked, we all had a lot to learn.

"Where's your sick?" A husky voice said from somewhere in the house.

Crap. They were inside.

"Torched them. Last week." Jim said nonchalantly.