Andy now understood. She reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. “I’ll make sure everything’s okay.”
Morgan wiped her eyes and nodded. “Just don’t say anything to Charlie? I don’t want him to know—not yet, anyway.”
“Of course,” Andy replied, employing her bravest tone despite her own distress. What were the odds? One in a thousand? Ten thousand? A million? Part of her wanted to go back to Bermuda just to find those boys and put a bullet in each of them.
They drove on in silence. Relieved of her secret, Morgan drifted off, leaving Andy alone with her thoughts. The sun disappeared over her left shoulder as the minivan continued along the Interstate. It was uncomfortably hot, and she felt like her skin couldn’t breathe. Even with windows rolled down, the rushing wind offered little relief.
The events of the past few days replayed like a movie in her head. The rotting body in the car. The horrific state of the Washington Monument. Being shot at by faceless, nameless strangers, then killing some of them. Ben saying, There’s really no America anymore. What did that even mean? Did countries no longer exist because those who were once in power were now dead? And did anyone even care about such things anymore, or had daily survival consumed everyone’s thoughts that there was no longer room for anything else?
In Bermuda, she and her friends had struggled to survive, but they still managed to fill their days with meaning: reading, learning, and teaching. Without this, they would have been little more than animals, fighting each day just to live to the next, and Andy couldn’t help thinking that this was the only future she had to look forward to.
More tired than she could ever remember, she leaned against the open window with her elbow and cradled her head in her left hand. The temperature began to fall as the sun made its western descent, and the air coming through the window now was refreshing. For a few miles, her mind became mercifully blank. With both Charlie and Morgan now sound asleep, a welcome serenity enveloped her for a few peaceful moments.
Then her mind drifted to the two young men inside of the truck she now followed. They seemed nice enough, but there was definitely something mysterious about them, especially Ben with his reticent demeanor. Andy presumed he often avoided personal questions and topics, preferring instead to throw the attention back on someone or something else. His cousin, Jim, seemed less guarded and friendlier.
They didn’t look like cousins, or any blood relation for that matter. Both were handsome and about Andy’s age. Ben was at least six-one or six-two, and looked strong enough to lift twice her weight with ease. He reminded her of a younger, but rougher version of Clark Kent, with his dark brown hair and memorable blue eyes. A Superman in a worn T-shirt, tattered jeans, and dirt under his nails.
Jim was just a tad shorter than Ben and leaner, though still sturdy. His sandy blond hair was cut short like a soldier’s, and his eyes were either green or hazel…Andy couldn’t recall. And despite their initial argument over the food, he had a boyish charm that made him instantly likeable.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the minivan’s slow but steady decline in speed. After checking the fuel gauge, she flashed her headlights. The truck’s brake lights illuminated ahead, and Andy stopped a few yards behind them, seconds before the engine went dead. Neither driver had bothered to pull over to the shoulder—they hadn’t passed a single car the entire day.
“Finally out of gas?” Ben called out to Andy after everyone was back outside.
“Yeah.”
“Then grab your stuff. But two of you will have to sit in the back.”
As she and her friends transported their things out of the minivan, Ben was glad to see that their possessions were few. More stuff meant more weight, which meant lower gas mileage, and three extra bodies was weight enough. Then, knowing his cousin would appreciate it, he suggested that Morgan ride in the front of the truck with Jim. “Tired of listening to him all the time,” was his feeble excuse. “My ears need rest.”
“Um, okay. Thanks,” Morgan muttered. “Charlie, you okay sitting in the back?”
But Charlie was already following Ben into the truck bed. “No worries,” he called out.
“The wind will feel good,” Andy added, preempting the same question. She climbed in last and quickly positioned herself into a corner at the rear. Once they were underway, she closed her eyes.
Ben found himself glancing over at her in the dark even though he couldn’t see her face, or that she had already fallen asleep.
***
After what felt like a few hours, Andy woke up. It was still dark, and since she never wore a watch she could only guess what time it was. The truck was driving much slower than it had been, and they were weaving through treacherous terrain with many hairpin turns and altitude fluctuations. She wondered where they were when she saw a passing sign for Route 441 reflecting off the headlights—a route that meant nothing to her.
The air had grown cooler, so she pulled the bottom of her oversized sweatshirt over her knees and grabbed a blanket lying nearby. Apparently, it wasn’t the first time someone had slept in the back of this truck. After snuggling herself into a cozy bundle, she looked up at the sky and released an unexpected gasp. Thousands upon thousands of stars shone like tiny pin pricks of light in the navy sky. Within the span of a few minutes, Andy witnessed three shooting stars. It reminded her of Bermuda at night, with the smell of moist forest trees replacing the salty sea air and the rhythm of small waves lapping at the coastline.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
Ben’s voice startled her. She could barely discern his silhouette, making his voice seem disembodied. “What?”
“The stars…they’re beautiful out here.”
“Oh, yeah. They are.”
A long pause followed. Andy didn’t know if the brief exchange was meant to be the start of a conversation, so she remained silent.
“So what was Bermuda like?”
Okay, a conversation it was. “Bermuda? Bermuda was a little bit of everything, I guess.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, it’s tropical in the summer, but the winters can be—”
“—Hang on. I can’t hear you.”
The truck had begun to pick up speed, and the passing wind made hearing difficult. Ben slid back to the rear of the truck bed until he and Andy were sitting across from each other. Charlie, meanwhile, was still asleep at the front of the bed.
“Sorry, say that again,” Ben said after settling in.
“I said it’s tropical in the summer, but the winters can be pretty cold.” Andy had to almost shout her words to be heard.
“Because it’s not in the Caribbean, right?”
“Right. It’s much farther north.”
Off to her left, the faintest light of dawn could be seen. “How can you drive so long without stopping?”
“This truck has three tanks. We could drive a thousand miles without stopping if we had to.”
“Three tanks? Trucks don’t have three tanks.”
“No, but Jim and I modified this one.”
“I bet that comes in handy.” Unsure of what else to say, Andy returned her gaze to the stars. The approaching daylight would soon fade their intensity. She tried to close her eyes again but found she was no longer sleepy. “Where exactly are you guys headed?”
“New Mexico.”
“What’s in New Mexico?”
“Nothing. Just seems like a good place to hide out for a while.”
“Hide from whom?”
“No one in particular. Just to get away from all the people.”
“Seems like a long way to go just to get away from people.”
Ben laughed. “Yeah. Maybe.” His voice faded. Then he asked, “What made you leave Bermuda?”
My best friend was beaten and raped…
“It’s complicated.”
“I’m sure it is.” He didn’t press further.
“Where are you and
your cousin from?”
“Virginia, in the suburbs outside DC. Our parents lived two miles from each other.”
“You two don’t look related.”
Ben laughed again. “We both look like our mothers, and it’s our fathers who were brothers.”
“How do you know so much about cars?”
“Jim’s dad was a car mechanic. We used to hang around his shop on weekends just watching him, and we picked up a lot. After the virus, we had all the time in the world to mess around with cars.”
Andy nodded. It was similar for her and learning about medicine. “You like working on cars?”
“I do. And I’m good at it. Cars make sense to me. And what do you do for fun, other than sailing across oceans?”
“I read a lot. Mostly stuff about human anatomy and medicine. My father was a doctor.” It was odd to talk about herself with a complete stranger.
“Cool. What kind of doctor?”
“He was a heart surgeon for a long time, but then switched to having his own general practice when I was nine or ten.”
“Why did he switch?”
“The hours. I barely saw him when he was a surgeon. With his own practice, he could finally join me and my mom at dinner.”
Ben began to ask something else when the truck slowed down and then stopped. Jim and Morgan emerged from the front, both chatting about something that Andy couldn’t hear.
“Hey, my butt’s getting numb,” Jim began, mainly addressing Ben. “Let’s switch for a while.”
Charlie woke up. “Where are we?”
“Eastern Tennessee,” Jim replied.
“Is it cold back there?” Morgan asked Andy, looking content—happy even.
“Not really. There are some blankets,” Andy replied, holding hers up to show Morgan. “You guys sleep back here often?”
“When we have to,” Ben replied before hopping down to the ground.
“Charlie, do you want to ride in the front?” Morgan asked.
“No, I’ll stay here. I’m tired.”
Morgan reached over and tousled his hair. “Okay, but don’t snore.” She climbed into the back, along with Jim.
“You’re the one who snores,” Charlie accused with a yawn.
Morgan froze with embarrassment until Jim said, “Don’t worry. You can’t hear snoring over the engine or the wind.”
“I don’t snore,” she insisted.
It suddenly dawned on Andy that she hadn’t had anything to drink or gone to the bathroom in at least twelve hours. Thinking about it not only made her thirsty, but aroused the need to find a bush somewhere. “I need to pee,” she declared and headed directly toward the forest that lined the highway.
“I do too,” Morgan echoed, following her into the misty trees.
Charlie looked at Jim and Ben. “Take the other side then?”
Without a word, boys and girls separated to opposite sides of the road and reconvened at the truck minutes later. After a quick bite and some water, they were ready to move again. Andy joined Ben in the front of the truck as the others piled into the back.
“So how much farther until we run out of gas?” Andy asked Ben when they were underway.
Ben glanced down at the dials in front of him. “Probably another two hundred miles. We’ll make it to Nashville and stop at the airport there.”
Andy nodded and turned her attention to the passing scenery. As the early morning mist began to fade, the blue-green hues of the mountains became more vivid. “Beautiful,” she murmured to herself.
“Ever been around here before?” Ben asked as he maneuvered the truck around several sharp turns.
“No, never. You?”
“Once, when I was about eight or nine. I mostly remember the smell.”
“Yeah, it’s so fresh. These trees are…potent.” Andy turned her gaze from the window and stared sideways at him for a long moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated and looked away.
“Something wrong?”
“No…just thinking.”
“About what?”
“I was just thinking about the last time I took a shower,” she lied. “It’s been two days since I last rinsed off in the ocean. I’m starting to feel pretty dirty.”
“Well, get used to it,” said Ben unsympathetically. “Must’ve been nice living on an island and always having a place to take a bath.”
Andy nodded absently. “Just a matter of stepping outside and jumping off the dock.”
“Sounds amazing. Were there a lot of survivors?”
“I guess. For its size, I mean. Bermuda is a tiny island, and even though we lived far away from everyone else, things just got too dangerous. That’s why we left.” Though truthful, Andy would never reveal the real reason for their departure. That was Morgan’s secret to keep, not hers.
“Makes sense,” Ben replied. “Having your own space, your own corner of the world…it’s worth everything. Once it’s gone, it’s time to move on.”
“And that’s why you’re going to New Mexico? To find your own corner of the world?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“So why are you headed west now? Why not sooner?” Despite the dim morning light, Andy could clearly see Ben’s body stiffen and his jaw harden, and she almost regretted asking the question.
He reapplied his grip on the steering wheel and cleared his throat. “Things weren’t always so bad. Life was pretty quiet for a few years after the outbreak. It didn’t get really bad until about…two years ago.”
“What changed two years ago?”
He released a hand from the steering wheel and ruffled his hair. It was a nervous gesture that she had noticed once already. “Probably the same thing that happened to you in Bermuda, but over a much bigger area. You know, kids fighting over food and water…gangs spreading and starting wars with each other…stuff like that.”
Andy knew Ben was holding back and that she wouldn’t get any more out of him, at least not now. But questions continued to enter her mind. “Do you and Jim have friends in New Mexico?”
He shook his head. “No, no friends.”
“It’s pretty dry there, right? Won’t it be hard to find water?”
“There’re lots of rivers…big ones, like the Rio Grande. ‘Grande’ is Spanish for big, you know.”
She let out a chuckle. “I know.”
“Sorry,” he said timidly and cleared his throat again. “Anyway, the winters are warm there, and it’s got mountains. I could never live on flat farmland like the middle of the country.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
Ben took his gaze off the road and turned to Andy. “Well, since you don’t seem thrilled by New Mexico, where would you rather live?”
She hadn’t really thought about it. Getting to the continent had been her only concern for the last month. “I don’t know, but if I could really go anywhere, I guess I’d pick somewhere by the ocean. I already miss the ocean, and it’s only been a few days. But not an island. I don’t want to feel that trapped again.”
“Maybe a bigger island then…like Hawaii?”
“Hawaii would be big enough, but it’s in the middle of the Pacific. I’d need a really big boat or be able to fly there. Hardly options.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll bet there are a few people out there who can fly a plane.”
Andy looked at Ben with skepticism.
“What, you don’t think some rich parents ever gave their twelve-year-old son or daughter flying lessons?” he challenged. “You learned about medicine from your dad. Why wouldn’t flying be the same?”
Andy shrugged. He had a point. “I guess so. It just seems very risky.”
“And cutting people open isn’t risky?”
“I’ve never cut anyone open,” she quickly replied. “I’m nowhere close to being a surgeon. You could barely consider me a nurse.”
“Maybe, but I bet you could be a surgeon if you wanted to.”
“Sure, if medical schools still existe
d, but not now…”
“I’m sure you could figure it out.”
She scoffed. “Surgery is not like fixing a car. You mess up the slightest thing, and your patient is dead.”
Ben nodded slowly but countered saying, “True, but aren’t most people who need surgery going to die anyway? You’re just giving them a chance, even if it’s a very small chance. And after a while, you’d get better at it.”
“Yeah, after watching several people die in the process.”
“Well, isn’t that part of being a doctor? Even the best surgeons lose patients.”
“I know, but maybe I’m just tired of death,” she replied with a shrug and stared off to her right.
“Or maybe you’re just scared.”
Andy turned to protest when Ben reached over without warning and opened the glove box, grazing the top of Andy’s bare thigh in the process. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he fished inside and pulled out a can of peanuts. “Want some?”
She cracked a smile. Of course she wanted some. “Thanks.”
“Would you open it?” He asked, holding the can out to her with his right hand, his left hand on the steering wheel.
“Yeah, sure.”
The smell of roasted nuts and salt filled Andy’s nostrils the moment she peeled back the aluminum seal. She grabbed a large handful before holding the can out for Ben.
“Thanks,” he said and helped himself.
The entire can was gone in minutes.
“Is there any water?” she asked.
“There should be some water bottles behind the seat,” Ben said after finishing his last mouthful. “Can you grab me one, too?”
The water quenched Andy’s dry, salty throat. It was the best thing she’d ever tasted.
Chapter VI
Minutes passed into hours as Andy dozed off. As Ben had predicted, the truck made it to Nashville without running out of gas. Just before reaching the city, he took the exit for the city’s airport. The decrease in speed was enough to wake Andy.
She rubbed her eyes and looked around. “Where are we going?”
“Getting gas,” said Ben. He followed signs for “Airport Services” and continued around the main terminal until reaching a restricted area where only airport vehicles were once permitted. Not surprisingly, the airport was utterly void of any sign of life.
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