Tobias and Miller walked the outer perimeter of the encampment, as had become a ritual in the nights since fleeing Pepperbush.
“They’re my life, Miller. If anything happened to them, I don’t know what I would do.” Tobias grew increasingly anxious the farther from home they traveled, as if some invisible force still tethered him to the small town.
“Don’t think like that, Tobias. If we stick together, your family will be just fine. We all will.” Miller tried his best to assure the man, though a mind so focused was not easily swayed.
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re trained to deal with this sort of thing. Two months ago, I barely knew the first thing about weapons.” Tobias held his gun aloft as if to say, Here, take it. I don’t know what to do with it.
Miller chuckled to himself at the display. Tobias was just fine with a rifle; he’d seen it firsthand. The man simply needed to relax.
“Trained, sure. For this sort of thing? Absolutely not. No one is,” Miller said as assuredly as he knew how.
Sensing an air of frustration, Tobias attempted a change of subject. After all, how many nights in a row would he prattle on about the same misgivings to the young captain?
“Do you have any pictures of your family?” Tobias asked.
“No, no. Takashi frowned upon us bringing photos into the battlefield. Back at base, sure, but no, I don’t have a thing on me.”
Had the moon been a touch brighter, the twitch in Miller’s lip would not have been missed.
“That seems kind of cruel. He could have at least let you have a taste of home.”
“Like I said, reminders of home at base are fine, but out here, in the shit, it can be a distraction. If your mind is back home with your family, then your head’s not in the game. That’ll get you killed a lot quicker than any enemy,” he insisted.
“I think I see your point, Miller, but my family’s right here, not half a world away, and the enemy is at our doorstep, as it were.” Tobias tossed a stone into the darkness, half-expecting to wake a sleeping carrier.
“My point is, Tobias, don’t lose sight of the big picture while focusing on the details. My unit’s sole purpose now is to keep these people safe. Trust me, your family is in good hands.” Miller offered all he could to ease the man’s concern, but the guy would either come around on his own or he wouldn’t.
Lillian sat in the grass, leaning on someone’s truck, her back against an oversized tire. Vanessa brought over a couple pieces of bread and a bowl of stew Bernie had slapped together. It wasn’t much, but she appreciated it nonetheless.
“What are you doing sitting all the way over here? The fire’s cozy and they don’t bite, you know.” Vanessa pointed to Bernie and a few of the others gathered around the campfire.
“I’m fine right here. I’m really not in the mood to listen to them go on again tonight.”
“Fair enough. So how are you holding up?”
“Good enough, I guess. Just trying not to think about it too much, you know,” Lillian said, a little flustered.
“Okay, we don’t have to talk about what happened. How was school this semester? Anyone I should know about?” Vanessa playfully asked.
“No, nothing serious. A few dates here and there or hooking up after a party was about it. Living off campus makes it kind of hard, you know, not to mention my parents wouldn’t let me move out until I graduate, so I figured, why even bother?”
“Ugh, I know the feeling. When I finally moved out on my own, my parents were up my ass every damn day, it felt like.”
“I bet. None of that stuff matters now anyway, you know.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I bet some scientist in some top-secret lab has this whole thing figured out already. Things will be back to normal in no time. You’ll see. Besides, everything matters. I think those little things matter now more than ever.”
“Maybe, and thanks. I know you’re just trying to cheer me up.”
“Did it work?” Vanessa asked with a smile.
“You really want the truth?” Lillian finally made eye contact.
“Not really.”
“Then it did, a little.” Lillian grinned. “Thanks.”
Around the fire, Bernie and a handful of the others were probably a little louder than they should have been, all things considered. Each night on the road afforded them a little more acceptance of their situation. With that acceptance came a degree of comfort, allowing them to push to the back of their minds what was happening just out of sight.
“I’ll tell ya, Seth, Macaby’s hole is right around the corner from here. Can’t be more than twenty miles down the road. Catfish as big as your arm, I tell ya.” Bernie held his hands high, measuring his imaginary catch.
“Man, that sounds great, Bernie. I can practically smell it frying up already.” Seth closed his eyes, the imaginary aroma nearly intoxicating.
Sam joined the men by the small fire. “Don’t forget the greens and potatoes, boys. Man, what I wouldn’t give for a proper meal like that right about now.”
“You think Miller and the others would agree to a slight detour, Sam?” Bernie asked.
“Doubtful, and I’d be inclined to agree with them. We need to be off the road and someplace safe yesterday. Besides, did you pack any fishing gear? I sure didn’t.”
“Now that you mention it, no, I did not, Sam. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t think we’d have to leave town in such a hurry, so all I brought was my rucksack I keep packed for hunting trips.”
“And what do you keep in there, man?” Seth asked.
“Not much, a couple of pairs of fresh socks and underwear, a pair of pants, and a shirt or two. Ah hell, fellas, I didn’t know it was gonna be like this or I would have brought my gear.” Bernie kicked the dirt.
“I wouldn’t let it bother you, son. Most of us weren’t prepared for this. Hell, in a few days, those underwear and socks will be worth their weight in gold,” Sam said.
“Amen, brother.” Seth adjusted his crotch. He lifted a leg to better arrange himself. “If we don’t find a place to clean up soon, I’m going to smell worse than those things out there.”
The three men chuckled over the thought, but Sam was distracted. Something else weighed on his mind—far from the luxuries of fishing gear and clean clothes. What if this is it? he thought. What if this was the last time they could sit around a campfire and laugh? He had no idea what the road held for them. The uncertainty of it all unnerved him greatly.
Sam and Seth stared at the flames. The momentary respite caught them off guard, but soon the men dwelled, their thoughts wandering to what-ifs and whys. The change in atmosphere went unnoticed to Bernie as he busied himself with rummaging through his things.
“Well, fellas, I do try to keep this handy.” Bernie revealed a handful of small boxes tucked away at the bottom of his bag.
“Is that what I think it is?” Sam asked, excitement creeping over him.
“Whoa, Bernie, you’ve been holding onto these all this time?” Seth asked.
“Like I said, I keep the bag in my truck. Don’t really think about it much, but yeah, there’s a few hundred rounds in there at least. Shotgun shells, too.” Bernie tossed the bag to Seth for a closer inspection.
“Well goddamn, Bernie, you’re about to become real popular around here,” Seth said with a childlike grin.
Isabelle sat near the flames with Tommy in her lap. The little boy used a stick to bat orange coals around. His mother held him tight, her arms wrapped around his tiny frame, her chin resting atop his head.
Tobias and Nisha stood out of earshot, watching them. Nisha and Isabelle had been friends since longer than either could remember. Was it fifth grade when they met or around the seventh? Neither could be sure anymore, but Isabelle would swear the two of them used to flick peas at the mean girls during lunch break. It went back that far.
Part of Nisha was jealous of Isabelle’s family, though never spitefully. Two kids, white picket fence, a
nd a loving husband—on the surface, her friend had it all. Though it wasn’t the ideal family that Nisha yearned for, she was tired of sleeping alone. It was as simple as that. How ironic, she thought. Now, every night she slept beside twenty-odd people and all she could think about was a return to her lonely bed.
She pulled Tobias aside for a one on one regarding the group’s next move. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Miller and his unit. Any news, whether good or ill, felt more genuine coming from a friend.
“First thing in the morning, we head south. As long as we stay clear of the big cities, we should make it there just fine in a few days.”
“They’ve been saying that for a few days. Tobias, I’m afraid. Scared shitless, if I’m being completely honest. We don’t have much food, and well, goddammit, half of those soldiers didn’t even make it out of Pepperbush. What chance do the rest of us have?” Nisha folded her arms. A sudden chill crept up her spine.
“Don’t talk like that, Nisha. Honestly, I think the worst is behind us. Once we get to a boat, we’ll be safe. You’ll see.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about. It’s Isabelle and the kids. They seem so apathetic, like they don’t realize what’s going on or, worse, don’t care, especially Izzy,” said Nisha.
“Do any of us really know what’s going on? They’re in shock. All of them. With any luck, the kids will be able to put this whole mess behind them faster than the rest of us,” said Tobias before changing his tone to a whisper. “Isabelle worries me lately. It seems ever since this thing started, she’s grown more detached, and everything I try to do isn’t good enough. She despises me for spending so much time with Sam and the berm patrol or just trying to help out around town. I’m afraid I might have lost her, Nisha, and I have no clue how to bring her back.”
“Hey, it’s not that bad, Toby. Believe me, she loves you. She’s just having a hard time with this, like the rest of us. She’ll come around. You’ll see,” Nisha replied, though she didn’t really believe what she was saying.
Something changed inside of Isabelle, and Nisha noticed right away. Unfortunately for Tobias, he didn’t recognize it until she began lashing out. By then, Isabelle was weeks into her psychosis. A part of Nisha was resigned to the fact that Tobias lost his chance to ease his wife’s troubled mind. At this point, she wasn’t even sure if she was capable of helping Isabelle come around.
CHAPTER FIVE
Roadside Sanctuary
Camp was broken at first light. The caravan drove through the morning before spotting what looked to be a decent area to rest and hopefully rummage for supplies.
Nearly a week after fleeing Pepperbush, Miller was growing accustomed to leading the disparate group. Each day on the road, he and his navigator, Rachel, would ride in a different vehicle. Aiko suggested the idea of switching up car assignments on a daily basis as a way for the group to better acclimate themselves. If these people could move beyond the fact that they began as a bunch of strangers thrown together, it would make life on the road slightly more tolerable, not to mention that trust in Miller and his unit would naturally flourish as well.
Rachel took to the radio to inform the caravan a stop was finally coming up. “It looks like there’s a strip mall up ahead in fairly decent shape. Probably picked clean, but we’re going to stop, anyway.”
“Copy that,” Radzinski replied from the rear of the caravan.
To help alleviate the strain on batteries, it was decided days ago that only two radios at a time would be left on. The lead and rear vehicles would have them. Everyone else in the middle of the caravan would need to keep aware of any notable change in bearings. The first few abrupt stops were a little tricky, and the caravan had the dents to show for it. Hand signals and dedicated navigators promptly cleared up any confusion.
The caravan pulled up in front of a small strip mall. A line of stores stretched the better part of a standard city block. The mall was laid-out in an L-shape partially framing an expansive parking lot. The opposite end of the lot featured a simple gas station and convenience store flanked by a bank and a restaurant, both of which were burnt-out shells. A boutique and a printing press were all that remained of the strip mall’s easternmost stores. A supermarket and a furniture store still stood on the north side of the L. The remaining shops in the mall had been burned out. Reinforced fire walls between each unit no doubt kept the few stores still standing unburnt.
The weary travelers exited their vehicles. Disappointment reigned at the realization that most of the shops were office buildings or ruined.
Marisol slammed her SUV’s door shut behind her. “Looks like an office park mainly. Printing place, comic-book store, travel agency. Shit, almost every one of them is useless or burnt out.” As she pointed out each shop, her voice grew more morose with every passing name. “Dammit!” she said, slamming a rifle down on the hood of her truck. Her skin glistened with tiny droplets of sweat; it beaded up and dripped from her forehead and nose. She waved her half-unbuttoned shirt desperately to air out her chest. “At the very least, we need to get out of this sun. Dehydration will kill us a lot faster than those things if we run out of water.”
“Great, a bunch of office buildings. Lots of good that will do us,” Ryan said, wiping his brow. “Oh, fuck this,” he added as he yanked off his shirt and tied it around his head.
“Don’t be so hasty. There could be something of value in one of them,” Rachel suggested with a quick peek at Ryan’s sweaty abs.
“Wait a minute. Is that a Travelers Mart?” Ryan asked, hopeful.
“See, what did I tell you?” Rachel playfully nudged him in the ribs.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Ryan shouted.
“Oh, the destroyed building with all the windows busted out? No thank you. I’m not even going to waste my time with that one,” Elliot added.
“I don’t get it. How is it a waste of time? What else do you have to do today? You have somewhere to be?” Ryan commented, perplexed.
“You can count me out.”
“Whatever, dude. Their pizza is the shit. Sure, it’s one step up from cardboard with sauce on it, but, man, I don’t even give a shit. I love it!”
Radzinski leaned in with a grin. “You know, even if they still have some in the freezer, that crap melted a long time ago. You’re shit out of luck, kid.”
Ryan looked defeated. “Couldn’t help yourself, could you? You just had to take that from me.”
Radzinski quietly chuckled.
“What is Travelers Mart?” Soraya asked, a bit confused over Ryan’s excitement.
“I don’t have the slightest idea, but if the insides look like half of these other places, that kid’s in for a disappointment,” Aiko replied.
Samantha pointed to the ruined building. “Oh, I get it. It’s the gas station. Look.”
Across the way, a massive overhang formerly shielding the gas pumps from the elements was mostly knocked to the ground. All outward appearances suggested a large truck of some sort and obviously too tall to pass beneath slammed into the structure, collapsing it to the ground and smashing most of the pumps in the process. Two somehow survived the damage. At one end of the debris, remains of a large sign protruded from the pile. The first three letters, T-R-A, were exposed along with the partial remains of its logo, a caricature of a happy motorist with his thumb in the air and winking at passersby.
“I’ve seen that stupid thumb a million times driving,” Samantha said. “He’s right. It is a Travelers Mart, but I doubt there’s anything in there. Just look at the place.”
Miller interrupted. “There will be time to explore later. For now, I need you all to stay with the vehicles until we’ve better assessed the situation. We need to be sure there’re no surprises waiting for us in any of these buildings before anyone gets too comfortable.”
Miller’s unit quickly assembled in front of him.
“Alright, everyone, listen up. We’re going to do this quick and dirty. The supermarket and conveni
ence store are the priority. We’ll be spending most of the day there. Afterward, offices get a quick once-over, in and out,” Miller said to a responsive unit before turning his focus on Marisol. “Once we’ve secured the area, I’ll radio back. The rest of you can help look for supplies then. Marisol, you and your officers keep a lookout here. You see anything out of the ordinary, pack these people up and radio us ASAP. Clear?”
“Affirmative. But make it quick. I want these people out of the heat and in the shade as soon as possible.”
“Copy that.”
Miller and his unit swept the area for lingering carriers; the strip mall was devoid of movement. He soon gave the all-clear for the civilians to begin rummaging. The survivors of Pepperbush grouped off and spread out, most simply enjoying the freedom to walk more than a few yards without an armed escort.
Miller’s unit and Marisol’s police traded shifts patrolling the parking lot. They were sure to keep watchful eyes on the civilians meandering about the place and rushing from one burnt-out store to the next, seeking supplies that simply were not there. Whether fruitful or not, the searches and the patrols gave everyone something to do. At the very least, it helped ease the growing tension from so many days spent on the road, forced to ride atop one another in too few vehicles.
Vanessa, Lillian, and Casandra took the time to scout out the boutique. The store was left largely intact, its contents obviously deemed worthless by previous looters. Rack after rack of black T-shirts stood untouched. Skateboard decks and posters still adorned the walls. Unbroken glass cases yet housed the rings and jewelry for a thousand piercings. A soda machine in the corner had been forced open and emptied of its contents. Otherwise, the place was mostly spared past vandalism.
The Roaming (Book 2): The Toll Page 5