Bug Out! Part 11: Motorhomes on the Dark Road

by Robert Boren

  “Why are they staying back so far?” Hilda asked.

  “Hope we don’t run into another van in front of us,” Earl said. “Could be a trap they’re trying to run us into. Cimarron is coming up pretty quick. We’ll be there in less than ten minutes. I’m calling Jackson.” He put the phone to his ear.

  “Jackson?”

  “Oh, good, Earl, you’re back in range. Where you guys at?”

  “About ten minutes outside of Cimarron. The van is behind us, but keeping its distance.”

  “Uh oh. We’re on route 50 now, almost to La Junta. We’ve been blasting along at about 90 most of the way. Doesn’t look like the road is going to get twisty until after Pueblo.”

  “Maybe we should meet there, Jackson.”

  “Nah, we’ll get there too far ahead of you guys.”

  “Okay. We’re going to stop in Cimarron for a second, so Gabe can get back behind the wheel.”

  “Good. Watch out, that might be where the bad guys make their move.”

  “Could be, Jackson. Hope they aren’t following us into a trap somewhere along the line.”

  “I know, me too. You guys keep your eyes open. We’ll see you soon.” Earl put his phone away.

  “They’re cranking,” Earl said. “Going about 90 most of the way. They’re already at La Junta.”

  “Hell, that’s not too far from Pueblo,” Gabe said. “There’s the turnoff for Cimarron.”

  “I’m taking it,” Hilda said, steering the vehicle down the long ramp. The surface streets were quiet. “Wish there were more people around.”

  “We getting gas?” Earl asked.

  “Shouldn’t need it yet,” Gabe said. “Good place to trade off though. I don’t see the van behind us.”

  “This is the only off-ramp, right?” Hilda asked.

  “Yeah,” Earl said. “We ought to lay in wait for them. They’ve got no place to hide on this road.”

  “Exactly what I’m thinking,” Hilda said. “Let’s get on the side street over there. It’s dark. They won’t see us before we see them.”

  “Good idea,” Gabe said. “Pull down there a ways and then make a U-turn. I want us pointing back at the road.”

  “Got it,” Hilda said, making the turn. There was a driveway she could K-turn in about a block down. She did that while Earl kept his eyes peeled at the highway. They pulled up and parked about thirty yards back.

  “Let’s switch quick,” Gabe said. “Close the door when you get out. We don’t need the dome light shining the whole time.”

  “It will anyway,” Earl said. “All newer cars do that.”

  They switched, and waited for the auto-dimmer to shut down the dome light, holding their breaths.

  “Finally,” Hilda said in the darkness. “We didn’t miss them, I hope.”

  “No, I’ve had an eye on the road the entire time. If there’s no other way down here, we’re good.”

  “Let’s just relax for a few minutes,” Gabe said.

  The sat silently, watching the road. Gabe adjusted the seat and the mirrors.

  “This town must roll up the sidewalks at about eight pm,” Earl said. “Deadsville.”

  “I’ll bet it’s nice to visit, though,” Hilda said, looking out the passenger side window. “They kept a lot of old buildings from the wild west days down there.”

  “I’d look, but I think I need to watch the road on this side,” Gabe said, chuckling.

  They sat silently for another fifteen minutes.

  “Well, that long enough?” Gabe asked.

  “Yeah,” Earl said. “Need gas?”

  “Might as well top off,” he said. “I need a bathroom break, too.”

  Gabe fired up the SUV and made a right turn, driving down to the gas station. It was the only lighted building he saw. He pulled in and got out to gas up, eyes scanning the area, as Jackson and Hilda hurried to the store.

  “Evening, folks,” said the clerk behind the counter. He was in his late teens, with straight black hair tied in a ponytail behind his head.

  “Evening,” Earl said. “Any other ways into town other than this road?”

  “Nope, this is it,” he said. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah,” Earl said. “Pretty dead around here.”

  “Usually is unless one of the festivals is going. Nice quiet place to live.”

  “It’s beautiful here,” Hilda said. “You guys have a restroom?”

  “Yeah, back there,” he said, pointing. “Help yourself.”

  Hilda went back. Earl looked out the front window. “Those real buildings down there?”

  “Yep, although some are from the early 1900s, not the 1800s. Seems they saw the value of that style even then.”

  “I’ll bet the movie helped,” Earl said. “And the novel. Edna Ferber, right?”

  The clerk laughed. “No, no, you’re confusing this with Cimarron County in Oklahoma,” he said. “That story was about the land rush. This was just a cattle stop.”

  “Oh,” Earl said, sheepish grin on his face.

  Hilda walked out towards the front of the store.

  “My turn, I guess,” Earl said.

  “I’ll go back outside,” Hilda said as she passed him.

  “Have a nice trip,” the clerk said, smiling.

  Earl joined Hilda and Gabe in a few moments.

  “Be right back,” Gabe said, as he trotted to the store.

  “Think we’re gonna make it?” Hilda asked.

  “Yeah, probably,” Earl said.

  “I have a bad feeling,” she said, looking down the road.

  ***

  George sat up on the roof of the barn with Heidi, the soft breeze blowing through their hair. They heard rustling at the trap door, and turned to see Terry climb up with two rifles. Then he turned and helped Trish onto the roof. She looked nervous.

  “Scared of heights?” Heidi asked.

  “A little,” Trish said. “But I settle down pretty quickly. Glad we don’t have to be by the edge.”

  “See anything?” Terry asked.

  “Not yet,” George said.

  “Wish we would’ve had some say-so about that road block,” Trish said.

  “We’re small potatoes,” George said. “They had the roadblocks up to keep the enemy out of the breadbasket. They weren’t worried about small groups like us.”

  “That’s kinda what I figured,” Terry said.

  “So how’s married life treating you two?” Heidi asked, smiling.

  “I love it,” Trish said. “I wish things would settle down, so we could start a family.”

  “Seriously,” Terry said, smiling.

  “You sound pretty anxious,” Heidi said.

  “We both are,” Trish said. “You two aren’t married, are you?”

  “No,” Heidi said. “We’ve been together for quite a while though.”

  “How long?” Trish asked.

  “Over seven years,” she said, a faraway look in her eye.

  “Can’t get George here to settle down, eh,” Trish said, getting an embarrassed look after she said it. “Sorry, that isn’t my business.”

  “It’s not him,” Heidi said. “It’s me. Long story. Maybe someday. We do love each other.”

  “Look!” George said, pointing.

  “Crap, that’s a semi-truck,” Terry said. “Lay down and get ready to fire.”

  “Okay,” Trish said, laying down with the rifle in front of her.

  “I’m texting Jerry,” Terry said.

  “Good,” George said. He laid down behind the M107 and took off the front and rear lens caps, then put is eye up to it, his finger on the trigger. Heidi and Terry both got in position with their hunting rifles.

  Chapter 4 – Curves and Guardrails

  “Don’t fire yet,” George said, watching the semi-truck slowly coming up the small road, eye above the scope of the M107.

  “Why not?” Heidi asked, eye at her scope.

  “I want them close enough so you guys can hit th
em,” George said. “Another hundred yards ought to do it.”

  “Okay,” Heidi said.

  “Jerry just texted me back,” Terry said. “He and Jake are at the mortar. Everybody else is in position too.”

  “Tell them to set the mortars for about 350 yards and wait for us to start shooting,” George said.

  Terry looked at his phone, texting with one hand while he kept his other hand on the rifle. “Done.”

  “Just another second,” George said. Everybody got ready, and then he pulled the trigger, the M107 spewing fire out the barrel as the first round raced through. George saw the driver’s head explode in the cab. He fired again and got the passenger, and then opened up on the back of the truck, hitting it with about five rounds in rapid succession. Everybody’s phones buzzed as the short range app picked up the signal.

  “Got some of the lead knocked loose,” Terry said, laughing. He pulled his phone out. “Crap, I see thirty hits.”

  George kept shooting, concentrating on the places where he hit before.

  “So we have 28 to deal with,” Heidi said. “Watch the back of the truck.”

  “Wish we could see it,” Trish said. “Oh, look! Somebody running away from the back, trying to make that stand of trees.”

  “Got him,” Terry said, firing, sending the running man to the ground.

  “There’s another one,” Trish said, as she fired, hitting the man square in the back.

  “Nice shooting, honey,” Terry said. Then a round whizzed by their heads.

  “Watch yourselves,” George shouted. He laid down several more rounds with the .50 call. “Where’s that mortar?”

  Just when he said that, there was a pop, then an explosion, but it was short of the target.

  “Tell them about seventy more yards, a little to the left,” George shouted.

  “Done,” Terry said. There was another pop, and an explosion just past the truck. Several men ran in front of the truck, and they all got hit by Terry, Heidi, and Trish, as George continued to pour fire into the back end of the semi with the big .50 cal.

  “Tell them to come in twenty yards,” George shouted as he fired. Terry took a break from his rifle and sent the text. Then there was another pop, and a big explosion in the parking lot in front of the park.

  “Shit, they have a mortar set up behind that truck!” Heidi cried.

  “Hit them with the mortar again,” George shouted.

  ***

  Kurt and Malcolm were in town, looking at the truck stop. “It’s open,” Kurt said. “Howard’s back?”

  “Maybe,” Malcolm said. “Let’s go by the front and check. We can see the road from the parking spaces there.”

  “Okay,” Kurt said. They pulled into a parking space at the rear side of the building.

  “You go check it out. I’ll stay here and watch the road,” Malcolm said.

  “Yeah,” Kurt said. He left the jeep and rushed around the front of the building, going in the front door. There was a woman at the counter, about 45 years old, in a tight tank top and jeans, tattoos creeping up her neck on both sides.

  “Where’s Howard?” Kurt asked, walking up.

  “He’s on vacation,” she said. “Who wants to know?”

  “I’m Kurt. Old friend of his.”

  “Oh, you with that party out at the old RV Park?”

  “Yeah,” Kurt said. “When do you expect him back?”

  “Not sure,” she said. “You look familiar.”

  “So do you,” Kurt said. “I used to come here to go hunting with Chet, years ago.”

  “Oh, that’s probably it,” she said, smiling. “I used to hang around with Scotty when I was young and stupid. Howard too. I’m Sherry.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Kurt said. “I remember now. Surprised I didn’t see you here before.”

  “Oh, I don’t actually work here,” she said. “I’m just helping Howard out in a pinch. He planned to be back earlier. Got caught east of big muddy after the nuke attack.”

  “Oh,” Kurt said. They were startled by the muffled sound of gunfire. Kurt got a scared look on his face. “Son of a bitch.”

  “What’s that?” Sherry asked, eyes wide.

  “Gunfire. See you later,” he said as he ran back to the jeep. Malcolm already had it running. Kurt jumped into the passenger seat and turned around to grab a rifle. “Haul ass.”

  “Yeah,” Malcolm said, driving off the lot, heading for the road out of town.

  There were a bunch more loud gunshots in rapid succession. “That’s George,” Kurt said. “He’s got the .50 cal opened up.”

  There was a loud explosion, and they could see the sky light up toward the park as they raced down the thin country road.

  “Mortar,” Malcolm shouted, trying to speed up. Another explosion lit up the sky.

  “Look,” Kurt said. “Semi-truck up ahead, looks like about half a mile.”

  “Glad it’s so flat here.”

  There was a lot more gunfire, a mixture of the .50 cal and hunting rifles.

  “You got any binoculars?” Kurt asked.

  “Yeah, glove box,” Malcolm said. “Hard to use at night though.”

  Kurt pulled them out as the jeep bounced and lurched, going too fast on the road. He tried to hold them up to his eyes.

  “Crap, they have a mortar pointing at the park. Our folks can’t see it. It’s behind the truck.”

  Then there was a flash, and the parking lot of the RV Park burst into flames.

  “We close enough yet?” Malcolm said.

  “Another couple hundred yards, and we can fire on them. There’s a stand of trees there. I’ll make for that.”

  The sound of the .50 call was wailing now, George firing as fast as he could pull the trigger, the hunting rifle shots mixed in. There was another mortar blast, and the truck was airborne, the cab in flames.

  “Bingo,” Malcolm said as he pulled up behind the trees.

  “That’s not enough, the trailer of that semi is still blocking the mortar,” Kurt yelled as he jumped out with his rifle. Malcolm followed him, and they both got a bead on the men manning the mortar, as they got ready to fire again. Both men started shooting, hitting the enemy fighters, knocking them down.

  “Nice shooting,” Malcolm said.

  “You too,” Kurt shouted. “Look, more coming out the back of the truck. Get ‘em!”

  They opened up again, hitting the three men who were running towards the mortar. Then there was a pop from a mortar again, and the semi-trailer was hit. It lifted off the round and rolled over in flames, burning men struggling to get out and run. There was nowhere for them to hide now, as Kurt and Malcolm shot at them from their side, and George and the others rained lead on them from the RV Park.

  “That got them,” Kurt shouted.

  “Just got a text,” Malcolm said. He pulled his phone out as Kurt got ready to walk over to the truck. “Don’t go over there. They’re going to hit the area with Willie Pete, to kill off any stragglers.”

  “Oh,” Kurt said, getting back down. “Good idea.”

  There was a bright flash that engulfed the entire area, blowing the fuel tank on the cab of the rig, thick black smoke rising into the night air. Malcolm and Kurt got hit with a blast of hot air rushing around them.

  “Wow,” Malcolm said. “Scratch one batch of cretins.”

  “Good thing we left,” Kurt said. “Without us back here, they would have done real damage with their mortar.”

  “No shit,” Malcolm said. “This is liable to keep happening. We’re gonna to have to talk strategy when we get back.”

  “We might have to leave this area,” Kurt said.

  “Yeah,” Malcolm said. “Hate to do that, but we might not have a choice.”

  “It’ll mess up your study of the dungeon.”

  “That’s low priority, my friend,” Malcolm said. “Didn’t expect to find something more important, but here we are.”

  “I’m glad you’re here,” Kurt said, smiling at him. �
��We’d probably be dead now if you and George didn’t show up.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Malcolm said. “You guys are pretty capable on your own, you know.”

  “Should we go back to the park?”

  “Maybe we should go back to the pinch point and watch,” Malcolm said. “I’ll send a text and ask what they want us to do.”

  “Okay,” Kurt said, getting to his feet as Malcolm looked at his phone.

  “Yeah, they want us to watch for a little while, if you don’t mind,” Malcolm said.

  “Fine by me.” They got into the jeep and headed back to town.

  “Hey, by the way, who was running the store? It wasn’t Howard, was it?” Malcolm asked.

  “No, it was a woman named Sherry,” he said. “I remembered her after we talked for a minute. She used to hang around with Scotty and Howard.”

  “Really?” Malcolm asked. “I think I might know who that is. It’s possible she might be on our home video. We’ve only seen the really old stuff so far.”

  “You need a VCR, I’ll bet.”

  “Yeah,” Malcolm said. “Know anybody who’s got one?”

  “Yeah, me,” Kurt said. “Don’t know if it still works. We’ll check it out.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Malcolm said. “Where should I stop?”

  “About a block behind the truck stop,” Kurt said.

  They got to the spot in minutes. Malcolm backed off the road, facing out, and the two men settled in to watch.

  ***

  Howard woke when he felt Bailey’s naked body rolling away from him. He threw back the sheets, sweating. The sun was coming up, a dull light coming in through the dirty window of his bedroom. There was a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” Howard said.

  “Hey, Howie, can I go find some breakfast?” Kerry asked, standing in the open door. Then he noticed Bailey’s form under the sheet, her hair spilled over the pillow. “Is she yours?”

  “No, Kerry, she’s ours,” Howard said, smiling. “I’ll go downstairs with you and we’ll get breakfast going, okay? Give me a minute.”

  “Okay, Howie,” Kerry said. He headed downstairs as Howard stood up and put his clothes on.