The radio around midnight broadcasts that the only power that will be kept on througout the united states are grid lines with hospitals and police stations, some exclusions including overtaken hospitals and stations, all other power will be cut off because of electrical fires. This early that is bad news and i quickly inform dad, and with his approval give the go to the houses on either side of the road the go ahead to block off the road. watching on cameras i see the garbage trucks from the families waste management company pull out of thier drive ways, go to the far end of where the cameras can see and park sideways, blocking the entire road. cliff going down on one side and dramatically steep hill after a small but deep ditch
on the other covered in trees and no other roads connecting to this one inbetween this method is predicted to be a sure way to keep motor vehicles out of our territory. I have about a half an hour until my shift is up and everything seems to be smoothed out as for tonight. at a meeting dad speaks on the situation, "we have chosen to block off the road now rather than after someone gets in whether it be the armed forces trying to take our saftey from us or desperate people looking for somewhere safe in the country. while these small backroads dont show up on maps if anyone by any chance stumbled upon this road they would have to get out of thier cars, and walk around the blockage meaning we could turn them around or subdue them if it came to that. Yes it is unlikely that civilians would find us here but it is better to be safe than sorry because when thier supplies run out, when all is dark people will get desperate. when the lights go out people do things that they never would have fathomed before. This will be hard, and that is why most of you wont know and there for wont have to deal with the knowlege of who we turn away. know we do everything we do for the saftey of this community and nothing else. Thank you all for your understanding" as I stop repeating it to the others still in thier stations vincent gestures me to walk with him to our room, looking concerned. "what did he mean most of us wont know? who are you turning away?"
"well sometimes people have to be turned away for things other people would think of as harmless, such as having chronic life threatening conditions that we arent equipped to constantly deal with here."
"in a way I get that, you cant sacrifice that many resources on one person so they become an acceptable loss... ive heard that your the one that makes the recommendation on who gets let in and your dad will almost always take your recommendations?"
"yes. I look at all the sides of each person, do a wellness check in field and i decide whether they deserve a chance."
"did you decide to block the road?"
"I had to get permission from dad but yes after hearing about the mostly nationwide blackout I decided it was safer to block it off now."
"I think its time for more of that stock of ice cream you have."
"I don't think ive ever heard a better idea."