Okefenokee

“OK, what is a pharmacy again?” He was sure glad she decided to join him here because he was lost when it came to knowledge of civilization.

“It’s where people used to get their prescriptions. It is not spelled the way you might think. It’s spelled like that sign,” she pointed to a pharmacy sign in the lobby they stood in.

Junior looked at it and said it out loud, “pharmacy,” slowly. “OK.”

They mounted the bikes and rode on, Junior still wobbly until the speed picked up and his balance kicked in. He said, “Maybe we aren’t seeing any bodies because the people got sick and went home where they died.”

“Good point and the hospital probably sent the deceased to their morgue. I guess that explains it.”

Junior didn’t want to keep asking what everything was. He wasn’t familiar with the word morgue but kept it to himself.

Junior, “Look Mom, a shoe store. Do you think they have any that would fit my feet?” He envied his parents having real clothes and shoes even though they didn’t wear them often. This might be his chance to have is very own.

She said, “Maybe.”

“If we have time I would like to go in there later.”

“We will have to see what comes.” Cyndi was increasingly worried they wouldn’t find what they were looking for. They past the center of town where the courthouse sat in all its empty majesty. A big intersection with a stop light that had no power. They rode right through it. There was a blue hospital sign with an arrow pointing to turn left. They followed and found a small building which looked like the weather got the best of it with a closed sign across the front of the building. They walked inside and found an empty facility. It looked like it had already been closed before the pestilence arrived. Many small rural financially strapped hospitals struggled with patients who couldn’t pay for services and had to shut down.

Cyndi, “Son I don’t know what to do. Your father may need the medicine to survive.” The light in her blue eyes dimmed.

“Don’t worry Mom. We will find what we need here. This city has so much that we have done without. Let’s think for a moment. Dad always told me when in trouble to stop and think out what to do next rather then have to live with a hasty decision that is wrong. We need these drugs you know of. We are not seeing anyone in town. Would they have taken these drugs to help them with their sickness?”

“Yes, it is probably what they would have taken first.”

“So you and Dad kept a supply in our tent for years.”

“Yes, what are you getting at.”

“Maybe we should start looking in homes for what we need.”

“That’s brilliant Son. The abandoned homes should have some. All homes will probably have some.” They got on the bikes and continued up the street they were on until they encountered a cluster of homes. She said, “Let’s try this one.” They parked the bikes against the rural mailbox at the street adjacent to the driveway, looked around the neighborhood, and then went up to the door of the home. She turned the knob slowly and it wasn’t locked so she pushed it open and entered. It was dusty and the air was thick. “Leave the door open.” The house was old and not kept up for years. No signs of life. It hadn’t been ransacked. “Have a look in the kitchen cabinets,” she said not realizing these were words that Junior may have never heard before.

“Kitchen cabinets?” His facial expression gave it away.

Cyndi, “I’m sorry. I keep forgetting how new all of this is to you. Each home has a room called a kitchen where the cooking and some eating were done which had plumbed water to the sink where the food was prepared and dishes were cleaned.”

He was happy she used some terms familiar to him like plumbing as his Dad did some makeshift bamboo pipes at the water source and dishes. They carved wooden dishes long before he could remember to eat off and they washed them after use.

Cyndi went to the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets. These are called cabinets and people store their resources in them so they are out of view. Since people often took their medications with food and or water, it wouldn’t be uncommon to find prescriptions in one of these. So you look here while I try the bathroom.

Junior recited the word, “cabinet,” nodding his head. He opened each door looking specifically for the small bottles with the even smaller print on them. In one cabinet full of glasses he grabbed one and looked through it. He smiled being able to see right through it. “Cool a cup,” he said. Something his Dad said when anything happen on the island that he liked. He had seen clear plastic water bottles which had become cloudy from time and the sun exposure which were still used around camp but they were soft to the touch. These where hard. He flicked one with his finger and it made a ringing sound.

Cyndi went straight to the medicine cabinet in the main bathroom. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror before opening it. She hadn’t seen a mirror in years and leaned in and got a good look. Her color was good from living outside but she had aged more then she thought looking older then her thirty two years. She had no makeup. She thought it would be nice to have some makeup. She opened the mirrored medicine cabinet door. She found lots of prescription bottles and read the labels. There were no antibiotics. There was a young woman’s makeup like she would have used and a small mirror. She placed them in her bag. She wanted to look nice for Rob when they returned.

“Nothing here, let’s try the next house,” she said still hopeful that one of the homes would pay off. They exited and walked across the lawn to next the house in line. This house had noticeable roof damage. When they saw the inside with a lot of water and weather damage their hopes lowered. Cyndi did a quick check of the medicine cabinet and Junior looked through the kitchen cabinets. Another failure but she did find some aspirin and Tylenol which she dumped in her bag.

On to the next house which was painted green and larger then the other homes and withstood time better on the exterior. There was a red truck parked in the driveway but it was dirty with flat tires so they felt sure there was no one home.

She wiggled the door knob with Junior standing by her side. This one was locked. They probably didn’t leave in a hurry like the others. Junior watched as she picked up a rock and smashed the glass in the door. He jumped back out of fear at the loud clash of noise with small particles of glass flying every which way and bouncing on the concrete step around them. “Sorry,” she said startling him.

She reached through and unlocked it. The inside had the same dust as the others but the place was nicely furnished otherwise. They began their searches and Junior was beginning to think his great idea was a bust finding nothing in the kitchen. He ventured into the living room and saw a picture hanging on the wall of the family that lived there. A mother, father, a girl and a boy about his age in the picture. He thought about having some city clothes. It was something that always perpetuated his inner thoughts when he was in the swamp. He looked for the boy’s bedroom, found it and went in. He saw things that were hard for him to mentally describe. The room was orderly and he found lots of clothes and shoes.

Cyndi looked again at her image reflecting back at her from the medicine cabinet mirror. She paused. This would be a lot easier if she didn’t have to see herself looking this bad. She opened her bag and got the makeup out.

Junior spotted a pair of sneakers on the floor. Both his parents owned a pair and they loved them. He took of his soggy moccasins and slipped his sore swollen feet into the sneakers. He tied the laces one at a time lifting each foot to the bed. He walked around the room to try them out. He was walking in Heaven now. Never could he imagine such an experience.

Cyndi took a final look at her new face smiling as she opened the door. There were lots of medicines. She frantically read each bottle dropping them to the floor as she fixed her eyes on the next. When only two bottles remained she slowed down. She looked at the next and she stopped and held the bottle to her chest, her heart beating so loudly she felt it would come right through her chest. She held it out and read it again. “Yes!” She placed the bottle into her bag and yelled, “Junior, I found one.” She walked into the center of the floor plan meeting him there, “did you hear me I found a full bottle?”

“Sorry Mom, I found a pair of sneakers. Look at them on my feet. I feel like I could walk or run all the way back with these on.” He beamed a smile that lit up the room.

“They look good on you.” She rubbed the hair on his head while she smiled at him. “There is so much here that we could use but your Fathers health and safety come first. We haven’t seen any signs of living people so maybe we can come back with him when he recovers. We need to get back now though.” They gathered their bags filled with stuff to take back.

Junior said, “Wait what is that commotion I hear,” just as Cyndi put her hand on the door handle to open it. She stopped and they looked outside. There was nothing visible but a loud grinding sound grew closer from up the street.

Cyndi, “Quick, get down.” The door was closed but it was glass and most of it was missing.