Just as I began setting the kitchen table, Drew came bursting through her door, "Daddy the radio guy said something about attacks." I noticed the rap music had stopped and an announcer was speaking unusually fast. As I rushed for the television, Jan abruptly flew in the front door yelling "What th' hell's goin' on out there?" Our eyes met in panic and disbelief as the reporter on television announced, "Repeat, Repeat, This is NOT a test. Several bombs have been detonated in major cities across the United States, some hitting nuclear power grids." With that the screen went fuzzy. Within seconds our apartment was dark as a cavern. In the sudden darkness I heard a combination of commotion in the outside hallway and some whimpering from the girls. Disoriented, I felt my way toward the laundry room, blindly grasping for the flashlight. Clicking it on gave, at best, a faint dim ray of light in the menacing darkness. Drew screamed, "What's happening Daddy?" Trying desperately to sound in control I said "It's okay baby......Jan, where's some candles?" Grabbing the half dead flashlight she stumbled into the kitchen and produced a half empty box of birthday candles we had used a month ago for Drew's 16th. I handed Jan my lighter and began scrambling through my desk for a somewhat antiquated transistor radio I hadn't used in years. Just as I suspected it was completely useless. "I gotta go out and get some batteries and maybe buy some kinda heater. Now look, I'm sure the power will be back on before I even get home but find some blankets and lock the door behind me just in case."

Outside, our usually warm, well-lit hallway looked like nothing I'd ever seen. People pushing, flashlights sending wild beams in every direction, frantic rumblings all around me. I heard a lady screaming something about Armageddon while others were crying terrorists and nuclear holocaust. With no working elevators I drifted with the crowd toward the staircase. When I finally arrived at the parking deck it was freezing and I could see a steady downfall of snow outside against the car headlights. I cranked up and looked for a hole in traffic. Usually the people in our complex are generally nice and courteous about letting someone out, but not tonight. It took forever to get in line for the exit. Once on the street I noticed a thin layer of snow already covering the sidewalks and cars lined up as far as I could see. People were screaming all sorts of obscenities at each other only to be drowned out by what sounded like a million car horns blowing. Trying to maintain some kind of composure I thought back to this morning when I left for work. This very same street, these very same people, going about their business in a normal way never dreaming they'd be back on the street tonight. As I sat tightly gripping the wheel, trying to tune out the commotion, I noticed my low fuel warning light flashing. God! Why hadn't I taken Jan's Toyota? She always keeps the tank full. Too late now, I'd already inched several blocks and the station couldn't be that much further.

A half an hour later I'd only moved another three or four blocks. Looking ahead I saw sheer pandemonium. Folks were running wildly up and down the sidewalks carrying bags. I heard ambulance sirens coming from somewhere. To my left I noticed the front window of one of my favorite clothing stores totally bashed in. There were even some idiots carrying out armloads of coats and various items. Could this possibly be happening on my street? I panicked to think that my SUV must be running on fumes by now and the traffic had come to a complete halt. The snow was hitting my windshield now at a heavier pace. Then it happened, I heard my motor make a last gasp for fuel then stall. There were several blue lights flashing somewhere up ahead. Frantically, I hit the door and slipped in the snow as soon as my feet hit the sidewalk. A frightened overweight woman kicked at me as she pushed her way through the crowd. I hurried to my feet and proceeded toward the flashing lights ahead. It seemed like miles. I wasn't dressed for this. My feet and hands were numb when I finally reached the intersection.

I saw dozens of cops all screaming for everyone to slow down, remain calm! I grabbed the first officer I came to and yelled, "I need to get to the market downtown for some supplies." He looked extremely annoyed and almost surprised at my request, "Yeah right buddy, you and about 100,000 other people. The stores are closed and we're posting guards at the doors. Everybody's gone nuts! The best thing you can do is go back home and wait for further reports!" With that he just left me standing there. I couldn't believe it! I pay taxes and these guys are supposed to be there to serve me. I couldn't believe my own thoughts when I began to consider joining the others looting stores. I've never stolen anything in my life. Had the last couple of hours turned me into a common crook? Still I had to think about the girls back home waiting for me to bring supplies. The temperature had to be falling rapidly by now in our apartment. What if this thing lasted for days, or even worse weeks.....months? We never keep over a couple of day's worth of food on hand at a time. How could I get some heat into our apartment with no electricity? As I stood there in the snow and confusion I had never felt such overwhelming helplessness.

Meanwhile, some eighty miles west in a secluded, rural community.

"Tommy, you and your brother go to the basement and get the oil lamps." I turned to my wife and saw concern in her eyes. "Bess it'll be all right. We gotta think about the boys. Let's be strong for their sake." She whispered, "What a horribly different world they face than the one we grew up in." The oil lamps gave off a soft warm glow and everything was silent except for an occasional clicking sound of sleet mixed with the snow hitting our tin roof. It seemed almost impossible that things could be so peaceful knowing full well that the world outside was in complete turmoil. Our oil tank was almost full but I realized quickly it was useless since our new Monitor heater needed electricity to function. At that moment I breathed a sigh of relief that Tommy and I had cleared over an acre of forest behind our house last summer. We had several cords of oak, hickory and pine all split and stacked neatly away in the utility building. "Tommy, put on your coat and gloves. We need to carry in some wood." Our youngest son, Rick, looked excitedly up at me as if he wanted to feel important and useful like Tommy. "Rick, I'll need you too son. Come help me and Tommy get in some wood." He was too young to feel the impact of our situation and scurried toward his room to bundle up. His young face was lit with the excitement of an upcoming camping or fishing trip.

Our home is pushing the century old mark and had belonged to Bess' late grandparents. However we had updated the home somewhat with new insulation and the like. It still has the original rock fireplace and Bess refused to move her grandmothers old wood fired stove from the kitchen although it was rarely used. However Bess did always bake our annual Thanksgiving turkey in it without exception. Bess fired the stove and I the fireplace. Soon the house was warm and cozy with only the frequent popping and cracking of the hickory logs. I had worked hard the last ten years at Tandle's lumber mill. I was now shop foreman and making a livable income. Still, it must have been out of habit that we had a large garden every year. Bess also spent endless hours of canning. A tradition she surely had inherited from her mother and grandmother. We sat down to a hot supper of cornbread, beans and pork chops by the oil lamp light. Bess and I tried to keep the conversation more trivial than serious. Afterwards we went into the living room. The boys were poking at the fireplace as Bess and I sat on the couch. The battery-powered radio was still blurting out uncomforting news flashes. Almost all areas of the United States are in total blackout. Power facilities could see long-term effects. We just sat there and looked at each other in disbelief.

Tommy was first to speak, "Dad what'll we do?" As calmly as I could I replied, "We'll do fine son. I wasn't going to tell you but I think Santa is bringing you a new rifle in a couple of weeks. I winked at him as Rick looked on with gleaming eyes. You're old enough now to learn how to hunt. I'll let you take care of the squirrels and rabbits, I'll get the deer." His eyes were as large as saucers. He had been on countless hunting trips with me and now it was for real. Somehow he knew the hunting might not be just a sport anymore. A cold feeling of uncertainty kept running around in my head. so I dared not even look at Bess. She had the uncanny ability of reading my mind. I heard her reassuring voice say, "Don't worry boys, I've canned enough vegetables to last all winter if need be. You guys will just have to supply the wood and the meat. We might just have to make it for a while like your great grandparents made it." I detected concern in her voice, but a lot of comfort as well. Later that night the temperature had plummeted into the teens and the snow had inched its way up to nearly a foot. Bess got the boys to bed. There was a good bed of coals in the fireplace and stove. I went out on the front porch to bring in some logs. I looked up at the snow falling slowly but steadily. At that moment I resolved myself to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.