Last Chance To Make Rent

Clark Palmer [email protected]

about 12,000 words

Last Chance to Make Rent by Clark Palmer

Ralph was on his feet and at the stockroom door just seconds after the metal-on-metal banging reached his ears. It was the all-too-familiar sound of someone or more than one person trying to break into his store.

He cocked his

Remington shotgun and slung a bandolier over his body. “Be careful,” Ralph Sr. said soberly as he rolled up behind him in his power chair, sawed-off shotgun in his lap. Bang! Ralph spoke calmly yet sternly, “If I yell lockdown...don’t hesitate.”

Lockdown was code for locking

the stockroom when Ralph or one of the other adults was in the store. Bang! Bang! Ralph glanced at the back of the stockroom at his sleeping wife and two children.

He took a deep

Palmer / Last Chance / 2 breath and slowly let it out, but the queasy feeling in his stomach only got worse. It could have easily been kids or run-of-the-mill vagrants doing a little vandalism or trying to break in and steal a few things.

It could also be God’s Children, who

were getting increasingly strategic and dangerous. Assuming you were safe was the number one cause of death in New Ritchie.

He had no time for assumptions that day: his

family wouldn’t make rent tomorrow if he got killed. Ralph nodded at his father, who quickly pulled the door open, shielding himself behind it.

Ralph looked left

and right, his shotgun following his gaze. He strode into the back of his family’s flea market, which had been a chain pharmacy/convenience store before the Virus Wars.

He lowered himself into a crouch and

hustled down the aisle in front of him, looking for intruders through the holes behind the empty shelves.

It

didn’t look or sound like anyone had actually broken into his store but he’d learned to trust his instincts a long time ago. “Dad, get Nang up and cover me,” Ralph said, hoping he kept his voice just low enough so the two or more people outside wouldn’t hear him.

Palmer / Last Chance / 3 “Already did.

We’re ready,” Ralph Sr. said.

Ralph

heard the door creak open and someone step out into the store, followed by the low whirring of the electric motor on his father’s chair.

Ralph Jr. saw the top of his

adopted brother’s head a couple aisles over.

His father

stopped a few feet in front of the door to the stockroom. Ralph Jr. peered around the end of the aisle at the store entrance.

Two teenagers in tattered clothing were

banging on the door with metal sticks.

Ralph Jr. looked

closer and saw that one of the sticks was an aluminum baseball bat.

The blazing sun tattoos with the eye in the

middle on their foreheads gave them away as God’s Children. Years ago Ralph had welded metal pipes to the outside of the door to help prevent people from breaking the double-pane glass. obviously pointless.

The teenagers’ attempts to get in were But that wasn’t what they were trying

to do. “Be ready,” Ralph Jr. called over his shoulder. “Somethin’ else is goin’ on.”

He heard his dad roll down

the aisle behind him and Nang walk to the end of his aisle. The teens banged on the door simultaneously.

For all

of their talk about rebuilding the world according to their philosophies, God’s Children were basically a ragtag group of religious nuts.

Most of them.

But there was definitely

Palmer / Last Chance / 4 a strategy behind their actions.

Not knowing what it was

made him very uncomfortable. When Ralph saw the door hinges rattle around violently he quickly stood and strode to the door, aiming his Remington at one of the teenagers.

The other one was about

to hit the wall to the left of the door, with something that looked like it used to be part of a car, when he saw Ralph approaching.

Ralph returned the young man’s nervous

stare with a steely-eyed, unblinking gaze.

The teen

grabbed his friend and quickly pulled him away from the door.

They both started backing up slowly.

Ralph couldn’t shoot through the door.

Besides, a

shotgun blast would crack the glass, making it easier for people to actually break in next time.

That would also

create something for Ralph to fix, and he didn’t have extra panes of glass just lying around. He pointed his shotgun at the ceiling without looking, fired, and cocked the gun again.

Nang charged to Ralph

Jr.’s side, aiming his Glock at the door.

His father

stayed right where he was to lock down the stockroom if necessary. One of the teenagers immediately turned and ran.

The

other stared at Ralph Jr. as he backed away, his face like a stone.

He gave Ralph an evil smile then ran away.

Ralph

Palmer / Last Chance / 5 stared after him, his eyes narrowing.

Then he looked up at

the hole in the ceiling and dusted off the top of his head and both shoulders. He looked at Nang.

“Be ready for anything,” he

ordered. Nang nodded slowly, his gun aimed at the floor.

Ralph

stepped forward to the door and looked through the glass onto the sidewalk and the eerily quiet street beyond. He saw an overturned trashcan that looked like it had vomited on the sidewalk.

A light breeze blew empty cans,

bottles, used syringes, bullet casings and other garbage down the sidewalk or onto the road.

A few blocks away he

saw scavengers sifting through trash and other items lying on the street and sidewalks.

Some crazies wandered

aimlessly on the other side of the street.

Directly across

the street from Ralph’s store sat the rusted-out hulk of an electric car. The streetlight on the corner closest to the store illuminated a lot of the surrounding area. light working for situations like this.

He kept the

Something just

didn’t feel right, so he opened the lock, unwrapped the chain, and set it down next to the door. “I’m gonna make sure there’s no one out there to worry about,” he said to Nang without turning around.

“If

Palmer / Last Chance / 6 somethin’ happens to me and you don’t think you guys can handle it, lock this door and get back to the stockroom.” “Alright,” Nang said. He pushed the door open a couple feet, holding his gun at his side.

He looked to his left then peered around the

front of the door.

He saw words spray painted on the face

of the building next to his store. “What is it?” Nang asked from inside the store. “They left us a note,” Ralph said. He leaned farther out into the sidewalk and read it silently: “You shall be punished for profiting on the pain of God’s children.

We are the path to salvation.”

God’s Children had killed people but it was usually pretty random.

A gun would go off during a robbery or an

act of vandalism would go a little too far.

He didn’t

think cold-blooded murder was in the God’s Children’s repertoire.

Then again, maybe he was wrong.

But at that moment, the most important thing was covering up the message so customers wouldn’t get scared away.

He needed all the customers he could get to pay the

$250s in rent he owed by the next morning. Ralph stepped back inside. “So...what’d it say?” Nang asked.

Palmer / Last Chance / 7 “I wouldn’t worry about it.

Usual BS.”

up the chain and lock next to the door.

Ralph picked

Nang had been a

little on edge the past few days and Ralph didn’t want to make him more nervous. “I can handle it.” “You sure?” Ralph finished locking the door. been kinda...jittery lately.

“You’ve

I don’t wanna scare you or

anything.” “Yeah, no...I’m, you know...” nervous about the rent.

Nang shrugged.

“Just

Don’t wanna be a nomad again.”

“Alright,” Ralph said.

“It was something about

punishing us for profiting from the pain of God’s Children and they’re the salvation or something.” Nang tensed up and broke eye contact. “Does that mean somethin’ to you?” Nang forced himself to chuckle.

“No, it sounds like

usual BS like you said.” “Are you worried?” “Maybe.

A little.

But it’s probably nothin’.”

Ralph patted him on the shoulder. some sleep?

“Why don’t you get

Me and Dad’ll watch the door in case they come

back.” Nang nodded and headed back to the stockroom.

Palmer / Last Chance / 8 Ralph wasn’t sure if telling Nang about the message was worse than keeping it from him.

He had his doubts

about surviving some kind of full-on assault by dozens of God’s Children.

If that’s what the message meant.

It

could just easily have been foreshadowing more attempts at shoplifting or vandalism.

Or more spray-painted messages.

But he figured Nang was just scared of being a nomad again. He told Ralph about those years once: his mother selling her body for food or shelter for him and his father; never knowing if or from where his next meal would come; watching from a moldy, maggot-infested dumpster as a scavenger robbed his parents and bludgeoned them to death with a leg from an aluminum desk; the paralyzing fear that kept him from intervening. Nang’s story wasn’t unique.

The Virus Wars turned

hundreds of thousands of ordinary people into nomads. Ralph’s father claimed that the decades-long series of little wars and skirmishes traced back to overly excessive use of antibiotics and hand sanitizer in the first two decades of the 21st century.

Ralph Sr. said it created

super viruses that wiped out cities full of people, causing conflict over medical resources which only led to more

Palmer / Last Chance / 9 death and destruction.

Eventually, humans became immune to

the viruses and they began trying to rebuild civilization. Nang was more fortunate than a lot of nomads.

Ralph’s

mother and father took him in and loved him like a son. Ralph’s mother educated him while his father taught him how to defend himself and use his street smarts.

But he

couldn’t run from everything he’d experienced in his formative years.

Nang was more like someone Ralph had

worked with for several years than a brother. His father approached. “Everything’s fine,” Ralph said. “Kids?” “Yeah.

They left a message on the wall.

We’ve gotta

figure out how to get it off there before customers start showing up.” Ralph grabbed a foldout chair and took a seat next to the checkout counter. “Shoot it a few times.

Nobody’ll be able to tell what

it is.” “Yeah, I don’t think we’ve got time for anything else. I just wish they would’ve left the spray paint.

We

could’ve sold it.” Ralph Sr. smiled. wouldn’t it?”

“That would really piss ‘em off

Palmer / Last Chance / 10 His son chuckled. A few minutes later, Ralph’s wife Jodie came walking down an aisle. “Yeah.

“Everything OK?”

We’re fine.

You should try to get some more

sleep.” Jodie frowned.

“I thought you said you were gonna

wake me up the next time.” Ralph Jr. rolled his eyes.

“It was nothing.

We’re

fine.” “I don’t wanna wake up and find out you’re dead.

OK?”

“I just wanted you to be well rested.” “Tired I can deal with.” her husband on the forehead.

Jodie leaned down and kissed “Come back to bed.

You said

everything’s fine.” “I can’t,” Ralph Jr. said as he put his hand on her hip.

“I’ve got a bad feeling.

few hours.”

Besides, sun’ll be up in a

His wrist watch said 5:06.

Jodie sighed.

“Alright.

But y’know, your dad can

keep watch.” “Sure,” Ralph Sr. said. “We’ve got to talk about some things.” “You guys think exactly the same. that he doesn’t?”

What do you know

Palmer / Last Chance / 11 Ralph Jr. smiled up at his wife.

“I’d just feel more

comfortable out here.” “Alright,” Jodie said, her voice filled with resignation. “I love you,” Ralph Jr. said as she walked away. “I love you too,” Jodie said passive aggressively without turning around. She closed the door to the stockroom behind her. Ralph Jr. stared at the door for a few moments then looked at his father, who was smiling. “What?” Ralph Sr. shook his head, as if to say, “Nothing.” “I’d rather she be alive and mad at me than dead.” “Hey, I understand.” “Besides, I can spend more time with her after I’ve made rent for this month.” Ralph Sr. shrugged.

“You’re a chip off the old block.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” His father shook his head.

“Hey...I don’t wanna

criticize your relationship.” Ralph Jr. eyed his father curiously.

“What?” He

grabbed his shotgun from the counter and replaced the shell he had fired earlier.

Palmer / Last Chance / 12 Ralph Sr. studied his son’s face for a few seconds. “You’re keeping Jodie and the kids safe so you can spend time with them.

But if you don’t spend time with them, it

kind of defeats the purpose.

I didn’t learn that until it

was too late.” Ralph Jr. frowned. mom.

“You spent plenty of time with

I mean, you did the best you could.”

His mother died

of cancer 15 years earlier. “Yeah, I guess so.”

His father said slowly.

“But

you’re counting on tomorrow.” Ralph Jr. looked at his father then back at the stockroom where his wife and kids were sleeping.

He’d

never resented his father until after he had a family and he had to live up to his example.

But he couldn’t have his

mind on that and keep his family safe and make rent. “When does the shipment get in?” His father asked. “Huh?” Ralph said as he turned back to his father. “Oh, ah...10.”

He checked his wristwatch.

“James said 10.

I mean, unless something happens on the way here, which I don’t even wanna think about.” “James knows what he’s doing,” Ralph Sr. said. wouldn’t worry about it.

“I

He wouldn’t still be delivering

to us if he didn’t have a handle on things.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 13 “Maybe.

Maybe he’s just been lucky so far.

what he’d do if something really did go down.

I wonder

I don’t

think he could win a staring contest much less a gunfight. And let’s hope he’s got a good shipment.

Not just spare

parts or cell phones.” James used to be just a common scavenger but he figured out there was a lot of money to be made selling the things he found to others.

Then he discovered a gas-

powered van that still worked, and the money really started pouring in.

Ralph Jr. wouldn’t have a business without

James. The problem was that New Ritchie was a really dangerous place for people who had something to lose.

That

fact manifested itself in the prices James charged Ralph Jr. for the goods he delivered.

James always drove away

with boxes of goods that would fly off Ralph Jr.’s shelves if he had the money to buy them. Unfortunately, Ralph Jr. and his family couldn’t just pick up and leave to setup their store in a place where James would charge them a more reasonable price to deliver products.

New Ritchie didn’t have many other businesses

for his flea market to compete with. been open for several years.

That’s why they had

They wouldn’t survive if they

had to start over in a new town with several flea markets

Palmer / Last Chance / 14 and other businesses.

Ralph Jr. would do whatever he had

to do to prevent his family from living on the streets again. But things were getting to a point where Ralph Jr. couldn’t afford to stay.

James’ prices kept going up.

God’s Children were getting increasingly bold.

Ralph Jr.’s

landlord told him the local government was going to impose new laws on businesses and start levying taxes on him, which would be passed down to Ralph Jr. and the other tenants. City governments needed more money to build bureaucracies and begin to reassert authority over their citizens.

Unfortunately, businesses like Ralph Jr.’s would

probably become casualties in that quest for authority. Ralph Jr. and his father talked for an hour, keeping watch on the street outside.

Then Ralph Jr. went outside

and fired several shotgun shells into the wall to get rid of the message from God’s Children, like his father had suggested. When he got back inside, he and his father began setting up the store for business.

They opened the

stockroom, wedged the door, and carried out boxes of clothes, books, CDs, canned food, and other items they

Palmer / Last Chance / 15 didn’t sell the day before.

Ralph Jr. wanted to get

everything off the shelves by the time the shipment arrived. They stocked the items in the middle of an aisle. They never put anything in the front of the store because customers would steal as much of it as they could. By that time, Nang, Jodie, Riley, and Jane were awake. Jodie got the kids dressed and made breakfast for everyone. Ralph Sr. chowed down on a can of baked beans while Jodie and Ralph Jr. shared a can of dark tuna.

Jodie opened a

can of peaches for Jodie and Riley to share, which took a little stern language. “Riley, you can start work without breakfast if you want!” Riley stared down at the floor and mumbled something. “What was that?” “Fine.

I’ll share,” he said angrily.

Jane smiled as

she shoveled a peach slice into her mouth.

Riley gave her

a dirty look. “Don’t give your mother a hard time today,” Ralph Jr. said.

“We’ve got a lot to do...and maybe...if you’re

really good today, we can play chess after we close.” “Really?” Riley said. “Can I play too?” Jane asked. “If you’re really good, maybe.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 16 Ralph Sr. chimed in, “How bout you and me against your old man?

I taught him everything he knows.”

“Yeah,” Riley said. Ralph Jr. frowned at his father.

“I think they’re

getting tired of watching you beat me.” “Well,” Ralph Sr. said, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe you’re right.

I’m just better than you.

Guess I

should stop trying to prove it.” “Can I sell some stuff today Dad?” Ralph narrowed his eyes and glanced briefly at his father.

“Alright.

Later tonight before we close.

But

only if you don’t give your mom any more trouble.” Riley’s face lit up. “Finish up.”

Ralph ruffled his son’s hair.

Riley grabbed another peach slice out of the can and shoved the whole thing in his mouth. Ralph leaned back in his chair and winked at his wife. An hour later, at 8:30, Ralph Jr. unlocked the front door to officially open the store.

The unforgiving sun

peaked out above the partially destroyed buildings, melting the morning dew off of the vines and weeds attempting to retake the streets from the concrete and metal progress of humanity.

Palmer / Last Chance / 17 Ralph saw pimps and prostitutes making their morning rounds.

They traded sex for just about anything (clothes,

food, guns, money).

He saw the token street rats and

scavengers. But some people were headed east toward city hall, either for a job or to help out the fledgling government in any way they were able and hopefully make some money in the process. The people with jobs had a confidence about them that was almost indescribable.

Hopelessness was all around

them, but they could ignore it because when they left their homes they felt like they were contributing something to society.

When they watched the sun rise they saw all the

possibilities of a new day, while others felt oppressive heat and struggled to cope with the feeling that they could die at any moment.

Ralph Jr. was somewhere in the middle.

He didn’t think the world was completely irredeemable but the reality was that too much hope was life threatening in New Ritchie. Nang stood by the store entrance, Ralph Jr.’s Remington shotgun in his hands and a bandolier around his body.

It was Nang’s job to keep out potential shoplifters,

God’s Children, and anyone else he thought might put himself or the Connors family in danger.

Most people who

Palmer / Last Chance / 18 lived in New Ritchie were armed at all times, but some people were crazy and Ralph Jr. didn’t want to put his wife or kids in any unnecessary danger. Jodie stood behind the checkout counter with Riley and Jane.

She had a .45 holstered on her hip and a 12-gauge on

a swivel hidden under the counter.

Ralph Jr. and his

father roamed the store to help customers and negotiate prices.

Ralph Jr. had cut out cubby holes in the checkout

counter that his children could climb into in an emergency. He had welded metal plates around the insides of the cubby holes to make them bullet proof. Ralph Jr. was armed with Nang’s Glock.

His father had

his sawed-off shotgun and a .22 pistol hidden under his chair. Their first customer was a balding man of average height with a greasy beard and twitchy eyes.

What was left

of his hair went down to his shoulders. Ralph Jr. approached the man when Nang let him in. “What’re you lookin’ for?” he asked very seriously.

He

didn’t project any false happiness or friendliness.

It

wouldn’t have worked anyway. “We’ve got clothes, canned food, books, music?” The customer searched the shelves as he spoke. “Actually, I’ve been reading this book about card games.

I

Palmer / Last Chance / 19 wanted to play some of ‘em with my roommates.

Do you got

any playing cards?” Ralph Jr. did but they belonged to his kids. throw a fit if he sold them.

They’d

But he could tell that the

customer in front of him was ready to spend money and he couldn’t let someone like that out of his store without buying something.

Besides, there was a good chance James

would have some in one of his next few shipments.

Maybe he

could convince the kids that they’d lost them for a few days. Ralph Jr. slowly nodded. left.

“Yeah.

I’ve got one pack

It’s good you got here when you did.

come across those very often.

But I don’t

I’d say they’re worth...”

Ralph Jr. liked to pretend to be thinking about a reasonable price.

But he thought of a ridiculous price the

moment the customer asked for the item. “I’ll sell them for two dollars.” “Two dollars?!” The customer stared at Ralph Jr. for a moment, his jaw dropping a little.

“Why don’t ya just

charge me five?” “Well, now that you mention it, two fifty is probably better.” “C’mon man.

50 cents is totally fair.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 20 Ralph Jr. smirked.

“Look, just because it’s nine in

the morning doesn’t mean you can rip me off. take it or leave it.

Two fifty,

I mean, it sounds like you’re really

excited about playing those card games you’ve been reading about.

Cards are a luxury.

You always gotta pay more for

that.” The customer shook his head, turned, and started walking away. Ralph Jr. sighed.

“Alright, fine...a dollar seventy

five.” The man continued walking. “Dollar sixty?” The man stood still for a few moments then said, “Dollar thirty five.” Ralph Jr. put on a sinister smile, knowing the customer couldn’t see him.

“Dollar fifty.

You’re not gonna find a better deal.

Final offer.

Trust me.”

The customer turned around and stared at the floor, shaking his head.

“Alright, where are they?”

“Wait right here,” Ralph Jr. said, holding up his index finger.

He didn’t want the man going to the checkout

counter and asking Jodie for playing cards.

She knew the

only set of playing cards in the store belonged to the kids.

She wouldn’t sell them and she’d be furious with

Palmer / Last Chance / 21 Ralph Jr. for trying it.

She’d find out eventually, but he

might have another pack of cards by that point. “You lookin’ for anything else?” Ralph Jr. grabbed a can of fruit. love ‘em.

“These peaches are really good.

You need a new shirt?

My kids

We’ve got a bunch of ‘em

in really good shape.” “No, I don’t have--” “--Well, take a look around.

I’ll be right back.”

Ralph Jr. made eye contact with his father, who was at the front of the store, and nodded twice, which was the signal to follow the customer to make sure he didn’t steal anything. Ralph Jr. was out of the stockroom a minute later, hustling over to the customer. fifty.

“OK.

That’s a dollar

Did you find anything else you wanted?”

The customer reached into his pocket for the money. He handed Ralph two dollars and he gave the customer 50 cents back.

As the customer pocketed the deck of cards,

Ralph Jr. grabbed a can of rotini in tomato sauce.

“I’ll

throw this in for a dollar 15.” “You charged me 70 cents for that last time.” “Well, as you can see, I don’t have much canned food left.

I gotta make this last.”

Ralph Jr. rolled the can

Palmer / Last Chance / 22 around between his hands. tonight.

“This’ll be a pretty nice meal

Get a fire goin’.

Heat it up.”

The customer bit his lip and looked around the store as he thought about it. his index finger.

He looked at Ralph Jr. and put up

“One dollar.”

“It’s a deal.” When the transaction was completed Ralph Jr. went to the checkout counter and handed the money to Jodie.

When

the store wasn’t busy Ralph did transactions on the floor rather than risk the customer trying to run out of the store with the item he wanted to buy. “What’d he buy?” Jodie asked. “Canned food,” Ralph Jr. said quickly, as he walked back toward the middle of the store. They got several more customers that morning, including a boy of about 15 or 16 years who came in and sifted through the shirts that were left on the shelves. Ralph Jr. walked briskly over to him. “Can I help you with something?” The boy looked up at him and smiled. looking.

“No, just

Thanks.”

“Kid like you doesn’t just look. “Yeah, man.

Relax.”

You got any money?”

Palmer / Last Chance / 23 Ralph Jr. spun the kid around and searched his pockets for money, clutching a handful of the teen’s shirt to prevent him from running away. “Man cut it out! I said I got money.”

The teen pulled

on his shirt to get it out of Ralph Jr.’s grasp.

So Ralph

Jr. put the kid in a choke hold and pushed him up against the shelves to his right as he searched the teen’s front pockets. Someone from behind Ralph Jr. asked, “Ah, excuse me, do you own this place?” “Yeah,” Ralph Jr. said through gritted teeth, not turning his head to face the man.

“Hold on a sec.”

He didn’t find any money in the kid’s pockets so he released him from the choke hold and spun him around, keeping a tight grip on his shirt. here without any money again. leave alive.

“Don’t ever come in

Next time you might not

Now get the hell out.”

Ralph Jr. released the teen’s shirt and stepped back so he could walk away. “You better be glad you let me go,” the teen said. Ralph Jr. drew Nang’s Glock from the holster on his hip and touched the muzzle to the teen’s forehead. wanna test me?

Go ahead.”

“You

Palmer / Last Chance / 24 The teen took one step away, Ralph Jr. keeping the muzzle against his forehead.

Ralph Jr. began gently

squeezing the trigger and the teen turned and ran out of the store. Ralph Jr. smiled and was about to holster his gun when his father’s shotgun went off, spraying pieces of aluminum shelving in all directions. “Shoplifter!” Ralph Sr. yelled.

The man who had asked

Ralph Jr. if he owned the store dropped into a crouch and drew a Beretta from a shoulder holster. Ralph Jr. saw someone run out the front of an aisle and head to the door.

Nang turned to face the man but for

some reason didn’t raise his shotgun.

Ralph gave his

adopted brother one more second to take down the shoplifter then aimed and put a slug in the shoplifter’s head.

Nang

turned sideways and covered his face with his forearm as a thin line of blood shot out of the newly formed hole in the shoplifter’s forehead.

The force of the gunshot snapped

the man’s head back and sent him into a belly flop on the floor.

Ralph Jr. lowered the gun and looked over at Jodie

and the kids. “You guys OK?”

Palmer / Last Chance / 25 Jodie had her .45 aimed at the shoplifter’s body in case he wasn’t dead.

Riley was peeking over the counter

and Jane must have been sitting behind it. Ralph Jr. looked down at the man with the Beretta. “Me and my family are the only ones who can shoot people in here.

If you wanna buy something you better holster that

thing.” The man stared at Ralph Jr., gauging whether he could trust him.

He clicked on the safety and lowered the gun

but didn’t holster it.

“You didn’t even check to see if he

actually stole something.

You’ll excuse me if I’m a little

on edge.” Ralph Jr. stared at him, waiting for him to back down. But the other man calmly stood, still holding his gun.

He

was a lot more confident than most of Ralph’s customers. He obviously respected himself. His hair was combed.

His shirt was tucked in.

At first glance he looked like he’d

be easy to beat up and rob.

But his eyes said different.

They reminded him of his own eyes. Ralph Jr. said, “If you raise that thing above your stomach I’m gonna shoot you somewhere it’ll really hurt. Then I’m gonna kill you.” “Fair enough.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 26 Ralph walked past him and knelt down next to the shoplifter.

He checked his pulse to confirm that he was

dead. Ralph stood and confronted Nang. shoot him Nang?

That was your shot.

“Why didn’t you I almost missed.”

“I thought you had him.” “You’ve got a shotgun,” Ralph said, pausing for dramatic effect. a gun.

“One shot and he’s down.

He could’ve had

If I didn’t get him in the head he could’ve taken

it out and shot at me or Jodie or the kids.” Nang nervously clutched the shotgun in both hands.

He

stared down at the floor. Ralph snapped his fingers. goin’ on? day.

“Hey, what the hell’s

I can’t be worried about you for the rest of the

There’s too much stuff to sell.” “I’ll be more careful next time.”

Ralph for just a second. store.

Nang looked up at

“I shouldn’t have let him in the

I just knew we needed a lot of customers today.”

Ralph Jr. rubbed his jaw. borderline.

“I guess that kid was

I’m better at reading people than you.

But

still...I don’t care about the rent when it comes to safety.

If it’s 8 and we’re not close to making rent, then

we’ll talk about letting in dangerous people.

I can lock

Palmer / Last Chance / 27 the kids in the stockroom.

But that’s a last resort.

Just

treat this like any other day, unless I tell you otherwise.” “Alright.” “Are you only worried about God’s Children? “Yeah, maybe.” Ralph studied the other man’s face.

Tomorrow Ralph

might have to put his wife at the door, even though he shuddered at the thought of putting her right in the line of fire.

But what did that say about his relationship with

Nang? “There’s blood on his shirt collar but his shoes and pants are fine,” Jodie said, kneeling next to the shoplifter’s body. Ralph said, “Let’s get those on the shelves and clean this up.”

He looked at Nang.

They can’t see this.

“Stall people at the door.

Might scare ‘em off.”

“Yeah,” Nang said. Ralph pushed the confusion about what was going on with Nang out of his mind. Ralph Jr. took off the man’s pants and shoes and handed them to his father who stocked them on the shelf with the other clothes. outside the back door.

They put the body in a dumpster

Palmer / Last Chance / 28 It took Jodie a few minutes to clean up the blood and chunks of the shoplifter’s brain that the bullet from Nang’s Glock had sprayed all over the floor by the front door. Ralph walked back over to the man holding the Beretta. “So whaddyou need?” The man holstered his gun and Ralph Jr. followed suit. He stuck his hand out for Ralph Jr. to shake. Furlong.

“Harold

My friends call me Harry.”

They shook hands.

“Then I’ll call you Mr.

Furlong.

What were you looking to buy today?” “Oh, nothing.

I actually just wanted to talk.

See

I’m the new sheriff-” “Look, this is a flea market, we talk about what you’re gonna buy.” “I know you’re busy,” Furlong said.

“I just need a

few minutes.” “Fine.

But you gotta buy something.”

“Alright.”

He grabbed the first thing he could find,

a paperback book. “For you? “Five.”

“How much for this?”

Seven bucks.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 29 Ralph Jr. shook his head.

“It’s seven dollars.

you wanna talk, that’s what it’s gonna cost.

If

Either take

it or get out.” Furlong reached into his shirt pocket, counted seven dollars, and handed them to Ralph Jr. He pocketed the money and crossed his arms in front of his chest. two minutes.

“Now, you got

Make it quick.”

Furlong cleared his throat. new sheriff.

“As I was saying, I’m the

department.

We’re recruiting people to the police Mayor Green wants to start enforcing some laws

and making the streets safer for people like you and your family.

I thought you’d want to be part of it.”

Ralph Jr. stared at him for a few moments. me to become a police officer?” He chuckled.

“You want

“In New

Ritchie?” “Yes.

I’ve seen the way you-”

“-Hey Dad!” Ralph Sr. began heading to their aisle. “Yeah?” “Whaddyou think the survival rate is for policemen in New Ritchie?” The other man chuckled. lucky.

“A few days, a week if you’re

I mean, that’s my best guess.

Why?”

Palmer / Last Chance / 30 Ralph Jr. put his hand on Furlong’s shoulder and pointed at him with his other hand. sheriff.

He wants me to help him clean up the streets.”

“Harry Furlong.” shook it.

“This guy’s the new

He stuck out his hand and Ralph Sr.

“Nice to meet you.

Did you fight in the wars?”

“I think everybody my age did son.

What about your

old man?” “He fought in the Battle of Pittsburgh.

Made it out

alive but he didn’t live much longer after that.” “Sorry to hear it.

Must’ve been a tough SOB to make

it outta there alive.” “He was.

Thank you.”

“Like father like son I guess, huh?” Furlong nodded, smiling.

“That’s what I’ve been

told.” “I meant that you both seem to like attempting the impossible.” “Just wanna get civilization going again.” Ralph Jr. jumped in, “You could just try surviving.” Ralph Sr. looked from his son to Furlong.

“Yeah.

I

didn’t know him but I’ll bet your old man wanted you to stick around awhile.” “With all due respect,” Furlong looked away then back in Ralph Sr.’s eyes.

“With your son’s help, I think I can

Palmer / Last Chance / 31 stick around quite a while.

All it takes is a few strong

leaders then everybody else falls in line.

Before you know

it, people are thinking twice about robbing somebody or shooting anybody they want to.” Ralph Jr. shook his head. than that in New Ritchie.

“It’s gonna take a lot more

You wanna make a difference you

should go somewhere else.” “Look, I know this is gonna be really dangerous. People will die. quo?

But what’s the alternative?

The status

Walking down the street knowing you’ve got a 30

percent chance of getting robbed, killed, or both? getting eaten by cannibals,” Furlong shook his head.

Then

can’t go on like this.

“We

There’s no future in it.”

“Well,” Ralph Jr. said.

“You and the mayor and

everybody else down at city hall can do whatever you want. I’m not helping you.

My life’s already on the line.

I’m

not gonna put a big red target on my back.” “We’re all gonna protect each other, and our families,” Furlong said quickly.

“I mean, if you joined us

you might actually be safer than you are now.” “You’re gonna protect me?

I blew some guy’s brains

out and you didn’t lift a finger to stop me.

You were more

concerned about protecting yourself...not that I blame you.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 32 Furlong looked from Ralph Jr. to his father. They stared back confidently.

“Sleep on it then.”

Ralph Jr. slowly shook his head. Furlong exhaled heavily.

“Don’t need to.”

“I’ll come back tomorrow

anyways, just in case.” “Hey Nang?” “Yeah?” Nang asked without looking back at them. “Remember this guy’s face.

Never allow him in here

again.” Nang said, “I’ll memorize his face when I watch him leave.” Ralph Jr. smiled at Furlong, who nodded and turned to leave.

After a few steps he stopped and turned back

around, “But I will be back tomorrow.” No one responded so he continued walking and left. Ralph Sr. said, “His old man must’ve been a stubborn SOB.

I didn’t wanna insult his son, that’s why I said

‘tough’ before.

He had a good point though.”

Jodie walked over and stood next to her husband.

“So

he wanted you to be a police officer?” “Yeah,” Ralph Jr. said while staring at his father. “So you think I should help him?”

Palmer / Last Chance / 33 “I’m not saying that,” Ralph Sr. said as he leaned back in his chair.

“But humanity can’t survive if

everyone’s only out for themselves.” “Maybe you’re right. way things are.

But I know how to survive the

I don’t think Furlong really understands

what he’s getting himself into.

Besides, maybe he’s only

got himself to think about.” Ralph Jr. put his arm around his wife and squeezed her a little closer to him.

“Anyways, we better open this

place back up before we lose too many customers.” But even though Ralph Jr. didn’t like to admit it, there was some truth to what Furlong had said.

He just

didn’t have time to think about very deeply. At 10:30 Ralph Jr. began getting a little worried that something happened to James on the road.

But he showed up

a few minutes later, wisps of smoke coming out of the radiator, wheels grinding on their axles.

James put the

van in park on the sidewalk to the right of the door.

He

never shut off the engine for fear that it wouldn’t restart.

His entire livelihood depended on the van.

When Ralph Jr. saw the van pull up, he had Jodie rush the kids into the stockroom.

She left the door cracked so

they could hear if Ralph Jr. or someone else yelled

Palmer / Last Chance / 34 “lockdown.”

Riley was in charge of closing the door if the

order was given. Ralph Sr. herded the customers who were in the store outside.

“Walk around for a half hour.

We want your

business but we just don’t trust you.” Several people started walking away but a few backpedaled.

Ralph Sr. aimed his shotgun at one of them.

“You think you can get a gun on me before I blow a hole in your chest?” He smiled slyly and turned around to leave. Ralph Sr. stared after him, making sure he kept walking. “Same thing goes for the rest of you!” Ralph Sr.’s voice echoed down the street. the air and fired. store behind him.

He pointed his shotgun in

Then he pointed his free hand at the “We could hole up in there for three

days without running out of ammo.” Nang wedged the front door open and stood guard outside it with Ralph Sr., who replaced the shells he had already fired. street.

Passersby steered clear of that side of the

A few stopped to try to see what was in the boxes

in James’ van.

But they resumed walking when their eyes

met Nang or Ralph Sr.’s.

Every now and then an orphan or a

teenager who looked like trouble began crossing the street. Sometimes Nang would handle it by raising his Remington or

Palmer / Last Chance / 35 telling the kid to leave.

For Ralph Sr., all it took was a

stone-faced glare. Ralph Jr. greeted James when he came out the back of the van. “Any trouble?” James shook his head as he pushed the double doors open as far as they would go. than usual.

“I left a little bit later

Don’t have an alarm clock.”

“I think I was born with an internal alarm.” James smirked. finger.

“You were born with an itchy trigger

Kill anybody today?” He got back into the van and

began moving boxes around. “Shoplifter.” “D’you keep his clothes?” “His pants and his shoes.

Sold ‘em earlier.

I got

blood on his shirt though.” James tilted his head back slightly.

“What’d you blow

a hole in his chest?” “No, it was a head shot.

But I was using a Glock.

It

didn’t knock him down fast enough.” “How much did you get for the clothes?” Ralph Jr. put his hand to his chest. closely guarded secrets buddy.

“These are

I tell you that you might

start ripping me off more than you already are.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 36 “Alright alright.”

James said with his hands up.

“Whaddyou got today?” Ralph Jr. asked as his wife walked out of the store with the 12-gauge from under the counter in one hand and an assault rifle and bandolier in the other. “Good stuff,” James said as he lifted a cardboard box and set it down in front of Ralph Jr. “Check this out.” “Oh baby,” Ralph Jr. said as saw what his wife was carrying.

“Honey you’ve never looked sexier.”

She smiled as he slung the bandolier and assault rifle over his shoulder. side of the van.

She took up a position on the other Then Ralph Jr. turned back to the box to

see what James had. “We got Irish whiskey, Jack Daniels, spiced rum, spiked fruit drinks, wine, gin...everything ‘cept beer,” James said. “You ever get any beer?” “No.

Not enough to sell.”

James shook his head.

“I’ve had a few in my life but I always keep them for myself.” Ralph Jr. sighed.

“You are one lucky bastard.”

“Don’t I know it,” James said, smiling. “How much for the whole box?”

Palmer / Last Chance / 37 James took a second to respond. in the world.

“Somebody’s movin’ up

You sure you can afford this?”

Ralph Jr. nodded. “I’d part with this whole thing for...40 bucks.” “C’mon...30?” “I’ve got some rare stuff here Ralph.

I may not come

across whiskey or rum or gin again for a while.” Ralph Jr. began doing math in his head. $250.

He had $113.65.

shelves.

Rent was

But alcohol would fly off the

He just had to make more money than he was giving

to James.

At $30 he could get 50 bucks or more from his

customers if he really pushed them. $30 was really pushing it.

Anything higher than

He couldn’t spend all of his

money on the shipment or they wouldn’t make rent. “Let’s come back to that,” Ralph Jr. said. James also had lots of clothes, canned food, books, and four hot plates.

Those would go for 15 bucks a pop.

But James wanted $10 for each one. After James showed Ralph Jr. everything he had, and quoted prices, Ralph Jr. began putting together his order in his head. “I’ll give you $30 for the alcohol, 15 for the canned food, 15 for the clothes, 20 for two hot plates, and 10 for the books.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 38 James rolled his tongue around in his mouth.

“32 for

the alcohol, 14 for the food, and 9 for the books.” “31.

And 14 for the clothes.”

James shook his head.

“I was willing to go 35 but,

31’s way too low.” “Take out the bottle of wine.” James smiled and took out the bottle of wine. is.”

“31 it

They shook on it and James started moving the boxes

with the items Ralph Jr. bought to the threshold of the van doors. Ralph Jr. walked around the side of the van and his wife looked at him.

“I think we’re gonna be OK.

If we get

enough customers we might have it before it starts getting dark.” Jodie smiled.

“That’s great.

Now we just gotta get

it inside the store and get James outta here before anybody tries anything.” After paying James for two of the five boxes and setting them down inside the store, Ralph Jr. and Jodie walked back outside to get the next two boxes.

Jodie stood

a couple feet behind Ralph Jr., studying the street rats and other dregs in their vicinity, making sure none of them presented a serious threat.

Palmer / Last Chance / 39 Ralph Sr. focused on one woman about a block away.

He

stared at her for 15 seconds then looked at the people on the other side of the street.

He looked up at the building

on the other side of the street opposite the flea market. Jodie followed his gaze and saw two people standing on the ledge staring back at them.

One of them had one of his

hands hidden behind his back. “Hon’?” Jodie flinched.

“Oh,” she said, surprised.

Ralph Jr.

was standing in front of her, a box in his hands.

Then she

remembered that she was helping her husband take the boxes into the store.

“Sorry,” Jodie said as she grabbed the

box, turned around and headed into the store.

Ralph Jr.

was half a dozen steps behind her. When she got inside, Jodie set the box on the checkout counter and headed back to the door.

Ralph Jr. smiled at

her as he crossed the threshold and she approached.

She

smiled back then reflexively ducked her head into her body as she heard Ralph Sr.’s sawed-off shotgun go off.

Ralph

Jr. dropped the box of clothes he was carrying on the tile floor, kicked it like a soccer ball down an aisle, and ran to Jodie. Then it became apparent what his father was warning them about as bullets and shells rained down on the door

Palmer / Last Chance / 40 and building face around it.

Ralph Jr. and his wife ducked

behind the checkout counter. “Riley! Lockdown!” Ralph Jr. called toward the stockroom.

“Don’t open that door unless you hear the

password!” When the gunfire stopped, Jodie swallowed and said, “I think we’re surrounded.

I saw some people on the roof

across the street.” Ralph Jr. took the assault rifle off his shoulder and clicked off the safety. trouble.

“You’re damn right we’re in

If we don’t get that other box we’re not gonna

make rent.” And if I know James he’s about to leave, Ralph Jr. thought.

He quickly kissed his wife on the cheek.

“Whatever you do, don’t give ‘em a clear shot at you.

I’ll

be right back.” “I love you,” Ralph Jr. said as he stood.

Then he

crouched down and slowly approached the door. “Forget the box, we’ll be lucky to make it outta this alive,” Jodie said. Ralph Jr. heard a loud crash as a pleather office chair flew out of the window of the abandoned store next to his.

It hit the sidewalk and tumbled onto the street. “Exactly, I don’t wanna come outta this empty-handed.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 41 Then gun fire erupted through the newly opened window. Ralph Jr. waited for return fire then charged out of the store and stepped up into the back of James’ van just as the other man put it in gear and floored the accelerator. The forward momentum sent Ralph Jr. sprawling onto a layer of cardboard boxes.

The van swerved onto the street,

slamming Ralph Jr. into the broken sliding door, bullets whizzing by as they pierced the rusted metal ceiling and sides of the van. Ralph Jr. groaned. James looked behind him for a second.

“Sorry man.

Not gonna have a business if I get killed.” The gunfire stopped as the van got farther away from the attackers. Ralph Jr. steadied himself against the broken door, panting.

“I got one box left.

It’s gonna keep us off the

street one more month.” “That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” “Yeah,” Ralph Jr. said as walked behind the driver’s seat and touched the muzzle of his assault rifle to the back of James’ neck.

“That and I need the van for a few

minutes.” James looked up at the other man.

“C’mon, I don’t

wanna get involved in this,” James whined.

Palmer / Last Chance / 42 “You know I don’t care about that...and you know I’ll pull the trigger.” James didn’t respond so Ralph Jr. aimed his weapon out the back of the van and fired off a few rounds.

James

leaned away from Ralph Jr., his forearm blocking his face. “Alright! Dammit!” Ralph Jr. lowered the rifle. James’ heart fluttered.

“Lemme drive.”

“D’you even know how to

drive?” “Just get up,” Ralph Jr. said impatiently.

James

stopped the car, put it in park, started to get up and was thrown into the passenger seat. “When?” James asked.

“My dad taught me.”

“20 years ago.”

“19,” Ralph Jr. said matter-of-factly as he surveyed the steering wheel, pedals, and gear shift. “Yeah, well...you wreck my van up and I’ll kill you,” James said, his false bravado readily apparent to Ralph Jr. who smirked at the other man for a second then looked back at the dashboard. “Accelerator’s on the right, right?” “Yeah.” Ralph Jr. checked the rearview mirror, put the van in reverse, and rested his hand on the back of James’ chair.

Palmer / Last Chance / 43 “Better hold onto something.

This could get bumpy,” Ralph

Jr. said, smiling deviously. James turned to look out the back of the van and was thrown into the dashboard without time to brace himself. His head smacked into the top of dashboard, blurring his vision for a few moments. Ralph Jr. jerked the wheel to the right and James heard a loud thud as the bumper hit one of their attackers in the chest. James shook away the fog in his vision and looked out the windshield.

Two men and a woman stood a little less

than 10 feet away from the van, guns drawn.

James turned

to Ralph Jr., who stared intently back at one of them. “Ever heard of a game called chicken?” Ralph Jr. asked. “I--I,” James stuttered.

“What?”

“My old man played it in the marines.

A course, they

had two cars but...I think this is a similar situation.” One of the attackers started talking. there belongs to everyone.

“Whatever’s in

You have no special right to

it.” Ralph Jr. ignored the woman. this.”

“I’m really gonna enjoy

He thought his store was being attacked by God’s

Palmer / Last Chance / 44 Children from the start, but there were other street gangs. The sun tattoos confirmed it. “...give it up and no one will be hurt.

Then we’ll

talk about shutting down your store.” Ralph Jr. stuck his head out the window. think killing me’ll shut down the store?

“You really

My old man used

to kill jerks like you in his spare time.

For fun!”

He lowered his head back into the vehicle and grabbed the gear shift. “Please,” the woman was saying. wants us to live.

You must join us.

“This is not how God We didn’t survive the

wars to kill each other and force people to pay for the things they need to survive.” Ralph Jr. smiled.

“You might wanna get down when I

put this thing in gear.” The God’s Children still hadn’t raised their weapons. “Wait, wait, wait!” James insisted. Ralph Jr. put the van in drive and floored the accelerator.

As he did he ducked behind the dashboard.

After half a second Ralph Jr. swerved left.

The left side

of the van violently bobbed up and down two times as one of the God’s Children was crushed under the wheels. Ralph Jr. looked up in time to jerk the wheel to the left, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with the brick

Palmer / Last Chance / 45 corner of the first building on the next block.

James

covered his head with his arms and leaned away from the window as the right side of the van scraped along the front of a building.

The side-view mirror crumpled into the van,

sparks shooting out in all directions.

After a few seconds

it broke off and tumbled away behind the van. Ralph Jr. veered away from the building and back onto the road.

Gunfire ricocheted off one of the double doors

as it squeaked around in its hinges. slammed shut.

The other door had

Ralph Jr. careened around a corner,

continuing to accelerate. Ralph Jr. knew he had to get back to the store before his wife or father, or both of them, got killed. “You’re running now?” James asked. Ralph Jr. made another right turn. ‘em back at the store. roof across the street.

“We’ll sneak up on

Jodie said there’s people on the If we kill ‘em and take their

positions this thing’ll be over in a minute.” “Why are you including me?” Ralph Jr. turned right.

“You really need me to answer

that?” “Look, I know if I leave you’ll come get me. an idiot.”

I’m not

Palmer / Last Chance / 46 Ralph Jr. said, “There’s at least two or three people up there.

I can’t do this by myself...By the way, you got

a gun?” James exhaled.

“Yeah...course.”

He reached under

Ralph Jr.’s seat and pulled out a carbine machine gun. Ralph Jr. eyed him suspiciously as James checked the clip to make sure there were bullets in it. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to pull that out when I jumped in.” James frowned.

“I didn’t think you’d threaten to kill

me and hijack my van.

Besides...I ah...”

“What?” Ralph Jr. asked as he made a right turn and put the van in park in front of what used to be a corporate office building.

Gunshots ringing out outside.

“I’ve never...you know,” James gestured at the other man.

“Killed anybody.” Ralph Jr. did a double take.

His mouth began to form

words but no sound came out for a few seconds.

“Never?

Not once?” James shrugged. “I don’t know if I should be surprised or worried.” Ralph Jr. opened the driver’s side door and got out. “C’mon, now,” he ordered James, who quickly got out of the

Palmer / Last Chance / 47 car.

“You got any way to lock this up so somebody doesn’t

steal what’s inside while we’re gone?” Ralph Jr. saw a few people approaching from the east and west.

James locked his door and shut it, walked around

to the back, and pulled out what looked to Ralph Jr. like a big metal vice.

James placed it around one of the back

tires and pulled a lever.

The vice automatically closed

around the tire. “What’s that do?” Ralph Jr. asked. “Keeps the wheel from moving,” James said as he closed the double doors and turned a handle. thud.

Ralph Jr. heard a

“That puts a metal bar across these doors.

But

people can still get in through the windows.” Ralph Jr. shut and locked the driver’s side door. “Hopefully nobody that comes by is that smart.”

He turned

to the building and looked up to the roof. They rushed inside.

Ralph Jr. took the lead because

he wasn’t afraid of James shooting him.

The building was

only four floors high so it didn’t take them to long to get up the stairs that led up to the roof. encounter anyone on their way up.

They didn’t

The God’s Children

weren’t smart enough to guard the roof entrance, even though firing positions on the roof were their biggest advantages in the gunfight.

Palmer / Last Chance / 48 Ralph Jr. sat down on the staircase below the door to the roof.

“I’m gonna open the door.

You come right up

beside me and start shooting as soon as you see people. When I duck back inside you’ve gotta be right with me or you could get shot.

I don’t know.

These guys aren’t very

good shots.” James nodded and swallowed. Ralph Jr. put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

“You may not even hit anybody.

one who kills them.

I’ll probably be the

Just don’t hit me.”

James nodded, his face extremely serious.

Probably

too much so. Ralph Jr. slung his assault rifle around his back and walked up the stairs until the door prevented him from walking up any further.

James stepped up beside him,

sweaty palms clutching his weapon. Ralph Jr. put his palms on the door and pushed up with as much force as he could muster.

The door turned out to

be a lot easier to open than he expected.

It flew open and

slammed onto the gravel on the roof as air whooshed in. The extra momentum from Ralph Jr.’s overcompensation sent his upper body flopping over on top of the door.

James

stepped up next to Ralph Jr. a second later, hesitated, and opened fire on the backs of two of the gunners.

He pumped

Palmer / Last Chance / 49 several rounds into one of them, sending him plummeting off the roof.

As he fell over the ledge, he collided with the

other gunner and grabbed at him.

But the other gunner

quickly slapped his friend’s hand away before he was pulled over the edge. Then the person on the roof who had been facing them the whole time began to raise his gun. and pulled James down with him.

Ralph Jr. ducked

They both ducked their

heads down as gunfire passed over the open door. “Nice work.

You almost gave us an advantage.”

The gunfire stopped after a couple seconds.

Ralph Jr.

pulled out Nang’s Glock from a holster on the back of his belt and rested it on the edge of the doorway – it was at a 45-degree angle.

He slid it along the edge and stopped in

the general direction of the person who was facing them when he opened the door.

Ralph Jr. just started firing and

sliding the gun left and right along the edge, hoping to hit something.

The gun clicked as the clip was empty.

A

moment later Ralph Jr. heard a crunch that sounded like someone’s knees hitting the gravel. He sat back down on one of the steps and tossed aside the empty clip.

He put the Glock back in his holster and

unslung his assault rifle.

He looked into James’ eyes.

“I’m gonna stick my hand up so the last guy can see it.

Palmer / Last Chance / 50 He’ll fire then we fire back in the direction.

As long as

we get a piece of him we can finish this right now.” James nodded slightly, his stomach tightening and heart rate spiking. Ralph Jr. stuck his hand out and quickly lowered it when he heard the first gun shot in the volley, but he didn’t pull it back quick enough because a bullet nicked the meaty part of his palm.

He squinted in pain but

quickly refocused and lifted his assault rifle as James did.

They returned fire until the other person stopped

firing.

Ralph Jr. stopped firing and James followed suit.

He looked to Ralph Jr. for instructions.

Ralph Jr. took

out the empty clip and quietly set it on the top step.

He

reloaded and took a few deep breaths. He walked up a couple steps, being careful to keep his body below the plane of the roof.

He closed his eyes and

tried to remember where the gunfire came from. his head to the northeast corner of the roof.

He pointed He stood up

straight, raised his rifle and let off three shots.

He

panned left with his rifle then back to the right. “We’re clear,” he said. But James didn’t move. Ralph Jr. looked down at him.

“C’mon, we’re good.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 51 James slowly walked up the steps, holding his gun in a death grip, his clammy, white-knuckled hands frozen in place. “Hey Dad! It’s Ralph! I’m on the roof on the other side of the street! I think there’s only a few a these punks left!” James surveyed the roof.

A blond-haired man of about

22 years lay on his stomach, blood pooling underneath him. A pained, nauseous expression on his nearly colorless face. He reached for his gun, but it was just out of his reach. On the other side of the roof a man lay on his back, limp. Ralph Jr. pulled James forward and he walked up the rest of the steps.

Ralph Jr. stepped onto the roof and

hustled to the southeast corner.

As he got closer he

crouched down and fired at the street in front of the building opposite the one Nang and his father had ducked into when the God’s Children first attacked. He killed one person then dropped onto his stomach as they returned fire.

Then fire began pouring out of his

store and the abandoned building next to it.

The attackers

turned their attention in that direction, allowing Ralph Jr. to stand back up and actually take the time to aim at people.

He quickly killed a woman who was crouched down

behind a stripped electric car.

Fire from his store killed

Palmer / Last Chance / 52 someone who was squatting next to where the rear bumper used to be. The last man left behind the car dropped his pistol and ran down the street as fast as he could.

Ralph Jr.

Nang and his father fired behind him, just to make sure he’d keep running. Ralph Jr. surveyed the area to make sure there were no more God’s Children around.

He turned back to see James

walk over to the ledge and look around. All of the sudden, James opened fire on the street a couple blocks from the store.

Ralph Jr. jogged over and

saw the last two God’s Children who chased them when they were in the van.

James was a horrible shot from that

distance but he succeeded in scaring them off.

They both

ran in opposite direction without looking back. Ralph Jr. patted him on the back.

“For your first

gunfight I’d say you did pretty well.” They quickly got down from the roof and back into the van.

James drove back around to the store.

Ralph Jr. paid

him for what was intact from the last box, which contained canned food.

Several of the cans got blown apart by

bullets when James drove away from the store.

There were

only three cans left and Ralph Jr. paid six bucks for it.

Palmer / Last Chance / 53 “You comin’ back anytime soon?” Ralph Jr. asked as he came around the back of the van with the last box. “Maybe...in a few weeks.

Don’t count on it though.”

“Just drop something off for the God’s Children. That’ll make ‘em relax,” Ralph Jr. said. James shook his head and pulled away. Ralph turned around and saw Nang and his wife out in front of the store, shotguns held at chest height. door was closed behind them.

The streets empty.

at his wife and she immediately smiled back.

The He smiled

Her

excitement to see him carefully concealed beneath her face. She had to be on watch for any suspicious people.

They

were especially vulnerable to another attack by the God’s Children. He looked at Nang, his forehead sweaty. back, his breathing labored. eyes. today.

Nang stared

Scared determination in his

Something he’d never seen before.

Especially not

He didn’t like it at all.

Then Nang shoved the butt of his shotgun into his wife’s chin.

Knocking her to the ground.

Then he raised

the weapon and aimed at Ralph’s chest. “Wait...Nang...” Nang held the gun there for a couple seconds then pulled the trigger.

It felt like a superhuman kick to the

Palmer / Last Chance / 54 chest.

He was on his back before he knew what happened,

beans and canned meat splattered all over his chest along with blood. He looked down at his chest in shock, his eyes wide. He didn’t feel any pain yet as he watched his shirt get soaked in blood. move.

He felt light-headed and he couldn’t

He gasped for some of the air that had been knocked

out of him by the force of the gunshot. He looked back up and saw Nang standing over him, shotgun held at his side, a disturbed look on his face. Why?, Ralph Jr. thought over and over again. speak the word. first few tries.

He tried to

His mouth moved but no sound came out the Finally, he said, “Why?”

“Cause I can’t live like this.

The God’s Children

have a way out.” Must be an initiation, Ralph thought. Nang turned around and fired back at the door to the store.

Then he ran off.

Ralph rolled his head to the side

and saw Nang running toward a group of people.

He saw a

God’s Children tattoo on one of their foreheads. He heard the door open and his father wheel out. didn’t have the strength to look up. wanted to.

He

He didn’t know if he

He should’ve seen this coming.

He should’ve

Palmer / Last Chance / 55 known why Nang was acting strange.

He could only go so

long being treated like an outsider among their family. “Son?” Ralph wanted to say something like, “Goodbye,” or “I love you,” but he didn’t have any wind or strength to get it out.

He also saw the group of God’s Children Nang had

ran to coming back.

They were obviously going to finish

what they had started earlier.

#

About a half hour later, Harold Furlong pulled up in front of the flea market in a two-door sedan.

Like just

about everyone else in New Ritchie he’d heard the gunfight. If he had a police force he would have gone and tried to stop it.

But he didn’t want to rush into a situation in

which he was outnumbered and outgunned. He shut off the engine and got out, looking up and down the street for any suspicious people.

There were a

few scavengers out but most smart people were inside.

They

were extra cautious about the God’s Children because of the gunfight. He tensed up a little when he saw that most of the glass had been knocked out of the front door.

He couldn’t

Palmer / Last Chance / 56 see through it too well because of the bars but he guessed that it was only worse inside because the door was open. Ralph Connors didn’t seem like a person who was dumb enough to leave his door open after a gunfight. Harold drew his Beretta and creeped toward the door. He saw someone lying on the ground drenched in blood and a few people around the body.

Harold swallowed and slowly

opened the door. Connors’ wife whirled around, startled, pointing her shotgun up at Furlong.

He raised his hands.

“Whaddyou want?” she asked, tear tracks down her cheeks. Furlong looked past her at Ralph Connors’ corpse. was propped up against the end cap of the aisle.

He

His head

slumped over. “I wanted to see if everything was OK after the gunfight earlier.”

He looked at the dead man’s father.

His quiet confidence was gone.

He had a relaxed look on

his face borne of exhaustion, physical, mental, and emotional. Furlong holstered his gun, lowering his hands. lowered the gun.

“Well, he can’t help you anymore.”

Furlong looked around the store. about the aisles.

Jodie

Shelves were strewn

There were no goods on the shelves.

He

Palmer / Last Chance / 57 didn’t see the other man who had been in the store when he talked to Ralph before.

There was a huge pool of blood in

a big circle around Jodie, her kids, Ralph Sr. and his son. Jodie had blood on her shirt, on her hands, and her forearms.

Blood from Ralph Jr.’s mouth and chin was

starting to dry. His daughter’s head was resting in her mother’s lap. She sobbed gently. father’s face.

His son just sat there, staring at his

Not really knowing what was going on.

“I’m...sorry.” Ralph Sr. looked at him and inclined his head, as if to say “thank you.” There was silence for almost a minute, as Harold mustered the courage to ask them what happened. cleared his throat.

Harold

“How...I mean, who did this?”

Ralph Sr. said, “His brother.” “Did he destroy the store?” “God’s Children,” Jodie said as she stared at her dead husband and petted her daughter’s head. “Was he working with them?” No one responded. “They’re the first priority when I get a police force together.

We can’t have any law and order with them being

emboldened.”

Palmer / Last Chance / 58 “Don’t talk about that now.

Please,” Ralph Sr.

muttered. But Harold pressed on.

“Some of my informants told me

they were getting bigger ideas.

More than just robbing

people and spouting off their ideology.

I didn’t know what

to make of it.” “They even started to threaten city hall. actually see us as some kind of a threat.

They

Maybe that’s a

good thing.” Jodie turned her head to look at Harold. see you come in here?

“Did they

Maybe we should be blaming you.

Maybe you brought this on us.” “Jodie,” Ralph Sr. tried to stop her. “No,” she shook her head.

“Did you know about this?

Did your informants know they were coming after us like this?

We’re the biggest business in town.

You must’ve

heard something.” Harold looked away, frowning.

“I...not, really.

We

heard some things but I thought you could handle yourselves.

And I didn’t think your husband would accept

any help from me. “You have to understand. capable of this.

We didn’t think they were

They just seemed like a cult.

We--“

Palmer / Last Chance / 59 Jodie interrupted.

“--And you wanted my husband to

work with you and whatever other morons are down at city hall?

Get out.

“Look, Mrs.

Now!” Connors, I’m sorry if I--“

“-Get out!” He looked to Ralph Sr. for help but he just stared back, his face immovable. “Alright, alright. like this.

I’m sorry for intruding at a time

I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

Harold walked back outside, shutting the door behind him.

He walked to his car and looked up and down the

street.

Wind blew trash across the street.

The fear

permeating every building, and every nook and cranny of the city was palpable. He pondered what kind of city New Ritchie was. Brother turned against brother. apart families on a whim.

Gangs ran free.

Tearing

Hurting people who were just

trying to have some semblance of normalcy. scared they didn’t want to fix the problems.

People were so They had

almost forgotten how scared they were and gotten comfortable in their lives. Saving the city was less about guns and police and more about inspiring hope.

People had more and more

reasons to lose hope every day.

For the first time, Harold

Palmer / Last Chance / 60 actually doubted he could bring law and order to the streets.

The weight of his father’s accomplishments felt

like it increased that afternoon.