The Barter

A long, deserted highway leads to the future he's been searching for.
In the small, post-apocalyptic, coastal town of Cameron Louisiana, Aurelie Haydel is trying to survive and protect those that she loves just like everyone else that trades goods and supplies at their local meet up market. Their small community of survivors keep to themselves, and being on the coast of Louisiana it is easy to do since they never see travelers come through. All the better for them in the cut throat world that now exists. It's every man, woman, and child for himself in most other parts of the country -and world for that matter- or so they hear from the static radio reports that come in on their old transistor radios.
While at market one day, a stranger wanders through asking to buy food. Paper money is now worthless, only gold, and bartering -trading up- is acceptable. This stranger, Rennet McCabe, seems persistant to hang around her, even though she has made it clear she's not interested in anything he's peddling. She tries to avoid him all at cost, but strangely keeps getting thrown together with him. What plans does the universe have in store for her and those that she has sworn to protect? How will this stranger upset their carefully protected community, and why won't he leave their little corner of the world?