Free Flare by Paul Grzegorzek Page B

the street, empty beer cans littered around their feet as they watched us pass.
    “I think the long way might have been better”.
    He nodded, his face grim.
    “Think you might be right, but too late now”.
    As I looked up at the houses, I could see faces pressed to the windows, the whole street seemingly watching us pass.  Ralph put his foot down, taking the next turn and I sighed with relief as they disappeared from view.
    The street we were on, however, seemed little better.  Two lads in their twenties were cycling towards us, bulging backpacks slung over their shoulders and scarves pulled up over their faces despite the heat.
    “No points for guessing what they’ve been doing”, I said as we passed them, their looks changing from challenging stares to open fear as I hefted the shotgun.
    Ralph just shook his head, saying nothing, and took the next turn into a street that seemed tidier, the houses slightly larger and the gardens well looked after.
    “This is it, number 24”, he said, pulling over and looking up and down the street before getting out.
    I followed suit a little more clumsily, trying to keep my weight on my good leg, hold the shotgun and look around to make sure we were safe at the same time.
    There was no one in the street, although I could smell barbecuing meat from not too far away and hear the faint buzz of conversation.  Several of the houses, however, looked as though they’d been broken into, doors yawning wide and windows smashed.
    Having decided that we were relatively safe, Ralph marched up to the door of the nearest house and knocked loudly.  I followed more cautiously, still looking around to make sure that no one was watching us.
    “Emily, it’s Dad”, he called, face pressed to the glass of the front door, “I’ve come to take you home”.
    After a few moments, I saw a shape through the glass as someone approached from the other side, then the door opened on the chain.  I couldn’t see past Ralph, but from the smile on his face I knew it had to be Emily.
    The door closed again and then opened hurriedly, a hand beckoning us inside.
    “Get in, quick”, she said from behind the door, “it’s not safe outside”.
    Ralph hurried in and I followed, Emily closing the door behind us.  I turned and stuck out my hand to introduce myself, but instead of shaking hands with the dowdy, fifty-something school-teacher type I’d been expecting, I found myself face to face with an attractive woman of athletic build who was several years younger than me, with short brown hair and hazel eyes that looked me up and down challengingly.
    “I don’t mean to be rude”, she said to her father, ignoring my hand, “but who the hell is this?”
    For the first time since I’d met him, Ralph looked uncomfortable.
    “Emily, this is Malco lm, er, Malc, he calls himself.  He and his friend Jerry pitched up in our barn last night and your mum decided to take them in against my better judgement.  Turns out they’re ok, though, we used Jerry’s car to get here and Malc agreed to come and help”.
    She switched her gaze back to me and I felt like a fly under a microscope.  Her eyes dropped to the shotgun, then travelled down to my ankle, the bandages showing above the tongue of my trainer.  Finally, she shrugged and held out her hand.
    “Hi, Emily.  Sorry to be rude but the last twelve hours have been… difficult.  No one knows what’s happening, but there are no police anywhere and some of my neighbours have started helping themselves to anything or anyone who takes their fancy.  I’ve been barricaded in my bedroom most of the day, listening to them going from house to house.  I’ve got no idea what’s happened”.
    “It was a solar flare”, I said, “my friend Jerry is an astrophysicist, he can explain it properly when we get back.  Which we’d better do as soon as we can if things are as bad here as you say”.
    I looked meaningfully at the door and she nodded.
    “I’ve packed a