Part 16: May 22 - On Guard

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While the second group of children collected their supplies at the store, Sam and Tim stood at the front of the store, keeping an eye out the front windows and discussing what needed to be done to keep the children safe from the teens in South Bend.

Nancy walked back to the front of the store. “Will those teenagers come to the campus?” she asked Sam and Tim.

Tim answered, “They won’t leave South Bend as long as they have that war game and food. As long as that game works, they have everything they want, and they have no reason to leave town.”

Carl and Don walked toward the front of the store with three shopping carts full of firearms and ammunition.

“What are you going to do with all of those?” Nancy exclaimed in horror.

“I’ll drop most of these off at the hospital,” Carl responded coolly. “If those kids go anywhere, they’ll go to the hospital for drugs. Until we can figure out what to do about those kids, I’m afraid this will be a necessary evil.” Carl turned to Don. “Let’s get these on the bus so we can deliver them to the hospital before our kids start to load up their supplies.”

As they walked to the bus, Carl motioned for Tim to follow. “Tim, what makes you so sure that those teens won’t come to the campus or hospital?”

“As I told Mrs. Jackson and the others, as long as they’re linked into that game and have food, they won’t be a threat to the hospital or campus.” Tim shrugged.

“But Sam and Emily told us they were attacking people in the street. Is that part of that game?” Carl looked at Tim quizzically.

“They would go play those games, and then they would go out and continue to play-act—if that’s what you call it—in the street. A group of them killed our little dog one night. But the main transmission source is in South Bend, and there’s no game room in Pine Ridge, Elmwood, or on campus.” Tim continued, “The teens are in South Bend because that’s where the local game room and transmission station are located. I just can’t understand how that game is still running when the rest of the net is down.”

Carl frowned. “Well, I want to be ready just in case.” He turned and wheeled the cart full of firearms away to deliver to the hospital.