PART 7

            Mark accelerated, and gripping the wheel tightly he sped the last few miles to his driveway. By this time the smoke was intense, and visibility was rapidly decreasing. He decided not to drive any further, and instead he got out of the car, and after giving Jill the keys in case she needed to drive away quickly without him, ran up the driveway. By the time he came to the point at which he normally would have been able to see his home, all he saw was a fireball with a plume of smoke extending into the heavens above it. He knew that there was nothing that he could have done, but luckily for him he had already cleaned out his prep room that he had hidden in his closet before he left, so, besides sentimental items, there was nothing of actual value remaining in the house. Mark briefly considered looking for Carl, but then realized that if Carl was alive, he would be gone, and if he was dead there was no point in going to get him. Sadly, he reflected to himself that only a day ago, if any of this would have happened, his responses would be radically different. He would never have left a man in a burning building but now, well, now he was going to do anything that he could to keep his wife, and if he ever reached them her family-safe.

            Sprinting away from his burning home, he pulled out his cell phone. It hadn’t worked for a few hours now, but even so he still wanted to try to call someone, anyone. He dialed the number for his wife’s parent’s house, and cautiously put the phone to his ear.

            The dial tone was depressing. Having lived for so long with the ability to contact anyone, anywhere, that now, as he realized the total gravity of his situation, he was almost overcome. With no cell phone and very obviously no internet connection, Mark was, for the first time in years, completely isolated from the world.

            When he got back to his car, he found Jill just where he had left her. “Hon, let’s go, now.” He said, while jumping into the driver’s seat. “Is something wrong?” asked Jill, seemingly oblivious to the fire, probably in shock.

            “No, no, nothing’s wrong” replied Mark sarcastically, finally blowing his cool with his wife. He knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but he just couldn’t contain himself anymore.

            “Dear, I know this is hard for you, but it’s harder for me! Your parents died years ago, but I still have parents who might or might not be alive, so cut me a little slack, ok?” shouted Jill, half crying and half screaming. This was the first fight in months that Mark and Jill had had, and given the current situation, it was bound to be the first of an increasing many.