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their kitchen table.
    “You can take Billy’s truck if you want,” said William. I glanced up at Billy to see if he had a problem with it, but he just nodded.
    “Fuck it, take it. We’ve got Dad’s truck if we need it.” He dug into his pocket and tossed me his keys.
    “Wow, thank you. I don’t know what to say.”
    “Just get home to your girls. Make sure they’re safe,” said William.
    An idea hit me as I got ready to leave. “You guys still have the boat, right?”
    William nodded. “The Casper. It’s out by the dock. Why?”
    “If I can get my family back here, would you be willing to head out into the bay with us? We could bring some food and water and supplies, and we could just head out there and wait for this shit to calm down.”
    “That’s not a bad idea,” said William. “Hadn’t thought of that.”
    “You sure you want to just go out in the water and sit around?” asked Billy. “Seems like we’re just as safe in the yard, what with the walls and all. I'm not too keen on staying out in the middle of the Bay for days. And what if Mom comes looking for us?”
    “Trust me, Billy,” I said, “if what's happening in the city starts happening here, that oar won't do you much good. When I was swimming in the bay there were zombies on the bottom. One of them tried to drag me under. It’s only a matter of time before they get here. You’d be safer in the bay. I don't think these zombies, or whatever they are, can swim, but they can obviously walk around down there.”
    “He’s right,” said William. "You know how much your Mom hates the government too. There's no way she's leaving her apartment if the police and the army are showing up like the TV said." He glanced at his watch and then at me. “How much time do you think you’d need?”
    “Half hour at most.”
    “What if there’s a lot of traffic?”
    “I can take the side streets to get from here to my house. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
    William took Billy’s keys out of my hand and gave me a new set. “Here, take my truck. It’s a four-wheeler and a hell of a lot tougher than Billy’s pussy wagon. You get home and get your family, get some supplies, and get back here. If you can get back by, say, 2:00, then we’ll take you out into the bay. That gives you almost 45 minutes. Should be plenty of time.”
    “What happens at 2:00?” asked Billy.
    “We set sail,” said William. “We’ll head out to the bay. If you can’t make it back by two, just get in the yard and wait a day. We’ll swing back by tomorrow at noon to look for you.”
    I swigged the last of my coffee and shook both their hands. “I owe you my life. I don’t know how to thank you.”
    “Just get your girls back here safe,” said William.
    "And try not to get yourself eaten," said Billy.

 
    CHAPTER FIVE – NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH
     
    William’s truck was a lot nicer than I expected a fisherman would own. It looked brand new and the upholstery inside was impeccably clean. It did stink of fish, but I guess that comes with the territory.
    I drove up to the gate and William unlatched it. He slid the rusty old door to the side just enough to fit his head through to make sure it was safe. He nodded to me and then opened the gate all the way. He motioned for me to roll down my window so we could talk.
    “When you get back, just lay on the horn a few times. I’ll come let you in.”
    “All right, William. Thanks again.” And with that, I was off.
    The traffic was building up all throughout town, but I'd lived here for twenty years and knew these streets better than most. I never expected my time as a pizza delivery boy to come in handy, but as I navigated the alleys and avenues of Bayshore I was thankful for that summer spent stinking of pepperoni and sausage.
    I passed a few grocery stores and saw people ransacking the aisles, looking to gather supplies. The parking lots were packed and it was clear anyone dumb enough to pull a car in there