The Aging: A Novel

by Jack Hunt

  “But that means…”

  Stephen nodded. “Yeah. I’m not going with you.”

  “Then I’m staying.”

  “No. You need to go with them.”

  “No. No. We’re not leaving you here.” She took a few steps toward him and Ryan bellowed.

  “That’s far enough.”

  “Don’t you tell me what to do!” she snapped.

  “Madeline. Madeline!” Stephen said. “Please. Don’t make this harder than it is.”

  Josh approached. “What is happening…?” He stopped in mid-sentence as he saw the rash on Stephen. Stephen lowered his shirt.

  “He needs to check you,” Stephen said to Madeline.

  “But…”

  Ryan shrugged. “I’m sorry but if I’m taking you. I have to know.”

  “But that means, we have to…” The reality dawned on her that she would need to remove her clothes at least down to her underwear to let him see if there was any rash. It varied on people. It could be on their legs, their torso, or arms. It was often the first sign. The body’s natural reaction. Like breaking out in hives. Her eyes darted to Stephen as if expecting him to do something but he agreed with Ryan. He wanted them gone. He wanted them to be safe. He didn’t want them seeing his final days.

  “You too, Ren. I’m sorry,” Ryan said.

  She wasn’t opposed or shy in front of them as she stripped down. In light of what happened, Ren knew it made sense. How else could they know? Sure, they would remain in the back of the truck divided by the rear windshield but if one of them was infected, it could be transmitted. He couldn’t allow that risk. He wouldn’t transport someone who was a carrier of the pathogen.

  One by one his wife and child removed their outer clothes.

  Embarrassment spread, faces turned red as they turned around and Ryan scanned them.

  They were clean.

  No rashes.

  No symptoms.

  Stephen was the only one.

  “I told you I was telling the truth,” Stephen said.

  “That’s still up for debate.”

  “I understand.”

  Infection was a tragedy. Ryan couldn’t help but feel for them.

  His wife and child couldn’t hug him. They had to resort to saying their goodbyes from a distance. Tears flowed. Anguish revealed itself in a mixture of angry words, most of which were directed at Ryan. Francine shook her head, she screamed as her mother held her back. Stephen got emotional. He told them that it was for the best. It was what he wanted. They would be safe. Once he was ready, he asked for a moment with his wife. He let them walk a short distance away. They were within eyesight but out of earshot. He couldn’t tell what they were saying as they said their final words but it was clearly heartbreaking for Madeline. Then, as if unable to deal with the pain anymore, Stephen turned and walked off toward another area of the station.

  Madeline came over and nodded. “We’re ready to go.”

  As they collected their belongings, bags full of supplies, anything that might be useful for the road, Josh approached his father. “You did the right thing.”

  “Yeah? Then why don’t I feel better for it?”

  That morning as they pulled away, Stephen stood by the entrance watching them. There were no more tears. Just a simple wave goodbye. How many others around the country had to do the same thing to their loved ones? Had he accepted it or was he just glad to know that his family wouldn’t have to witness his gruesome and painful death?

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  It seemed fitting that there would be no welcome sign as they entered Florida. All Ryan saw when they crossed the bridge was a “Florida State Line” sign. It was nestled in the trees at the edge of the highway almost out of sight, letting them know they were now in Escambia County. From the service station, it had taken no more than fifteen minutes to reach it.

  He had figured it was clear sailing from here on out. Four hours tops and they would be in Franklin County.

  Yeah, that was wishful thinking.

  Ryan glanced at the fuel gauge. It was running low.

  Less than a quarter of a tank.

  The damn vehicle was even worse than his old clunker.

  Add to that Josh using two of the gasoline canisters back at the lodge to create a distraction, and he knew they would be taking a big risk if they didn’t stop and siphon at least one more vehicle. The last thing he wanted was to get stranded on some long stretch of highway. In Florida, there were areas where there was nothing but sawgrass marshes and wetlands for miles.

  Again he caught the strong aroma of fuel but assumed Josh had spilled some of the gas when he was filling up the tank. He tapped the gauge, wondering if it was faulty.

  “Josh. You did fill up as I asked?”

  “This morning. Yeah. Why?”

  He shook his head, confused. Ryan veered over to the edge of the road and got out. Going around the vehicle, he popped the hood, gave the engine a once-over then dropped down and looked. Although he couldn’t see much, it didn’t take long to guess what the problem could be.

  “Damn it!” he said, getting up and kicking the pickup truck’s bumper.

  “Dare I ask?” Josh said, coming around.

  “It might be a fuel leak coming from the line that comes off the fuel pump.”

  “So that’s where the smell is coming from. How bad is it?” Josh asked.

  “It’s a moderate leak. Probably needs a new hose.”

  “So it’s dangerous to drive.”

  “Well, you don’t want that to catch fire but you do what you gotta do.” He took a deep breath and patted the front of the engine. “I thought it was a gas guzzler. But it’s newer than mine.”

  “Everything okay?” Ren asked from the rear.

  He waved her off.

  “So what’s the plan?” Josh asked.

  “To keep moving. Find another vehicle if possible. Get in.”

  Ryan took what little remaining gas they had left and topped up the tank. It would give them three-quarters of a tank. Then he got back inside.

  “But what if it catches on fire?”

  “Then you use what God gave you.” Ryan tapped his leg before shifting the gear stick into drive and continuing. They didn’t make it far. They were just on the other side of Pensacola when the damn vehicle gave up the ghost.

  Unfortunately, even Josh’s hot-wiring skills wouldn’t help. Lady luck wasn’t shining on them. Without enough gas, they wouldn’t get far.

  So, on what should have been a quick pit stop in Freeport, the place where they obtained a new truck, they were back to searching for gas. As they’d left the service station late in the day, and spent hours searching for another vehicle and gas, it was early evening when they finally filled up.

  “We have roughly another hundred and sixty miles. Maybe three hours if we don’t stop or run into any other issues. Or we can bed down for the night and head out early in the morning.”

  “I’d prefer to sleep,” Madeline said. “It’s been a long day. I’m tired and hot.” She ran a hand over Francine’s head. The two of them still looked distraught. The child more than the mother.

  “You know you can do that in the back of the truck while I drive,” Ryan said.

  “You might be able to but we can’t.”

  “It is chilly in the back, and you get tossed around quite a bit,” Ren said, supporting Madeline. “Maybe it would be good, you know…” She jerked her head toward Francine as if to suggest they do it for her.

  Ryan looked at Josh. He shrugged. “What’s a few hours, right? We still have a good day until the boats leave. We can get a few hours and then leave at first light.”

  Ryan looked off into the distance. They were so close. If it was just him, Josh, and Lily, he would have continued. He shrugged. “Okay. But we’ll be leaving early.”

  They drove down near Freeport’s harbor and parked at the end of a peninsula just off Beatrice Point Road. It was out of the way from the town and a
ny heavily residential areas. There were a few homes dotted along the road on the way in, but they were spread a fair distance apart.

  The road came to an end approximately thirty feet from the water’s edge. He veered into a wooded area so they were out of view of anyone traversing the bayou. Across the water, they could see small fires where other travelers had opted to camp.

  He walked down by the water’s edge, listening to the gentle lapping of water against the rocks, trying to get a moment’s peace. Lily and Josh followed him. Lily picked up a stone and skipped it across the water.

  “I’ve never been on a boat,” she said.

  “Yes you have,” Josh replied.

  “I meant a big boat. One that has a lot of passengers.”

  “A cruise liner?”

  “One of those. Yeah.”

  “I don’t think that’s what we’re going on, are we?” he asked Ryan.

  “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  There were boats out in the bayou. The water offered the best protection from the world that was steadily closing in on them. If it wasn’t the infected hellbent on spreading suffering, they had lunatics like the religious group in Wiggins, or town lynch mobs to do it. At least out here, they could fish.

  “Will we be on the boats long? What if I get seasick?” Lily asked.

  “If you do, we’ll throw you overboard,” Josh said jokingly before giving her a nudge.

  “I’ll take you with me.”

  “Oh yeah?” Josh scooped her up and jogged over to the water’s edge as if he was about to toss her in. She howled, a mixture of laughter and hollering for him not to do it. “Ryan!”

  “Josh put your sister down,” Ryan said.

  Josh’s laughter tapered off as he set her down. Lily punched him in the leg and then stomped off. “C’mon, Lily, I wasn’t going to do it.”

  Ryan shook his head. “Don’t go far, Lily.”

  “I won’t.”

  She took a seat on some rocks nearby and continued to throw out stones.

  It was odd witnessing the dynamics between the two of them. All those years he’d missed it. He was glad Lily had a brother, someone to take care of her. She was going to need him in the coming days. It gave him peace knowing that they wouldn’t be alone.

  Josh sidled up beside Ryan. “Look. I’ve been meaning to say this for a while. For what it’s worth. I appreciate what you’ve done. You know, for Lily and myself.”

  “If I wasn’t mistaken that sounded an awful lot like a compliment.” A smile tugged at Ryan’s face. “You ever going to call me dad?”

  “That might be pushing it.”

  He snorted.

  Josh looked back to the truck. “I can imagine what’s going through that kid’s head. Francine, I mean. One minute your father is there, the next gone.” Ryan glanced at him as if wondering if there was some double meaning, a tip of the hat to the divorce. Josh must have picked up on what he’d said so he clarified. “I mean with mom and having to leave her after she got sick.”

  “Right.” Ryan’s thoughts went to his cancer. He would have to tell them soon. Eventually, he wouldn’t be able to hide it. It just seemed like there was never a good time. The two of them had experienced so much loss already. The bond between their mother and them was strong. Would it even matter to them when he was gone?

  “Hey, look, I’m going to see if I can’t siphon some gas from a few vehicles in the area.” He tossed Josh the keys to the truck. “I’ll only be up the road. If you run into trouble. If anyone approaches. Get them out of here, you understand?”

  “Got it.”

  “Can I go with you?” Lily asked.

  “I don’t know about that, butterfly.”

  “Take her. It’ll give you some time to get to know her a little,” Josh said.

  “Sure. Okay. C’mon then.”

  Lily beamed as she hurried over. He collected a gasoline canister from the back of the truck and told the others they’d be back shortly.

  “I’ll give you a hand,” Ren said.

  “It’s fine. I got Lily here.”

  “She can come,” Lily said.

  “All right but keep your distance.”

  The three of them walked up the road under the cover of darkness, Ren on one side, them on the other. At first, there wasn’t much conversation. Ren eventually piped up. “You know I didn’t lie to you back there. I just told you what he told me.”

  “I know.”

  “I just wanted that to be clear.”

  “Did anyone in that room touch you?”

  “No.”

  “It was cramped.”

  “No one touched me.”

  “Maybe a cough then.”

  “People were wearing masks over their mouths.”

  “All of them?”

  She shook her head. “Look, Ryan. I understand the caution. I do. If I thought for one second that I might be a carrier, I would have stayed in Wiggins. You wouldn’t have even needed to have asked.”

  He nodded. “You know tomorrow…”

  “Yes. You can check us again,” she said.

  “Just saying.”

  They approached the first house. It was empty. The garage was wide open. No vehicles inside. No gas canisters so they continued to the next farther down the road. Two more homes had nothing. The fourth was the trick. There was a 1960s gray Oldsmobile Cutlass outside. It had a flat tire. The lights in the two-story home were off. Cautiously, Ryan approached, scanning the windows. He dropped down beside the vehicle, opened the gas cap, stuck the tube in, and prepared to check. “Please have some gas.”

  “You know the truck has half a tank.”

  “Yeah, but we still have a few hours remaining tomorrow. We can’t afford to have any more delays.”

  Fortunately, gas spurted out. He spat a wad of it and then watched as it began to fill the canister. All the while he kept his eyes on the house. A minute or two passed and a light came on inside. “Get behind the car,” Ryan said. The two girls ducked down. His pulse sped up as the door opened and an old-timer stepped out with a shotgun in hand.

  “I know you’re out there. You come anywhere near this house, I’ll…”

  “Harold, close the door.”

  He squabbled with what must have been his wife for a moment or two before disappearing inside. Ren’s eyes widened. She blew out her cheeks. A look of relief spreading. Once the canister was filled, Ryan screwed the top on and they hauled ass out of there, running at a crouch. As soon as they were clear of the house, Ren chuckled. “Seems some have decided to ride it out.”

  “Not everyone will leave. Most don’t know where to go.”

  “Or who to trust,” she added.

  They’d only made it roughly halfway down the road when they were blinded by bright headlights. A vehicle tore toward them, engine roaring. Ryan raised his forearm to block the glare and stepped off to the edge of the road. As the vehicle got closer and his eyes adjusted, he recognized it as theirs. “Josh?” It swerved toward them, forcing them back into the ditch before correcting and accelerating.

  “Josh!” he bellowed again, squinting, and then he saw her.

  Madeline.

  She caught his eye for a second.

  Ryan dumped the gasoline canister on the ground and instinctively pulled his gun and fired off a few rounds, trying to hit the wheels, but it was too dark, and the truck was moving too fast. Hurrying back to where they were planning on camping for the night, he expected to find Josh unconscious or dead, but he wasn’t there. Their bags had been dumped by the edge of the road, and on one of them was a note. Ryan snatched it up and shone his flashlight on it.

  I’m sorry but I won’t let him die.

  “Sonofabitch!” He tossed the crumpled paper.

  Madeline didn’t need to say where she was heading, he knew.

  “Where’s Josh?” Lily said, looking frantically around, fear getting the better of her.

  Not wasting a second, Ryan headed back to the h
ome they’d siphoned gas from. The inherent danger Josh was in far outweighed theirs. He held on to Lily and told Ren to stay out of sight. The fewer people that showed up, the less freaked out they might be. He assumed that the garage had a vehicle inside. If it came down to it, he would hijack a car.

  “Stay behind me, Lily.”

  Ryan knocked on the door. At first, there was no response. He knocked again and then a light came on. He heard shuffling down the hallway inside, then the man’s voice. “You better get off my property.”

  “I don’t want any trouble. We’re not infected. Someone has taken my son. I need a set of wheels. Please. I will bring them back.”

  “I can’t help you.”

  “Sir. My kid is sixteen. If I don’t go now, he will die.”

  “That’s not my problem. Get off my property.”

  It was to be expected. Tensions were running high. Trust was at an all-time low and with so many spreading the aging, what little humanity remained was weak. He knew if he pushed it any further, the guy was liable to shoot them through the door.

  All he could think about was Josh.

  Time was ticking.

  If he didn’t get on the road now, it might be too late.

  He pulled out his wallet. There was less than sixty bucks in it. Money meant nothing now but it was worth a try. “Mister. Please. You don’t even need to come out. Just let me use the vehicle. I’ll bring it back. Look…”

  Before the words left his mouth, Lily said it.

  “We’ve got sixty bucks! Please. My mom is dead. My brother is the only person I have left.” Lily looked at him. “Besides my dad.”

  On the other side of the door, there was whispering. A woman’s voice. The man protested. There was some back and forth. Then a window opened. Their eyes shifted left as a set of keys were tossed out. “You can take the Cutlass. We don’t have another vehicle. You’ll need to fix the flat. There’s a spare tire in the trunk. It has a full tank of gas.”

  “It did,” Lily said quietly.

  “Thank you,” Ryan said, snatching up the keys and hurrying over to the vehicle. There under the glow of a flashlight, he hauled the jack and spare out of the back and began changing the tire. Twice, he hurt himself taking the wheel nuts off. He cursed loudly, most of his anger directed at Madeline. While he did that, Ren refilled the car with the gasoline they’d taken and Lily hopped in. Meanwhile, the two old-timers looked out of their window, observing them with curiosity. As soon as it was done, Ryan jumped in and tore out of there, exceeding every speed limit on the road.