See Tom Run by Scott Wittenburg Read Free Book Online

Erin. I would not
want to be alone right now with all of this weirdness, and just
having you here has given me hope that we can somehow beat this
thing, what ever it is.”
    “What about you, Tom? Is that your family in that
picture?” she asked, pointing to the eight by ten family portrait
on the mantel.
    Tom went over, picked up the photo and showed it to
Erin.
    “This is my wife Peg and our two kids: Kelli and
Tyler.”
    Just saying their names made his voice waver
noticeably. “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe they’re not here—”
    Erin gently placed her hand on Tom’s and squeezed it.
“It must be horrible for you—I’m sorry, Tom.”
    Tom stared into Erin’s eyes. Her compassion seemed
genuine and he felt the overwhelming urge to hug her, which he did.
A moment later, a thought suddenly came him. “How old are you,
Erin?”
    She pulled slowly away from him. “Why do you
ask?”
    “Just curious. You had mentioned drinking beer a bit
ago but I have a funny feeling you’re not old enough to legally
purchase it. Am I right?”
    Erin looked somewhat indignant. “Well, I’m only
eighteen—but I’ll be nineteen in a couple of months.”
    “That’s old enough for 3.2 beer when I was your age.
So how about a beer now that I know I’m not serving a minor?”
    She laughed heartily. “I’d love one!”
    Tom stood up and headed for the kitchen. He took a
pair of Michelobs from the fridge and returned to the living room.
Erin was sprawled out on the floor in front of the fireplace as he
removed the caps and handed her one of the beers.
    “Cheers,” he said.
    “Cheers,” the girl replied.
    Erin took a swig and looked at Tom, who had sat down
beside her on the hearth. “So now it’s time for you to tell me
about your day, Tom. When did you realize that everyone was
gone?”
    Tom chugged his beer and savored it as it went down.
“Well, we were playing euchre in the family room …”
    Tom proceeded to tell his side of the story. When he
finished, he sensed that the extent of their dire situation hadn’t
really sunk in with Erin until now since she had spent most of her
time running from her raging mad ex-boyfriend.
    “I can’t say this enough, Tom. I am so glad you found
me. I don’t think I could’ve made it without you.”
    Tom took her hand and held it tight. “I’m glad I
found you, as well. Somehow, we are going to get through this.
Together.”
    She looked sad and a little skeptical. “I know we
will.”
    Erin killed her beer and yawned.
    “Let’s turn in,” Tom said. “Tomorrow is another day.
Why don’t you sleep on the sofa and I’ll take the chair.”
    “Okay.”
    “I’ll find some blankets.”
    He went up to the bedroom and picked up a couple of
blankets and a pillow then went through the rooms, dousing all of
the candles. He stopped by the phone long enough to pick it up and
hear the dead line.
    Erin was fast asleep on the sofa when he returned to
the living room. He tucked the pillow under her head and spread a
blanket over her. She looked like an angel lying there and Tom bent
down to kiss her on the cheek.
    He didn’t know why he did that. It just felt
right.
    Then he put out the rest of the candles, sat down in
the chair and closed his eyes. He was fast asleep within
seconds.
     
     

CHAPTER 5
     
     
    Tom’s first conscious thought when he awoke was to be
sure to tell Peg the bizarre dream he’d just had while it was still
fresh in his mind. When he started to turn onto his side to face
her, he realized that he was not in their king size bed.
    He was on a chair in the living room.
    It had not been a dream!
    The events of the following day cascaded into his
head in no particular order: the stark reality that his entire
family was gone. The huge snowstorm and discovering that there
wasn’t a single soul in Riverside Hospital—and how the doors to all
of the patient’s rooms had been locked. When he recalled Erin
Myers, he bolted upright and turned to look at the