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trying to hide my weapons. There have been whispers of looters and crime increasing with the lack of police presence. I think, if we had more warning of what was happening, more time than what we were given to know everything was about to end, we would have seen more of the uglier side of humankind. However, with the little warning and potential end of the world scenario, most people are in too much shock to do anything, or they’re hiding like these people.
    “I’m sorry to disturb you, but we need your help ,” Hank speaks calmly.
    I look over his shoulder to see the old man holding a protective arm in front of his wife.
    “They look tired, dear. Let them in,” the woman says kindly. When she smiles, her face scrunches up and she looks like that typical, cute, old lady type.
    “We don’t want no trouble.” He glares, although grudgingly he does move to let us pass. Well, he lets Hank and Lisa pass, but when he sees my weapons plus Hank and Lisa’s that I’m still holding, he blocks his wife and backs her up against the side wall, trying to protect her.
    “I don’t mean you any harm . These are just what we were given to fight those things attacking us,” I explain, looking to Hank for guidance.
    Should I put my weapons on the floor and step away from them? Even though I don’t want to have anything to do with fighting an alien race attacking us with guns that are most likely useless, I also can’t bring myself to give up the weapons. They’re our only defence, even if we have seen that bullets have no affect over them.
    “That’s actually why we’re here , we’re heading into Canada to find out why their communications went down and what exactly is happening over there, but we need transport. We saw your cottage and wondered if you might have a vehicle we could borrow.” Hank smiles sincerely at the couple. He’s always the charmer.
    “I don’t have no —”
    “We have a pickup truck out the back. It’s fully gassed ,” the old woman speaks up, cutting her husband off.
    “That is my truck, I refuse to—”
    “We don’t need it anymore. We agreed to spend our last days here together, in our home where we brought up Jacob. We promised that we’d sit by his tree and not leave him alone. We don’t need that awful sounding and polluting thing here.”
    The husband turns around to stare at his wife. While they communicate silently to each other, I feel like we’re intruding on a moment.
    “Fine, take it. Just promise me you’ll take care of her.” The old man moves his hands to his back pocket, taking his keys out. He removes the correct one off the chain and hands it to Hank, his eyes moving back over to me as if afraid I might try something now that he’s given us what we want.
    The old lady steps around her husband, staring at Lisa in concern. “Do you have any supplies with you? Vancouver is over a couple hours’ drive from here and it’s getting late. You all look so tired . We have a spare room you could—”
    “ Vivian…”
    “Thank you, but we really should be on our way before…” Hank trails off and we all pause to take in his unsaid words.
    Before the machines attack America and we’re all dead.
    “At least take some food and water with you.”
    “That is for us,” the old man hisses.
    “We will be fine, but thank you for the offer , and thank you for the use of your car. I assure you we will take care of it for you.” Hank nods his head in a gesture of thanks to them.
    We walk back outside and pile into the front seat of the three-seat pickup when Vivian rushes after us carrying a small bag.
    “Just in case ,” she offers as her husband glares first at the bag then us. He wraps his arm around his wife’s shoulder and watches as Hank drives us away from the small cottage, finding us a dirt road heading in the direction of a main road.
    “That was really a generous lady. I hope they… I hope…” Lisa’s voice falters, and since Hank has two hands on the wheel