Page 119 of Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

“Sure do,” said Ford. “Been here many times. I’ll make sure the ladies get where they need to go.”

“Well, okay then.” The man continued to frown, but went back to leaning on the SUV.

The three of them walked briskly away. Mercury shielded her eyes as she looked up into a bright sky made all the more brilliant by the distant clouds of smoke and snow that surrounded them.

“Why is it not all smoky here?” Mercury asked as they walked down the sidewalk in front of the school and then took a right toward the heart of downtown Madras, which was only a few blocks away.

“I think we’re just having a temporary reprieve because of wind patterns mixed with rain. We’re also very lucky those bombs didn’t go off a few months from now, when we’d been in the middle of Oregon’s fire season. We had a wet winter and early spring. If not, most of the state would be an inferno right now.”

Stella shivered. “That sounds awful.”

“Yeah, for sure. Wildfires are scary,” agreed Ford. “Hey, what’s going on over there?”

They’d come to the intersection of what the lopsided street signs proclaimed were Fifth and E Streets. In the middle of Fifth Street, white tents had been pitched. People walked up and down the street, stopping at the tents. There weren’t a lot of people—Mercury quickly counted fifty or so—but if it hadn’t been for the caution tape strung across the doorways of most of the downtown shops and the fact that several of the buildings that housed those shops had cracked facades, broken windows, and caved-in roofs, it could’ve been an afternoon farmers market on a pretty spring day

“This, lady and gentleman, feels like smoke and mirrors,” whispered Stella. “But let’s pretend we don’t know that and see what we can scavenge.”

They headed to the first tent in the line of several, and Ford cleared his throat, catching the women’s attention. He cut his eyes to the end of the block, where a row of SUVs formed a barricade.

The three of them turned their gaze to look at the other end of the street. There, too, was another SUV barricade.

“I think,” Ford said quietly, “that if we walked up and down the streets that frame downtown we would find that each of them are blocked.”

“I think you’re right,” said Stella.

“Good thing we don’t need to drive out of downtown,” said Mercury. Stella and Ford silently nodded.

The first tent they came to was filled with toiletries—toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, razors, etcetera. The gray-haired couple in charge of the tent grinned at them.

“Hi there! I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me Beth, and this is my hubby, Fred.”

“Howdy.” Fred raised his hand and gave them a friendly wave.

“It’s nice to see new faces, though you really should get that bandage changed, sir. Do you know where we’ve set up the clinic?” Beth asked Ford.

“Yes, ma’am,” Ford said. “Amber told us last night when we arrived that it’s in the courthouse, and if I remember correctly, that’s not far from here.”

“You’re right about that,” Fred said. “We’re on Fifth and the courthouse is on Second.”

“But before you head that way, is there anything you need from here?” Beth gestured like Vanna White turning letters.

“Well, Beth, some toothpaste would be nice,” said Mercury. “But I’m out of cash, and I’m pretty sure you don’t take credit cards.”

Beth laughed softly. “Oh no, you don’t need money here. Mayor Cruz asked us to set up tents for new arrivals and survivors. Madras takes care of her own. Please, take what you need.”

“Wow, that’s really nice,” said Mercury. “But what if we don’t plan to stay?”

The woman’s smile faded. “Why would you want to leave?” She lowered her voice. “I’ve heard horrible things about what’s happening out there. That green fog kills people, and the people it doesn’t kill have turned into marauders.”

“Marauders?” Stella asked. “Really?”

Fred nodded. “Yup. That’s what the mayor says. Best to just stay here. Madras is a great place to live.”

“We’ll definitely consider it,” said Ford.

Beth’s smile returned. “How lovely! Fred, dear, don’t we still have some beard conditioner left back there in the right-hand corner by the razors?”

“I believe so, Bethy. Follow me, young man. I’ll be happy to show you,” said Fred.