Holdout

antiques-along-the-mohawk

At first, I didn’t even know about it. I don’t have a TV or listen to the radio. I guess I knew when I saw the first cars going past, roofs piled high with bundles and boxes. Sure, I knew the river was up, but it’s been up before. No need to panic.

Sheriff came by Tuesday morning and told me they were evacuating, that I was the last one down here, that if I didn’t come willingly then it was on me. I asked him what he meant. He pointed at the river, higher than anyone’d ever seen it.

 

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  1. The Voice

    I sometimes wonder how many people die because of pride or ignorance. I’m not sure of this fellow’s fate, but I rather hope he saw reason and departed.

  2. Snow's Fissures and Fractures

    I remember watching a documentary about a man in Hawaii who stayed on his property long after his neighbors evacuated, with rivers of lava threatening to consume everything in their path. Your story reminded me of that, you captured the essence of oblivion and delusion so well.

  3. Thom Carswell

    I like how the readers are just as cut off from what is happening as the narrator. We have no idea if this is an isolated incident specific to one river or the beginning of a global catastrophe. If the latter turns out to be true then perhaps joining an en masse evacuation might not be his best option.

Don't just stand there.