Chapter 7

[Virginia]

We went over to the local grocery store. There was no one there and the door had been forced.

We went in and picked up everything on the list plus some other items that we could use. I filled a cart with wine, picking a nice selection of the best available. Jane joked that we were going to have a drunken orgy. We got ready to leave and I stopped her before she got to the door.

I said, "Let me look out for strange critters." She looked surprised but let me go to the door and look carefully out. I pushed an empty cart out the door and waited. Nothing happened and I went outside to look around better but stayed fairly close to cover. After all, someone had forced the door to the store. I looked around and didn't see anything moving or seeming to hide. I moved Jane's car close to the door and went inside. We loaded our carts into her trunk and back seats. We got in and drove home.

Our trip back was short and eerily quiet. I said, "Jane, when we get home and unloaded, I want to walk around the neighborhood and check on the neighbors. I know most of them to wave and a few by name. We need to start getting an idea of how many and who survived."

"Sounds good to me. I want to go with you."

"I said that we should stay together and that's my plan. At least, until you get tired of my face." I grinned.

"It's not too bad yet! Besides, you have other nice parts I've found that I like."

We finished unloading and putting everything away neatly. I think both of us have a little bit of OCD. As we got ready to go, I asked if she would carry a pistol.

"I haven't fired a pistol in a long time but I guess I can. I have hunted some back home so I am pretty good with a rifle."

I smiled, "That's good. Let's get you outfitted and then we'll go out."

I had a thirty-two automatic with holster and she demonstrated its operation to me. She knew more about guns than she had said! I had opened my gun closet and she was nosing about.

She pulled a shotgun from the rack. She said, "I like a twenty if you have magnum shot for it." I nodded and handed her a box of shells. She loaded the shotgun chambering a shell and set the safety. I took a nine-millimeter with holster, loaded it and put it on my belt. I took a Winchester 30-06, loaded it and we were ready.

As we left the garage with our arms, she giggled. "Can you imagine seeing a couple looking like we do now out roaming the streets a month ago?"

I chuckled. We started going up the street. We found no one alive. Most had sickened and died after we left. They were in all places in their homes but mostly in bedrooms. We kept the signs of our break-ins to a minimum by going in back doors. We covered my block on both sides and the block behind my house. There were a few empty houses but most had dead bodies that were not pretty to see or smell.

"That was not fun but I'm glad it's over." We went inside our house after returning the guns to my lockable closet. We both wanted a stiff drink and wound up having two each. People of all ages, young and old, were there in their homes dead. It was miserable.

Finally, I said, "I don't know if I want to stay near any houses this summer. It's going to be rough this summer as all those bodies decompose. I think we need to make a plan for the rest of the summer through at least Labor Day and perhaps Thanksgiving."

Jane said, "You're right. Do we go back or look for something a bit more civilized?"

"I'm inclined to go for a safe place with housing, things to do, and ways we can stay despite power issues and the like."

"I hadn't thought of the power going out. That would be an issue. That means we need a gasoline source or a tanker. I guess we should scout out a place and plan before things get too bad here."

"Do you like the water enough to live on a lake shore in a forested area?"

"George, that sounds lovely! Do you have a place in mind?"

"I believe so. If we clean our clothes, we could leave in the morning. This time, I want to hide your car in the garage and also plan to be gone for a while. We can leave like we don't plan to return for months which may become a fact if you like my idea when you see it."

"Sounds good. You start the clothes and I will get some supper going."

I did and she did. Washing clothes is pretty simple and I could do it as well as anyone. Cooking, on the other hand, was something I could do but had never managed on the level that Jane has attained.

After supper and finishing the clothes, we sat out for a while on my back porch but there was a slight smell that sent us inside. We agreed that leaving was an idea whose time had come.

The next morning, we packed and left early. We took the truck and went to the camping area first and picked up my boat along with some of the camping gear. I knew we could get another boat but I liked that boat. We had hidden Jane's car in the garage and took rifles, pistols and ammunition. We also took more clothes and food. I was glad to notice that Jane took some bikinis.

We went south on I-95 past our last stop and continued down to the Spotsylvania area exit and Virginia 3. We went west by the mall and made our way to Lake Anna State Park.

I said, "We're here or, at least, we're at the beginning of here. There are many houses on the lake and most should have been empty when the virus hit people. The Marina should have gas and that leaves power generation as the only issue to cover."

It was a beautiful site and another beautiful sight was my new bride. Jane had been catching my eye since she dressed this morning. She was almost wearing a pair of "Daisy Dukes" type cut-offs that were skintight and showed a fair bit of cheek. She was wearing a halter-top with nothing underneath and the top was tight enough to show the outlines of her delectable breasts and loose enough to show tantalizing glimpses of skin went she leaned forward or twisted. I said, "But, before we search out a place to live, I want a place to love. You've been driving me crazy with that outfit all day!"

She grinned and said, "I wouldn't want to do that. Drive you crazy, that is." She got out of the stopped truck and stripped her clothes off standing there naked as the day she was born. I hurried around pulling my clothes off as I went and we went inside the truck to make love passionately.

After a long lovely time, we got out. I pulled on my shorts and she put on her top and shorts. We went exploring.

The marina was deserted, of course. That wasn't a surprise since the workers would not come in to work if they were sick. I told Jane, "Why don't we pick out a house from the water. We can check it out and make it ours." She was agreeable. I locked the truck and picked a beautiful pontoon boat, checked the gas and pulled away from the dock for our tour. The lake was beautiful and quiet. Not surprisingly, we were the only ones on the water. We had not seen any vehicles all day. I heard one while we were on I-95 but that was it.

We found a beautiful cottage on a level lot among some trees. It looked cool and inviting. We tied up at the dock and began to explore it. Jane had seen some bigger places but she stopped me for this one. We walked up to it and then around it. In the distance about a hundred yards away, I could see a gate at the drive. It was closed. We began to check flowerpots and rocks for a key and got lucky at the fifth pot. We unlocked and opened the door. We stepped inside saying, "Hello. Is anybody home?"