The Coming of the Mist.

           Weworkedourwaybacktothefruitsandvegetableslikesalmonfightingtheirwayupstream.Isawsomefamiliarfaces-MikeHaden,oneofourselectmen,Mrs.Repplerfromthegrammarschool(shewhohadterrifiedgenerationsofthird-graderswascurrentlysneeringatthecantaloupes),Mrs.Turman,whosometimessatBillywhenSteffandIwentout-butmostlytheyweresummerpeoplestockinguponno-cookitemsandjoshingeachotherabout"roughingit."Thecoldcutshadbeenpickedoverasthoroughlyasthedimebooktrayatarummagesale;therewasnothingleftbutafewpackagesofbologna,somemacaroniloaf,andonelonely,phallickielbasasausage.

           Igottomatoes,cukes,andajarofmayonnaise.Shewantedbacon,butallthebaconwasgone.Ipickedupsomeofthebolognaasasubstitute,althoughI’veneverbeenabletoeatthestuffwithanyrealenthusiasmsincetheFDAreportedthateachpackagecontainedasmallamountofinsectfilth-alittlesomethingextraforyourmoney.

           "Look,"Billysaidasweroundedthecornerintothefourthaisle."There’ssomearmyguys."

           Thereweretwoofthem,theirdununiformsstandingoutagainstthemuchbrighterbackgroundofsummerclothesandsportswear.WehadgottenusedtoseeingascatteringofarmypersonnelwiththeArrowheadProjectonlythirtymilesorsoaway.Thesetwolookedhardlyoldenoughtoshaveyet.

           IglancedbackdownatSteffslistandsawthatwehadeverything...no,almostbutnotquite;Atthebottom,asanafterthought,shehadscribbled:BottleofLancers?Thatsoundedgoodtome.