Free Then Came War by Jacqueline Druga Page A

Tyler’s back. “I don’t think it was they didn’t want to take you. I think they just assumed I was taking you.”
    “Did you tell them that?”
    Harry hesitated before answering. “Actually I did. I said I was taking you home to your mother.”
    “That’s good. I’m glad you’re taking me, Harry,” Tyler said. “You’re nice.”
    “I hope.”
    “Are you a grandfather?”
    “Yes, I am.”
    “Do your grandkids live near you?”
    “No.” Harry shook his head. “No they don’t. They live all over the place.”
    “Then maybe they’re safe.”
    “I hope.”
    “Do you mind me talking?” Tyler asked.
    “Not at all. You just keep talking. It’ll make time pass faster.”
    Tyler nodded; bit his sandwich and then after a brief pause asked. “What do you think happened, Harry? Do you think it was Aliens?”
    “Aliens? You mean like Mexicans?”
    Tyler laughed. “No. like outer space.”
    “Nah, it wasn’t outer space. I think if it was, it would be worse. I mean if the aliens can travel here, then they can hit us a lot harder.”
    “Then what was it?”
    “I don’t know. I can guess. I think. . . I think some people may have gotten mad at us and they’re here to pick a fight.”
    “Will it work? Will we fight?”
    Harry took a deep breath. “I hope we do.”
     
     

CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
    The honking horn led Foster and Abby. They followed the sound ten blocks from where they were initially headed in a totally opposite direction. The horn would start, stop, and do a pattern. It was without a doubt someone honking it.
    Finally they locked in on a location on the horn. It grew louder as they turned the corner,
    Had they not been so engrossed in running and finding out the source of the perpetual horn beeping, they might have noticed they had stopped seeing bodies.
    They were not expecting what they saw.
    Instead of massive amounts of bodies, there were massive amounts of people. Their moans and cries had been drowned out by the horn. Some held their heads and sat on the ground, while most wandered aimlessly, arms extended reaching at the air.
    Foster and Abby slowed down their pace and walked to the car where a man still beeped the horn.
    His back was to them and Foster reached into the car.
    “Sir,” Foster called to him. “Sir.”
    The man kept beeping the horn.
    Abby reached out her hand, laying it on his arm. The man quickly swatted her way.
    Despite the beeping, he spoke and did so loudly, almost unnaturally loud. “Whoever is touching me, back off! I’m trying to get help here.”
    “Help for what?” Abby asked.
    He didn’t respond.
    Foster grabbed hold of him. “Sir!” he spoke loudly.
    The man stopped beeping the horn.
    “Sir, what’s happened here?” Foster asked.
    No reply.
    Again, Foster tried, only this time he yelled. “What’s happened here?”
    Slowly, the man retracted his hand and turned around.
    His eyes were not only blood shot, but stained with dried blood. Blood that streaked his face like tears.
    His hand reached out and his fingers trailed over Foster’s face. “Can you see?”
    “Yes,” Foster said. Then he noticed the man wasn’t focusing on anything, his eyes just blinked and shifted about.
    “Speak up. I can barely hear,” the man, who was barely older than forty requested.
    “I can see!” Foster said. “What happened here!”
    The man sighed. It sounded almost like a laugh of excitement and disbelief. “Thank God. Thank God.” He touched Foster’s face. “Help us. Please. We’re all blind.”
    Hearing his words, both Abby and Foster turned around to look at the people. How did they not notice, how did they not put two and two together? Everyone whether reaching out or sitting still had blood streaked faces.
    What had happened to them all?
    ***
    Ben recalled when he first introduced his mother to Lana’s mother. He suspected they would hit it off and become the best of friends. He was not wrong. Both women came from the same stock, the same