The mist was gradually being burned away by the rising sun. Though Josh’s head ached from lack of food and water, he didn’t feel quite as tired as before. Without the people in the back constantly complaining, the tension in the bus was gone. Instead there was the chatter of children, the gentle snores of the old man seated behind him, and Rachel’s voice explaining to the girl in the wheelchair that she was blind and Bonnie was her service dog.
Walking down the aisle to where Josh and the others were seated, Jamie appeared a little more relaxed than before. Maybe he felt better now that he was in charge.
“How safe is the truck stop?” Savannah asked when Jamie paused next to where Josh was seated.
“Safer than any place we’ve stopped at so far.”
The last break had been the side of the road near a construction zone and they’d used the Porta Potties. Josh had been wary of using them. He’d been afraid of zombies showing up while he was going, but it was better than going on the side of the road in the bushes.
“It’s just so scary to get off the bus, you know?” Savannah nervously fidgeted with the strap of her empty bag.
“I understand, but we’ll be fine. They cleared the area and two evacuation groups have passed through already. Ours is the biggest though, so we’ll need to stay orderly. Which brings me to this… can you do me a favor and make sure my kids and their friends get in and out as soon as possible.”
“Of course, Jamie!” Savannah replied. “I’ll watch over them.”
“I appreciate it.” Jamie pulled the pistol from his belt and stared down at it with a somber expression on his face. His gaze shifted from Josh to Savannah as if he was contemplating what to do with the weapon. Finally, he said, “Do you know how to use this, Sav?”
Savannah’s eyes grew a little rounder with surprise, but she said, “Yes. I do.”
With just the slightest hesitation, Jamie handed it to her. “Only use it if you absolutely have to.”
Fingers trembling, Savannah took the pistol. “Of course.”
“Dad, I know how to use a gun,” Josh reminded him. Again, he felt the pinch of anger that Savannah seemed to be taking his mother’s place, and even had her weapon.
“I know, Josh, but the adults have got this taken care of. I promise.” Jamie leaned over to kiss his forehead, then ruffled his hair. “Let the adults deal with this, okay?
Shoulders drooping, Josh nodded. “Okay, Dad.”
“Josh doesn’t need a gun to kill zombies,” Sam blurted out. “And he killed a bunch of them!”
“No, he didn’t,” one of the new passengers said mockingly. He was a lanky teenager with blonde hair, braces, and a puffy black eye.
“He totally did!” Sam glared at the newcomer. “He’s the leader of the Zombie Hunters.”
Yessica poked her head out from under the seat. “He killed the zombies and saved me.”
“No way!” the new boy insisted.
Josh pointedly looked out the window, embarrassed.
“Yes, he did! He killed a zombie with his backpack, another with a flashlight, and a whole bunch of zombies with fire,” Troy said defensively.
The teenager sneered. “There’s no way!”
Glancing toward Josh, there was deep pain in Jamie’s eyes. “Josh did what he had to do.”
The kid’s one good eye fastened on Josh, sizing him up. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Troy answered.
Some of the new passengers were staring at Josh with a mix of fear and awe in their eyes. The boy with the black eye regarded Josh with a look he couldn’t quite decipher.
“It’s okay, son,” the old man said, leaning toward Josh. “I had to kill our mailman.”
Jamie motioned for silence. “Enough talk about killing zombies. I need to explain the plan for the truck stop. Listen carefully,”
Josh paid attention to his dad going over every step of the upcoming stop. It seemed simple enough, but Josh knew simple plans could go badly if people didn’t cooperate. Jamie walked down the aisle and divided the bus into groups lead by an adult. The girl in the wheelchair and elderly couple would be the first ones off the bus with Derrick and Rachel.
“Get your business done, and get back to the bus immediately. Don’t drag your feet,” Jamie finished.
“What if zombies show up?” Sam asked. “That’ll be bad, right?”
“We have armed guards, Sam,” Jamie said patiently. “If any show up, we’ll deal with them. Just stick with your group leader–”
“That’s Savannah,” Yessica piped up.
“Stick with Savannah, and obey her. It’ll be fine,” Jamie finished.
“Until someone does something stupid.” Troy sighed sadly. “Just like the movies.”
“Well, this isn’t the movies, Troy. The guards will take care of you.”
Josh detected his dad’s annoyed voice, and nudged Troy when he started to open his mouth again. Troy caught Josh’s look and shrugged.
Sam stood and pointed. “There it is!”
A huge sign on the edge of a field announced the truck stop was a mile away.
“About time. I’m about to become a yard sprinkler.” Troy grinned.
“Tell me about it!” Josh felt like his bladder was about to explode out of his body.
The next mile seemed to drag on forever, but finally the big truck stop sign came into view. To Josh’s dismay, the convoy was turning off the country road and onto the frontage of a highway. The back roads of Texas felt a lot safer than the highways. The off-ramp was blocked off and construction machinery was parked along the top of the overpass. The highway was undergoing construction and all the traffic would have been redirected onto the frontage anyway. A deputy sheriff motioned for the lead vehicle to enter the vast parking lot. When Josh saw the county sheriff cars and highway patrol vehicles parked along the perimeter of the truck stop, he slightly relaxed.
“They got guns,” Sam said with relief. “Big shotguns.”
“Stay on the bus until I tell you to get off,” Jamie instructed.
Derrick opened the front door at his order, and Jamie hopped off the slow-moving bus. Melissa followed, and they two rushed over to where the newly appointed convoy guards were gathering in a circle. Following the directions of a deputy, Derrick pulled up to a center pump that placed the bus in front of the truck stop building. There were twenty pumps lined up under the canopy. There was still a long walk to the building, but Josh felt better about their position.
“It’s as big as Walmart!” Sam said excitedly.
“Maybe half the size,” Troy corrected.
The building was large with a wooden fence behind it that cut it off from the countryside. The front of the store was long with big windows adorned with advertising for the items sold inside. Metal statues of various animals for yard decoration and big barbecue pits lined the front. There was only one big entrance right in the middle.
“Let’s air out the bus. Open the windows,” Derrick instructed.
“Yeah, it smells like fart in here,” Sam agreed.
“I need to poop,” Yessica reminded everyone.
“Don’t worry, sugar. You’ll get your chance in a few minutes,” Savannah promised.
Joe, the other driver, stood near the front next to Derrick watching Jamie and the other guards. There were a good number of them, and Josh was relieved to see that none of them were arguing with his dad.
As the windows opened, his father’s voice carried on the morning wind. “Never forget that the most important thing is the man or woman beside you. They’re your brothers and sisters, and they need you. They need you to stay sharp. They need you to pay attention. They volunteered same as you, and that means they trust you to get them through anything you face together. Never forget that. They are all that matters. Give of yourself until you have nothing left, then give some more. And when the shooting starts, they’ll do the same for you. The paradox of combat is the more you try to save your own life, the faster you die. So never lose foc
us. They’ll pull you through, and you’ll do the same for them. Missions don’t fail. People do. Take care of them and you’ll succeed.”
The words were familiar to Josh. Whenever his dad had his Marine buddies over for a barbecue and a football game, they always talked about the war. He wasn’t supposed to listen in, but sometimes when the former Marines were gathered around the grill and his bedroom window was open he could hear them talking. Though his father had come back from the war, Josh knew the war had never left him. It was always there behind his sad smiles and weary eyes. His dad was at war again, and it hurt Josh to see how comfortable his father was with that truth. In fact, Jamie seemed more at peace with the world around him than he had in a very long time.
“Let’s get these people in and out as fast and as safely as we can. Then we’ll get them to the airlift zone,” Jamie concluded. Turning toward the bus, he motioned to Derrick. “Let’s go!”
Chapter 12
Josh was in the second group to leave the bus. Spotting Bonnie doing her business on a patch of grass while Derrick and Rachel waited only reminded him of how bad he had to go. Once the dog was done relieving herself, the trio entered the truck stop under the watchful eye of the guards.
Outside the windows, the convoy vehicles were lining up at the pumps and the drivers were hurriedly filling up the tanks. The larger vehicles were going to take the longest time to fill.
“I’m going to get a Big Red and donuts,” Sam said excitedly as they lined up in the aisle of the bus.
“Pepsi and Takis for me,” Troy said. He was addicted to the spicy chips from Mexico.
“You should get water, not soda,” Savannah chided them.
“I want lemonade,” Yessica declared.
“Chocolate milk,” Drake said. “For Rex.”
Oscar giggled. “Dinosaurs don’t drink milk.”
“Uh huh,” Drake responded, hugging Rex tighter. “And he wants cookies, too.”
“I want a something super sugary and sweet with a really cold soda,” Corina said with a sigh. “I’m so hungry.”
Josh stomach growled in agreement.
“That’s so loud, Josh!” Sam laughed heartily.
“Like your stomach isn’t rumbling,” Josh responded.
For a split second Sam’s smile faded, and panic filled his eyes.
“All our stomachs are rumbling,” Josh swiftly added. “Maybe they’re talking to each other.”
The smile returned to Sam’s reddened face. “That’s dumb, Josh. Stomachs don’t know English.”
Sam was clearly sensitive about his weight. Arturo had been especially mean to Sam about it. Again, guilt bit into Josh’s conscience. He had gone along with Arturo’s mean jokes about Sam for a very long time. He missed Arturo, but knew if he was still alive Sam would not be a new friend. That was a sobering thought because though Sam was loud, he’d been brave and kind in bad circumstances.
Waving his hand, Sam announced, “Yessica keeps farting.”
Yessica smacked Sam. “I have to poop!”
“Well, don’t poop your panties,” Sam replied.
Scowling, Yessica poked his gut. “Don’t poop your panties.”
“I’m a boy. I wear tighty whiteys like my dad.”
“Too much information, Sam,” Corina teased. “Now everyone is imagining you in your undies.”
“Oh.” Sam blushed.
Josh found himself smiling. It felt good to just be kids for the moment.
Jamie signaled for the next group to head into the truck stop.
“Okay, let’s go. Stay together!” Savannah led them off the bus, holding Oscar’s hand.
Corina followed with Drake. Yessica holding Sam’s hand was next. Troy and Josh filed off after them. Walking across the asphalt, Josh struggled not to look like he was about to pee his pants. Happily, the truck stop was one of the new fancy ones that his mom liked to stop at during family trips. There would be plenty of bathrooms and lots of food and drink.
Outside the entrance were two highway patrol officers.
Sam grinned at one of them as the line filed past them. “I like your gun.”
“Thanks, kid, but hurry it up,” one of the officers, a Latino man with a big bushy mustache, replied. “We need to keep this line moving.”
When the small group entered, Bonnie and Rachel scooted through the doors with Derrick behind them carrying drinks, food, and a small dog food bag under one arm.
“See you on the bus, kids,” Derrick said, giving them an encouraging smile.
The store was very big with a large empty space inside the entry for incoming foot traffic. The walls were decorated in Texas flags, wagon wheels, blue bonnets, and fake tumbleweeds. The main walkway led directly to the restrooms with a cowboy and a cowgirl over each entrance. There was a separate room with showers for traveling truck drivers. To both sides of the entrance were aisles with food, souvenirs, clothing with Texas themes, and various other supplies. The right side of the back wall had soda fountains along with coffee, sweet tea, and ice cream dispensers. The left wall was one long line of refrigerators filled with drinks. The two checkouts at the front of the store were unmanned, the counters stacked with boxes filled with plastic bags. Josh noticed that maybe a quarter of the food and drinks were already gone. Probably the evacuation groups in front of them had taken the stuff.
Josh’s thoughts turned to the people fleeing San Antonio stuck behind the barricade the night before. Where were they? Had they driven in circles all night, too? Were they somewhere on the road behind the convoy he was in?
Unease filled him as he wondered.
The pile of burning zombie bodies haunted him.
What if more zombies had showed up after the convoy had turned onto the highway? What would have happened to all the people in the cars waiting in that long line?
“Josh, hurry up! Don’t lag behind!” Savannah called out as she ushered the kids across the empty store. In the corner, a beer sign flickered on and off. “Drake and Oscar can come with me into the girl’s restroom. Boys, you hurry and meet me out here.”
Sam didn’t need any more encouragement. He ran into the restroom.
“I’m with him!” Troy followed, his sneakers squeaking on the floor.
“No, I want to go with Josh,” Drake said firmly. “I’m a boy. Not a girl.”
“Me, too!” Oscar chimed in. “I’m a boy!”
“Drake, you should stay with me,” Savannah answered. “I promised your dad–”
Josh was about to burst a leak, but he knew it was best to go along with Drake’s demands or things would devolve into a drawn out drama. “I’ll take him.”
With a sigh, Savannah relinquished her hold on Oscar and Drake’s hands. “Okay, but hurry, Josh. This place is going to be packed with people really soon.”
The bell over the door chimed as another group entered.
Josh took hold of the younger boys’ arms and tugged them into the Men’s Restroom. “I got it covered, Savannah.”
The old man was drying his hands when Josh rushed past him and shoved Drake into the nearest stall. “You go here, and, Oscar, you go in the next one.”
“I need help,” Drake protested.
“I can do this by myself. I’m a big boy,” Oscar said, and slammed the stall door shut. The lock clicked into place.
“You boys better hurry up,” the old man said before the restroom door swung closed behind him.
“Why does everyone keep telling us that? We know!” Sam exclaimed from a stall down the row.
“Dude, no talking. I’m trying to go here,” Troy responded from another stall.
“I’m the baby. Help me, Josh,” Drake said.
With a grunt, Josh shoved Drake into the stall and helped him with his pants. It was the worst kind of torture to have to stand with his back to his brother holding the stuffed dinosaur, and feel his body demanding release. It seemed to take forever.
Finally, Drake announced he was done and they switched pos
itions. Drake didn’t keep his back turned, but stared at his older brother the whole time while clinging to Rex. Josh tried to ignore him, but it was hard. Drake’s big blue eyes seemed to latch onto him like some sort of anchor.
“Turn around. I can’t go with you watching,” Josh ordered.
“No. I’m scared.”
“Please, Drake?”
“No.”
“If you do, I’ll make sure you get chocolate milk.”
Drake pouted, but swiveled around slowly.
Josh had never been so relieved to use the toilet in his life.
By the time the brothers exited, more boys were lining up for the urinals and stalls. It was clear his dad had given the handicap and elderly people a little more time before having everyone enter the truck stop. Things were getting crowded fast.
After supervising Drake and Oscar washing and drying their hands, Josh caught sight of Troy and Sam waiting near the restroom exit. He and the two little boys hurried over to join them.
“Took you long enough,” Troy chided him.
More men pushed past them, anxious to get into the already crowded bathroom.
“Sorry. Drake and I had to share a stall.”
Troy scowled. “And I thought my brother was bad.”
“Your brother is dead,” Sam said helpfully.
“I know, Sam,” Troy snapped, frowning.
“Sorry,” Sam said, and it was clear he meant it.
“Savannah and Corina are already getting stuff to eat and drink. We need to hurry.” Troy spun about and marched into the main part of the store.
“I think he’s mad at me.” Sam sighed.
Josh was about to point out it was because Sam had said something dumb, but realized he should give Sam a break. “He lost all his family.”
“Me, too,” Sam replied. Big tears glistened in his eyes as they walked toward where Savannah was waiting with Yessica.
“But he saw them as zombies. That’s harder than not knowing where they are.”
“Oh.” Sam thought this over. “Cause my dad might be alive. And my mom, too.”
Josh nodded.
“I’ll try not to be so stupid,” Sam promised.
“Thanks, Sam,” Josh said, clapping him on the shoulder.
The Living Dead Boy (Book 2): Lost in Texas Page 6
