“They’ll be all right.” Sandy must have noticed him watching the kids.
“I know. It’s just hard to let them out of my sight. It goes against my instincts, but I know I have to.” Ben turned his attention back to the interstate. He knew they would want more and more independence as time went on and as they became more confident in themselves, and he was going to have to give it to them eventually. But they were still kids, even Joel and Allie, and this world was unforgiving. He was allowed to be a little paranoid and overprotective, given their circumstances.
Ben was glad to see them returning after only a few minutes. Joel was smiling and leading the way with a box resting on his shoulder.
“Look what we found. Water!”
“I found it under a shelf in the back of the store,” Bradley added proudly.
“Good job.” Ben was genuinely excited about the find. They still had plenty of water from Jack’s, but it would be nice to have some without the foul odor and taste. Joel brought the box down from his shoulder and let it land with a thud next to the Blazer. It was a full case of small plastic bottles that the looters must have somehow overlooked. Ben felt a little foolish for telling them that they wouldn’t find anything. Everyone took a few bottles and drank until they were full. The water was far from cold, but it was clean and refreshing. Even the dogs seemed grateful to have something other than the stale, smelly water from Jack’s.
Joel divided up the remainder of the bottles equally into the Blazer and the Jeep. He made a few passes around the Jeep, tugging and pushing at the gear.
“I just want to make sure we don’t lose anything,” Joel said. It was a good idea now that the back of the Jeep was open. Ben checked on the Blazer again, and he was satisfied with what the temperature gauge read.
“Good enough. Everybody ready?” They had been here long enough, and he didn’t want to push their luck. They all gathered up the few things they had brought out with them and prepared to leave. The dogs were anxious to get into the vehicles, and Sam surprised Ben with a clean leap into the Blazer. The kids climbed in after her and coaxed her into the back seat with them.
Ben watched as Joel, Allie, and Gunner boarded the Jeep. It still felt weird to be riding in separate vehicles. He wasn’t crazy about them being so exposed with the sides of the soft top rolled up, but he understood the necessity of it. It was almost two in the afternoon and the heat seemed just as brutal as when they first stopped. Though it would have been nice to stay a little longer and take advantage of the shade, they needed to make progress. Any longer here and they risked having to drive at night in order to make the mountains and the area on the map he had his eye on.
Ben tucked his rifle into its spot near the driver’s seat and pulled himself into the Blazer. Sandy was already in and getting situated while the kids fought Sam for real estate on the rear bench seat.
“You know we made a spot in the back for Sam to ride. You guys can put her back there if you want to,” Ben said.
Emma shrugged. “It’s okay.”
“She’s taking up too much of the seat.” Bradley pushed on the dog’s rump in an attempt to regain some of his side of the seat, but she didn’t budge.
“Sam, back.” Bradley pointed to the back of the truck, but Sam lowered her head and looked away as if she was being scolded.
“It’s too hot for this,” Bradley exclaimed.
“It’ll be better once we get moving. Sam, back.” Ben snapped his fingers. Sam got up slowly and climbed over the seat. She sat awkwardly in the area they had created for her among the gear, but she refused to give up completely and hung her head and one paw over the seatback.
“Awe, poor Sam.” Emma rubbed her head as Sam did her best to look pathetic and garner sympathy from anyone who would give it to her.
“She can come back up later when it cools down,” Bradley conceded.
Ben turned the key and fired up the Blazer. He was thankful every time it started without hesitation; the pessimist in him always half-expected a problem.
“Do we have to wear our seat belts?” Bradley asked.
Ben was about to answer but didn’t get a chance before Emma chimed in. “Yes, we do,” she said matter-of-factly.
Ben’s son eyed him in the review mirror, asking for confirmation.
“She’s right, buddy. We have to be safe.” Emma smirked as Bradley buckled up and turned his back to his sister while situating himself sideways in the seat so he could see out the window and avoid her. Ben sighed as he realized that not much had changed since they had been out to visit last Christmas, and in a way, it was refreshing to know some things were still the same, EMPs or not.
Chapter Ten
As Ben pulled out and navigated the Blazer back onto the freeway, he glanced over at the Cadillac dealership. For a second, he wondered if they could find a wheel to fit the Blazer. But just as soon as the thought entered his mind, he realized that, even if they did, the stock tires on the SUVs would leave them with the same problem they had now. Back at the gas station, he’d told Joel about looking for an appropriate-sized spare, so at least they were both looking now, and with any luck, they’d find one, or better yet, wouldn’t need it to begin with.
Once they were up to speed and moving again, the air through the truck felt good. It did feel a little cooler now, but that probably had more to do with the newly formed cloud cover they were enjoying. The Blazer was running cooler, and Ben relaxed a little as the possibility of making their destination before nightfall seemed more and more like a reality.
Bradley had fallen asleep shortly after they pulled out from the last fuel stop, and when he awoke, he seemed to have forgotten about the argument with his sister. The two were happily playing a card game as Sam watched from the back of the truck with a pitiful look on her face. The dog had reluctantly given up trying to sneak back into the seat with the kids some miles ago. Ben was pleased to see them getting along again and glad the tiff was short-lived. The trip was trying enough with the heat and the cramped space; the last thing they needed was bad attitudes.
Ben leaned forward as he read the sign for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was time to figure out the best way around the city. Harrisburg wasn’t nearly as big as some of the other cities they had passed, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
For the most part, the area they were in now was mostly rural, except for a few small towns they hurried through as best as they could. The openness of the larger dual-lane interstate with the wide median was long gone. The roads here were all one lane in each direction, which added to his anxiety a little.
Fortunately, they hadn’t run into anything impassable yet. There were a few tight spots, but nothing they couldn’t get around. According to the map, they were currently on Route 272 and following along the northern side of the Susquehanna River. Although they hadn’t seen any water yet, it was probably just as well; the temptation to stop and cool off might have been too great to deny. Still, it would have been nice to at least catch a glimpse of the river, even if it was just enough to confirm that it wasn’t a polluted mess. There were a lot of heavily populated areas along the Susquehanna, which meant the chance for contamination was high.
So far, there had been no other cars on the road, but they had seen a few people wandering around in some of the smaller towns they passed through. They all looked the same: ragged, dirty, and defeated, with an aimless nature about them. All but one ignored the Blazer and Jeep as they passed. An older man saw them and tried to wave them down for help.
Ben ignored the man and his instincts to stop and help as much as he could. Hoping the others hadn’t seen the stranger trying to signal them, Ben pushed on. It wasn’t in his nature to turn a blind eye to a person in need, but times were different, and he wasn’t about to put them all in danger for someone they most likely couldn’t do anything for. He tried to rationalize his behavior, but it didn’t help alleviate the guilt, so he did his best to put the man out of his mind. But even after many miles, he
couldn’t shake the image. What kind of person was this way of life turning him into?
Ben rubbed his eyes. Leaning forward, he confirmed that the image up ahead wasn’t a mirage caused by the heat rising from the road. It was a black wagon being pulled by a single horse. As they neared, Ben gave the wagon a wide berth, not sure what to expect.
“Amish,” Sandy stated.
A lone rider sat up front, handling the reins and keeping the horse moving along at a respectable pace. The man had a long beard and wore an oversized straw hat, but the most striking thing about his appearance was the lever-action rifle slung over his back. Ben didn’t know much about the Amish, but he thought they were peaceful people who didn’t own guns. Then again, they probably would have weapons for hunting, and given the circumstances, he was sure they would adjust their way of living in order to protect themselves.
Ben felt bad for the horse in this heat; the animal’s dark-brown coat was mottled with sweat from pulling the wagon, and he hoped they weren’t traveling too far. The man transferred his right hand from the reins to the wooden stock of the gun as they passed. Normally, that would have triggered Ben to prepare for a fight, but he felt at ease. The man was only taking precautions, the same as Ben would have done in this situation.
Sandy waved, and the man nodded back but retained the stern look on his face. Sam let out a timid grumble as they overtook the carriage, not knowing what to make of the horse. The man was probably on his way to a neighbor’s farm, maybe to get supplies. Either way, it was clear he was all business, and Ben respected that. He was glad to see that Joel went out of his way to give the man and his horse extra room as well.
Ben knew the Amish lived without electricity and many other modern conveniences. They also lived in small tight-knit communities. They were probably doing better than most. Life might not have changed all that much for these people; in fact, he wondered if their lives were somehow better now. They would no longer have to worry about interference from the outside world.
The kids watched over the back seat as the wagon shrunk and eventually disappeared. In some ways, they would all be living simpler lives now, though at the same time, life would be much harder.
Sandy pulled out the road atlas and helped Ben figure out the best way around Harrisburg. They decided to stick to the smaller country roads and not push their luck by driving too close to the center of town. They’d seen almost as many people already as they had on the entire trip east, and Ben was more than happy to avoid the more populated areas, especially if people were starting to venture out.
Once they were on the north side of Harrisburg, the landscape opened up enough to give them occasional views of the mountains ahead. It was a welcome change to the flat farmland they’d been traveling through. The river was just to their left now, but the highway was elevated enough so they still couldn’t see the water. As Ben strained to catch a glimpse of the river, the road returned to multiple lanes with a concrete divider between the sections, blocking his view.
Up ahead, the road broke to the left and intersected with a bridge over the river. He slowed down, navigated the exit, and took the ramp. He was surprised at the size of the Susquehanna and hadn’t expected it to be so wide. In some locations, it looked to be a half-mile across or more, as far as he could tell from the bridge.
He didn’t want to stop, but he needed to satisfy his curiosity and see what kind of water conditions they were dealing with. They were still a couple of hours from their destination, but if the water was clean here, it would most likely be even better once they were into the mountains. The Susquehanna was the largest river on the east coast, and from what little Ben knew about it from a few fly-fishing articles he’d read, it was an indicator of health for the streams and tributaries that flowed into it from the mountains beyond.
He signaled Joel that he was slowing down, and as soon as he confirmed that Joel had seen him, he pulled over to the concrete guardrail at the edge of the bridge. He left the truck running and put it in park. Anxiously, he hopped out and made his way around to the railing. He was almost afraid to look. If the water was bad, they had gone out of their way north for no good reason.
But the river was clean. It wasn’t Colorado Rockies clean, but Ben was happy. With his polarized sunglasses, he could see through the off-green water below and easily pick out the outlines of countless submerged rocks and boulders. Before he knew it, the others were by his side at the guardrail, looking down at the rushing water. The familiar smell of fresh, churning water filled his nostrils as he inhaled deeply.
Joel pointed. “Look.”
“What?” Allie struggled to see what he was pointing at, but Ben had already spotted the dark silhouette of a trout swimming lazily in the slack current behind a large rock. It was reassuring to know that no matter how crazy and different their lives were right now some things remained the same. It was also very satisfying to see the clean, clear water flowing downriver as it always had, it gave Ben hope for a decent night ahead.
Bradley pointed at the trout. “I see it.”
Ben knew what Joel was thinking, but they needed to keep pushing. There would be time to fish tonight if they kept up this pace. In everyone’s haste to get a look at the river, both dogs had been left behind in the vehicles. Gunner was whining loudly, his body half-hanging out of the passenger side of the Jeep. Not to be outdone, Sam chimed in with a few sharp barks of her own.
There’d be time for everyone to relax and stretch their legs later if they could just hang in there for a little longer.
“All right, let’s keep moving. We’re not that far from the state forest. A couple more hours at the most,” Ben promised. One by one, they all loaded back into the vehicles with much less enthusiasm than when they had piled out. Ben hated to be a stickler about the schedule, but they would be thankful later, or at least he hoped they would.
Chapter Eleven
Within an hour, they were well into the mountains and the temperature had cooled significantly. Ever since they crossed the river, Ben noticed a difference in the humidity as well. He wasn’t sure if it was that much less oppressive or if he was just happy to be in the mountains again, but either way, he’d take it. The mood in the Blazer seemed to improve as well, but that might have had more to do with the fact they were almost finished driving for the day.
The drastic change in scenery made it hard to believe they were just at Jack’s this morning. The stark contrast between the two environments was enough to make the dry, dead landscape around Jack’s feel like a dream. It still looked like fall more than summer. Every other tree was dead or dying, their leaves doing their best to hang on to the already sparse branches. Fortunately, the majority of trees in this section of forest were pine, and most of them still sported their lush green needles. Even the air seemed cleaner here, and the smell of the forest was a refreshing change from where they had been.
All in all, it was a productive day on the road, and Ben had no complaints about the progress they’d made, especially considering the heat. In fact, they were ahead of schedule. Not by the timetable Ben had shared with the others but by the one he kept to himself. He was surprised they’d actually reached the spot he was shooting for so easily and so soon.
It felt good to finally be looking for a place to turn off the road, and the thought of setting up camp for the night felt pleasantly familiar. Ben checked his watch and saw that it was just after six. They would lose light quicker in the mountains, but there was plenty of time to be picky about where they stopped.
Ben planned on thoroughly scrutinizing whatever campsite they chose for the night. He didn’t want any surprises, and while he couldn’t guarantee that, he could do his best to avoid any trouble by finding a spot well off the beaten path. That was his plan for the entire trip back. They were going to do their best to fly below the radar and hopefully avoid conflict. Based on his experience during the trip out here, he knew that was impossible, but they were going to try.
Sam
must have sensed that they were close to their destination. She stood up in the back of the truck and forced her way into the seat between the kids. Letting everyone know she was ready to be free from the confines of the truck, she began to whine and pant excitedly. But she wasn’t the only one who was anxious to end the day’s driving. Within the last half-hour, Bradley and Emma had both asked how much longer they would be on the road.
After a few more miles had passed and Sam seemed ready to explode, Ben spotted a ravine that ran under the road ahead. As they crossed over the section of highway that intersected the cut in the landscape, he caught a glimpse of flowing water. The stream turned after a hundred yards or so and followed the road until they reached a second crossing. Just before the bridge, there was a small sign that identified the waterway as Anderson Creek.
Ben quickly signaled Joel and started to slow down. Joel flashed his headlights at the Blazer, and Ben turned his attention to looking for an access point before the bridge. There was nothing on their side of the road, but he spotted an almost overgrown dirt trail on the opposite side of the highway.
Making his way through the weed-infested median, he steered the Blazer toward the trail. The creek broke off and ran away from the bridge, made a hard left, and disappeared into the woods. The area looked promising, and Ben decided to explore the trail and see where it led.
Slowly but surely, they made their way down the rutted and rock-covered trail. The going was slow and tricky, with the vegetation covering the majority of the route. Ben slowed to a crawl as he watched the Jeep in the rearview mirror get tossed back and forth over the hidden ruts and potholes. Sam nearly fell off the seat as the front left tire of the Blazer dipped violently and bounded back up through a small crater. Ben shifted into four-wheel drive and dropped the truck into a lower gear to avoid riding the brakes on the way down the steep embankment.
Dark Road (Book 7): Deception Page 5
