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“I—I have to get some air.” Imani turned and quickly left the room.
Mercury stared at the closed door. “I don’t know whether I should go after her or let her have some time alone.”
“Do both.” Karen looked up as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan. “Give her a little time, and then go after her. And I’ll pray for her. I’ll pray for all of us.”
Mercury nodded. “We definitely need all the help we can get. I wanted to tell y’all the news in private, but Sim—that’s the trucker’s name—is going to talk to everyone after he gets done eating. Thought you’d like to know if there’re any questions you want to ask him.”
“I wonder how the rest of the world’s doing.” Karen spoke to her clasped hands.
“Bad. He said he hasn’t heard anything from anyone east of the Mississippi. I think we need to focus on here and now if we’re going to survive this and build a new life for ourselves,” said Mercury.
“Why? What for?” Jenny asked as she looked up at her friend and mentor. “Who’s left alive to care?”
Mercury squatted in front of Jenny. “We are. We’re alive. We’re healthy. We can build a world where this never happens again.”
“I’m not sure I have the energy,” said Jenny.
“That’s okay. You’re not gonna have to do it alone.” Mercury pulled the younger woman into a hug.
Sim put away a huge portion of reheated breakfast casserole and three big mugs of coffee. As he ate, Tyler gathered anyone who had been strong enough to leave the foyer infirmary, and by the time the trucker belched and wiped his beard free of egg debris, everyone in the cannabis-perfumed room was watching him expectantly.
“Damn good food,” Sim said as he stretched.
Hilary seemed to materialize before them. “Sim, our people would appreciate it if you’d update them on what you know.”
Sim nodded. “Yep. I can do that.” He lowered his voice and added, “Do you want me to sugarcoat it or tell it like it is?”
“Tell it like it is,” said Stella. “There’s no point in anything else.”
“I agree,” said Hilary.
“Well, then, here we go.” Sim stood and followed Hilary to stand before the constantly burning hearth.
“He seems like a good guy,” said Mercury to Stella. “I hope his family is alive.”
Stella spoke immediately. “He is a good man, and they are not alive.”
Mercury stared at her as Sim introduced himself and began repeating to the group of raptly listening people much of what he’d already told them.
“Is that your gut talking?” Mercury asked her best friend.
Stella moved her shoulders. “Must be. I didn’t even think, but the words just came—and when I spoke them, I knew they were true.”
“That’s happening more and more, isn’t it?” Mercury said.
Stella nodded. “Seems so. I’m trying not to let it freak me out, but hello! It’s freaky.”
“Your gut is gonna keep us alive,” said Mercury. “Don’t be freaked. Be as grateful as I am.”
“Doin’ my best,” murmured Stella as the two women turned their attention to Sim.
“So, that’s about it. Not much east of the Mississippi ’pears to have survived—or at least not enough to get word out yet. Oh, one more thing: there’s a major storm brewing. Shouldn’t be news to any of you who are regulars. Storm was predicted last week, which is why I was on my way to my cabin north of here to hunker down before it hits. But FYI, I got word from a park ranger in the Cascades that conditions are right for a blizzard. Should start tomorrow afternoon or so up here. God only knows how long it’ll last.”
A hand went up and Sim nodded at a young man whose face, arm, and leg were swathed in bandages.
“You said you came from Madras?”
Sim nodded. “Yep.”
