Leaving the small town behind, they continued on until Serafina directed Daniel down a small side street which led past a small group of houses before ending near a small wooded area. They put together a quick lunch, eating while sitting on nearby rocks as the cats sniffed around, their leashes secured to nearby trees.
“Think we’ll make it to the cabin tonight?” Serafina asked as she walked over to where Daniel was standing, looking at a small trail that wound up the nearby hill.
“Probably, but it really depends on the road.” He shook his head as he considered the challenge. “On the one hand, I hate the prospect of driving in the dark. Our lights will make us way too easy to see. On the other hand, we’re not equipped to stay outside overnight up here.”
Serafina nodded in agreement. They’d learned from experience that the nights in the mountains were nearly always cold, even in the summer. Daytime heat always gave way to nighttime chills. Their sleeping bags were rated to handle the most extreme temperatures, but even so, the lack of tents would leave them too exposed. Knowing that, he still stood by his decision to leave the tents behind. It was far too dangerous to be spending nights outside and unprotected.
Daniel nudged her with his elbow. “Wanna take a quick hike? I want to check something out.”
“We have time?”
“Not really, but I think it’s important.”
She looked back towards the girls and Paul. “Hey Ashley, we’ll be right back, okay?”
Ashley waved in acknowledgment before returning to her conversation with her sister. Paul stood off to the side, near where Ursula was sniffing around a small pine tree. Serafina hoped the three of them would be able to make amends soon.
Daniel and Serafina hiked up a small trail, walking along the switchbacks that led them up the steep climb towards the top of the mountain. After fifteen minutes, they came upon a small ledge that looked out to the west.
Daniel went quiet at the sight, setting his jaw in the determined way he always seemed to do when he was faced with a particularly tough challenge.
Serafina couldn’t help herself. She gasped aloud, her hand coming up to her mouth as she gazed out over the valley below towards the coast, just over a hundred miles away.
While they couldn’t see clearly what their gut was telling them, the massive plumes of black soot and ash rising in the distance confirmed their suspicions.
Los Angeles was burning.
The confirmation of the fact that the largest city in the Western part of the United States was burning was enough for Daniel to forgo any additional plans for stealth. They had to get to the cabin, and they had to get there as quickly as possible. It was time to settle in, to hunker down and minimize contact until things turned around. Since that didn’t seem like something that would be happening soon, the sooner they got to where they could be safe, away from all of the people who would be running scared, the better.
While the cabin itself was in good shape, he’d need time to do repairs and to reinforce the fencing around the property. When they’d bought the place, the fencing was a simple three and a half foot-high wooden beam type that served more to identify the boundaries of their property than to keep anyone or anything out. In the far corners, he’d noticed some of the beams beginning to rot from the frequent wetness the wood endured during the winter, and he’d been meaning to fix it. The family’s visits over the years had been filled with skiing, hiking, biking, or boating, so he’d never had time to do so. Now it was clear that he’d have to not only repair what was there, but also make it taller, close the gaps in the fencing, and possibly add barbed wire on top. There wasn’t fencing along the front of the property, either, only the road to indicate where what they owned ended, so he’d have to address that as well.
There was a lot of work to do, but first they had to get there.
The family quickly cleaned up their site, got back into the Jeep and headed back for the 330. They continued on, slowly but surely working their way towards their destination. When they reached the second small town along the way, the small grouping of houses and buildings clustered together under the name of Arrowbear, they were somewhat relieved to see the roads still relatively blocked by abandoned vehicles. Cluttered, unmaintained roads meant a lack of people, and while that was unfortunate for the town’s residents, it provided a level of expectation: anyone remaining was either hiding or infected.
The first group would pose no problem for them, and they knew how to deal with the second group.
Once they passed Arrowbear, the number of vehicles on the road began to lessen. Where they’d previously been working their way between or around abandoned cars, trucks, and campers, they were soon able to simply move to the other side of the road to get by, barely slowing as they did. Serafina kept the family vigilant, reminding each of them of their lookout assignments frequently, and it was this vigilance that gave them just enough time to get away from the pack of infected people who came charging at them from a grouping of vehicles near a scenic viewpoint turnout.
Daniel had just driven past a large RV that was parked in the turnout when it happened. The RV’s front end was sagging towards the ground on its right side, courtesy of flat tire. A spare tire was lying nearby, discarded, and the vehicle’s hydraulic jack was placed underneath the frame of the vehicle, but it hadn’t been put to work to lift the vehicle.
As they drove by, Daniel had to take the Jeep partially off the highway, using the shoulder and part of the turnout to get around a large Chevy Tahoe SUV that had tipped over and slid down the hill after taking the turn just above the turnout too quickly. The heavy-duty off-road tires chewed up the loose dirt and gravel of the turnout as they worked around the SUV, and the Jeep tilted slightly to the right because of the uneven surface. Daniel looked ahead, his eyes scanning the road for any other vehicles blocking the way, while Serafina’s eyes watched the Tahoe as they drove around it, looking for movement but seeing none. With Ashley and Brenna focused on the area to the left of the Jeep, it was Paul that first noticed the sudden, quick movement behind the Jeep.
”I see something!” He called out suddenly, turning in his seat and pointing behind them. Serafina twisted in her seat to look in the direction he was pointing as Daniel stepped on the gas, churning up dust and dirt as the tires dug in, propelling them back onto the road.
“What is it?” Serafina asked, shifting back and forth, straining to make out what he saw. “I can’t see anything!”
“Shit! A bunch of them!” He replied, going rigid in his seat as he stared behind them, still pointing.
Brenna’s voice was soft as she stared. “Oh my god…”
“Shit! Dad, drive faster!” Ashley yelled, reaching for the gun in the side pocket of her door.
Daniel turned the wheel sharply to avoid a wrecked Jeep Grand Cherokee that had slammed into the side railing as it had turned away from the crashed Chevy. “What is it?”
The two SUVs temporarily blocked their view, as Daniel had to slow dramatically to avoid a motorcycle that had tried to avoid the Grand Cherokee and fallen on its side, coming to rest on its side on the downhill side of the road.
“There’s like, five or six of them coming after us!” Paul cried out, still staring at the road behind them.
At that moment, three of the infected appeared atop the Tahoe, scrambling over the big vehicle in an effort to get to them. The first, an obscenely overweight white woman wearing a sleeveless denim top, dark blue jeans, and a red bandana tied around her neck, tumbled and fell from the SUV, hitting the ground in a heap. Something white and fluffy followed her to the ground, pulled by a long pink band. She rose from the ground instantly, oblivious to the blood that ran down her chin from her broken nose. As she stepped forward, her foot came down on the small white object, but she paid it no mind, she broke into a run, wholly focused on catching up with the Jeep. Her fat jiggled as she ran at a pace that seemed impossible for someone of her size. Mere seconds behind her, two others, a tall whit
e man in a plaid flannel shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots, and a black man in black cargo pants and a motorcycle jacket, followed her over the SUV, leaping from the top and landing on the pavement in stride as they chased after the Jeep. Three others followed behind them, choosing to work around the SUV as they joined the chase.
Daniel spun the wheel to the right as he tried to accelerate away from the wreckage, but had to limit the Jeep’s acceleration due to the limited space available on the two-lane highway and the nearby cliff edge which looked down on the valley hundreds of feet below.
“Honey, they’re getting closer!” Serafina shouted from the passenger seat, looking back towards the rear of the vehicle.
“I know! I’m trying!” He responded, glancing in the mirror as he did. He saw the fat woman keeping pace with the two men as they ran after the Jeep, their mouths wide as they screamed in rage.
Ashley began rolling down her window, gun in hand. “Ashley, no!” Serafina cried out as the girl extended her arm out of the window. As Daniel brought the Jeep back to the left, towards the middle of the road, the teenage girl had a clear view of the three infected people racing towards them. Spit flew from their mouths as they charged, arms and legs pumping as their feet pounded the pavement. Looking at the large woman, Ashley saw the fluffy thing following behind the woman was a small dog, being dragged on the ground as the woman ran wildly, unaware of the small animal tied to her by the leash that trailed from her belt. The dog’s lifeless body bounced and dragged on the ground as the woman ran towards them, eyes filled with rage.
Anger welled up in Ashley as she watched the woman drag the small animal so carelessly. The little dog had no chance under the massive woman’s weight, and it had died needlessly because of her.
Gripping the gun with both hands, Ashley pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the woman high in the shoulder, knocking her sideways. The fat woman stumbled as her brain tried to figure out how to right her body. The simple calculation proved to be too much for her, and she fell sideways into the tall white man, taking them both to the ground.
The man immediately rolled out from under the woman and turned on her, pummeling her with his fists repeatedly. Seeing the melee on the ground near him, the black man quickly joined in, kicking and punching the woman on the ground. Within seconds, the trio following them caught up and dove into the fray, helping the two men tear the woman apart.
Daniel turned the wheel back to the right, straightening the Jeep before accelerating, leaving the carnage behind them as he sped up the hill at twenty-five miles an hour.
Ashley sat back in her seat, staring at the gun in her hands in shock.
“Honey?” Serafina asked gently as she reached back. “Give me the gun.”
The girl passed it to her, staring down at her lap impassively. Her shot hadn’t killed the woman, but it had resulted in the woman’s death. Clearly this was a lot for her to absorb. Serafina re-engaged the safety on the gun before opening the glove compartment and putting the gun inside. She used the control on the center panel to close the window next to Ashley before reaching back and taking the girl’s hand, trying to reassure her.
“You did the right thing, sweetie.”
“Did I?” The girl asked. “She’s probably dead now.”
“She was already dead, basically. I don’t think there’s any coming back for them.”
Daniel spoke up from the driver’s seat as he drove. “Auntie’s right. You did the right thing. If you hadn’t shot her, they’d still be chasing us.”
“Okay.” Ashley replied, noncommittal in her response. In her heart, it didn’t feel like she did the right thing. She’d killed someone, and though it was necessary in the moment, ending the woman’s life still seemed wrong.
What if there was a cure?
What if there was a way for the infected to get better and go back to the lives they had before the outbreak?
It wouldn’t matter for the woman with the dog. Her life had ended.
The family drove on in silence, continuing up the hill towards the lake. They were less than ten miles from the lake now, and it finally seemed like they’d actually reach their objective after two and a half days on the road.
The sun was beginning to go down, dipping below the mountaintops to the west, casting long shadows over the valleys, and although Daniel still wanted to avoid using the lights on the Jeep, soon it was no longer optional. The roads were simply too windy, too steep, and too narrow to risk driving in the dark. With the decision made, Daniel decided to go all out, using the light bar mounted above the windshield to help illuminate everything in front of them. Combined with the headlights, the light bar lit up the road for several hundred yards in front of them as they drove, allowing them to see everything on the road well in advance. The added visibility enabled Daniel to increase their speed as they climbed the mountain, and with the number of cars on the road decreasing as they climbed, they were soon at the dam on the southwest end of the lake.
The road split at that point, with the way to the left leading towards the small town of Fawnskin, and the road to the right leading towards Big Bear City. Their cabin was to the right, up on the hill, about halfway between the dam and Big Bear City.
Crossing over the dam, Daniel looked towards the lake and saw a large fishing boat close by, moving slowly through the dark, glassy waters. He let the Jeep coast to a stop and sat there with the engine idling as he watched the vessel on the water. It looked to be between twenty-five and thirty feet long, with a small cabin and two small windows on the side below the railing that encircled its length. The running lights were illuminated, telling Daniel that the boat was traveling away from them. The cabin lights were on as well, and from what he could see, there were about ten to twelve people onboard.
A singular person was standing at the back of the boat, staring at the Jeep through binoculars as the boat drove away, creating a long wake as it did so.
Daniel considered waving, but didn’t know what impression he wanted to give anyone at that point. Friendly? Welcoming? He wasn’t sure he felt that way. There was a chance that the people on the boat were neither, and that they may want to test Daniel and his family, in which case he’d be forced to respond in kind.
Wanting to give little away, he simply stared at the man holding the binoculars and gave a small nod. I see you, too.
“What do you think they’re doing?” Serafina asked.
“Not sure. Maybe just staying safe, away from town.”
“Hmmmm.” Serafina leaned forward, bringing her binoculars up to her eyes. “Eleven people. I don’t see much in the way of supplies. I doubt they can stay out on the water very long without needing to return for food and water.”
Daniel nodded. “Good point. The question is whether or not there are supplies available near the port.”
“Think they’re trouble?”
Daniel shrugged slightly. “Not sure. I’m not sure about anyone anymore.” He looked at the road ahead. It wound back and forth tightly as it worked away from the dam towards the small city, with few straight sections, but he knew it by heart, having driven on it numerous times over the years. He pulled forward, moving the vehicle to a spot between multiple large boulders, where it was out of sight from the boat they’d watched and anyone else on the lake. He turned off the light bar, then the headlights, leaving the Jeep almost completely dark. There were still the daytime running lights and brake lights to deal with, so he had Paul help him as he covered them with multiple layers of the duct tape they’d taken from the Russells’ home.
With the Jeep’s lights blacked out, they drove on, with Daniel using his knowledge of the road and the light provided by the streetlights, which, thankfully, were still functional. Even so, progress was necessarily slow, with caution taking precedence over speed. Their goal was painfully close, and a wreck now would leave them trying to carry everything they’d brought with them by hand, up the small roads in the dark.
The family remained quiet in t
he car, with all the windows down, allowing the outside sounds in, as Daniel and Paul had done in the Prius several nights before. Looking back on it, it seemed like months ago that he and Paul had run from the rednecks in the old truck, barely escaping with their lives. A simple glance to the backseat, however, provided the visual reminder that it’d only been a few days in the form of Paul’s head dressing, which shone brightly against his dark hair.
The roads here still had some obstacles, with mostly trucks and other Jeeps left on the road, sometimes blocking most of the way forward. Fortunately, it wasn’t bad enough to require the use of the winch to move vehicles from the road. That effort would have been noisy and challenging, and the family was too tired, both physically and emotionally to take on such an endeavor. On the two occasions when the vehicles on the road were occupying the majority of the pavement, there was enough room on the shoulder and embankment for Daniel to maneuver the Jeep past.
At ten forty-seven p.m., the family breathed a collective sigh of relief as they pulled into the driveway of their small cabin, up on the hill, away from the lake. The cabins surrounding their own were dark as well, the owners, like most, absent during the summer months. Daniel drove the Jeep around the cabin, forging a new path through the naturally growing trees and shrubs. He parked the vehicle on the backside of the structure, out of sight from the road. It seemed like an unnecessary precaution, with the neighboring cabins, as well as those they’d seen on the streets leading away from the main thoroughfare, being dark, but he wasn’t taking any chances. They’d been through too much already, and the last thing he wanted to do was invite more trouble.
They’d reached their destination, and it was time to settle in and try to ride this thing out, no matter how long it took.
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
Surviving Rage | Book 1 Page 38