Chapter 2

 

Slade paced around his living room, thinking. If he were going to venture beyond his own backyard, he would need to be prepared. He was practically thinking like a boy scout nowadays, always be prepared and all that jazz. If he was going to go out today, he really needed to get a move on. He'd need to load up his versi-pack, grab his go-bag, figure out what he needed to get and where to get it from.

 

There was the crux; where could he go for supplies? It was much too far to walk from his suburban sub-division to the nearest store and he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with the idea of looting his neighbor's homes. Slade had always been honest to a fault. He'd never be able to take things from these people. He knew them, and even if they might never come back, something about it felt... wrong.

 

Feeling kind of ridiculous he decided he would have to go at least a few streets away. To soothe his guilty conscience he'd leave a note with his number and that way if things ever did return to normal he could re-pay whoever he'd had to borrow from.

With that settled, Slade went to his office, and got out a notepad. Sitting down in front of his useless computer, he started his list. What would he need to bring with him? His go-bag had a few MRE's, a change of clothes, a rolled up sleeping bag, water, flashlight and batteries.

 

In his versi-pack he'd put a multi-tool, a mini pry-bar, the lock pick kit he'd gotten as a gag gift a few summers ago. Who knew it might actually come in handy. His friend, Joe, had gotten it for him after Slade had managed to lock himself out of his house twice times in a month. Para-cord could come in useful, so he'd bring some of that too. He'd also throw in his folding knife as a back up for the fixed blade he'd strap to his belt. If he owned a gun he'd bring that too.

 

Slade had never been gotten around to getting a gun. It was always on his list of things to do: buy a gun, and learn how to shoot. He'd just never managed to find time; he'd been too busy until it was too late. Oh well, the knives would have to do for self-defense.

 

Wracking his mind for anything else he might need, Slade gave a shrug. It was as prepared as he was going to get. Now he needed to think about what supplies he should collect. He divided up the remainder of the page into three columns: Need, Want and Luxury.

 

Under the need heading he wrote out things he truly needed: Batteries, possibly rechargeable ones, socks, a solar charger, canned/non-perishable food, medical supplies, Tylenol and Advil.

 

Beneath want he listed: Generator, Gas, Deodorant, a handheld game system, cards, and books.

 

Finally he listed the luxury items: Candy, model kits, chocolate bars.

 

Looking his list over Slade couldn't help but feel he was forgetting something. With another shrug to himself, he acknowledged that if he couldn't think of it now, he probably didn't need it. After one last run through of his list Slade set about collecting the items he'd listed and preparing himself for his first foray into the wide, wide world in a long time.

 

Once he'd finished gathering and packing everything he'd need Slade jogged back to his bedroom to change his clothes into something more suitable. He reached into his drawers and grabbed the black combat pants, black socks, white undershirt and a blue Hawaiian shirt he'd been saving for just this occasion. He smiled, remembering why he'd chosen the Hawaiian shirt for his excursion - He figured no one would shoot the guy who's there to play limbo! It's just friendly. Non-threatening, or at least it would seem that way, until he needed to be. He tossed the clothes onto the bed along with his belt. The pouch holding his fixed blade survival knife was threaded onto it.

 

Slade got dressed in a hurry, knowing if he was going to try to make it back before dark he'd need to hurry it up a bit. After he'd changed and grabbed his belt, he headed downstairs for his versi-pack, go-bag and combat boots.

 

He paused at the top of the stairs to take a deep breath as a feeling overcame him that he couldn't place. After a few seconds he realized it was a kind of anxiety, and he wondered if this was how agoraphobics felt? Nervous at the thought of leaving their homes. He shook himself out of it though, and climbed down the stairs.

 

Picking up his bags, and getting a duffle bag from his closet Slade went to the front door for his boots. He slipped them on, and zipped them up. He'd chosen a pair with a zipper on the inner side for their easy on/off feature. He wasn't the type to lace and unlace boots every time he took them off. He'd worn out more than one pair of boots that way.

 

Slade stood up and strapped his versi-pack to his belt, and then threaded it through his belt loops. A grim determination had begun to settle over him, and he was doing his best not to work himself up about what may lie beyond the safety of his home. If he thought like that for too long, he'd never manage to leave the house.

 

“Man up Slade!” he exclaimed to himself in a bit of frustration. He laughed nervously as he headed for the back door.