by Maira Dawn
Kelsey studied this end of the domed building. No windows.
They must have kept those for the walls facing the ocean. That was good for her.
Giving the dome one more glance, she raced across the empty parking lot and up the street, heading into town.
Once again, alone.
Twenty-Seven
The Way Out
Kelsey stayed to the side of the parking lot, out of the eye-line of anyone peeking out the lobby’s glass doors.
At the top of the small hill, the first town building to Kelsey’s left sat a surfboard rental shack. She rushed to it and hunkered down beside its shadowy, weathered wall.
She gasped, her heart tapping faster than the spotted bunny she’d had as a pet when she was younger.
Kelsey put a hand to her chest, willing her heartbeat to quiet. She needed to calm down. No one made good decisions when panicked.
The night was still—quiet and clear. And the ocean waves lapped against the sandy beach behind her. The dark had deepened and without the town’s light pollution the stars thrown across the sky shone with extra brilliance, and the moon seemed overly bright. Not the best when one was on the run.
She scanned the street but found nothing alarming.
Could it be this easy? Slide down a rope and walk away.
She squinted back at the massive building, hoping to see Skye behind her.
Kelsey wanted to stay put and wait, her eyes glued to the building until Skye came out. But that was exactly what she’d told Skye she wouldn’t do. She needed to go.
Kelsey sighed and pushed a few stray strands of her long, dark hair back into her ponytail.
She needed to go now.
They could be knocking on her door right now if they hadn’t already. Every minute counted.
Kelsey scurried to the shadow of the next building and the next until she came to the center of town. Ahead, the moon lit the pawnshop sign.
At the next crossroads, she stopped.
Better to find the escape route first, then leave a note for Skye.
Kelsey peered down the street to the right, looking for a vehicle but finding few that seemed acceptable.
The two cars directly in front of her had dead bodies in them. She would only use those if she had no other choice. Even the thought of touching those things gave her the chills.
Further ahead, three other vehicles were smashed together.
Kelsey turned left, staying in the shadows and racing to the first crossroad. On the corner was a parking lot with a few acceptable vehicles. A large black truck in the middle caught her eye.
Not black. Kelsey took a step closer. Midnight blue.
Jesse had told her trucks were the best, so that’s the one she’d try.
She didn’t know a lot about pickups, but this one was huge. And big seemed safer right now.
Kelsey moved into the open, staying alert. Step by cautious step, she moved toward the vehicle.
After reaching the driver’s side, she pulled on the handle. When it refused to budge, she pulled a face and crouched, running to the passenger’s side. It was also locked.
Perhaps the owner was like Wade and never completely closed the rear cab window.
Kelsey grabbed the tailgate and dragged herself up and over into the truck’s metal bed as quietly as possible.
From there, she could see the back cab window was open an inch or so.
She swallowed her excitement and pushed it open. Then wiggled herself over the toolbox spanning the width of the truck and made her way into the cab.
Kelsey plopped into the seat. The cab was massive—especially for one smallish teenage girl.
She pulled down both visors, checked the glove box, and felt under the seat, but there were no keys. Hot wiring a truck this new wasn’t an option.
Kelsey pushed the door open and hopped to the ground. She slid under the truck and ran her hands along every bump, nook, and cranny of the bottom. When she found nothing, she wiggled her way out.
There had to be a key somewhere. There just had to be.
Kelsey hauled herself back into the bed of the truck and studied everything. A tool pouch sat in the back corner.
No, probably not. There were too many holes.
She eyed the big metal toolbox attached to the vehicle and smiled.
After running her hands along the bottom outside edge with no success, she reached further—until her arm and shoulder disappeared under the thing.
Kelsey practically exploded with relief when she found what she was looking for—a little magnetic case.
The key was inside.
She jumped over the side of the truck, her tennis shoes tapping against the pavement.
Key in hand, Kelsey turned to the driver’s door.
A rattle echoed from mid-town.
Kelsey froze.
She scanned the shadowy buildings across from where she stood.
If only she could see better.
Her excitement had gotten the better of her. There were evil people on her tail. And there were still Sick and Infected out here.
She gripped the key, then slid it deep into her jean’s pocket.
Now she had a good vehicle and a plan.
But maybe not the greatest plan. After all, it was basically get the heck out of here and head north to Cole’s Mountain.
But at least she had one.
She’d leave Skye a note. Then she would burn rubber out of this town if she had to.
Kelsey rushed back to the alleyway, peeked around the corner, and ran up to the pawn shop door.
A locked steel gate covered it.
“Are you kidding me?” Kelsey murmured. She threw a glance toward midtown.
What should she do? This is where Skye would look.
Kelsey reached through the grate and turned the knob of the main door. Without a sound, it swung part-way open.
Okay, so she just needed to get through the steel gate.
Kelsey stared at the store’s floor.
Inside the threshold lay a piece of paper with a smiley face and a key sitting on it. She grabbed it and pushed it into the grate’s lock and softly laughed as the key smoothly turned in the lock.
With care, Kelsey pushed the well-oiled gate to one side. She stepped into the almost pitch-dark store and stopped, trying to listen to the surrounding darkness.
No sound. No rustle, no squeak of a shoe, no breathing.
The store felt empty. It smelled empty too—kind of dusty, but with a bit of dampness mixed in.
Kelsey took another step and shut the door behind her.
On the counter, a tiny lamp made a small circle of light. Beside it, a white piece of paper seemed to glow.
Kelsey tensed. Was this some kind of trick?
But it was so quiet.
She studied the light. It looked solar-powered and positioned so the sunshine would recharge it each day.
As quietly as possible, she made her way to the counter.
In bold, somewhat messy handwriting, the note reassured her that her mountain wasn’t the only place with kind people.
It simply said, “Take whatever you need, dude, no probs. Me and mine are chillin’ with friends. Hope you get where you need to go.”
A small chuckle escaped Kelsey. No one could fake this.
She looked around the store. It was a treasure trove if one disregarded all the ocean toys, including the most extensive collection of boogie boards Kelsey had ever seen.
She turned to the other side of the store where camping and a bit of hunting equipment lined the shelves. If everything went well, she’d be home sometime tomorrow morning. If not, she needed to be prepared.
Kelsey reached under the front counter and grabbed a couple of large shopping bags.
In one, she threw in a selection of MRIs and protein bars. A lightweight blanket, fire starters, lighters, an ax, a pan, and a few bottles of water were next.
Kelsey stuck two long knives through her belt.
> She walked back to the front counter and dug around. With a smile, she pulled out a taser.
Kelsey carried her bags to the door and scanned the store one more time. There was so much more she’d like to bring, but she had time to make one trip to the truck.
Kelsey set her bags down and pulled a piece of paper out of the printer behind the counter and laid it beside the note she’d found.
On it, she wrote her note for Skye, scribbling that she’d made it this far and was fine. She kept it short and unemotional, trying not to give too much away. Neither she nor Skye had time for anything other than the business of escaping.
She ended the note by saying she would see Skye again in almost heaven. Kelsey almost crossed it out, thinking it told too much, but decided not many would realize she meant home—West Virginia.
After, she returned everything to the way she’d found it, including the little smiley paper and the key.
Outside, the quiet street was clear as far as she could see.
Still, she kept to the shadows for as long as possible as she rushed through the ally and turned into the parking lot.
Moonlight gleamed along the side of the truck. It shone like a beacon crying, “Freedom!”
With all her heart, she wanted to run for it. Instead, she stopped and scanned the area.
Slow and steady. That’s what Dylan reminded them when they scouted. It was the same here.
Once Kelsey deemed it safe. She crouched and rushed for the truck, her shoes lightly tapping over the concrete.
Her heart thumping, she opened the truck door and threw her stuffed bags into the far seat.
One foot on the driver’s side step, she paused.
Something was not right. Someone was out there.
Gravel crunched beneath a boot.
A glass bottle clattered across the pavement.
Kelsey pulled in a sharp breath and clenched the inside handle of the door as the sounds echoed toward her.
The bottle rolled and rolled until ended with a quick pop—like it had burst into a thousand splinters.
They wanted her to know they were here.
Kelsey ignored the icy finger of fear trailing down her spine and jumped into the driver’s seat.
She hit the auto-lock and slammed the key into the ignition, turning it.
The truck roared to life. She threw it into gear and stomped on the gas.
The pickup jerked forward.
Kelsey clung to the large steering wheel as she got the vehicle under control, and turned toward the main road.
Behind her, a man shouted.
A bullet buzzed past her window, taking a chunk out of the side mirror.
Kelsey gasped and ducked, cursing the evil people who chased her.
She glanced at the cracked mirror. Three men ran after her, aiming their guns at the truck.
Gripping the steering wheel, she hit the gas and raced through town.
She didn’t slow until the men and their guns were far behind her.
Twenty-Eight
The Chase
Kelsey scoured the roadside for highway signs. The sooner she made it to an Interstate, the sooner she would feel safe.
The night’s dim light didn’t help, and she hesitated to turn on her headlights. They would make her instantly visible.
Her knuckles whitened as she clenched the steering wheel, leaning forward to see better.
Everything had her twitching—the wind moving the trees, a piece of trash blowing across the street.
There would be more of Devon’s people out here—she’d be a fool to think otherwise.
When the highway came into view, Kelsey sagged with relief.
Just a little longer and she’d be home-free.
As she turned onto the interstate ramp, she gasped when what seemed like an empty car along the side of the road sprang to life.
They’d waited for her.
Kelsey stomped on the gas. Maybe she could outrun them.
It seemed to work at first, then the car caught up and pulled alongside her.
Kelsey frowned and glanced at it.
A man in the passenger’s side pointed a gun at her. He waved her to the edge of the road.
Kelsey’s scowl deepened. Absolutely not!
She pushed the gas pedal. The truck surged ahead.
Kelsey snorted. That’s what they get for chasing someone in an old man’s car.
Unused to maneuvering a vehicle at such high speeds, Kelsey turned her attention to her driving. She was ahead, but not by much.
She clamped her jaw, determined to win this race.
But now what? She couldn’t keep this up all the way home.
An exit sign appeared ahead. She needed to get off this road. Here she was, an obvious target with nowhere to hide.
Kelsey continued on the highway and veered into the exit lane at the last minute.
The truck’s tires screeched, and the steering wheel rebelled, but the girl kept it in line.
The men blew past the exit before slamming on their brakes, and the passenger stuck his gun out the window and took a couple of potshots at her.
Kelsey ducked, but neither bullet hit the truck.
At a traffic light that no longer glowed, Kelsey looked to her left and right. Buildings to the right—nothing but trees to the left. With no time to think, she chose right and prayed it was the correct one.
Maybe—just maybe—there was a friendly family out there who would help her. Not everyone was a criminal.
Kelsey grimaced. Doctor Evil had probably cleared out any decent people from these areas long ago. She couldn’t count on any help. She was on her own and right back that way she had started this Agflu disaster—scared and alone.
As she drove down the main road, she heard the other car racing down the ramp, trying to catch up.
Kelsey took the first road to her right and drove faster, wanting to get as far down this street as possible before they crossed it. They would be here any minute.
With a groan of indecision, she pulled up to a small snarl of traffic and stopped the pickup so that its front end tipped into a small ditch running alongside the road.
She turned the key and let the car die. Kelsey grabbed the taser out of the shopping bag and sunk deep into the seat.
She put a hand to her chest and willed her erratic breathing to slow. She jumped at every ping the pickup made as it cooled down.
Silence. She needed absolute silence—nothing to give her away. Kelsey already felt too vulnerable sitting here in the open.
She squeezed her eyes shut and listened.
Nothing. Where were they?
Perhaps she should leave the truck. But it was the only safety she had. With it, she was able to race out of here. Her own two feet were not nearly as fast.
She looked at the two paper shopping bags. Right now, everything she had in this world was in this truck.
She’d stay with the truck.
Another minute ticked by with no sighting of the two men. Perhaps they had turned left at the light—hadn’t even come this way.
If that was the case, she should use this time to drive further away—not sit here doing nothing.
Kelsey turned in the driver’s seat until she was able to peek over the back of the seat.
The road was empty.
Go—or don’t go?
She needed a map to guide her down these back roads. She wouldn’t be safe on the highway until she was further from these guys.
Kelsey swept her hand through the pockets on the doors, under the seat, and several other nooks and crannies.
Once she’d double-checked the area, she dared to open the glove box. The small light seemed blinding. She quickly shifted through the papers, but still nothing.
Kelsey glanced at the cars.
She didn’t want to, but she’d have to check the other vehicles.
Once again, she peered over the seat, and finding no one, reached up and clicked off the dome light.
After drawing the keys from the ignition, she held her breath as she opened the truck’s driver side door.
She walked with a light step over the crunchy gravel road to the first car. A blue sedan with the doors shut tight.
Kelsey’s foot pushed something deeper into the gravel. She bent and picked it up.
A pen flashlight. She looked around before clicking it on and off. It still worked.
She peered inside the blue car and saw a body. She moved on to the other two vehicles.
One was empty.
Kelsey dragged the door open, hoping the dome light wouldn’t come on. It didn’t. She searched the entire car, but there was nothing.
Kelsey stared at the two cars with bodies in them and shuddered. But she had to do what needed done.
The yellow car had a GPS on the dash. They probably didn’t have a map.
Kelsey turned to the blue car and sighed. “It’s you and me, then,” she murmured.
She drew in a deep breath before throwing open the door. The stink wafted over her, and she almost choked.
She might as well get used to it—the smell would cling to her for hours.
As quickly as possible, Kelsey searched the car. But again, nothing.
As she stood to close the door, the pop of gravel sounded—as if it were caught between the road and a tire.
She froze.
There was movement at the end of the road.
Kelsey snapped off the penlight and crouched behind the blue car, peeking around its end.
The car drove slow—it was almost silent as it went through the intersection.
The evil men’s car stopped, and the passenger poked something out the window.
Although the moon gleamed on the object, Kelsey wasn’t able to make it out. Until the bright sweep of a light beam barely missed her.
A spotlight—like the kind people used for deer hunting.
Her heart jumped, and she whipped backward, making herself as small as possible against the wheel of the car.
Would they see the truck—recognize it?
Her gaze darted around the area—her mind jumping from one solution to another until she settled for the best she could do.
Plastic garbage cans sat at the end of each driveway. She army-crawled to the closest drive where a set of bins had tipped over. With care, she peeked into each one. They were almost empty.