Day 42
The rain had come an hour after Herbert had set up for his watch, the morning raw and cold. It swelled in waves, the wind buffering it against the pickup truck he was in with Barry, who wanted to help.
Herbert was expecting a shift with Barry to be a nonstop gabfest about Osceola, but so far he hadn’t said much.
It was Herbert who kept the conversation going, talking about life growing up on a farm and his homestead. Meeting and marrying Pheebz. How Darlene had come into his life and the end of his gas station.
Barry asked a few questions but he seemed to be somewhere else.
“Are you itching to head east?” Herbert finally asked.
Barry nodded. “I think staying is a mistake. I’m going to ask who wants to leave. I’m not going to do it secretly, either. No hard feelings if people don’t want to go. I get it. A long journey might be too much for some. We might not have enough vehicles, either. We’ll run out of gas at some point unless we swap vehicles or find fuel, too.”
“It’s a big leap of faith to get everyone to join you,” Herbert admitted.
Barry looked at Herbert. “I’m going to ask you to come with me.”
Herbert nodded. He’d already talked to Pheebz and knew she’d do whatever Herbert wanted to do, and his thought was to continue east, away from dropping nukes and perhaps an invasion force on American soil.
Rosemary had been quiet when Herbert had presented it to her, chewing on her lip and staring at the boys, who were sleeping at the time. She didn’t commit either way.
What will we do if Ro decides she doesn’t want to run anymore? Her, Aiden and Austin want to stay and see what happens? I don’t want to stay, but they’re family…Herbert shook his head. There were so many things in motion right now.
“Are you okay?” Barry asked. “By the look on your face, you went somewhere dark for a second.”
“Mulling over the options. Not just for me and my wife, but for the rest of what’s left of the family.” Herbert rubbed the stubble on his face. “I wonder what Darlene and John will do, too.”
“I’m obviously going to ask them to come with us as well,” Barry said. “I doubt Terri will come, though. Is she your daughter?”
Herbert smiled. “Neighbor’s kid. I remember when she was born, kicking and screaming. The girl never stopped. I think whatever Phil wants to do, Terri will do. She’s as stubborn as her parents are.” Were, Herbert thought. No way they’re still alive.
For all he knew, they could be the last group of people alive in the United States. What if they keep going east, only to find out the coast has been decimated with nuclear weapons? Cities burning, spewing toxic fumes into the sky?
“Someone’s coming,” Barry said. “It looks like a lot of someones, in fact.”
“Maybe it’s the military.”
“Do we stay and meet them, pull into the woods, or go back?” Barry asked.
Herbert had binoculars out and was trying to see who they were. “Not military. A lot of pickup trucks. Maybe twenty.”
“Lots of weapons, too.”
Herbert put down the binoculars and picked up the radio. His hand was shaking and Barry saw it, too.
“We have a major problem. Everyone into the woods. I repeat, abandon the rest area,” Herbert said frantically. He turned to Barry. “Drive us into the woods or we’re dead.”
Barry started the truck but kept the headlights off. He drove between two trees they’d been using on and off when they needed to hide a vehicle.
Herbert was on the radio again. “Darlene, Phil, if anyone can hear me…the Sawyers are headed our way, and there will be bloodshed unless you run and hide.”
The answer back was static.
Damn rain is interfering with my signal. Is that possible? I hope not, Herbert thought.
Barry got out of the truck and Herbert followed, both with their rifles.
They could hear the roar of the engines coming down the highway now.
Herbert had the window open and tried the radio again. “Abandon the rest area. There might be a hundred of them. All armed. Please, if you can hear me.”
When the vehicles got closer, Herbert reluctantly turned the radio off. No use in being heard and getting shot over it.
“Do you think they got the message?” Barry asked.
“We’ll know soon enough,” Barry said and shrugged. “Hopefully we don’t hear gunfire in a few minutes.”
The pickup trucks were moving slowly, fanned out across the road. Herbert hoped it would give everyone more time to escape.
“I hope someone has the sense to pull my Peterbilt off the road,” Barry said.
It was definitely the Sawyer clan. Herbert could see a couple he knew from Chico. He figured Buck Sawyer and Tee were in one of the pickups. His finger was on the trigger, scanning everyone as they passed.
Herbert wondered what he’d do if he saw Buck and had a good shot. Kill him in cold blood? Take him out and hope the rest scattered like the cockroaches they were?
If they got to the rest area and no one had a clue they were coming until it was too late, and he had a clear shot at Buck but didn’t take it…
The vehicles finally passed their hiding spot, no one any wiser they were nearby. Herbert didn’t see Buck or Tee, but knew they were in there, somewhere.
“Now what?” Barry asked. “I’d say we follow, but the rearguard hang back and watch the road. If we’re spotted, they’ll come after us.”
Herbert wanted to somehow rush past them but knew it was suicide. “We wait. If we hear gunfire, we go. Otherwise, we cross our fingers, say our prayers, and hope for the best.”
They got back in the pickup but didn’t start the engine.
“Five minutes,” Barry said. “Then we ride slow, as slow as they did. Make sure there’s no ambush waiting for us around the next bend.”
“All we can do,” Herbert said.
Five minutes seemed to take an hour.
“I didn’t hear any gunshots,” Barry said, starting the truck and driving slowly up the road.
They got to within half a mile and Barry stopped. Pulled off to the side of the road.
A pickup truck was on the road, around the bend, facing them.
“Think they saw us?” Herbert asked.
As if in response, the pickup flashed headlights and started forward.
Barry cursed and did a U-turn and started heading back the way they'd come.
“I think I can outrun them,” Barry said. He glanced down. “We have enough gas to get us to an exit, maybe, and then try to lose them on a side road.”
Herbert looked back to see another pickup truck joining the first.
Pheebz, I hope you got away. I’ll see you soon, Herbert thought, praying he was right.