The Thought Traveler: A Tale of Mischief, Wonder, and Woe. Part VI

At the top of these stairs, Isabelle sneaks up behind me on the stairs, then passes me and heads on up to the third floor. I have gotten used to her, and she rarely sneaks up on me now. She is a part of the place, one that I know. I listen closely as I begin my circuit. No sound or irregularity disturb my work through the first six places. I enter the second to the last on this floor, and begin my usual room check. In the second room I freeze, I see something unusual. I cannot make it out. I cannot tell if this is a person in a blanket like robe, an item that is covered, or something else. It did not move when I opened the door nor is there a sound.

I go into a comfortable squat, quietly easy my pistol to the ready, and watch. After a half hour, I decide I must do something. But what, speak, approach, or use another item to test or manipulate what I am seeing? I creep a little closer and a bit to the left, hoping to find a better angle with which to see more clearly what is before me. The mysterious item moves!

The top most part of it turns in my direction, and a night blind faces looks toward me, eyes wide in fear, in a place which would be hidden if not for the goggles. “Do not hurt me.” “Please.” She does not appear to be more than in her late teens or early twenties. I assure her of my intent. I ask if she will answer some question. “Yes.” Who are you, my name is Jeff I say. “Uhm, I am Cindy”. Are there others here, others you know of or work with? “No. Well, there are others, but I do not know them. I just hear them from time to time. I stay hidden here.” What are you doing for food? “Oh, I stocked up shortly before everyone else left. And, I had a key to a friends apartment. I do not know what happened to her, but her food was there and I brought that here as well. I am running out though.” I explain that I am scavenging myself, as the stores have become too dangerous to plunder. I suggest we might be able to work together. I then ask why she did not leave, herself. “My car was stolen, and I did not know what else to do. As you probably know, the phones do not work, and the few times I have tried the radio, I have found nothing but static.” Yes, trapped. Though I am not sure that is the most accurate, I could leave but I am not sure there is anywhere to go. I certainly will not let her know, however.

I let her know she is free to go or stay. She now knows I have the keys, so if she decides not to trust me, when I leave it might be a good time to exit the building and find her own way to another secure location, or take her chances attempting to do so. She indicates she will stay, so I suggest she lock the door behind me anyway. Since we do not know who the others are, maybe she has only been kept safe because her door has been locked and they did not have the keys. If it is I who am returning with the keys, I will tap three times, pause, and tap three more times, before unlocking the door. Use the chain as well. If this is not done by someone attempting to unlock the door, be over by the fire escape and take it, quietly, closing the window behind you if you can. You will be on your own in that case. It will mean whoever else here is aggressive and has overpowered me.

I leave the woman behind and begin my search. She is only sure they are on this or the floor above, none on the first floor, so I begin searching each apartment, rather than just the select that had been on my list, and carefully. This is now tight work. Having a potential dependent does not sit well with me either. I could always just unlock her door without tapping. No, I guess that just is not how I do things. If she does not work as a helper, however, I do not feel obliged to care for her beyond a little food, a wave, and a “Good luck”.