No.
I tossed it in park.
Car door open, I did a Dodge.
I beeped the horn and shouted. “Hello!”
I did it again, then again.
What was I doing?
I failed and my soul was immediately crushed. My chest caved, I couldn’t breathe and with every emotion raging inside of me, I dropped to the ground on my knees and started to sob.
I was wrong. I asked for fate to give me an answer and fate did.
I wasn’t meant to move on, I wasn’t meant to live. I wanted so badly to find a sign and I was handed an empty base.
It was over.
My single chance to move on, to gain back something was gone.
Or was it.
As I lowered my head, contemplating my next move, searching deep within myself and tears for an answer, I got one.
A young voice called out from behind me.
“You missed the convoy too, huh?” he said.
My head lifted.
“I thought, you know, I’d make it, but I ran into some road blocks.”
That voice. That voice. I knew that voice.
In a spin of my body, not only did I turn around, I stood.
He was about twenty, maybe younger and he stood not far from me. His hair was slightly long, and he was thin.
“Did you …” I stepped closer to him. “Did you talk to a woman on the radio and she told you about this place?”
He exhaled so loudly, he wheezed. “Oh my God,” the young man rushed to me. “Was that you?”
“That was me.” I grabbed his hands.
“Thank you. Thank you.”
“What happened to you?”
“I dropped the radio and I tried, I tried to find you guys again, but when I couldn’t, I just headed here.”
“Oh, I am so glad to see you.” I placed my hand on his face.
“But everyone’s gone. What are we gonna do?”
“I didn’t know at first, I do now. We’re gonna find them.” I grabbed his hand and tugged him to the car. “Get your stuff.”
“Can we?”
“We’ll try. I was hoping fate would give me a sign. Then you called out.”
“I was hoping the same thing.” The young man snatched up his duffel bag and tossed it in the car.
I got in, waited for him. He looked confused about the toys on the seat.
“Put them gently in the back,” I instructed.
He did, then slid in and saw the radio. “You gonna try to call.”
“I am.” I started the car. “See, long story I can tell on the trip. But my party left before me. I was going to stay back and then I changed my mind.”
“Maybe you know, you were supposed to arrive late to find me.”
He looked so innocent, and so young. “Maybe,” I replied. “Faye.” I held out my hand. “Faye Wills.”
He took my hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you Faye, I’m Tyler. Tyler Cash.”
Immediately my hand slid from his in shock. “As in Dodge? Dodge Cash?”
His eyes widened. “You knew my dad?”
A cascade of chills shot up my arms and back. My eyes welled up. I really was meant to stay behind; there was another reason far and beyond me having to realize I had to live. I had to give Dodge that reason as well. “Knew? No. I know your dad.”
“He’s alive?” Tyler asked emotionally.
I only smiled, looked at the radio, saw it was on channel seven. In my mind I said a short prayer, ‘please let them be in radio range’, and then with every ounce of hope, I grabbed Tyler’s hand, turned on the radio and called out. “This is Faye. Faye calling. This is Faye, looking for Fastball. Over.”
Nothing.
“Try again,” Tyler beckoned. “Please try again.”
I did. “This is Faye. Channel Seven. Looking for Fastball. Over.”
Nothing.
Static.
“Oh my God, Faye,” Dodge replied.
Tyler breathed heavily and emotionally, “My dad.”
I nodded. “Dodge, I’m on base. Where are you guys?”
“About thirty miles away. We just left there. Faye, I’ll pull over, I’m pulling over. Get on 181 South, it’s clear. You can’t miss me. I’m waiting. We’re waiting.” Dodge gushed with his words. “And Faye, wait until you see. Wait until you see how many kids there are. It’s amazing.”
“I’m on my way. And Dodge …”
“Yeah.”
I looked at Tyler. “I have a surprise for you.”
“You’re a surprise, Faye.”
“No,” I said. “This is better. See you soon. Over.”
“Out.”
I put down the radio and after a glance to Tyler, I turned the car around and headed off the base.
Dodge didn’t say if there were any woman or female children, but I guess it didn’t matter. At that moment in time, I was filled with hope.
Hope and reason.
I was dying inside before the world ended, and it took a dead world to show me I had to live. To give me reason to live. It was ironic and yet, wonderful.
I was indeed moving on. Finding life again. Like that toy truck, I was piecing it together, it wasn’t going to look the same, but it in the end, it was still life. I had to embrace it.
I would.
^^^^
Thank you for reading; if you enjoyed this novel, I invite you to check out my other works. Thanks again
Last Woman Page 17