71 Bears Paws (1/2)

Amanda and Sharon found the trail that would lead them to Skykomish in the nick of time: it was already getting dark. Within a few minutes, night had fallen; this made riding the bikes dangerous if not impossible. The trail was littered with debris that could cause bad damage both to the cycle and the cyclist.

The night was cloudy, and once it got dark visibility was next to nil. The bikes were equipped with wheel rim dynamo powered lights, but at low speed they emitted an orange glow that was more hindrance than help. Amanda also had a flashlight, but the batteries were so weak she was restricting its use to emergency situations.

She had attempted to buy fresh batteries, of course. But buying fresh, working batteries proved to be impossible. It was pretty much impossible to buy anything useful at all throughout Seattle. Anything that could be of use in the new reality was in great demand; Amanda suspected storekeepers were intentionally hiding what useful stock they had, too. They were waiting for the new currency, due to become legal tender in just a week's time.

On the other hand, there was never a better time for buying a major electrical appliance, or a new car. All car dealers insisted that the vehicle data transmission system would be fixed in the near future. In the meantime, here was a chance to acquire a top-of-the-line luxury vehicle at 10% of its standard price!

Of course, it would have to be towed home by horses, but having something like that parked in the driveway was every driver's dream. And once the VDT system was fixed - yes, of course, it would be fixed, everything would eventually get fixed and it would be just like the old times, before the catastrophe. No, better! There would be a rebound following the fall, a rebound of astronomical proportions. Just look at what happened to the world after World War II! Global prosperity on an unprecedented scale!

Many people bought into that very literally. During her battery search, Amanda had passed by several car dealerships and saw many cars proudly sporting SOLD stickers on their windshields. She reflected that it made a kind of perverse sense to spend money that was about to become useless on stupid, useless things.

What a change! Just a few months earlier, she'd been a rock star with fans all over the world. When she wanted to get somewhere in a hurry, she called her concierge service to arrange for a limousine and a private jet. And now she was stumbling in the darkness along a forest track on a winter night, cold and tired and increasingly hungry, burdened by the depressing knowledge that she still had a long way to go.

The trail wound its way along a broad stream; an hour into their journey, Amanda and Sharon crossed it over a narrow wooden bridge. They stopped for a short rest and it was a mistake: they became aware of all the sounds in the forest. There were mysterious rustlings, hisses, even a couple of muted snarls. It was better to keep moving, the noise they made along the way made a good deterrent, all wildlife was rightly frightened of noise that indicated human activity. Humans had proved themselves to be the most dangerous species that had ever existed in Earth's entire history. Staying clear of humans made good sense.

Shortly afterwards, they came to a short bridge over a creek and Sharon said they were halfway down the trail.

”So, how long before we get to your cousin's place?” asked Amanda.

”Well, first we'll get to this turnoff to a camping ground. That's where the trail changes into a dirt road, and we'll follow that until we hit railroad tracks. It's maybe half a kilometer along the tracks, and then we'll come across a proper blacktop road and we'll be there in ten minutes.”

”I asked about how long it will take from where we are right now,” Amanda said through clenched teeth.

”Two hours, I don't know, maybe three. Let's say three.”

”How about four?”

”No, less than four. For sure.”

”As long as we make it there before midnight.”

”Oh, for sure, I... Did you hear that?”

”What?”

”That sound right now.”

”Stop that silly whispering, and let's move on.”

”Amanda! Here it is again. Listen. Again! Maybe we should - ”

Although it was a very dark night, Amanda saw red. She whipped out the Glock from inside her parka, pointed it at the sky and fired a shot.

BANG!

The muzzle flash lit up Sharon's face for an instant. She looked so scared it was pitiful.

”That's taken care of any sounds now and in the future,” Amanda told her. ”Now get your ass in gear or I swear I'm going do something drastic. And you won't like it. Move!”

They did. They kept moving and reached the dirt road in under half an hour. It was good enough to get on their bikes, and to go fast enough for the lights to work properly. They got to the railway tracks in less than twenty minutes.

After not much more than an hour, they stopped in front of what Sharon said was her cousin's house. It was amazing what firing a gun could achieve.

The house was one of the first they'd come to. It was a big two-story building on a large lot that featured several parked vehicles. There was a large saloon and a station wagon and a wheeled tractor. Interestingly, there also was a police cruiser, parked next to the tractor.