Yawning loudly, Jack shook his head in an attempt to keep himself awake. Everyone but him had been asleep for at least an hour, but he wanted to let them get as much rest as was possible before stopping. He already had plans to let Tammy or Sam drive while he rested, that way they could keep on the move. Stretching as best as he was able, he rolled down the window hoping the cooler air would help to keep him awake. Time and again he imagined himself pulling into a service station and picking up a coffee or soda for an added caffeine boost, but that wasn’t an option any longer. Gone was convenience. Gone was simplicity. Gone was the entire life he had known before the attack. Gone were all the little things. Looking around the small confines of the car he couldn’t help but be happy for it on some level. He had never been this close to Sam and Will, and being so now felt more important than anything they had lost, maybe even their parents. After all, it was only a matter of time until their parents were gone and the three of them were left with only each other as family. Grinning sadly, Jack turned his eyes to the road and carefully guided them around a fallen limb from a nearby tree.
* * * * *
It was sometime in the middle of the night when Sam awoke with a start. Looking around quickly she surmised that there was no danger and returned to her normal stretching routine, at least as best as she was able with the dash in her way and a dull ache in her head. Sitting up she looked out the windows all around, to find nothing but overgrown fields that might have once produced corn or soy beans or some other such crop. Deciding no signs of life was a good thing, she turned her attention to Jack who sat slouched with his eyes only half open behind the wheel of the car, seemingly driving in a zombie-like haze of half consciousness.
“How you doing there?” she asked quietly as Jack blinked several times before responding.
“I’m doing.”
“You look tired,” Sam prodded.
“You could say that,” Jack replied with a smirk.
“Want me to take over?”
“I’ve thought about it, but the idea scares the crap outta me,” Jack said with a wider smile.
“I can drive. How hard can it be?”
“Well, you did have to have Will drive the truck for you.”
“Totally not my fault, scumbag. Pull over and let me drive.”
“Now see here, young lady, that’s no way to talk to an elder,” Jack joked.
“Nope. But it is acceptable for talking to a dork. Lemme drive,” Sam repeated. “At least that way you can get some sleep.
“Yeah, like I’ll be able to sleep with you behind the wheel, swerving all over and slamming on the breaks every time you see a bunny.”
“There’s bunnies?” Sam asked with mock excitement.
“Alright, I’ll let you drive, but take it slow. Whatever you do, don’t get pulled over.”
“Very funny. If I do, I’ll just tell the officer that I’m fleeing an invading force of aliens and trying to survive the apocalypse.”
With that, Jack began slowing the car down, and despite herself Sam started to get excited. No way would Mom or Dad let her drive. Things were different now, though. She supposed kids everywhere were doing things out of necessity that before the invasion would have been considered too dangerous or just for adults. Finally coming to a stop, Jack shifted the car into park and unfastened his seatbelt before opening his door. Waiting for him to step out, Sam slid herself over the center console and into the driver’s seat. Reaching down she pulled the lever beneath her and slid the seat forward so she could reach the pedals before fastening herself in. Waiting patiently until Jack climbed back into the car from the passenger side, they both carefully closed their doors. It was time to drive.
Both giddy and nervous, Sam recalled what she had been told many hours before and pressing the brake she reached up and shifted the car into drive. Exhaling slowly she took her foot off the brake and began to give the car some gas. Jack remained silent, though she could feel his eyes boring into her, watching her every move. It was okay, though. She knew he was just concerned for all of their safety. Though holding onto both the dash and the handle above his head was a bit theatrical to say the least. After just a few moments Sam felt she had a good feel for the car, but tested the brakes and steering several times to be certain. It was an hour before she took her eyes off the road long enough to smile at Jack, having proven that she was capable of driving them safely. Turning to look at him, however, she realized that it wasn’t necessary to brag. Sometime in the hour he had become comfortable enough with her driving and had fallen asleep. Even now his head rested against the window with his mouth open, though he didn’t seem to snore. Not that it mattered, she would tease him and tell him he did when he woke up anyhow.
* * * * *
Will awoke and blinked several times, trying to adjust to the sunlight blasting him full in the face through the window. Turning his head, he realized he was using Tammy’s leg for a pillow and had apparently drooled all over her. He hoped she wouldn’t notice when she woke up. Rising carefully to a sitting position, he looked at her to find her smiling at him. Busted.
“Good morning, Tammy,” Will said groggily, to a replied nod and smile. “Sorry about the slobber.”
Again Tammy nodded at him, and Will remembered something that until just now he had forgotten completely.
“Hey, I know you can talk. I heard you scream. I know that you know English too cause you can write it. So why not talk to us?” Will inquired, sounding just like a cop on TV.
He watched as she pulled her notebook from beneath her shirt and removed the marker from its spine before flipping it open to begin the meticulous process of writing a reply.
I taught myself your letters and can interpret your words, but I don’t know how to make the sounds for your letters and as such I can’t speak the words that I am able to write.
Will thought about her reply for a minute. It explained why she wrote just like a book was printed. It also made sense, if he thought about it. He supposed one could figure out how to read given nothing else to do, a lot of time, and a lot of books. She knew the words, just didn’t know how to say them.
“I can teach you the letters’ sounds if you want,” Will offered.
I have been trying to figure it out while listening to all of you talk, but admit it is hard, especially having never spoken your language before.
“It’s okay. Here, we’ll start with A and work from there,” Will said.
He was excited to be able to help, though never imagined he would be teaching a teenager something he had learned in pre-kindergarten. Just as he had said they would, they began with A and worked all morning learning the different sounds of the letters and how they interacted with one another in conjunctions like CH and SH. Tammy learned pretty quick, but had trouble making some of the sounds, especially R and L. More or less it was like she was a toddler, but as the morning progressed she was making fewer mistakes and even sounding out smaller words. Will found that he liked teaching. It was way better than learning, and tons more fun in a car than in a classroom. A couple of times Sam chimed in with a rule or tip to help him explain something, but for the most part it was just him teaching Tammy how to talk.
“I sure must be a good teacher, you’re learning really quick,” Will complimented himself.
“You aw, Wiw. Thank you.” Tammy replied.
“Are… Rrrrr. Really try and get that R in there,” Will suggested.
“Aw… aw… arrrrrrr,” Tammy smiled.
“There you go. Just keep practicing being a pirate and then we’ll work on your L’s.”
“Arrrrr. Arrrrr. Carrrr. Farrrrr.”
“See, you got it. Just remember, you don’t have to use big words. At least not for now. Small ones are easier and can say just about as much.”
“I’w Trrrry. Trrry. Try.”
For at least a whole hour Will practiced rhyming words with Tammy using words that ended with the letter R. She was getting better and better when he felt th
e car slowing and looked up to see buildings ahead. Buildings. Jack must have somehow noticed the change too. He woke up like someone had shaken him and looked all around. Sam stopped the car and Will watched as she turned to their older brother.
* * * * *
Tammy couldn’t help as her feelings shifted to being apprehensive about the cluster of buildings ahead. Just moments before she had felt at least a little ridiculous learning to talk from a child, but at the same time, she had been thankful for his effort. Though small, Will was an excellent teacher who was very patient with her and even played little speaking games to help her learn. Now, however, the lesson had come to an abrupt end as they all looked out the windows of their small car nervously. Tammy recognized the structure from pictures in the encyclopedias she had studied for months. The cluster of large silos and other structures were all made of steel with conveyers running this way and that and giant pipes stretching from one building to the next. It was obvious that it had once been some sort of agricultural building or factory of some sort, but being one of the few structures still standing for hundreds of miles, there was no telling what might inhabit it now. There were easily twenty or more of the huge cylindrical structures that rose more than a dozen stories into the sky and along with them at least five other large buildings, each skinned with corrugated metal. The remains of two semi-trucks with trailers sat beside the main building, but beyond that little could be seen.
Still at least a half a mile away, Tammy couldn’t discern if there were any signs that humans or other species of men might be using the building for shelter. As far as any of them knew, it could hold more members of the Resistance. Looking about the small confines they all shared, it was obvious the same questions plagued each of their minds, but it was Sam who spoke first on the matter.
“What do you think we should do?” she asked no one in particular.
“I’m not sure,” Jack said, reaching up to massage both of his temples. “I’m tempted to say we just keep on going. It looks like a grain storage place or something. I doubt we’d find any food there.”
“Might find information,” Tammy added, careful to annunciate her R correctly.
“Holy cow,” Jack nearly shouted. “When did you start talking?”
“I’ve been teaching her,” Will said, sitting upright and puffing out his chest with pride.
“Geez. How long was I asleep?” Jack asked.
“Like forever,” Will replied.
“Okay, Tammy. What kind of info do you think we might find?”
“I don’t know,” she replied slowly. “Maybe something… a map. Show where humans arrrr.”
Her words were still broken, being forced to pick and choose words that were easy for her to say that would get her point across. She still avoided L altogether, but Will had been right. Using small words was easy enough for now.
“I’m impressed. With both of you,” Jack said, looking first to Tammy and then to Will.
She watched him turn then and look out across the overgrown fields to the hulking metallic structure beyond. Tammy looked again too, but nothing had changed. There was no sign of movement, no spray-painted arrows like had been painted in other towns. There were no signs of habitation at all, but if something was in there, that just meant that it was smart enough not to draw attention to itself. That thought alone made the whole thing even scarier. She didn’t want to go in there, but at the same time, what if someone was in there, all alone, starving, and afraid like she had been? What if there was more gasoline?
With their supplies dwindling dangerously low, she knew they would have to go and explore. It really wasn’t an option any longer to just pass places like this up. If they expected to find anything they were going to have to look for it.
“We need to go have a quick look at least,” Jack said, seconding her thoughts.
That was it. It was decided. Armed with little more than tools, they would venture into the unknown with hopes of finding or learning something useful. The car lurched forward slowly.
Chapter Three
It was not a decision they had made lightly, nor one Jack even liked, but it seemed like their best option. Leaving the car behind in a nearby field where the overgrowth hid it from the road, Jack led the others slowly and carefully towards the agricultural complex. Though the cool of the morning had already burned off, the hair on his arms stood on end. He couldn’t help but feel it was a bad omen. Something here wasn’t right. His stomach was in knots and everything inside him screamed at him to flee, but something else held him fast. He had to continue. He had to look and learn, with the hopes of finding a safe haven. Who knew? Perhaps this was it.
Ducking low he led his siblings and Tammy across the street, running as fast as he was able while remaining as low to the ground as was possible. Though his head pounded, making him nauseated, his ankle no longer troubled him, for which he was grateful. Darting into the chest-high grass that surrounded the collection of metallic buildings, Jack let those behind him follow and motioned for them to stay down. Looking at their faces it was apparent that at least one of them was not nervous. Will was grinning from ear to ear, darting this way and that on his tiptoes as if a cartoon villain. It was hard not to smile, but Jack managed and turned his attention back towards their destination.
It had been more than two hours since Sam had first stopped the car. They had watched the building the whole time, finally deciding to park and go in on foot. With less than three hundred yards separating them and the entrance to what appeared to be a barn-like building at the structure’s edge, Jack knew he could make the run in little time, but also knew Sam and Will would not be able to keep up with him at full speed. He doubted Tammy could manage either, and would have to plan accordingly.
“I’ll take Will with me and head straight for the front door of that first building,” Jack said pointing. “You girls circle around back, through the weeds, and see if there is a back entrance. If there is, see if it’s open and keep an eye out for anything that moves.”
“What if something does move?” Sam asked.
“I say we leave. High tail it back to the car and get out of here,” Jack admitted.
“But if we split up, and one group runs into trouble or sees something, then what?” Sam asked again.
“Then scream, duh,” Will said, shaking his head at his older sister. “That’s what girls do in spy movies, horror movies, and action movies. At least most of the time.”
“This isn’t a movie, Will,” Jack reprimanded in his best dad tone. “But you’re right. If something goes wrong, scream, run to the car, get in and fire it up. Hit the horn and we’ll all make a run for it and get as far from here as we can.”
Jack watched as the heads around him all nodded their understanding. It was time. Closing his eyes for a second he steadied his breathing and worked to calm his nerves. If he wanted to move quick, they couldn’t move at a pace comfortable for Will. Picking up his brother and pulling him to his chest with one hand, he held the length of chain they had scavenged days ago in the other. Bending forward to gain momentum, Jack burst from the overgrowth surrounding the buildings and pumped his legs as fast as he was able. He was surprised to find that without his pack and with all the exertion he’d recently had, running holding Will was really not that hard anymore. A hundred yards down.
Sprinting, his breaths coming at regular intervals with his steps across the partially grass-covered drive surrounding the buildings, Jack pushed himself to run faster. Another hundred yards. To his right something moved in the grass, and turning his head slightly he noted it was the girls. Fifty yards to go and something moved between the silos ahead, drawing his attention. Had it been a person? A shadow? Jack slid to a stop just twenty yards away from the building and peered into the shadows between the giant cylinders. Something moved and he prepared to yell. Knowing that his gut had been right all along and that they too were being watched as something waited to ambush them, Jack watched as a murder of crows er
upted from between the metal buildings in a maelstrom of flapping wings and caws that set his nerves to tingling.
Crows. He had been frightened by birds. With a chill running down his spine, Jack shook off the feeling and began moving again towards the door upon the front of the building.
* * * * *
Sam dashed between the tall grasses, using her arms in front of her like a wedge to separate the tall blades as she careened between them with Tammy on her heels. She tried not to think of all the spider webs she was running through. She tried not to think of the spiders becoming entwined in her hair. Hunching over while running in an attempt to stay hidden was one thing, but doing it in her ridiculous boots in a field full of spiders was another entirely. If only she could go back and slap herself when she had chosen these, of all things, to wear after the end of the world. Idiot. Of course, it wouldn’t help with the spider problem.
Dashing through the grass, she must have spooked some birds as dozens of the black winged things began flapping overhead, shrieking and cawing to one another in alarm. So much for their plan of being unnoticed. If anyone was here, they certainly knew something was coming now. Shrugging as she ran, she knew there was nothing to be done about it. Uncertain where she was, Sam popped her head up to survey the area around her. She had managed to guide them in the right direction, but still had a way to go, to circle the building entirely. Looking about she couldn’t see any windows on this side of the building, nor any of the others. If anyone was inside, they couldn’t see her.
Deciding it would be faster to leave the spider-infested field, Sam changed course and within seconds she led Tammy to where the field met the semi-tamed lot around the buildings. Darting across the open expanse she kept low and didn’t stop until she was within the shadow of the building. Pausing to catch her breath, she felt as Tammy touched her shoulder, and turning watched in horror as the other girl held up a huge spider freshly plucked from Sam’s hair. Biting her lower lip harder than she imagined possible, she stifled the scream that erupted from her lungs into her mouth, as shivers ran up and down her spike while her knees quivered. Oh God, how she hated spiders. Yuck. There was no telling how many more might be on her. She didn’t even want to know. She shuddered, fighting with everything she was worth to contain the scream that sought to escape, shaking her hands out in front of her while dancing from one foot to the other.
Children of the After: The Complete Series Page 26