Self Apocalypse: The Beginning Read Online Free PDF Page B

to get in the truck and the heck away from here.
     
    I moved slowly to the door and opened it without a sound.  The shadow was still by the truck, but was now moving in my direction.  Here we go.  It’s now or never.  I yelled at the top of my lungs, “You want trouble!”, and turned on the flashlight.  There standing in the beam of light, obviously not registering what I had said, was a large bull moose.  He obviously wasn’t out to seek my demise, but I still wasn’t sure what his intentions were with my truck.  He stared at the light a while longer while I just gazed in amazement and relief.  Then he headed in the direction of town.  I closed the door and shook my head.  “Never a dull moment.”  I laid back down and closed my eyes.  I couldn’t believe my camp was raided by a moose.  I fell asleep fast after that.  That night I dreamt of a moose ramming my truck, and bears eating my scarecrow.  I was definitely going to need that rifle, as well as psychiatric help in the morning.
     
    When I woke up I took a look around the camp.  No bear.  Maybe the scarecrow had worked.  I began to pack the truck for the long ride home.  After I locked up the camper I took one more look over the week’s labor.  Not bad, I thought to myself.  I reluctantly got in the truck and drove away towards town.  I planned on stopping at the diner for my morning’s coffee.  The ride into town was quiet as I hadn’t turned the radio on.  I just enjoyed the last views of the countryside.  I was going to have to figure out a new budget in order to buy supplies for the camp, and to purchase gas to get there.  That was going to be the hard part now.  Maybe it was time to downsize to a small pickup truck.
     
    When I got into town I couldn’t help but notice it was silent again.  Not like the other night during the crazed dash for the pumps.  I stopped in at the diner for my coffee.  The waitress I had seen the night before wasn’t working that morning.  There were only a couple more people there, so I just had my coffee and went my way.  I couldn’t help but think that the diner would be out of business before I came back.  I hadn’t seen many people there the times I had came in.  Maybe they got most there business in the afternoon.  I stopped by one of the gas stations to grab another coffee then hit the road.  Before long I found myself on the highway and back into the city limits.  The trees were few now and the buildings plenty.  I wasn’t so happy about having to readjust to the noise. 
     
    I didn’t even bother putting stuff away when I got into my apartment.  I just threw my gear down and laid on the couch turning on the news.  The news was full of the chaos and distrust at the pumps this weekend.  The government was expected to release half of our emergency stockpile on Monday to try and ease the tensions.  There was even talk of eliminating the fuel taxes until the price of oil eased to more moderate prices.  I could see that this whirlwind wasn’t going to stop anytime soon though.  Prices were already too high for everyone.  I could just sense there was a bad storm brewing, and I was sure that everyone else felt it too. 
     
    I couldn’t believe how exhausted I was from the past week.  It was like it all caught up to me at once.  I know I got plenty of sleep while I was at camp, but I guess I just wasn’t use to the fresh air and labor anymore.  I ended up turning in early and didn’t get out of bed until Monday morning.  That’s when I guess it really started.  The whole turmoil.  The beginning of the end.  At least for me that is.  It started well enough with a cup of coffee and a bagel.  The morning ended with a termination at work due to the place shutting its doors.  I guess I should have seen that coming, but I did have my suspicions during my week at camp.  At least I got paid for that week.  I didn’t waste time applying for unemployment.  It was when