In the center of the room was a little island with a computer cash register, a microwave, and a coffee maker. The microwave door hung wide; some animal had made a nest inside. The coffee maker was cracked, and laced with cobwebs.
“What a mess,” Malcolm said.
“Looks fine to me,” Sarah Harding said. The windows were all barred. The walls seemed solid enough. The canned goods would still be edible. She saw a sign that said “Restrooms,” so maybe there was plumbing, too. They should be safe here, at least for a while.
She helped Malcolm to lie down on the floor. Then she went over to where Thorne and Levine were working on Arby. “I brought the first-aid kit,” she said. “How is he?”
“Pretty bruised,” Thorne said. “Some gashes. But nothing broken. Head looks bad.”
“Everything hurts,” Arby said. “Even my mouth.”
“Somebody see if there’s a light,” she said. “Let me look, Arby. Okay, you’re missing a couple of teeth, that’s why. But that can be fixed. The cut on your head isn’t so bad.” She swabbed it clean with gauze, turned to Thorne. “How long until the helicopter comes?”
Thorne looked at his watch. “Two hours.”
“And where does it land?”
“The pad is several miles from here.”
Working on Arby, she nodded. “Okay. So we have two hours to get to the pad.”
Kelly said, “How can we do that? The car’s out of gas.”
“Don’t worry,” Sarah said. “We’ll figure something out. It’s going to be fine.”
“You always say that,” Kelly said.
“Because it’s always true,” Sarah said. “Okay, Arby, I need you to help now. I’m going to sit you up, and get your shirt off….”
Thorne moved off to one side with Levine. Levine was wild-eyed, his body moving in a twitchy way. The drive in the Jeep seemed to have finished him off. “What is she talking about?” he said. “We’re trapped here. Trapped!” There was hysteria in his voice. “We can’t go anywhere. We can’t do anything. I’m telling you, we’re all going to d – ”
“Keep it down,” Thorne said, grabbing his arm, leaning close. “Don’t upset the kids.”
“What difference does it make?” Levine said. “They’re going to find out sooner or – Ow! Take it easy.”
Thorne was squeezing his arm hard. He leaned close to Levine. “You’re too old to act like an asshole,” he said quietly. “Now, pull yourself together, Richard. Are you listening to me, Richard?”
Levine nodded.
“Good. Now, Richard, I’m going to go outside, and see if the pumps work.”
“They can’t possibly work,” Levine said. “Not after five years. I’m telling you, it’s a waste of – ”
“Richard,” Thorne said. We have to check the pumps.”
There was a pause. The two men looked at each other.
“You mean you’re going outside?” Levine said.
“Yes.”
Levine frowned. Another pause.
Crouched over Arby, Sarah said, “Where are the lights, guys?”
“Just a minute,” Thorne said to her. He leaned close to Levine. “Okay?”
“Okay,” Levine said, taking a breath.
Thorne went to the front door, opened it, and stepped out into darkness. Levine closed the door behind him. Thorne heard a click as the door locked.
He immediately turned, and rapped softly. Levine opened the door a few inches, peering out.
“For Christ’s sake,” Thorne whispered. “Don’t lock it!”
“But I just thought – ”
“Don’t lock the damn door!”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”
“For Christ’s sake,” Thorne said.
He closed the door again, and turned to face the night.
Around him, the worker village was silent. He heard only the steady drone of cicadas in the darkness. It seemed almost too quiet, he thought. But perhaps it was just the contrast from the snarling raptors. Thorne stood with his back to the door for a long time, staring out at the clearing. He saw nothing.
Finally he walked over to the jeep, opened the side door, and fumbled in the dark for the radio. Ills hand touched it; it had slid under the passenger seat. He pulled it out and carried it back to the store, knocked on the door.
Levine opened it, said “It’s not lock – “