“Want to share with the class what you’re on about?” Tim asked.
Dustin huffed, as if we were too stupid to understand. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
I sensed the weight of his gaze, but if his comment had been meant for me, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of responding.
Instead, I sipped my tea and focused on the news, hoping for a sign from overseas that might ease my worries. The story was closer to home, though—just a ten-minute drive away.
A reporter stood outside Parliament House on Spring Street, wearing a hairnet and protective jumpsuit. She relayed details of a meeting rumoured to be taking place in the next day or two, with the focus on tightening restrictions. The thought of losing what little freedom we had left made my stomach churn. We barely had anything to take. A half hour of exercise. The privilege of buying food within a two-hour window twice a week. What else could they do? Put ankle monitors on us?
“Just you watch,” Varesh said. “A couple of days after they talk, they’ll call a press conference to tell us we can’t exercise outdoors anymore. When they do, people are going to protest or riot. No ifs or buts. Everyone’s already on edge.”
A frisson of awareness moved through me as I stared at the reporter. We’d been hanging in there, following rules, waiting, hoping. People were generally being decent, but it had already started falling apart in other countries, and we would be far behind them.
What if this was the tipping point?
If Varesh’s prediction came true, we weren’t prepared in the slightest. I had a week’s worth of food at most. No spare batteries or cold weather gear if the heating gave out—and we were heading into winter.
Why weren’t we gathering supplies, even if we didn’t have to use them?
I checked my watch. Today was one of our two allotted shopping days, and our window ended in an hour.
“Anyone want to come to Schultz Outdoors?” I asked. The store was only a short drive away, and although it didn’t stock as big a range as the massive chains, it had everything we needed—or might need. It would be a start.
“For what?” Tim asked.
I swallowed a mouthful of tea and rattled off the first items that came to mind. “A solar power bank and a first-aid kit. Snow jackets for if the power goes out.” When I pictured angry crowds, flares and projectiles, I added, “Knives? Weapons? I don’t know. I’ll figure the rest out when I get there.”
“Weapons?” Varesh’s gaze snapped in my direction. “Sadie, what are you planning?”
“I don’t have any plans,” I said, “but we’re just sitting here day after day, waiting for it to get better. The meeting could change everything, and I want to buy what I might need now. When everyone else is reacting later, it’s going to be chaos.”
“When you sayreacting,you’re thinking of riots?“ Tim shifted in his seat and stretched his arm along the backrest, his tone more curious than concerned.
“It’s not like it hasn’t happened before,” Varesh said.
No one had uttered a single concern I’d consider far-fetched. This time last year, it would have sounded crazy, but control was an illusion based on how well the population behaved. If we collectively stopped toeing the line, life as we knew it would be over. “This is just a precaution to make sure we aren’t blindsided,” I said. “If we’re lucky, nothing happens.”
“It makes sense,” Tim said reluctantly.
Dustin may not have been contributing to our conversation, but I could have sworn there was a gleam in his eye as he took it all in.
“Well, what do you think?” I finished the last swallow of tea, conscious of the need to get moving. “Anyone coming with me?” If we missed our time slot, we’d have to wait another three days, and who knew how much would change in the meantime.
“Fine, but only for company,” Tim said. “We’re out of money for anything other than the essentials.”
My phone hadn’t buzzed once since I’d been out here, but I pulled it from my pocket and checked for messages anyway. “I can cover it as long as I’m able to tap and pay,” I said, looking at Tim. Then another thought occurred. “Maybe I should withdraw cash just in—”
“Adults should be self-sufficient,” Dustin cut in, his words laced with contempt, “not rely on others to keep them afloat financially.”
Realisation swept over me, and I tucked my phone away again. He must have seen the email explaining Theo’s rent payment. Too bad. Now he’d lost his only leverage, and he couldn’t belittle or badger Theo for at least a month.
I ignored him and focused on Tim and Varesh. “Are you both coming, or just one of you?”
“I’ll keep you company,” Varesh volunteered.
“Great.” I rose from the couch with my empty mug. “I’ll go get organised. Meet you in the foyer in ten?”
He nodded and gave Dustin a long appraisal. “I’ll come down with you.”
