36 Hours: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Fiction Series by Bobby Akart

was the closest store she could think of. Target was over there too.
    After making her purchase, she took the neighborhood streets, avoiding the congestion of White Bridge Road, and found her way to Charlotte Pike. Traffic wasn’t bad, but the parking lot around Target and Dick’s was very full.
    She hustled past the monument in the shape of a guitar, which was placed in front of Best Buy in honor of the now deceased legendary country music star George Jones. Two pickup trucks were parked in front of the store, loading canoes and camping supplies. The outside of the store was hectic, but the inside of the sporting goods store was worse.
    Every checkout counter had a lengthy line. Madison made her way past a congregation of people in the front of the store who were waiting for their friends and family to pay for their things. Several areas of the store like the Team Shop and Alex’s beloved Golf Shop were devoid of customers. Other parts, especially the gun counter and camping supplies, were packed.
    The gun counter was her first stop. She was the only woman in line waiting for a lone clerk. While she waited, she studied the checklist in the book she purchased at Barnes & Noble. The last dozen pages covered everything from food to weapons to medical supplies. She made mental notes regarding the items on the list. Finally, after twenty minutes, she was able to speak with a second clerk who arrived to assist.
    “How may I help you?” he asked.
    That was when it dawned on her. She had no idea what to buy. “Well, um, I don’t know.” She hesitated until she heard the groans of the impatient men behind her.
    “Okay,” the clerk started. “Maybe I can help. What do you want the gun for?”
    Madison’s mind immediately thought of hunting, but then reality set in. There aren’t many deer and antelope in Belle Meade. Where would we hunt? Protection. We need it for protection and security.
    “Protection,” she blurted out. “I guess the most important thing for us is security.”
    “Okay, now we’re getting somewhere,” said the clerk. “By far the best all-around weapon for security, and hunting, is the versatile shotgun. He reached behind the counter and showed her a black and brushed metallic shotgun. “For home defense, this weapon is very forgiving for nervous aiming. You don’t have to be particularly accurate to do some damage against an intruder.”
    He racked the slide up and down, creating a loud, metallic CRACK CRACK . Madison jumped back slightly before regaining her composure. The men behind her snickered.
    “It’s also perfectly suited for hunting small game, and larger animals if you have the right shells.”
    Madison thought for a moment and then remembered her father-in-law’s shotgun that Colton put in the garage somewhere. She could use that one.
    “I think we have a shotgun already,” she said. “What are the other options?”
    “Get her an AR-15,” said one of the men behind her.
    “Better yet, an AR-10,” added another sarcastically. “Then she can be a real bad …”
    The salesclerk was a nice young guy and seemed genuinely interested in helping Madison. He continued with her options.
    “Ma’am, we’re sold out of the guns they mentioned, and if you aren’t experienced, they might not be for you anyway. Let me suggest a handgun, namely this nine millimeter made by Beretta. It’s the official sidearm of our military and is very dependable. For your smaller hands and for concealed-carry purpose, this Series 92 Compact is a great choice. This one comes in all black; it’s less flashy.”
    He handed her the gun and she took it from him with apprehension. She had never held a real handgun before. At first, she was a little afraid. The weight felt good and she gripped it. She could easily get three fingers on the grip for control. She liked it.
    “Okay,” she choked out. Then she thought for a moment. Alex, too? She set the weapon back on the counter. “I mean okay. I’ll take