Day 16: Fond Memories #30DaysofGratitude AND #ShortStory - Dave Episode 17

First, Happy Veterans Day. Thank you to Veterans and their families for ultimate service and sacrifice.

And today, I'm thankful for my memories - good times when I was young, crazy travels, family gatherings & vacations, my little guys... And I look forward to creating more wonderful memories. We have to look forward, but it's also comforting to look back. Our fond memories tell us that we will always have happy times to cherish.

Me and Peppy

20-Something Travels

Disney Trips!

My boys - hopeful futures!

Nostalgia, tears, joy, hope. Thankful for the good times that help me get through the bad.

Join in keeping the faith and share your positive thankful memories!

Stop by others participating... Elizabeth Seckman, Charity Bradford & Diane Burton

And now, the final episode of...

       

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 16:

Aunt Jessie huffed. "It all sounds far-fetched to me. Who would want to live in a stinky, dirty city to begin with?" said the woman who was covered in dirt from planting seeds in the earth and shoveling animal refuse. "If any of 'em wanted to work my farm, I'd welcome the help. But they'd have to put their backs into it."

Again, the sage woman sparked an idea for Dave.

17

"That's it! Volunteers need to leave the cities and work on farms. Society has to start over and get back to their roots without electronics for a while to survive. They could build homes near fresh water. Then there'd be more sustenance and less people to worry about in the urban areas. A massive migration. Those who elected to stay could help work on building up electricity on a smaller scale. Transform cities into useful trade centers or something. But everyone would have to work together. Maybe the military could help organize everyone. Civilians should still have the freedom to choose, but only those who contribute should benefit."

Nathan scrunched his brow again. "Sounds like a utopian fantasy. Most people have zero agricultural experience, working desk jobs all their lives." He spoke from experience, and Dave could tell he also lacked motivation to learn. That would be their biggest obstacle.

"Well, my friend. Welcome to the New Age. Survival of the Most Diligent. Everyone will have to work hard and figure out what they're made of."

Kitty sat forward in her chair and stuck out her chin. "So how do we tell everyone about your plan, Dave?"

She seemed willing to take on the challenge. Maybe they could appeal to the rest of stubborn America the same way, daring them to survive. And she was right, communication would be key.

"Well, I don't know. Not many people have anything that works to hear the announcements the authorities are trying to put out. Bullhorns work, but there are too many places to reach, and we'd need tons of volunteers to travel around. Maybe we should go to a military base and present our ideas to them. They seem to be the ones who can communicate with each other and could spread the word to the downed areas. I wonder if anything is working for them." And would they even listen? If the outages were an attack, they were probably getting ready for the next phase of a battle. And they probably had their own ideas and strategies. Dave wasn't sure about it all, but he was determined to try.

Sharon smiled, boosting his confidence. "Good idea. The military is surely in contact with the leaders who can make the changes happen. Fort Knox is only a few miles from here. There should be lots of bases up and running, out of range of the shutdowns."

She grabbed Dave's hand and squeezed it, giving him a surge of warmth. She supported him. She had faith in him. At that moment, the world could take a flying leap for all he cared as he stared into Sharon's hypnotic eyes. He would do anything for this woman.

Aunt Jessie stood up, and so did the dog, both ready for action. "You youngin's want something to eat before you go running off?" Or maybe it was his dinner time.

Nathan nudged Dave out of his trance.

"Sure."

With a smirk, Nathan expanded on Dave's response. "Thank you. I think we could use some nourishment before we try to explain the New Age plan to our doubtful leaders. And maybe we can come up with a few more persuasive numbers and details. Aunt Jessie, do you have Wi-Fi? If your electricity is working, maybe I can find out more info, like who has what capabilities."

"I haven't tried it today, but you're welcome to give it a go. Let's fire it up."

They followed Aunt Jessie into the kitchen. With Sharon by his side, Dave felt ten times stronger than he'd ever felt in his life. He was ready to plow fields, face unruly crowds, confront powerful leaders, or tackle any other obstacles that might arise.

Dave was ready to save the world.

The End (for now... To Be Continued?? Maybe this summer)

(Sorry, Patty, no zombies. I'm more of a Mad Max post-apocalyptic world gal)

Day Nine: Thankful that I'm... #30DaysofGratitude AND #ShortStory - Dave Episode 16

This is actually a great topic for IWSG Day.

I am hoping everyone can find something they like about themselves today. What are you good at? What part of writing do you do well? You are a writer because something good in you helps you tell great stories! Celebrate it!

And so, here is what I'm thankful for today... a little about me.

Not many folks likes to list positives about themselves... But we should! We should be proud of ourselves, have confidence in what's good about us, and share it! It's easy to self-criticize, but we should see what is positive, build on it, and show the world. 

We need more happy people--but first you need to be happy with yourself!

So, I'm thankful for my creativity and my drive to help others. (We are not listing negatives today, my list of ways I want to improve would be too long!)

I get creative with my promotion and my teaching... Here are a couple of pics.

my books in ornaments

Beast World hand sanitizers!

we do a play at my presentations

You are here for a reason - Your life is important - Share your goodness!

Join in the fun! Here's the Form: 30 Days of Gratitude 2020 Blog Hop

Stop by others participating... Elizabeth Seckman, Charity Bradford & Diane Burton

       

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 15:

"Don't worry, Dave has a plan."

Dave's eyes widened. He wanted to make a plan, but with the pressure he couldn't think straight. Everything was spiraling into mass hysteria. Looking around at his friends, he knew he couldn't let them down.

"Of course I do."

16

When they reached the farm, dusk settled in the western sky.

Opening his eyes, Dave blinked as they took a turn down a country road. When he tried to sit up, he noticed his arm was asleep. So was Sharon, on his shoulder. He wasn't about to wake her just to get his circulation back. She looked so peaceful. And beautiful. Why did it take an apocalypse for him to find the girl of his dreams?

The quaint farmhouse sat on a small hill. The sun setting around it gave it a pink glow. A large lone oak stood in the front yard, and a barn stood firm in the background. The serene setting sent rest of the world's problems a million miles away.

As they drove up the driveway, a hound dog came bounding toward them barking at the strangers who didn't belong in his territory.

Sharon stirred at the sound and looked out the window. She smiled and stretched.

"That's just Jack. Don't worry about him. He's harmless."

Jack jumped up on Dave's door still barking fiercely. The dog's spit and breath smeared the window. Harmless. Sure.

A fifty-ish, rugged woman in jeans and a flannel shirt stepped onto the porch holding a shotgun cocked on her hip.

"Down, Jack. Come."

To Dave's relief, the dog instantly obeyed her call. The woman stood confidently and cradled the gun in her arms as she scrutinized the strange car and its contents. Sharon must've gotten her affinity for weapons from her aunt.

Sharon stepped out and stretched. "Hi, Aunt Jessie. This is Nathan and Kitty and Dave." She linked her arm through his as she said his name.

Immediately, Dave was transported into another reality. Not a care in the world. Just him and Sharon on a secluded farm.

Aunt Jessie nodded. "I had a feeling you'd be along soon and probably wouldn't be alone. I can't believe what they're saying. My television doesn't work so well. I get some news, the weather channel, and my food shows, but that's about all."

"News is up? What news?" Dave palmed his forehead. "I wonder if it's CNN. They're based in Atlanta--out of range of the cities that were hit!"

They rushed into Aunt Jessie's living room, and Sharon flipped on the news.

"The military is sending information and aid to the effected cities. They will be helping stores ration out what they have to avoid looting. Spreading the word of our current situation to those in the areas without power and communications is our top priority. The military can't do it alone. Citizens need to help. The best thing to do is remain calm."

Nathan started to pace. "They're going to need a better plan. Those EMPs crippled those cities. Transformers of that size aren't going to be up and running for years. They have a good starter plan for now, but they won't be able to sustain all those people for long. And they have no idea what's going on."

Sharon's aunt put her shotgun in a corner and sat down in a rocking chair. She shook her head.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. All y'all need to deal with the facts. Stop worrying about what you don't have and make do with what you do have."

The older woman was so simple, yet so wise. She was right. Worrying would get them nowhere. No wonder Sharon had such a good head on her shoulders.

"I agree with Jessie."

Sharon smiled at Dave, while Nathan scrunched his brows. "You do?"

"Of course. The government needs a long-term plan for everyone while they wait for their lives to return to normal. They need a new normal. Getting people out of the cities is really the only way they'll be able to survive. With everything they've depended on blasted out of their lives, it's a devastating shock, but they'll have to come to grips with starting over from scratch."

"How would we convince anyone of that?" Kitty asked, not convinced. She crossed her arms and frowned at her down-home, back-country surroundings. Culture-shock was an understatement.

"Well, think about it. The stores will run out of food. Most farms will still function. But gas, and therefore transportation, will be limited and most likely run out as well. There's no way to provide food to the millions of people in the powerless cities."

Sharon nodded. "Not to mention water and waste. There won't be any functioning utilities or hospitals. If they stay, they'll turn on each other. Many could die waiting for help."

Aunt Jessie huffed. "It all sounds far-fetched to me. Who would want to live in a stinky, dirty city to begin with?" said the woman who was covered in dirt from planting seeds in the earth and shoveling animal refuse. "If any of 'em wanted to work my farm, I'd welcome the help. But they'd have to put their backs into it."

Again, the sage woman sparked an idea for Dave.

#ShortStory - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 14

       

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 13:

Taking in the new information, Dave cogitated over it. His strength was utilizing what was available to come up with solutions. And he wanted to show Sharon he wasn't useless. He wondered if those who planned the shutdown thought any farther than that. If they did, Dave and his friends would have to be on guard for organized terrorist activities as well as looters. He suddenly felt defenseless. He needed to find a gun of his own and practice with it. Plus, a safe place to plan a strategy. This was all so crazy!

14

While he helped Sharon get Nathan to his feet, Dave voiced his concerns.

"If Tariq and his brother's reactions are any indication, staying in the city is not the safest place. And the major transformers will be hard to replace, keeping us in the dark for a long time."

Nathan nodded. "Presley said those monsters take months to build. Probably longer without electricity. Then they have to find a way to jump start them. It could be a few years before power is back up to normal levels."

Sharon frowned. "People aren't going to wait years. They need to know what they can do in the meantime. All the basic necessities will be used up quickly. Fresh water will be limited to natural sources. Recovery and survival will be difficult and slow."

"Maybe that's where we can help. Nathan, does Presley have any government connections?"

"Yes, but I doubt he'd want to help them."

"Why?"

"They shot him down every time he presented the possibility of this scenario. Now he's probably thinking, I told you so and waiting for them to come crawling to him."

Sharon tilted her head. "Maybe we should come up with our own plan. Something in the middle of the extremes to help everyone?"

Dave's heart warmed at her logic and how closely their minds were in sync.

"Exactly. I have a few ideas, but we need to get some place safe. Some cars work and some don't, so those that do will be a coveted commodity."

Sharon perked up. "My aunt has a farm in Kentucky. That's where my shelter is."

Nathan did some calculating in his head.

"Most of Kentucky should be out of range of the shutdowns."

Dave smiled at Sharon. "Perfect."

As they gathered Nathan's things and headed to the car, Nathan groaned.

Sharon checked his wound. "Are you all right?"

He frowned. "Yeah. But we should go pick up Kitty. She's not going to like this." He nodded toward his wound.

Dave grinned. "At least you're alive. She'll be ecstatic."

They sped away from town to Nathan's house in the suburbs. When they pulled onto his street, Nathan's wife, a petite blonde, was addressing a large group of people using a bullhorn on her porch.

Nathan pulled over and ran out.

"Kitty, what are you doing? You're supposed to be in the basement."

She shoved the bullhorn under her arm.

"These people need our help. I was sharing the list with them."

Nathan took her elbow and guided her into the house. Dave and Sharon followed. 

"That's all well and good, but we need to think of ourselves and the baby first."

"Nathan!" She whipped her head around. "Dave, did he tell you? And you? Sharon, right? From the meetings?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you. And congratulations."

Nathan found a cloth grocery bag and filled it with food from the fridge.

"Sorry honey. They wormed it out of me."

Kitty rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter.

"Well, I couldn't just sit in that basement with everyone wondering what the heck was going on." When she saw him tearing through the cabinets, she furrowed her brow. "What the heck is going on?"

Then she saw his injury and pointed at it. "What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, that? It's nothing. He barely grazed me."

"You were shot? Oh my God!"

"I'm fine. I promise. Sharon fixed me up."

Kitty covered her mouth. Her eyes grew as big as light bulbs as she stared at her husband, frozen in shock.

#ShortStory - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 13

      

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 12:

Nathan howled in pain.

While they lied on the floor, Dave watched Tariq's brother escaped through a side door with its window broken out.

With a frown at Dave, Tariq ran after him. "Sorry, man."

Tires squealed, and they were gone.

13

Sharon and Dave rushed over to help Nathan who'd found a chair to plunk into. He was holding his arm, rocking back and forth in pain. Blood soaked his sleeve.

"They shot me! I can't believe they shot me! Was that Tariq?"

Dave couldn't believe it either. He'd never seen so much blood in real life, only in video games and movies.

"Yes, and his brother. They were looting the vending machines and whatever else they could find."

Sharon ripped Nathan's sleeve and looked at the wound on his arm.

"Well, it doesn't seem too bad. He just grazed you. You'll live. Dave, can you get me a towel or something so I can wrap this up?"

"Sure."

"I have a medical kit."

"We'll save those supplies in case something worse happens."

As Dave scampered into the kitchen, he wondered what could be worse than getting shot. The kitchen was a mess, completely ransacked with everything from the counters thrown all over. Dave found a clean dish towel and ran it back to Sharon.

Watching her work on his friend, Dave wondered if he was dreaming. How did this happen? Nathan got shot! Tariq always seemed so level-headed. What was happening? Dave was discovering that extreme situations revealed what a person was really made of. He hoped he could hold onto his convictions. He also hoped he didn't have to find out if he would.

Once Sharon tore up the towel and wrapped up Nathan's arm, the bleeding stopped. She spoke to Dave while she finished up.

"Thanks for covering me back there."

"Oh sure. It was a gut reaction. I hope I didn't hurt you."

She gazed into his eyes and smiled, warming him all over. "No. I'm fine."

She was wonderful and so calm in the intense circumstances. He admired her nerves of steel and felt closer to her with every passing minute.

Glancing at Nathan, Dave realized his friend was holding his own as well, much tougher than he expected. Even though he'd been shot, he wasn't whimpering about it. Dave felt like the slacker of the three and needed to brave up.

"So Nathan. What did you find out?"

"Huh?" He looked a little woozy as he watched Sharon clean up the remains of his bloody shirt.

"You came up to tell us something."

"Oh, right. Right! I was able to contact the local police. Their generators are working and their internet connections were reinforced like ours. They're broadcasting a general message to tell anyone who can hear them that they're working on fixing things and they should stay home and conserve their resources."

"That sounds promising."

"Too bad it's all lies to keep everyone from panicking. Things won't be back to the way they were any time soon. I also got through to some friends who told me what they know. Several cities lost their primary transformers which shut down some major power grids. Fortunately, rural areas farther out seem to be functional. From our combined calculations, the cities hit were New York, LA, Chicago, Miami and Dallas. Anything in a 200 mile radius of those cities was slammed and shut down."

"That's most of the country. Who could've done it?"

"Terrorists is the first assumption."

Taking in the new information, Dave cogitated over it. His strength was utilizing what was available to come up with solutions. And he wanted to show Sharon he wasn't useless. He wondered if those who planned the shutdown thought any farther than that. If they did, Dave and his friends would have to be on guard for organized terrorist activities as well as looters. He suddenly felt defenseless. He needed to find a gun of his own and practice with it. Plus, a safe place to plan a strategy. This was all so crazy!

#ShortStory Series - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 12

     

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 11:

Sharon smiled encouragingly and pointed for him to look.

His whole body shook and shivered as if he was standing out in a blizzard in his pajamas. Dave could hear the ransackers moving around in there breaking things as they rummaged. He feared they'd catch him peeking and shoot him between the eyes. Trying to soak up some of Sharon's confidence, Dave steadied his nerves, reigning in his terror. He was sure his face was twisted, exposing his fear as he searched for the gumption to even look in the window.

12

He couldn't stand there and do nothing. He trusted Sharon had his back. He had to, even though he doubted she'd been in an actual situation like this before. At least she seemed to have more training for it. And he didn't want to lose her for being a wuss.

Bracing himself for the worst, he pressed his back against the wall and inched up it. With minimal exposure, he dared to sneak a peek in the window. Two men were stealing the food out of the vending machines. When he saw their faces, he did a double-take. His fear slipped away and he walked in despite Sharon's glare.

"Tariq? Hey man, what's up?"

Sharon followed him in.

Tariq jumped like a spooked rabbit. When he saw his co-worker, his shoulders relaxed a little, but his face stayed apprehensive with his eyes darting from Sharon to his accomplice and back to Dave.

"Dave? Oh, hey man. Nothing. We're just, uh…"

With another glance from Tariq, the other man pulled out a gun and pointed it at Dave and Sharon.

"We don't want any trouble," he said. Tariq's friend shook as he aimed his firearm. He didn't look too confident, which made him even more dangerous.

Dave jumped and threw his hands up over his head. "Neither do we." He definitely didn't want to die over some stale Twinkies and Doritos.

Sharon moved up next to him and trained her gun on the men. How did the situation turn drastic and deadly so fast? His heart raced faster than his brain. He didn't want anyone to get shot, so he tried reasoning with them to calm everyone down.

"Wait. There's no need for violence. We're going to fix things." He knew he was being extremely optimistic, but he needed both sides to believe it.

"Not any time soon. We know what happened. My brother said we should take what we can. Soon there won't be any food around. Sorry, man. It's family."

"It's not as bad as that. They'll get things back up and running soon." Dave wasn't so sure, but he wanted to talk his friend and his nervous looking brother out of their panicky reaction. How many other normally decent people would resort to stealing and worse?

While Tariq considered Dave's rationality, Nathan burst into the cafeteria.

"Hey guys. Guess what!"

Bang!

Dave grabbed Sharon and dove to the floor under the tables.

Nathan howled in pain.

While they lied on the floor, Dave watched Tariq's brother escaped through a side door with its window broken out.

With a frown at Dave, Tariq ran after him. "Sorry, man."

Tires squealed, and they were gone.

#ShortStory - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 11

    

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 10:

As she stood there in that sleek, black outfit with her hands on her hips, she looked like a super hero. Fantasies threatened to invade his mind, but Dave reigned them in. He had to stay focused and not think like a love-struck stalker.

11

Nathan went inside. "Come on. The brains are in the basement. Our server should be protected from an EMP blast, and our emergency lines are reinforced. That's why I was able to hotwire the lock. We can see what works and if we can connect with someone from the processor room."

With a flashlight in front, Nathan led them to the stairwell, and they went down. Dave had only been in the processor room a couple of times to deliver some paperwork. Hearing the hum of the fans, Dave was relieved that it was working. When they entered, the huge room full of giant server towers still awed him. The blinking lights made him think of Christmas time. A beautiful sight.

"How long will the backup generator keep it running?" Sharon asked.

Before he could answer, something made a loud thump overhead.

Dave looked at the ceiling. "What was that?" They weren't alone.

Nathan answered. "I wonder if it's looters. We're under the cafeteria. Maybe they're looking for food."

"Already? And how did they get in?"

Sharon pulled out a handgun from a holster inside her vest and headed back to the stairs.

"I'll go check it out."

Dave's jaw dropped. He was impressed and intimidated at the same time. He couldn't decide if he should stay and help Nathan or go upstairs with Sharon. He'd be more useful downstairs, but didn't want to look like a coward letting her go up alone.

"Want me to come with you?"

She shrugged. Great. That probably meant yes. Dave had no experience interpreting women's body language, never mind aiding a damsel in distress, though Sharon wasn't the one in distress.

Dave turned to Nathan who was typing up a storm on the access computer.

"I'm going up with Sharon."

Nathan answered without looking at him. "Okay."

As he jogged to catch up to his pistol-toting mama, Dave pictured two burly guys with bazookas tearing through the large kitchen pantry. He tried to shake the image and wished he had a gun of his own. Not that he would know what to do with it. He was more of a target than a protector. Maybe he could help by being a distraction.

Peeking into the hallway, Sharon waved for Dave to follow her as she stepped out. She paused and raised her eyebrows at Dave. It took him a few seconds, but he finally realized she probably wanted to know where to go so he pointed down the hall. She nodded, and they scooted that way.

When they reached the cafeteria, Sharon pointed at the door and widened her eyes at Dave. He nodded, hoping he wouldn't trip and lose the element of surprise.

When she slipped under the door's window to the other side, she put a finger to her lips. Then she eased up and peered inside. Lowering back down, she made some hand signals, pointing to the cafeteria and showing two fingers. He figured that meant two guys were in there. Just as he thought.

Dave didn't know what to do so he nodded again, letting her lead. He tried to keep his cool, but inside he was freaking out. He'd never confronted anyone before, and he didn't want to start by disrupting a couple of possibly armed intruders.

Sharon smiled encouragingly and pointed for him to look.

His whole body shook and shivered as if he was standing out in a blizzard in his pajamas. Dave could hear the ransackers moving around in there breaking things as they rummaged. He feared they'd catch him peeking and shoot him between the eyes. Trying to soak up some of Sharon's confidence, Dave steadied his nerves, reigning in his terror. He was sure his face was twisted, exposing his fear as he searched for the gumption to even look in the window.

#ShortStory Series - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 10

   

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 9:

Dave would get it out of him. "Spill, Nathan. This could be the end of the world, right? Secrets turn friends into enemies."

"Geez. Fine. She's pregnant."

10

Leaning back in his seat, Dave put a hand to his forehead as his jaw dropped to the floor taking in the sudden shock and its ramifications. A little Nathan? Nathan a daddy? The world was ending all right.

Once Dave pulled himself together, he slowly responded. "Wow. Congratulations. That's, uh, terrific."

Sharon seemed to think it was exciting news. "Yes, congratulations, Nathan. You two are ahead of the game." She laughed and the sound was like wind chimes on a summer night's breeze.

"Thanks, you guys. I've been holding that in for three months."

While Sharon asked for more details, Dave tried to deal with all that was happening. His world was truly changing. Their electronic society was in jeopardy, his best friend was going to be a daddy, and he just met a girl who made him want to puke and perform stupid heroic deeds at the same time. Chaos had arrived in a stampede.

The funny thing was, Dave dealt with putting out fires at work all the time. He was always a calming voice of reason in a digital emergency. But this? This was like putting out a fire in a volcano on the sun. If he was a computer, his processor would be fried. He chuckled to himself because that could be taken literally too from the EMP.

"Everything okay back there?" Sharon was smirking at him again. He probably looked insane.

He shook off a chill from her playful gaze. He felt the need to look tough and smart. Too bad he really felt weak and stupid.

"Sure. Just trying to process it all. Uh, Sharon? I was wondering what made you decide to come with us." It was another thing in all the madness that didn't compute.

"Well, when I first started going to the meetings, I saw you there and…"

Nathan, with his impeccable timing, interrupted. "Look."

As they reached civilization, the sun started to rise, and activity increased on the streets. Dave, Sharon, and Nathan peered out the windows at the strange new world they'd been thrust into. Groups of people gathered and pointed at the power lines as they talked. Some shook their heads, others waved their arms. They looked more bewildered than riotous. Every so often, a police car cruised past them. A few families packed up their cars. Where were they going? Wouldn't the power be back on soon? Dave was starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

What if the power didn't come back on and the internet was unfixable indefinitely? Society would be thrust back in time two hundred years without electricity! Yet, worse than no or extremely slow communication would be the lack of refrigeration for food and running water. There might be a shift in the population. People might have to abandon their homes which were completely run by electricity and move to where they could find sustenance. Not to mention away from those desperate enough to steal or harm others to survive. Phase Two was starting to look less crazy.

Dave still wasn't ready to think about dealing with such extreme consequences just yet. One phase at a time.

When they reached their office building, Nathan parked in the back lot. Two other cars were there.

Dave glanced at Nathan who shrugged as he got his duffle bag from the back seat. They went to a side door.

"I already tried my key card," Dave said.

Nathan smiled. "I got it."

He took out a little tool kit, unscrewed the electrical lock pad on the door, and did some finagling until it opened. He grinned over his shoulder at Dave.

Dave raised his eyebrows at him. "Is that what they teach you at those meetings?"

"Maybe."

Sharon nodded. "Nice job."

As she stood there in that sleek, black outfit with her hands on her hips, she looked like a super hero. Fantasies threatened to invade his mind, but Dave reigned them in. He had to stay focused and not think like a love-struck stalker.

#ShortStory Series - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 9

  

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 8:

Dave wondered if having Nathan behind him would help him overcome his unfounded trepidation. He had no idea what caused his body to behave so unreasonably around Sharon. And with such a negative physical reaction, he also couldn't understand why he was so drawn to her. His scientific curiosity drove him to continue his original directive. Surely he could use mind over matter. He swallowed his fear, determined to discover if all his bodily agonizing and concern was worth it.

But when he exited the basement, she was nowhere to be found.

9

Nathan tugged on Dave's sleeve. "So where to, superman?"

"Superman?"

"Yeah, you're going to save the world, right?"

"Uh, I guess. At least I'm gonna try."

Disappointed at losing the girl he hoped would change his life, Dave's shoulders dropped. But he had to keep going despite his sudden, unfounded depression. Her face would probably haunt him for all eternity. And then he would kick himself for being so dramatic. What was wrong with him?

They stepped out of the house and headed for Nathan's car.

"How are you going to save the world?"

Her voice played a poetic melody like a finely tuned harp. Could it be her?

Before Dave turned around, his stomach flip-flopped again. His outlook leapt from deepest despair to outright optimism. But this time he squelched the nausea and coached himself: Head over foolish heart. You can do this. It's just words.

He faced her. Sharon Baker's closeness and sparkling gaze almost made him falter, but he took a deep breath and held firm.

"Hi. I'm Dave." He was all business, no smile. He'd have to work on that later. He didn't want to scare her off, but he had to keep his woozy stomach under control.

Sharon smirked, giving Dave a chill. It was an energizing, tingley chill.

"I'm Sharon."

Nathan adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

"Hi, Sharon. This is my friend from work."

"Oh. Hello. Nathan, right? Are you guys leaving?"

"Well, we can't save the world if we're hiding in a basement." Dave knew that might be a little harsh if she was a believer, but he had to speak his mind. No games. Truth from the start. He felt a little better, despite his goosebumps.

Sharon nodded. "Good point."

Good answer. Another chill.

"Want to join us?"

Nathan stared at them with his mouth hanging open.

"Dave?"

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"Hey, I'll take all the brainpower I can find."

Sharon smiled again. "I'd love to help you save the world."

Now Dave couldn't stop grinning. As he watched Sharon wave bye to her friends, his heart was beating out of his chest. He felt like he was about to cross the Grand Canyon on a high wire. And he'd probably do it if she asked him to.

Nathan scrunched his brow at Dave then shrugged. "Whatever."

They piled into Nathan's car. Dave felt compelled to let Sharon have the coveted shotgun, and sat in the back. He had to shove a heavy, black duffle bag over as he slid in.

"Nathan, what's in this thing?"

"Oh, that's my emergency bag. Two-way radios, an AM/FM radio, a couple of extra cell phones, a bull horn, batteries, protein snacks, water bottles, a flashlight, flares, blankets, an old lap top. Just a few things."

"So only the necessities."

"Right."

Sharon smirked at Dave, and he smiled back, feeling his cheeks warm up. Every time she paid attention to him, his brain got a jolt of electricity, and he had to remember how to think and speak.

Luckily, she switched her focus to Nathan. "Where's your wife? I thought she came with you to the meetings."

Nathan squirmed and frowned. "Kitty? Yeah. I'd rather not say."

Dave had a feeling he knew.

"What? Is she in a secret bunker?"

"Well, of course.  But only because I wouldn't leave until she went in."

Sharon tilted her head. "Why?"

"Um."

Dave would get it out of him. "Spill, Nathan. This could be the end of the world, right? Secrets turn friends into enemies."

"Geez. Fine. She's pregnant."

Find the positive! Keep Writing!

September already? GOOD! That much closer to the end... of the worst year in modern times. If I make it, I'm definitely buying a t-shirt that says: "I survived 2020"

Welcome to this month's IWSG meeting.

Remember the time before? Before 2020!

Life was good. And we had no idea how good we had it until it was all taken away and turned upside-down. So much has been lost in such a short time. And it keeps coming. In just the past week: Two hurricanes at once? Chadwick Boseman, a true hero dies? Expanding riots? (If you want a glimpse into a horrible, scary future, watch Hotel Artemis) It's awful out there! I pray hard every day for comfort to those who've lost and for some relief from all the madness that's working overtime like the Energizer Bunny.

It's very hard to be optimistic in these dark times when we can't even smile at each other, but that's what I'm trying to do. In my little world, behind our masks, I'm trying to help my students stay positive. Just being together has helped a ton.

We have to keep living, keep pushing, keep trying. Can't give up. Stay strong. Do what you can. We have no idea what's in store for us. But we can't hold ourselves back by worrying about disease, distress, and destruction. We have to carry on and support one another, now more than ever.

In the writing community, we have a special bond that holds us together. We don't seek fame and fortune or compete with one another. We rejoice and commiserate with each other. We live with disappointment on a regular basis, and we develop friendships that help us overcome failure and keep striving to get better. We express ourselves in words--words that the world can relate to and may not be able to express themselves.

So in these difficult times. Keep writing. We need you!

That's all for now... There's work to be done!

Just a reminder, I'm sharing my appropriately timed apocalyptic romance through the end of the year in fun, short weekly episodes...

 

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

And I'm happy to report: I sent my Book Bday Summer Giveaway winners their prizes. Here they are--six winners from six different states, one for each of my books--how awesome is that!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay for Fall! And Pumpkins!

Get Fall festive to shake the 2020 blues!