CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
When Sandy came to, she found herself on a cot with Cassie standing next to her, looking a fright. Several lanterns had been lit to replace the light formerly provided by the generator. She was vibrating up and down anxiously and chewing on her lip. “I’m so sorry, Miss Sandy. Please don’t be mad at me. I was scared it was going to eat everybody and I didn’t know what else to do, because there were too many people to all move at the same time.”
Sandy sat up and pulled little Cassie in for the fiercest hug she dare inflict on her precious little body. “Shhhh. Honey, it’s okay. You did good, I guess. I don’t know what you did, but you did good. I just didn’t want to see anything happen to you is all.”
Sandy looked up and saw that Valerie and the two siblings Kyle and Chelsea were standing vigil as well. Chelsea seemed to have recovered nicely and was still charged on her experience with Cassie. Pip was curled up on the foot of the cot. “You gave me a little scare. That was freaky though.”
“Which part? The monster or CJ popping in and out?” Valerie dead-panned.
She looked at Cassie, “What did you do, by the way?”
Chelsea chimed in, “It was cool! I got to go on a scary ride standing up!”
“I pushed the monster through the wall, like Miss Valerie said she was afraid could happen to me. Except I didn’t go in. I just went to where the lines all stop and made the monster move, right through the wall.”
The implications freaked Sandy. “Right through what wall to where?”
“The big circle around town. I got to where it is and pushed him to the other side. Or mostly to the other side. He kinda got stuck partway.”
Sandy looked up at Valerie. “Well. I sure hope that if our normal world is on the other side of that bubble that the monster met some military over there if he wiggled all the way through.”
Valerie could just shrug. “I have no idea, and neither does CJ. She just says she doesn’t think so. She has a sense that maybe nothing is out there.”
Cassie nodded. Sandy says, “I don’t know whether to be relieved or frightened by that implication.”
“Exactly.”
Cassie bounced up and down on her feet. “No, that monster thing I think is dead. He screamed like it hurt and then stopped moving. He maybe fainted like you, but now I think about it some more, I don't think so.”
Sandy could see Officer Williams, Karen, Pastor Vargas and a couple others she hadn’t met yet, in intense conversation at the front end of the tent. Valerie informed her, “They’re still trying to arrive at a plan of action.”
Sandy held a hand out and Valerie helped her to her feet.
For the next several minutes Karen and the others debated the merits and the hazards of wading into the battle up at Grant Park. Moreover, they argued the wisdom and folly of the attempt. Sandy tried to get them to make a page with a line down the center listing pros and cons. Vargas and Williams dismissed it as a “chick idea” and continued arguing.
Sandy tossed the notepad into the seat between Cassie and her, so Cassie picked it up and proceeded to doodle. Pip rested his chin on her other leg and watched. Officer Williams, to his credit, tried his best to be judicial and neutral. Besides, he wasn’t in a hurry to rush into danger and maybe become slaughtered by monsters if there was the remotest possibility of an alternative plan. He did point out that this was precisely what had been happening earlier on the street, despite their best efforts, before the good guys showed up, not to mention how things went with their party crasher just a few minutes prior.
Vargas pointed out that the angels showed up providentially and not accidentally. Just as God’s providence would work to their credit again so long as they do the right thing and go fight those demons, side by side with the angels, giving Cassie an opportunity to use her gift and ride the light back.
Much as Karen dug the Marine Preacher’s brass, she wasn’t so confident that fate was, in actuality, a benevolent Supreme Being. Besides, isn't it true that good people often died in bible stories? Including the savior himself? That everything would come up roses required a leap of faith for which she felt she was ill-equipped, but should they decide it was the right move, she would be right along side them.
Valerie didn’t relish the idea of a member of Ol’ Wailin’s family having a bicuspid with her name on it. If it came down to a choice between waiting it out and getting herself eaten in this tent, or going up that hill and being eaten on her own terms, ridiculous as it sounded, she would rather die fighting.
Sandy’s biggest concern was the implications of going up that hill to do battle. Namely, taking little Cassie up there among those demons. Her hesitation wasn't so much the idea of possibly surviving and having to look the Johnsons in the eyes and say, Whew! Yeah I made it, but gee, sorry I took your daughter up to Grant Park to become a monster munchie.
Her profound sense of protectiveness was ingrained deep in her being as a thing she could only classify as a motherly instinct. This was a superficial thin veneer that overlay a complex core of love that encompassed and entangled every fiber. Cassie, her CJ, was the vital part of Sandy and everything for which she cared to live. To lose her would be death.
Before she realized what was happening, the thing was settled. Sandy tried to replay the minute she missed back through her mind while the others discussed the next steps. Sandy felt parched and light-headed so she excused herself and went for some water. Moreover, an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over her. It seemed as though her life was a movie and all she could do was sit in the audience and watch.
Officer Williams gave his whistle a short blast to get everyone’s attention. Drinks and snacks in hand, the Venturan survivors milled back to their seats. For all anyone knew, they were the only survivors. One could only guess how many might be hiding out in their homes and a variety of other shelters.
With everyone seated, Sandy didn't want to make a spectacle of herself by walking up in front of everyone, so she stood at the back and sipped from her water bottle.
When Officer Williams had the attention of one and all, he cleared his throat. “These are difficult times. I have decided to help the beings of light defeat the creatures of darkness.” There were murmurs of descent among the crowd. “Now, listen… I know, trust me when I tell you – never in my life did I think those words would come out of my mouth.” Now there were nervous chuckles.
“Okay, look. This is strictly voluntary. I’m not putting anyone here on the spot and neither will anyone else.” Vargas and Karen got up to join Officer Williams. He shook their hands.
“We will be leaving some arms here for those who wish to have them… in case they need them. Anyone wishing to join us will be provided arms, ammo, ponchos and lights, although I suspect once we get where the fighting is, we won’t need the flashlights.”
Valerie got up and stood by Karen so Karen took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze of reassurance. “Does anyone here have, in particular, a military or law enforcement background or anything?”
An older man stood up, “I’ll go.”
“You former military sir?” asked Williams.
“Naw, I’m from New York! Listen, I was there on 9-11, one of those gray people you saw on T.V. Moved west ‘cause I thought it was too crazy back home. Well, I figure crazy must be my destiny or somethin’,” he shrugged.
More people stood. Then still more.
The Prepper came forward. “One for all and all for one, I guess. Besides, I got a good size truck that can hold a few.”
Vargas assumed the duty of dispensing weapons and making certain the right weapon was in the hand of the right person. He had to be sure they knew enough about how to use it.
Karen dispensed ponchos and lights. Valerie took a clip-board and surveyed who she could. Anyone with any kind of military or police experience at all, she sent to Officer Williams so he could interview and assign key duties and positions.
Sandy’s fear and trepidation turned to sulking, or at the very least, sulking was added into that mix. She resigned herself to accept that this was going to happen, one way or the other. If getting Cassie through safely to return home was her destiny, then who was she, the babysitter, to question it? Surely then, God would protect Cassie to that end.
Or, maybe this was what Sandy was intended for. Yeah, right. Super Sitter. She looked around for Cassie, who should be in her seat at the front, but didn’t see her. Sandy excused herself and pushed through people to get to her seat in the front, but Cassie wasn’t there. All she found was her note pad with Cassie’s doodles all over it.
Valerie noticed her concern and came over. “What’s wrong?”
“Did you see where CJ went?”
Valerie looked around. “Now that you mention it, I thought she was with you.”
Sandy panicked. “Ohmygod. Ohmy… Where did she go this time?”
“Now don’t panic yet. She might be playing with the other kids. Or maybe she just went to the restroom.”
Karen came over. “What is it?”
Valerie said, “CJ’s… Cassie has wandered off. Have you seen her?”
Karen immediately waved Vargas over. “Manny, the little girl, Cassie, has wandered off. At least, one way or another she may have left. We need to find her now. We should check all the levels of the garage.”
“Right.” He assigned search parameters to his team leaders. They fanned out systematically. Sandy left to check the portable outhouses. Along the way, the rumple-suit man, Terry stopped her. “What’s going on?”
“It's Cassie, the little girl I'm babysitting. Have you seen her?”
"And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand." -Dan 12:10
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