Desperation

by Bruno Miller

  “Shhh.” Ben pointed at Gunner, but it only got the dog more excited, and he got up off the floor. Gunner approached with his head down and let out a couple more low growls while looking back toward the window.

  “Well, come on then,” Ben whispered. He moved the trash can out of the way and made room for Gunner to come into his and Sandy’s room. Gunner acting this way didn’t necessarily mean someone was outside. He might just have to go to the bathroom, but it was reason enough for Ben to check it out. And it was reason enough to take the KSG.

  His head was still foggy, and he’d be better off with the shotgun than the pistol right now. Hopefully he wouldn’t need either. Maybe Gunner had heard Martin or one of the others. Whatever it was still had the dog’s interest, and he went straight to the door, where he stood and waited for Ben to let him out.

  “Hang on.” Ben crept over to the window and parted the curtains enough to peek outside. The light he’d seen around the window’s edge when he first woke up seemed to have suddenly disappeared. It was too dark to tell if anyone was out there or not.

  He listened for a few seconds more while he tried to decide how he was going to handle this, but he didn’t hear anything. Should he bother waking up Joel? Gunner was growing impatient and shifted his weight back and forth between his front paws while whining softly. It was way too early to be doing this. So much for that coffee.

  Ben unlocked the deadbolt and slid the door chain out of the way, careful not to let it drop onto the door and make any noise. He turned the knob just enough to free the latch but held his foot against the door so Gunner couldn’t force his snoot through the gap and open the door before he was ready. Only then did Ben realize he was barefoot, but he was already committed at this point.

  With one hand on Gunner’s collar and the other holding the shotgun, he eased his foot away and let the door swing open on its own. As soon as the gap was large enough, Gunner pushed his nose through and sniffed loudly at the damp morning air. Ben anticipated this and held the collar firm while staying focused on the parking lot. He searched around the vehicles but didn’t notice anything out of place.

  Gunner seemed a little calmer now that he’d satisfied his urge to sample the air and see outside the door for himself, and Ben felt comfortable letting go of his collar. Gunner took the liberty of moving out onto the vestibule and headed down the steps to the trucks.

  “Gunner,” Ben said quietly but firmly enough to make the dog stop and look back. “Easy, boy.” Gunner resumed travel toward the parking lot, but at a slower pace.

  The damp concrete felt cool on his bare feet, and for the first time since they’d started this journey, he would go so far as to say it felt nice outside. Although it was no longer raining, water dripped from the vestibule overhang and splashed onto the steps. The parking lot was still flooded with what Benn guessed to be at least six inches of water, judging by how high it came up on the Blazer’s tire. Gunner paid it no mind, though, and waded through without a second’s hesitation.

  If there was anyone out here, he would have heard them moving; it would be impossible to sneak around in all this water. Maybe Gunner had been dreaming. All the same, Ben resisted the urge to shine his flashlight on the dog just yet. Slowly, he moved along the row of vehicles, checking between each one as he made his way down the vestibule and past the doors to Rita and Carlos’s room and then Martin’s. He kept the KSG at the ready, but nobody was there. He relaxed when he was in line with the far side of the Scout and had Gunner in his sight once more.

  The dog splashed his way through the water and rejoined Ben up on the covered walkway. Long strings of saliva and water hung from Gunner’s mouth; he’d obviously been drinking from the pooled water as he waded around the vehicles. It wasn’t ideal, and Ben hoped the worst of the pollutants had been washed away in the first few hours of the downpour. The water that remained was probably clean enough for the dogs to drink without suffering any consequences.

  Gunner shook off and a spray of cold water landed on Ben’s feet.

  “Gunner.” Ben shook his head. They’d have to keep the dogs out of the water before they left. Wet dogs didn’t make for ideal travel companions, and even Emma, lover of all four-legged things, had her limits. He needed everyone to be as comfortable as possible today so they could make the most of their time on the road.

  Ben made his way to the room, only looking back out toward the parking lot a couple of times before sneaking back into his and Sandy’s room. He was glad to see she was still sleeping. They all needed the rest, and there was no point in getting up any sooner than necessary. Besides, he enjoyed this quiet time alone in the morning; it was the only time of day when he didn’t feel responsible for everyone else, at least not directly or in a way that required his immediate attention.

  Ben heard Gunner. He was back in the kids’ room, snorting loudly and rolling around on the carpet after his romp through the water outside. The morning quiet wouldn’t last much longer, and he knew it. Once the other dogs were awake, the process would begin, and the others would follow. Ben quickened his pace with the coffee, brewing as much as possible without making too much noise himself.

  Gunner returned to Ben and Sandy’s room, clearly disappointed he couldn’t get anyone to join in his morning festivities. Ben was only glad Gunner’s grumbles hadn’t materialized into a threat. Staying here at the motel turned out to be a good decision after all. They would have had a miserable night camping in the rain, and just the thought of having to pack up wet gear was enough to make him thankful they had spent the night here instead.

  Ben set up the stove and coffee pot on the front table near the window. Pulling one of the padded chairs over, he took a seat.

  “Gunner, come here, boy,” Ben whispered. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep things calm and quiet for a little while longer, even if that meant rubbing a wet dog. Gunner didn’t waste any time, pressing his snoot into Ben’s leg and waiting to be scratched.

  “Good boy. We just need to be quiet for a little longer. Everybody needs their sleep.” Ben spoke quietly as he kept one eye on the coffee pot. Gunner wagged his tail and stared at Ben with big brown eyes, as though he understood every word. Sometimes Ben wondered if the dog was smarter than he gave him credit for. Gunner had certainly been an asset on this trip so far.

  Ben saw that the coffee was ready and turned off the stove. He poured a cup and watched the steam rise as he inhaled the aroma deeply. The first sip was always the best, and he savored it, along with the quiet of the morning. He checked his watch and saw that it was approaching six. He’d give himself a little more time. Then he’d have to start waking people up. But he wouldn’t think about that for now.

  Ben kicked his feet up on the table and did his best not to think at all for a few minutes. Gunner looked equally content, his eyes half closed as Ben rubbed a favorite spot behind his ear. It was going to be a long day; they might as well relax for a few more minutes.

  Chapter Nine

  Ben went through the first cup of coffee quickly and poured himself another right away. He made it halfway through the second cup when Sandy started to wake up.

  “Morning.” Ben parted the curtain a few inches to allow some of the morning light to penetrate the darkness of the room. The sun had barely crested the horizon, but even a little bit of light made a big difference. It was nice to see clear skies, but he couldn’t help but wonder if that would translate to higher temperatures later in the day.

  “Good morning.” Sandy stretched and pulled herself up until she was sitting with her back against the pillows.

  “Cup of coffee?” Ben asked.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  He poured Sandy a cup and brought it over to her in bed.

  “Oh, I need this so much.” Sandy grasped the mug with both hands and took a drink. “That really hits the spot.”

  “How’d you sleep?” Ben headed back over to the window and opened the other side of the curtain as well.

&n
bsp; “It was wonderful. Can’t believe I slept all the way through the night.” She rolled her eyes. “Well, actually, I can. I was exhausted. I don’t even remember falling asleep.”

  “I know. Same here.”

  “Just give me a couple minutes and I’ll be ready to help you with breakfast or whatever needs doing so we can get out of here.” Sandy swung her legs out from under the covers. Slowly getting to her feet, she stumbled to the bathroom, coffee in hand. Since he was up, Ben peeked in on the kids one more time, but there was still no movement from their room. He checked his watch and decided to give them a few more minutes.

  He’d start with the others first. Gunner followed closely as he opened the door and headed back outside. This time, Ben left the door open behind him to let some fresh air into the room. The cool concrete felt good on his feet now, unlike earlier. He could already tell that the temperature had risen slightly since he was first outside this morning. And he wondered again if clearer skies meant higher temperatures.

  He didn’t make it far before the still of the morning was interrupted by the sound of paws and toenails scurrying on the concrete behind him. The other two dogs were up now, too, and more than happy to follow Gunner back into the water surrounding the vehicles. So much for keeping the dogs dry.

  As Ben watched the dogs play in the water, he wondered if they should all leave their shoes off until after the trucks were packed and they were ready to pull out. There was nothing worse than starting the day with wet boots. They’d just have to be careful and try not to step on anything sharp.

  The water didn’t look especially dirty, but walking around in it with an open cut would be asking for an infection. The only other option—and he didn’t like it—was finding the storm drain and unclogging it. The parking lot would probably empty in minutes, but he really didn’t want to take the time to fool with that right now.

  Ben was about to call the dogs back up to the motel when the door to the kids’ room casually swung open. It was Emma of all people, the one Ben expected to sleep the longest.

  He smiled. “Good morning, sunshine.”

  “Morning.” Emma yawned a much less enthusiastic greeting while shielding her eyes from the sun and watching the dogs race around the trucks in a game of chase. “What a mess.”

  “I know. Can you imagine camping in this?” Ben hoped she realized it could have been much worse.

  “I don’t even want to think about it.” She yawned again.

  “So you think you can get them under control while I check on our friends?” Ben asked.

  “Yeah,” Emma mumbled, still not yet fully awake.

  “Are the others up?”

  “Just Joel and Allie. Brad is still sleeping.” Emma rubbed her eyes and barely moved out of the way in time to avoid the train of dogs that flew by her. They’d spotted her from the parking lot, and the excitement had sent them into another wild burst of energy that included a full-speed run past her and Ben and down the length of the vestibule.

  “Well, don’t let your brother sleep too long. We’re going to get breakfast started soon so we can get back on the road.” Ben turned to walk away but stopped. “And try to keep those dogs dry, okay?”

  “I’ll try.” Emma shuffled to the edge of the concrete and clapped her hands to get the dogs’ attention. Ben didn’t mind them blowing off a little steam, but he was still concerned about the amount of noise they were making. Things had gone well for them here, and he didn’t want to let his guard down when they were this close to leaving. Now was the time to play it safe, and that meant not drawing any unwanted attention.

  Ben decided to take a stroll to the end of the covered walkway, where he would have a view of the main road that ran past the motel and out to the highway. Unfortunately, he still had the KSG. If he’d thought this through better, he would have brought his rifle with the scope. But for now, all he really wanted to do was confirm they were still alone.

  He stopped just shy of the corner and slowly looked around to the road beyond the parking lot. It was bright enough outside that he could see the street was empty and absent of any movement. Satisfied all was still quiet, he headed for Martin’s room. He was hoping to find him awake but wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t.

  Ben rapped his knuckles on the door quietly at first, then a little louder after a couple of seconds went by. When Martin finally answered the door, he looked rough and Ben figured he must have been sleeping.

  “Hope you got some sleep. We’ve got a big drive ahead of us today.” Ben glanced out at the trucks.

  Martin passed a hand through his disheveled hair. “I did pretty well. Only woke up once or twice. After a little breakfast, I’ll be ready to hit the road.”

  “I’ve got some coffee going in our room. Come on down and grab some when you’re ready,” Ben offered.

  “Thanks, I appreciate that. Are we just doing MREs on our own this morning?” Martin asked.

  “Yeah, I think that’s best. It’ll be quick, at least, and get us back on the road sooner. I’m hoping to put this state behind us today and at least be within a couple hours of the separation point with Rita and her husband, if all goes well.”

  “Where will that be?”

  “I was thinking somewhere north of Columbus. That’s the closest we’ll come to Fort Wayne before heading west again toward Indianapolis.”

  “You think they’ll be okay on their own?” Martin raised his brow.

  “I think they’ll be fine, but we’ll see how the day goes. I won’t let them get in over their heads,” Ben assured him.

  “It took all they had yesterday to keep up with us,” Martin added.

  “Today is a new day. Let’s hope a good night’s sleep has done them some good.” Ben headed toward the couple’s room as they spoke. “I’ll see you down at the room for some coffee.”

  “All right. I’ll be down in a few.” Martin closed his door.

  Been kept the conversation about Rita and Carlos generic. But the fact was, he’d given the situation a lot of thought. He knew the exact location on the map where they would part ways. He also knew the older couple might not be able to finish the trip on their own, and ignoring that fact wouldn’t make the problem go away. Martin mentioning it only served to remind him of the possibility. A scenario that involved the whole convoy escorting Rita and Carlos to their daughter’s house in Fort Wayne might be unavoidable.

  Ben paused for a moment, then knocked on the older couple’s door. Before talking to them, he wanted to clear his mind of any preconceived notions about their ability to keep up with the travel routine today. It was too early, and he didn’t want to start the day with negative thoughts. Besides, it wasn’t their fault they’d been held hostage for two weeks and given inadequate food and water. He didn’t know their daughter, but he was certain she would want him and the others to do everything in their power to make sure her parents made it to Fort Wayne.

  Rita opened the door quickly and caught him off guard. “Good morning, Ben.”

  “Morning.” Ben nodded. “How did you all sleep last night?”

  “Oh, it was wonderful. It’s been a while since we’ve been that comfortable. Not even Carlos’s snoring could keep me up.” She smiled.

  “Glad to hear it. I just wanted to check in with you guys and let you know that we’re gonna try and get out of here in the next half hour or so. We’re all just going to eat MREs on our own this morning and make it a quick breakfast.”

  “We’ve already eaten. Just enjoying our coffee now.”

  “Hey there, Ben,” Carlos said but stayed seated at the small table by the door.

  Ben waved. “Hey, good morning. Let me know when you’ve got your things packed and one of us will help you get it loaded into the truck. It’s still pretty deep out there and I don’t want you getting all wet.” Ben looked over his shoulder at the Toyota pickup sitting in the massive puddle that used to be a parking lot.

  Rita nodded. “Oh my, that looks deep.”

>   “I’m sure the storm drains are filled with trash, but we’ll help get you out of here dry,” Ben added.

  “Thank you.” Rita smiled and placed a hand on Ben’s arm. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Better, thanks.” He rubbed his hand across his ribs. He did feel better now, even better than when he first woke up. Of course, the pain medicine he downed with the first cup of coffee had more to do with how he felt than anything else.

  “You take care of yourself and let Sandy drive some today. Those kids need you good and healthy,” she said sternly.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Ben smiled and began to leave.

  “We’ll be packed up and ready to leave whenever you say.” Rita left the door ajar as she returned to the table to join her husband.

  Something about Rita’s voice made him not want to disappoint her. And she was right; his body still needed time to heal. But he’d never been one to sit around idly while others participated. He’d let Sandy do her share of the driving today, but there were four vehicles now, and the possibility of filling in for another driver was likely and not something he would shy away from if need be.

  At least Rita’s responses this morning were promising. She seemed much more energetic than yesterday, and Ben hoped her husband looked and felt the same. He was encouraged by the encounter with them and had high hopes for the day. And at this point, he was more concerned about Martin than the old couple, although Martin would probably be fine after he got a little coffee in him and had a chance to fully wake up.

  When Ben entered his room, Sandy was out of the bathroom and working on breakfast. She had a fresh pot of coffee brewing and what looked like a good start on packing her bag.

  “I got the kids moving, finally. They’re getting cleaned up and making breakfast for themselves,” she said.

  “Good.” Ben was expecting more resistance from everyone this morning, but it wasn’t going that way at all. He’d underestimated their desire and their understanding about needing to move on from here. As comfortable as the motel was, and as nice as it was to have a real bed last night, none of them could question the importance of leaving before they wore out their welcome. Everything was running smoothly so far, and that was what worried him the most.