Gorge, a novel in progress by Michael Gullo (2026)
“Where have you been, Shawna?”
“I went to the Co-op, and the card readers are down. I had that five hundred bucks, but I was worried that whatever’s up could last like back in the ice storm. I left my cart at customer service, and I walked up to Champlain National.”
“You walked to the bank?”
“Ran-fast walked. Whatever. Yes, I – It would have taken longer to go get the car and…”
“Gas, got it.”
“There was a line at the bank; not a long one, but definitely a line. I took out two thousand.”
“You went into savings?”
“Well, yeah. I thought like 2007. Groceries are like three hundred a week, and there’s gas and, just life.”
“That’s fine. We can put it back if we don’t use it.”
“So, you got groceries.”
“I didn’t just get groceries, I filled my little car to the roof.”
“Oh, so like dinner.”
“You’ll thank me when the gas stations go empty. If they ever figure out the cash thing, it’ll be fast with all those cars.”
“Did you plug in?”
“Not during peak rates.”
“I think you should.”
“What is this, Kyle?”
“I dunno, but…”
“Is that the TV I hear?”
“Local, WPTZ.”
“Just get the groceries, and I’ll pee and get changed.”
“Did you hear anything on the radio?”
“No. This looks like daytime – Where’s Kelly?”
“Who’s Kelly?”
“That’s all dry goods. Put it on the counter.”
“Who’s Kelly?”
“Kelly Clarkson’s on at eleven.”
“How do you know that?”
“The guide. It says Kelly Clarkson Show at eleven, and this is not Kelly Clarkson.”
“What is it?”
“It’s like a PBS documentary.”
“Are you on...”
“Don’t. You dragged me down this television-cleanse rat hole of yours, and the only time I get to – Last week I was waiting for my oil change, watching TV in the waiting room, and I was disappointed when they called my name.”
“How many bags did you get?”
“I didn’t count the bags, but I spent almost a thousand dollars.”
“Are you fricking kidding me?”
“It’s your coffee.”
“Looks like toilet paper?”
“Had to cushion the glass bottles.”
“I’m plugging this in.”
“Thanks.”
“You know, if the power goes out, this hamburger won’t be worth much.”
“That’s lunch and dinner.”
“You have enough cans in here. I’m surprised the suspension…”
“You should be nicer to my little REx. There’s no coffee without my outlets if the power goes out.”
“Our outlets.”
“Nope.”
“You’re like a little prepper. What’s with the cabbage?”
“Little? I’m making rice and cabbage with peppercorns.”
“Lu Rou?”
“That’s the stuff.”
“This is going to be the best Armageddon ever.”