Conflicted Home (The Survivalist Book 9) by A American (learn to read books TXT) 📕

with activity. I looked around, curious about why I didn’t notice any light from the outside. There were windows high up on the walls and skylights in the ceiling, but all were covered to black them out.

Forklifts seemed to be everywhere, as well as people pulling pallet jacks around. The opposite side of the building from where we parked was a continuous line of large roll-up loading doors. At each one sat a large truck that was being loaded.

“I parked you on the unloading side. There are no deliveries coming in tonight. The events in Tampa have made it a little more difficult to get cargo here.”

Jamie looked at the pallet racks that went nearly to the ceiling and asked, “Where is all this stuff coming from?”

“Canada, England and Australia,” I replied.

Jim looked at me. “How the hell do you know that?”

“Fawcett told me.”

Jim nodded. “Oh, of course. But yeah, our allies have begun shipping aid. Canada of course sends the most. But Australia and England are sending considerable tonnage too.”

“What kind of stuff is here?” Ian asked.

Jim motioned for another man to join them. “This is Buck. This is his warehouse. Buck, can you share with them what’s in here?”

“All this is humanitarian aid. Food, hygiene, medical supplies. That kind of thing.”

Jim handed Buck the list, saying, “Here’s what they’re looking for.”

Buck looked at the list. “We have all this,” he looked up and asked, “There are no amounts here. How much are you looking for?”

“The general said you’d give until it hurts.”

“What’d you bring to carry all this?”

“A five-ton truck with a five-ton trailer,” Jamie said.

Buck shrugged, “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Anything we can do to help?” I asked.

“No, just stay out of the way. We’ll get it. There’s a breakroom back there. Go help yourselves.”

“Anyone for a cup of coffee?” I asked.

“Coffee?” Jamie asked as she turned and started towards the breakroom.

The breakroom was just what you’d expect. There were several people there, mainly civilians from the look of them. They watched us as we excitedly poured coffee and, to their utter amazement, each of our group grabbed a double handful of doughnuts before taking a seat.

Jamie’s eyes rolled back in her head as she took a bite of one she’d dunked in her coffee. “Oh my God,” She said. “I never thought I’d see another one of these.”

Ian stuffed an entire glazed doughnut in his mouth and replied, “Ah kna, fma naffer!” Blowing crumbs out as he tried to talk.

I took my time. I’d mixed creamer and sugar into my cup and luxuriously dunked the doughnut in and taken a bite. I savored every moment, every part of the act, dunking the pastry, then tapping it on the rim of the cup as a drop would fall back in. I took all of it in. Such a silly thing. But for me, it was the highest of treats.

A woman came and sat down at our table. She watched, smiling at us. I picked up another doughnut and dunked it. “They’re good, huh?” She said.

I nodded as I tapped it on the rim of the cup. “Yes, they are. I’m amazed to see them.”

“So was I the first time. I ate so many the first day, I got sick.”

Jamie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and asked, “How long have you been here?”

“Almost a month. Where are you guys from?”

“Lake County. Down south,” Ian replied.

“You kind of look like you’re in the Army,” she said. Then she looked at me and added, “But then you don’t.”

I was looking down at my cup and glanced up at her. “I’m not,” then I pointed with the pastry across the table at Jamie and Ian, “but they are.”

“Kind of,” Jamie said.

“Kind of,” I added with a smile.

The woman nodded at me and said, “You some kind of cop or something?”

“Something like that.”

“He’s the Sheriff,” Ian clarified.

“I didn’t think there were any of those around now.”

“We’re an endangered species,” I replied, causing her to laugh.

“That’s funny. You here for supplies?”

Ian stuffed another doughnut into his mouth and nodded. He chewed it and tried to swallow the ball of dough, but something went wrong. His face contorted and he stretched his neck out. Picking up his coffee, he poured it into his mouth and worked his jaw. After a moment, the mass managed to find its way down his neck. With watering eyes, he said, “Damn. I better slow down. That one liked to have killed me.”

“Good,” Jamie replied, looking sideways at him as she swirled her cup.

“Look,” Ian replied wiping his eyes, “I said I was sorry. It was a joke. Cut me a break.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“How are things around here?” I asked the woman.

“They’re better now. The Army is providing a lot of supplies. It’s changed everything. We work here and can use our pay to buy other stuff.”

“What do they pay you with? I can’t imagine anyone taking dollars for anything. Where we come from, they’re useless.” I added.

She smiled shyly and reached into a pocket and pulled out a silver dollar. “Everyone uses these. They pay us with them too.”

“Well, that’s good to know. It’s real money, actually worth something.”

“What can you get with that?” Ian asked.

“A lot.” A devilish grin spread across her face. “You can buy about whatever you want,” her eyebrows bounced to convey just what she meant.

“You better find some silver dollars,” Jamie said to Ian.

I reached into my vest and pulled out a gold Maple Leaf. Holding it up, I asked, “What can I get for this?”

“Anything. And I do mean anything you want. Hell, you could buy a house with that. Why do you even have it? No one has enough change for a trade with one of those.”

I shrugged and put it away. “I had it before.”

“Oooh,” she said knowingly, “you’re one of those survivalists.”

“Something like that.”

She looked at her watch and said, “Well, I have to get back to work. It was nice talking to you.”

I waved