Lockdown: The Arcadia Diaries

The Hardware Store

Author's Note: Listen to "I Believe in Hell" from the soundtrack of the first season of the TV show "The Affair" during this chapter.

Present Day

New Orleans, LA

May 30, 2020

Terra M. Kimbrough

"You okay, Terra?" Clorinda asks me during a rather personal ZOOM session as opposed to a group session like our past ones. I nod my head. Clorinda smiles. "I watched the video where you basically began pleading with the rest of the world to look over the footage. It was pretty gutsy of you to do that."

"Well, what else could I do?" I ask. I look at my watch. It's midnight but I can't sleep. Turns out Clorinda couldn't sleep either so we just decided to talk to each other.

"You still having nightmares of the hospital massacre?" Clorinda asks me.

I shake my head. "No. No."
"Did you want to talk about something else?" Clorinda asks me.

There is a moment of silence. Then Clorinda asks, "Actually, I have been wanting to ask you...what happened once the military guys reached the rendezvous point?"
I take a deep breath. "A lot of surprises, that's what."

One year earlier...
Arcadia, ME
July 5, 2019
Terra M. Kimbrough

By the time we get to close to the rendezvous point, it's midnight already. Kyle had fallen asleep after filming his video message and had woken up once Larry made the announcement that we were almost at our destination: a shelter of some kind. Looking closely, I notice that this shelter is just a hardware store.

Gee, they must've gotten desperate, I wonder.

The scene inside is a bit surreal; panicky survivors are everywhere, milling around looking for things to do while they await rescue. Some are swearing at their phones, grumbling about how they can't get any signal.

Larry and the others lead us through the rather spacious building, looking both anxious and relieved all at the same time. Just then, a woman wearing a backwards baseball cap, a green T-shirt and a bandana covering the lower half of her face steps forward and greets Larry, who looks relieved to see her.

"Where's the rest of Bravo Team?" He asks her.

The woman just shakes her head dejectedly and Larry begins muttering angrily under his breath. The woman then looks at us and asks, "More survivors?"

"Yep," Larry replies. "Found 'em at a hospital. We were nearly decimated in the process but, well, look at us. We're alive and kicking."

"Except with no radio contact," The masked woman says. "I just got the word that all the cellphone towers have been shut down. Something shady's going on here."

Just then Longbow joins the armed soldiers, with Larry looking confused. "Where've you been, soldier?"

"I lost sight of you guys after that massacre at the hospital and had to get my own transport," He replies simply. "It was so crazy in there..."

"Shut it!" Larry growls. "You get separated from the unit again, I'll find 'ya and shoot 'ya myself!"

Larry's outburst startles Faith, who tightly clings to my side. Larry looks around, then nods to the rest of us. "Alright, guys. We hold out here until we can figure out a ride out of here. Make yourselves comfortable. It's going to be a while."