Pete and Grace heard the doorbell again. Grace slyly looked through the curtains to see who was there. It was the government vaccine pushers again. Pete whispered to Grace, “Don’t answer the door.” But, they continued to ring the doorbell. Finally, after about 15 minutes, the pushers retreated. But they would be back, because Pete and Grace were the last two Americans that didn’t get vaccinated for the coronavirus.
The Escape
Pete and Grace knew that the government would use all of it’s resources to force them to be vaccinated. So, they formulated a plan to escape and go on the run. They filled their backpacks with blankets, a machete, an ax, non-perishable food, water, a hand-crank radio, a hand-crank flashlight, matches and clothes.
Pete looked out the window and saw the black car sitting in front of the house. It had been there for hours. They made their way out the back door, and started to walk away. But, one of the pushers was walking around the house and saw them. They quickly returned into the house and locked all the doors.
They waited until it got dark outside, then they climbed out of a basement window and started walking toward the mountains.
The Walk
Even though their legs were aching, they kept up a brisk pace toward the mountains. When the sun came up, they saw a police cruiser. They hurriedly hid behind a bush in somebody’s yard. When the cruiser passed, they continued their walk.
Then, they saw a team of FBI agents searching the neighborhood. They found a kiddie swimming pool and turned it upside down to get under it. They could hear an FBI agent say to another, “We have orders to find them from the big guy. So, keep looking.” Pete and Grace could barely breathe.
Once the coast was clear, they continued their trek. As they passed a house, the owner came out and yelled, “It’s them! Call the cops!” They started running as fast as they could. To get them off their trail, they turned left at a street, then doubled back toward the mountains.
The Mountains
Finally, Pete and Grace got to the base of the mountains. They took a short breather, then they started up the mountain. It was August, and the brush was thick. So, Grace used the machete to clear a path, while Pete refilled the brush so their path couldn’t be seen.
They continued their ascent for hours. Pete knew they had to get as high as possible before it got dark. At dusk, they looked for a place to camp, and found a place between two fallen trees that would shield them. They decided Grace would sleep for four hours while Pete watched. Then they would reverse it for the next four hours.
While Grace slept, Pete turned on the radio. He couldn’t get many channels, but the ones he could get talked about him and Grace being on the run. He listened to a clip from the President saying that these (Pete and Grace) unpatriotic domestic terrorists are keeping me from one hundred percent vaccination, and they must be found dead or alive.
The Morning
While Pete and Grace were having a bite to eat at daybreak, they heard voices. They quietly packed their things while they listened. It was the military, and it sounded like they were foot searching the mountains. They had no idea how many of them there might be.
They started walking away from the voices. After about fifty yards, Pete stumbled on a hole. It was big enough for both of them to climb into, so they did. Then, Pete stood up and pulled brush over the hole. They sat in the hole for hours. At one point, they could hear a voice from above as if it were right next to them.
When they didn’t hear voices any longer, Pete stood up to look around. “All clear Grace. Let’s get moving.”
The Decision
Although they had lost several hours of daylight hiding from the military, they neared the top of the mountain at dusk. They sat down and shared a can of baked beans. While they were eating, Grace asked, “What will we do now Pete? We’re fugitives.” Pete replied, “Yes. We are. But, I’m prepared to keep running rather than getting the vaccine. Are you with me?” Grace replied, “Absolutely!”
Categories:Short Story
Tags:americanbackpackcampcoronavirusescapefbigovernmenthidemilitarymountainPresidentvaccine
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