Friday Night...

The guys were the first ones up. Seo wanted Ishmael to sleep for as long as possible; he was worried about her pulling a cart for the next 6-7 hours. While she slept, the guys quietly left the house to move the car back a little bit so they could get the bikes out. It was so quiet outside that it was eerie. They were glad that the moon was out but it was still dark. Switching their headlamps to red, they tried not to attract attention. What attention, they didn't know as no one was outside. A few houses had dimly lit windows, either from candles or lanterns. Car moved, the guys were quiet as they entered the house. Ishmael, not feeling Seo next to her, had woken up. She was standing in the entrance already to go, the guqin strapped to her back with a noticeable worried look on her face. Seo walked over to her and gave her a hug as she leaned into him. Ishmael was exhausted, but knew they needed to leave.

"You ready babe?"

"...yeah."

"Sis, you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, just tired. I'll be fine guys."

"We should get going." Haru wanted to get this all over with as well.

"Okay let's try to stay quiet. We'll stop every two hours to rest. Babe you have the snacks for us to eat."

"Yes, we each get one gatorade along with water."

"K, let's test our headlamps." They all made sure they were not on the brightest setting. "Sean, text your dad to tell him we're heading out. Me and Haru will take the lead. If anyone needs to stop just let us know, getting there safely and together is what's important. Sean, since Haru has the heaviest load, let's switch out with him when we break."

"Sounds good."

Everyone agreed as they exited the house one at a time, the others holding doors and helping with the carts to keep them from banging. Once everyone was out of the house, Haru extracted the security gate for the front door. It was even sturdier than the patio gates with a security bar that he set with a lock. He placed his keys in the top zip pocket of his pack and gave the spare one to Seo who placed it with the other keys. The guys moved the car back to block the drive then everyone headed out.

The bikes creaked and the carts rattled as they started down the street. Soon they had picked up speed and were going at a slow but decent pace. Before reaching the trail, the group had to slam on brakes as a stray dog ran out in front of them.

"Once we get on the path and out away from the city, me and Haru will switch our lights to bright. It will be pitch black out there due to the tree cover." Everyone could tell that Seo was in boss mode. Ishmael knew it was to hide the nervousness that he felt but they were all nervous. Sean had them wait while he sent messages on the garmin to the parents, making sure to send the route map as well.

Back on track, they soon got back up to speed. In about an hour they made it to the junction which would put them on the path out of the city completely. There, Seo and Haru switched their lamps to bright, illuminating the path in front of them. The trail had no significant hills or hairpin turns. Even the smallest incline would be strenuous as they were hauling trailers. They slowed their speed just a little so they didn't wear themselves out so early in the trip.

Twenty minutes past the junction, Ishmael and Sean noticed the coupling for Haru's trailer was coming apart. They all had to stop on the trail to have a look at it. The nut had worked itself loose. Sean dug the tool kit out of one of his buckets and tightened it back. Since they were stopped, they checked their loads, carts and bikes. Everything was fine and they started up again. Two more hours into the trip, everyone was getting tired and the carts they were pulling seemed heavier. Reaching the third rest pavilion, they all stopped, parking their bikes on the side of the path. Ishmael set some snacks and water out for them. Her and Seo sharing a bottle of water as did Sean and Haru.

"Where are we on the trail Sean?" Seo was the only one without a garmin and the shelter they were at didn't have a map.

"Not as far as I'd hoped we would be."

"Yeah, but we're all hauling carts so we're doing fine. Babe you still doing okay."

"I'm fi-...you guys hear that?"

"Yeah sis, I heard it. Lamps on bright."

Her and Sean flipped their headlamp on high only to see two bunnies hopping around in the bushes.

"Crazy bunnies." Sean tossed a rock and they scattered. Ishmael went to use the bathroom but it was locked. She couldn't wait for the next stop so she made her way to the back of the building.

"Babe where are you going?"

"I have to pee!" She took a travel pack of tissues with her and was back in a couple of minutes. Tissue in the trash can she cleaned her hands with hand sanitizer that she had in the side pouch of her pack.

"Ready?"

"Yup."

Heading towards the bikes, Seo and Haru switched. Back on the path, their pace picked up as there was a slight downgrade to the trail. It gave them a break from pedaling and could get some coasting in.

"So sis, you ever think we'd actually have to bug out?"

"No, but I'm glad we have the folks that we do, otherwise we'd be like fish out of water."

"Totally agree with you there. I always thought we would have backpacks and hike down the side of a highway or trudge thru back alleys."

"Yeah. But here we are in japan with bikes and homemade carts hauling every emergency item we have! This is so crazy ge. We hardly had time to get settled properly, then we had to do last minute prepping at that. Crazy."

"Over the top crazy. But I'm glad we're with these two."

"Definitely...I really hope mom and poppo will be okay. And the other guys."

"So do I sis. I'm just glad we have some place to go that's outside the city."

"Yeah, I think things are going to get bad really fast once all the stores close."

"Yup. I'm praying this ends soon."

"Me too. I really wanted to stay at our house, but if things get bad or locked down..."

Less than another two hours in and they started running into trouble. Sean's chain kept jumping off and the coupling for Haru's cart continued to come loose, they even put in a longer bolt with washers and extra nuts but it didn't work. Ishmael had issues with a wheel as well. What should have taken them another two hours ended up taking them four. The parents were worrying as well from the repeated messages the group was receiving.

They finally pulled up to the side gate of the house around 10am. By now their legs were jello. They were hot, hungry and tired. Gate unlocked they walked the bikes into the back yard and next to the back patio. The bikes could sit there for a minute as Seo had to go to a side door and open the patio door for them. Once inside the house, they collapsed on the floor. Thirty minutes they laid there not saying anything. Slowly they turned from side to side like beached whales trying to get their lower limbs to function.

Ishmael was the first one able to obtain a vertical standing position. She made it out the patio and unhooked the bindings holding the covers over the carts. There was a ton of work that still needed to be done and it wasn't going to do itself. Ishmael found her goal, the empty 5 gallon buckets. Praying the house still had water, she walked past the comatose men and to the nearest bathroom. Turning on the bathtub faucet, water poured out. She did a silent cheer as she filled up the buckets and the tub. The smaller bathroom only had a shower. The next human to move was Seo, going back to the bathroom to see what she was doing.

"Babe?"

"There's still water! I'm filling these up so we can bathe. I'm not sure how much longer the water will last and we need to conserve what we can get while we can get it!"

"Good point, I think my mom has more buckets in the garage."

"Oh! Will you go look, I'll fill them with water for later. What was in them before?"

"Dirt."

"Okay, thanks hon."

"Yup."

Seo returned with almost thirty buckets. Ishmael took one and filled it with some water and handsoap. "Will you take it to the other bathroom and wash them out, just use that water for the next one. Are there lids?"

"Yeah, I'll have Sean get them."

"Mn." The guys quickly washed all the buckets and lids and brought them into the bathroom for her to fill with water. She sat four full buckets aside and an empty one. Once full, the guys carried them back to the garage. Ishmael asked them to set 5 of them in the kitchen and she would deal with them once she was done. As she carried the last bucket out to the kitchen, Sean and Haru were on the phone to their folks and Seo was talking to his.

While they did that, she went out to the bikes to find the bleach. Looking into the tote bags she found it and brought it into the house, sitting it in the kitchen. She went to the garage to see if there were more buckets. There were 10 more tucked behind some boxes that the guys had missed. She brought them in, cleaned them and filled them with water. Sitting them in the kitchen also, she poured a capful of bleach into each one and marked the top with some painters tape she found from rummaging in one of the kitchen drawers. The water in those 10 would be for dishes, cleaning and non food things.

Finished with the buckets, Ishmael had a seat next to Seo on the floor where they were all sitting. "Babe is the water still running?"

"Yeah, I filled up the rest of the buckets that were in the garage. Some have bleach for cleaning. The five in the kitchen by the counter are for drinking/cooking but we need to run it through the berkey filter just to be safe."

Sean and Seo decided to put the calls on speaker so everyone could talk. The parents introduced themselves as this was their first time speaking to each other. Seo's parents spoke English just fine. The mom's were moms and swooned over the fact that Ishmael and Seo were together and that they had each met the other's parents. The dad's on the other hand wanted to get down to business and know what their next steps were.

"We have water for now so we cleaned all the buckets in the garage and Ishmael filled them up with water."

[Mr. T] You guys have a way to purify water?

[Haru] Yes sir we managed to get a berkey water filter and two extra sets of filters.

[Mr. T] Ah That's right. You did mention getting your hands on one of those.

[Mr. Seo] Did you run into anyone on the trail?

[Sean] No sir

[Mr. T] Pup? How many buckets have you managed to fill?

[Mel] About 30. While the water is still running we can keep the buckets as a backup

[Mr. Seo] Good, good my dear. Now listen Sean and Haru, I mentioned this to Joon earlier. Since Ishmael is a foreigner and the people there are not used to seeing others with dark skin, do not let her walk around town alone for now. Some are not open to foreigners unfortunately. Sorry dear, it's just how some people are and I'm not sure who's all left in town.

[Mel] It's alright Mr. Seo, I understand.

[Mr. Seo] If Tokyo has lost water and they are shutting things down to conserve resources, it won't be long until it happens there. I would keep a low profile. If you do go to town, no cell phones and keep any electronics hidden. Make sure you are not being followed and if anyone asks where you are staying, tell them at the hostel. Joon, we forgot the firearm there. Use it only if necessary.

[Seo] Okay dad.

[Mr. T] Kai, Ishmael and Sean have been trained in firearm safety also.

[Mr. Seo] Good

[Mr. T] Sean, since we're all here, let's test out the satellite phones?

[Sean] Oh! Okay dad.

Sean rushed out into the yard to search his pack that was still on the bike. Back inside he handed the extra one to Joon and they dialed the number his dad sent him. Two minutes later and the phones began to ring. They worked.

[Mr. Seo] John give me your number. I got mine to work also.

The dad's exchanged numbers and both learned that the other had been in special branches of the armed services. Only downside was that Mr. Seo never saw a need for serious preparedness until now.

[Mr. T] Joon since it's your home area, I would take one of the guys with you into town today to see if you can find out any information, but don't stay there long. Sean, you and Ishmael need to stay up on your martial art skills.

[Sean] Alright dad.

[Mr. Seo] Okay everyone, if the water does stop, there is an outhouse a few meters from the caretaker's cabin. There is a gravel trail that leads to it. The cabin has been cleaned, new windows and a new roof and doors put on it. I hate to say this, but if this lasts into winter, you will all need to move out there. The cabin will be easier to keep warm and the wood burning stove is new.

[Mr. T] Guys, pup? We're really relieved that you were all able to make it out there together and that you were resourceful enough to build those bike trailers.

[Mr. Seo] Also check the garage, I have all kinds of tools and things out there that you may need. Joon? If this lasts for an extended period of time, do you know he Kitaro house?

[Seo] Yes

[Mr. Seo] They have moved to Sapporo and have a solar system in the backyard; it's walled off so no one in town knows about it. If this drags on, the key to their house and gate is in the spice cabinet. Go there and take their solar system. Everything you need should be in the white shed behind their garage. Batteries, charge controller, wiring, it's all there. Kitaro never set it up and left it to go with the house. Use the potting shed behind the grill area to house things. The manual should be with it as well.

[Haru] You know guys, since they have that system, maybe we should get it now just in case. People may start to wonder about and find it before we can get to it. We can do a night run so we go unnoticed.

[Sean] Haru's right Joon. We should gather any supplies that we can now.

[Seo] Okay. Dad, I think me and the guys will go there tonight and get it.

[Mr. Seo] All right, just be careful. I will compensate Kitaro for it later.

[Mrs. Seo] Ishmael dear, the garden stuff is in the shed by the side gate, there are plenty of seeds also.

[Ishmael] Thank you! I will check it out tomorrow.

[Mrs. T] Ishmael, see if there's any kind of canning equipment or jars that the boys can get a hold of while they're out. It might help to create a set menu of meals. You may have to eat the same thing but hon you can change it up to break up the monotony.

[Ishmael] Oh! Okay mom, good idea.

[Mr. T] Well guys, hunker down and stay aware. Take note of all the supplies you have, you may have to ration and conserve things.

[Mr. Seo] Yes definitely. At the Kitaro's take what you think you may need. Most important of all stay safe and keep in touch.

They all said their goodbyes and love you's. The group had a lot to work on even after the almost 10 hour bike ride.