by Bruno Miller
A part of him wondered if the EMPs had changed some electromagnetic fields or in some way had an effect on the animals. He’d heard about animals having a sixth sense about things like that. Joel remembered his teacher in science class talking about how scientists had found that animals and insects were able to sense electromagnetic energy and electromagnetic fields.
They’d read in their textbooks that birds used the Earth’s electromagnetic field to follow migration routes, how bears timed their hibernation by it, foxes used it to hunt, and so on. If animals used electromagnetic fields, maybe a disturbance would throw them off or make them more unpredictable at the very least.
How could explosions of the size they’d seen not have an impact? If he thought about it long enough, Joel could still feel the impact of the detonations that fateful morning. He would never forget how small he felt standing in the woods in the middle of nowhere as the shockwave rolled over them.
Joel thought back to the overturned truck earlier in the day and remembered how aggressive the vultures had seemed. Was that normal? He had no idea. What did he know about vultures? Nothing, that’s what. Then he remembered the half-eaten remains of the truck driver hanging out of the smashed front window and forced himself to think of something else. Anything else. He was getting carried away with his ridiculous theory about crazy animals.
Joel threw his sleeping bag into his tent and headed over to the irrigation ditch with the water pump and empty bottles.
“Need some help?” Allie asked as she finished unrolling her sleeping bag and zipping her tent flap closed.
“Sure.” Joel paused to wait for her and was soon joined by her and Gunner. His dad was still studying the map with the red light of his headlamp. Gunner beat them to the ditch and washed his dinner down with large gulps of fresh water before rolling in some tall grass.
“What are you doing, dog?” Joel laughed.
Gunner paused briefly before resuming his antics in the grass. Allie and Joel sat down at the edge and filled the water bottles. Joel pumped the handle on the filter and Allie switched the bottles out and capped off the recently filled ones. She placed them in a row along the edge of the ditch, and before long, they had them all done.
“What are you going to do when we get to Pittsburgh and find your dad?” Joel asked.
“You mean if we find my dad. I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll ever see either of my parents again.” Allie looked down at a piece of grass she was twirling around her finger.
Joel put his hand on Allie’s knee. “If he’s there, my dad will find him.”
“I hope you’re right. If not, I guess you’re stuck with me.” She laughed nervously and forced a smile.
“That would be okay with me.” Joel tried his best to sound encouraging, but he knew the reality of it just the same as she did. She had mentioned that her dad was an IT guy and pretty much a stereotypical city dweller. He lived in an apartment building close to the center of the city. Based on what they had seen and heard, the more populated the areas, the worse they seemed to be.
It only stood to reason that Pittsburgh would be no different. Joel had his doubts that they would find Allie’s dad. And if they did, would he be okay? He might be hurt. Or worse.
What if they did find her dad, though, and he was fine? Did that mean that Allie would stay in Pittsburgh? Her dad couldn’t take care of her the way they could.
Joel didn’t want her to stay in Pittsburgh. The more he got to know her, the more he liked her. And he couldn’t bear the thought of continuing on without her. He knew that was selfish, though, and didn’t dare let Allie know how he felt. She had already lost her mom, and he couldn’t imagine the anxiety she was coping with, not knowing if her dad was okay.
It was easier to talk about something else and avoid the topic altogether. Every time he thought about her loss, he realized how lucky he was to have his dad and at least the hope he would see his mom and siblings again. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how Allie was keeping it together. Compared to his situation, her outlook seemed bleak.
At least Pittsburgh was still a couple days away, but it was something they would have to deal with soon enough. Joel was sorry he had brought it up.
“So you’re going to learn how to shoot, huh?” Joel asked in an attempt to change the mood.
Allie looked up from her thoughts. “Your dad thinks it’s a good idea, and so do I. From what I’ve seen, it couldn’t hurt to know how to handle a gun.”
“Well, I think it’s a good idea, too.” Joel smiled.
“You’re lucky your dad taught you all this stuff.” Allie glanced around at the tents.
“I never thought I would put it to use like this, though.” Joel unscrewed the last bottle from the filter and put the lid on before standing. “Have you ever shot a gun before?”
“No, never even held one before.” She gathered the last three bottles.
“There’s nothing to it.” Joel reached out his hand to Allie and helped her off the ground.
They made the short walk back to the truck, where Ben was just shutting the cover of the atlas.
Ben nodded at the bottles. “Thanks for taking care of the water, guys.”
“Yep,” Joel answered.
“You’re welcome.” Allie smiled.
Joel spotted the atlas on the tailgate. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“Let’s try to get an early start, like 4:00 a.m. early. Maybe after the sun comes up we can find a place to stop. We’ll look for a remote spot where Allie can practice shooting and we can have breakfast.” Ben checked his watch and then turned off his headlamp.
“Sounds good,” Joel said.
Ben hopped off the tailgate. “I’m really hoping once we hit I-70 things will open up and we can make up for lost time.”
“How far do you think we’ll get tomorrow?” Allie asked.
“With a little luck, I don’t see why we couldn’t make it halfway through the state of Illinois and maybe on to Pittsburgh by the next day.” Ben shrugged.
“Wow, really?” Allie’s eyes widened.
“Maybe Maryland the day after that. Maybe. A lot can happen between here and there.” Ben looked at Joel, then back at Allie.
“Yeah,” Joel said. “But still, in the next few days we could be there and get Brad and Emma and Mom!”
“Possibly, yes. But that means getting some rest tonight so we can have a productive day tomorrow. If the road does open up for us tomorrow and we can make better time, which means lots of fuel stops. And on that note, I’m going to hit the rack.” Ben tossed the road atlas onto the back seat and closed the tailgate. “I’ll have coffee ready at four. Good night, guys.” Ben turned and headed to his tent.
“Love you, Dad,” Joel said.
“Love you, too, bud.”
“Goodnight,” Allie answered.
They all turned in for the night and were asleep before long. Tomorrow would be another long day filled with unknowns. The more rest they had, the better prepared they would be—and the better chance they’d have for survival.
Chapter Sixteen
Allie awoke with a start from a deep sleep to the sounds of the stove being set up somewhere outside her tent. Gunner, who had slept in the tent with her, whined at the zippered flap to be let outside.
“Hang on.” Allie opened her sleeping bag just enough to get her arm out and fumbled with the zipper on the tent. She barely had it open when Gunner forced his way through the small hole.
She peeked through the opening. Joel and his dad were at the back of the truck, setting up the stove and talking. She lay back down for a minute and stared at the tent ceiling, noticing the crisscross weave pattern of the orange material as her eyes adjusted.
She wanted to relish the warmth of the sleeping bag for just a few moments longer before she got up and faced the cool dampness of the morning. The temptation to linger there in her bag was strong. She could have easily drifted back to sleep. But as much as she wanted to continue ly
ing there, she knew that it was time to get up, and she didn’t want to be the reason they were late getting started today.
She got dressed and pulled her fleece on before she unzipped the tent flap the rest of the way. She put her shoes on and slowly got up and stretched. It still felt like the middle of the night to her, and for all she knew, it could be.
“Good morning!” Joel headed in her direction, holding two steaming cups of coffee in his hands.
“Oh, thank you! Good morning.” Allie smiled as he handed her one of the cups. Ben was already packing the stove and the coffee pot away in the back of the truck. She was glad she had pushed herself to get moving and join them.
She wasn’t sure what felt better: drinking the coffee or holding the warm cup between her hands. She didn’t remember it feeling so chilly last night. Maybe it was the dampness or maybe she was just tired. She didn’t sleep well last night and woke up several times with bad dreams. Nothing she could remember specifically, but they kept her up off and on all night.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“A little after four,” Joel answered.
“Oh. So that’s why I feel like this,” she joked.
“Yeah, it’s pretty early,” Joel said. “This is about the time we get up when we’re going on a hunting or fishing trip, and this is our typical Saturday morning in the winter. Gunner’s already in the truck. He thinks we’re going hunting or something.” Joel looked back at the truck and shook his head.
Allie could see Gunner sitting up in the front seat and panting with way too much excitement for this early in the morning.
“You guys are nuts. I think Gunner and your dad are on the same vitamins.” Allie laughed as she watched Ben tidy up and break down his tent with energy that shouldn’t have been possible at this hour.
“Yeah, we should probably get our gear packed up, too.” Joel glanced at his still-standing tent.
“You’re right,” Allie agreed and reluctantly set her coffee down after taking one more quick sip.
They both got to work rolling up sleeping bags and collapsing tents, and before long, they were handing their gear up to Ben, who stashed it away neatly in the rooftop carrier.
Ben closed the lid on the cargo box and locked it before getting in. “Let’s hit the road. You guys ready?”
“Ready,” Joel replied.
“Ready, too,” Allie said as they headed around to the other side of the truck and started to get in.
Ben stopped them. “Hey, Joel, how about sitting in the back seat so you can get to the ammo cans in the back? I want you to get the .38 and the shotgun ready for Allie. I think the 20-gauge shells and the bullets for the .38 are in the can on the bottom, unfortunately.”
“Got it,” Joel replied and climbed over the passenger seat and into the back with Gunner. “Move over, dog.”
Gunner looked disappointed that Allie wasn’t joining him and stopped panting as if he realized all of the sudden that they weren’t going anywhere fun.
“Aww, I’ll come back there with you later.” Allie reached back and scratched Gunner around his ears, then twisted around to get settled.
Ben started the truck as soon as she was faced the right way. They were already turned around and headed down the dirt road by the time she put her seatbelt on and got situated.
It only took a few minutes to backtrack to the paved road, and before long, they were on Route 40 headed east. They only made it a couple minutes before they came across the first wreck and had to slow down to maneuver around it.
Allie still hadn’t gotten used to seeing them, and they really creeped her out. She tried not to pay attention to the details as they passed, which hadn’t been too hard from the back seat, but not so much now.
She preferred sitting in the back with Gunner to riding up front. From the passenger seat, there was no way to avoid seeing the wrecks and the bodies trapped inside. They were right there in front of her, and the Blazer’s headlights only seemed to highlight each gruesome tragedy they encountered.
At least in the back she could distract herself with Gunner or could focus on the things Ben or Joel were doing. From the back seat, she felt a little further removed from the dismal reality that existed outside the truck. Not like this, though. Now she had a front-row seat to the worst show on Earth.
Chapter Seventeen
Only an hour into the drive and already Ben was tired of the constant swerving and breaking he had to do in order to maintain forward progress. He really had high hopes for I-70 being in better shape. They hadn’t been able to get the truck over 40 miles per hour since they started, and it was frustrating.
It seemed just when they hit a section of road that was relatively free of obstacles, it was short-lived, and they had to slow down again. He was beginning to question the merit in leaving so early in the morning while it was still dark out. The old Chevy’s headlights weren’t the brightest, and even with the high beams on, the wrecks seemed to come up out of nowhere.
Ben thought about Jon and his family driving through the night. That must have been nerve-racking, dodging smashups all night long. It would be easy to make a mistake and clip one of these piles. Add being tired to the equation, and it was recipe for disaster.
They were lucky to have only bent a tie rod. Ben slowed a little as he thought about it. He didn’t want to become one of the burnt and twisted piles of steel they were trying to avoid.
At least they were getting close to I-70, according to the road signs. It was beginning to feel like they would never get off this stretch of road. They still had over half a tank of gas left and probably another half hour or so until sunrise.
Today he would definitely let Joel share in some of the driving responsibilities. What he wouldn’t give for a little more coffee right now, though. If this had been a week ago, he could have pulled into any convenience store along the way and gotten a refill, but this wasn’t a week ago, and stopping somewhere now could get them killed.
It was moments like this, when the simple things they had once taken for granted only served as reminders of their old lives.
He needed to think about something else.
“How are you making out back there?” Ben glanced in the rearview mirror, but all he could see was the faint glow of Joel’s red headlamp as he rummaged through the gear in the back.
“Pretty good. I found everything but the box of .38 ammo.” Joel’s voice was muffled as he was halfway under the blankets that covered the back of the truck.
“It should be in the box with the 9-mm ammo.”
“I’ll find it.” Joel remained under the blanket for a few more minutes before he pulled himself out and sat back in his seat.
“Got it.” Joel switched his headlamp off.
Suddenly, Ben noticed it was beginning to get a little lighter out. He looked out his window as the landscape began to brighten and show signs of the distant rising sun. It was hard to tell sometimes with the back windows mostly blacked out.
Gunner had fallen asleep long ago, having given up on the possibilities of this turning into a hunting trip, and Ben could hear him snoring on the seat behind him.
Joel pulled the small silver revolver out of its black canvas holster.
“It’s unloaded.” He handed the gun to Allie with the rubber grip facing her.
She took the gun from him and looked it over.
“It’s smaller than I thought it would be, but it’s still pretty heavy.” She weighed the gun in her hand with an up-and-down motion.
“It holds six bullets and it’s really easy to load.” Joel reached up and showed her on the gun how to open the cylinder and where the bullets went in. Joel continued to go over the intricacies of the gun with Allie for several minutes.
Ben cracked the window a little to let some fresh air in and help wake him up a little. It was already getting stuffy in the truck, and Gunner’s heavy breathing wasn’t helping.
A sign up ahead reflected the light from the rising sun.
The sign listed the mileage for a few upcoming towns and the exit for I-70.
“Four miles to I-70,” Ben exclaimed. “We can start looking for a place to stop soon, I guess.”
He counted the mile markers as they passed until he could see the exit up ahead. The sun was peeking up over the eastern horizon now and beginning to cause an uncomfortable glare through the windshield. He squinted as he steered the Blazer onto the exit ramp and gladly left Route 40 behind.
Under normal circumstances they would stay on I-70 for the majority of the trip. But they wanted to avoid some of the places on the way, so it wouldn’t be that simple, unfortunately.
They would have a lot of navigating to do at some keys spots along the way. Ben wanted to take advantage of the big four-lane interstate and its wide grassy median whenever they could, though. They would use the interstate as much as possible, as long as they avoided taking any unnecessary risks.
He’d noticed on the map that I-70 seemed to skirt the outer edges of most of the towns and cities on the map and only went directly through a few. They would have to evaluate things as they went, but it was nice to see the speedometer above 50 miles per hour for a change.
There was still the occasional car or truck to avoid, but they were spaced out more, and in the wide-open landscape, he could see them coming a mile away and alter course without slowing down. The only time they slowed down significantly was if they had to cross over the grassy center median to the other side of the highway.
They only had to do this twice so far around a couple spots where bad multiple-vehicle accidents blocked the entire eastbound lane. For the most part, it was easy going and they were making good time.
The only downside was the amount of fuel they were burning. Ben swore he could actually see the needle moving toward the big orange E on the fuel gauge. He wasn’t surprised. With the load they were carrying and the rooftop cargo box, they weren’t exactly streamlined.
They were giving the old Blazer a workout for sure, and there wasn’t a minute that went by that he didn’t think about the possibilities a mechanical breakdown. He focused on all the work he and Joel had done to the truck and reassured himself they had replaced pretty much near everything that was questionable when they’d bought the vehicle.
