Chloe dozed off and on as the caravan of trucks inched along the parkway headed for Route 24 that would take them to Route 287 and then Route 80. Scotty said they would be in good shape when they hit Route 80. She straightened up, yawning, and readjusted her position as the dogs crowded in on her, each one trying to compete, striving to be the closest to Chloe’s body for comfort, Teddy triumphantly refusing to be outdone.
She sniffed her shirt as a happy snort from one of the baby eles woke her for good. She noticed the ripe smell in the truck, discovering it came from all of them, not just her.
Catching Jose watching her, she acknowledged his interest with a stingy wave, wondering how long it would take her to adjust to the fact that she now had a big brother. She remembered how often as a child she would pester her mother for a brother. Guess that never stood a chance now that she knew her father—rather Omar—the man who had kidnapped her, actually hated her mother. Sighing, she realized Jane really wasn’t her mother either. What a bunch of screwed up psychotic nut jobs. Uncle Brooks too—not her uncle. It became more and more difficult to wrap her mind around the reality of her new life. How could she have thought those people loved her when they had turned out to be such sickos? And what did life hold for her now? Seemed she might have gone from the frying pan to the fire.
At least she still had Scotty and Teddy. She scanned the truck, giving everyone a quick assessment.
Kenya looked interesting, although she didn’t have the faintest idea who the black man with the big wide smile and green scrub coat could be. Noticing the gorgeous black girl cup her belly, she wondered where the baby’s father was. Poor thing, she knew that infant was in for a tough road.
She watched as the poor lady with the knife wound on her face whispered to her little girl, who seemed to be snapping out of her funk, exhibiting a smattering of interest in the baby elephants.
A skinny weird-looking man suddenly slid down to rest next to her. His breath wheezed as his exertion with the eles made him breathless.
“I could sure use a smoke right now.” Breathing heavily, he turned to her and the dogs. “These guys all belong to you?”
“No, Teddy is mine.”
“Teddy? He looks like a ratty pain in the ass. You got a smoke?”
She picked up Teddy, holding him defensively in her arms. “You can’t smoke in here, can’t you see that?” She eyed him contemptuously. “You’d be able to breathe if you didn’t smoke those disgusting things.” He didn’t appear to be listening.
“Gee, those elephants sure can wear you out. We shoulda left them behind. They’re gunna be a real pain in the ass, I can sure see that right now.”
“Why did you agree to help out if you don’t like them?”
He nodded suggestively, his weasel face and pisshole eyes directed at Abby, who crouched next to Jose. “The babe made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. She’s got it bad for me.”
Chloe burst out laughing, causing Scotty to look over in surprise, a happy smile on his lips. Sobering, Chloe snorted at him. “You better take your skinny butt out of here. Abby is my boyfriend’s sister and that’s her boyfriend she’s talking to. Looks to me you are shit out of luck, bud. And if you don’t like animals you sure are in the wrong place.”
Dezi shrugged, her words sliding off his back like Crisco on a roasted ham hock. “What do you know, kid? The Dez begs to differ.” He slid over to the wall of the truck.
“Okay, you smelly mutts. I’m gunna get myself some shuteye. Now back off.” In a second, he began to snore, chasing Mimi to the other side of Chloe, oblivious to all.
*
After their progress inched slowly over a drive of more than six hours, Abby felt the truck slow, coming to a complete halt. Under normal conditions the drive took two hours. She looked out the window, calculating they were far along Route 80 near the exit for Route 15, about a normal thirty-minute drive from Lily Pond Road.
Jose, Cobby and Clyde joined her at the window.
“Holy Mother, look at all those people.” Clyde’s demeanor had failed to improve during the drive, the crowds clogging the highway causing his face to fall further.
“Don’t worry, Clyde, she’ll make it.”
“How’s she going to make it here if we can’t even get through?”
Abby pulled out her cell phone, the signal still available. “This is Abby, I want you to inch right through the crowds. They’ll move. Easy on the horn, the animals are already agitated from the long ride. The crowds should break up once we’re on Route 15.” Within minutes, she felt the truck move forward.
They watched as they passed the crowds filled with poor people; families without vehicles lugging children, blankets and bags of food and water. The sides of the road were littered with discarded family valuables and possessions. Strength drained, their most valuable possessions now their lives.
Abby spotted two children trudging along the road, a girl of about ten holding hands with a boy of about three; tears falling from the toddlers eyes as his mouth cried soundlessly for his mama.
“Jose, look, can’t we stop for them?” Abby’s hopeful voice tapered off after a bitter laugh from Cobby.
“If we stop, we’ll be overrun by the horde fleeing into the hills. They’ll toss these baby elephants off this truck so fast you won’t know what hit you. What do you think they’ll do to Echo? God forbid they find out about your ehm . . . changes.”
They heard a poorly suppressed sob and Clyde turned from the window to sit in a corner away from everyone.
A stone suddenly hit the window, then a rock. The rocks from the crowd pelted them heavily as the slow-moving tractor trailers became the focus of the crowd’s anger. The sliding window shattered, sending Abby to the driver’s side of the truck. To her horror, she observed men with long poles trying to pry open Crystal’s door. As it caved in from the onslaught, she felt Crystal rev the engines, blowing a bone-shattering warning to the crowd.
As a man jumped up to Crystal’s window wielding his pole, she tramped on the gas. The huge truck bucked, threatening to stall, then caught, springing forward into the crowd. The man with the pole fell from his perch along with those standing inside the truck. Abby fell to the floor, landing on Scotty and Kane. She felt the truck pick up speed, tires riding over bumps in the road, thumps vibrating through the truck, the horn still spewing its threatening salvo.
Peter, Johno, Cobby and even Chloe tried desperately to calm the babies, the unfamiliar sound setting them to panic.
Dezi clung to the rim of the window, managing to stay upright.
“Holy shit . . . oh my God.” He hung his head, the palm of his hand rubbing tears that threatened his macho pose. Abby screamed from the floor, rising to run to the window. Dezi caught her, holding her back in his skinny arms.
“You don’t want to see this, babe, I promise you.” His voiced cracked with emotion.
“Let it go, Abby.” Jose’s voice rang loudly. He stood motioning for her to join him. Dezi released her and she flew to Jose’s arms to sink down on the floor of the truck, trying to forget the feeling of the bumps that weren’t road under the wheels of the truck.
“It was them or us.” Jose’s voice sounded with the bitterness of deathly reality, the trucks finally making time on the road.
*
The moon gleamed happily high in the sky, indifferent to the misery of the occupants of the truck caravan as it pulled into Lily Pond Road. Abby scrambled out of the truck, avoiding the blood splattered on the bumpers of Crystal’s big truck.
She flew to the front door to be met by Mama Diaz with open arms.
“Oh, my child, it’s so good to see you.”
Abby cried as Mama stroked her hair, making her feel like a youth again, wanting to disappear into her capable arms and never emerge.
“Oh, Lord, what do we have here?” Mama Diaz faced the trucks to see a stunning Siberian tiger standing on the lawn, his head swaying from side to side as he scanned the people emerging from the last truck in line, eyes glowing as he spotted Scotty.
“Mama, you must follow Scotty. Take the girls into the woods. He’ll show you where to go. We must hurry. There is little time. I’ll be there shortly. I need to get the rest of the animals headed to the woods. They won’t hurt you. It’s okay.” Mama hesitated.
Abby called to Dezi. “Dez, I’m putting you in charge of getting Mama and the girls to the woods with their stuff. Don’t leave their side. Clear?”
Dezi winked. “Sounds like a chance to do you another solid there, babe.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Dez, I’ll owe you.” And she ran off.
The unloading progressed nicely. Abby ran from trucker to trucker, reminding them not to forget their personal pets, counting a pregnant tabby cat, a pair of bunnies, a male German shepherd, an aquarium of mice (rescued no less) and a female poodle. Her fear of trying to persuade the truckers to join their refuge no longer worried her as they all expressed their gratefulness over the shelter. She secretly shuddered at what their reactions would be when they realized what they were really in for.
She loaded Karen, their ex-copilot, with suitcases from Mama Diaz. Loaded down heavily, Karen caught up with Dezi to climb the hill that led into the woods.
Echo and the dogs stood to the side, waiting to bring up the rear with Abby.
“Go, go, go.” She moved everyone on as they tried to encourage her to join them.
Abby scanned the dark houses in the neighborhood wondering why they failed to attract any curious eyes. Must all be hunkered down in their basements. No sooner did the thought cross her mind when she spotted a small figure running down the hill towards her, nothing less than a turtle in his small hands. Kimir. Oh, no.
“What are you doing outside at this hour, Kimir?”
The young boy stopped in front of Abby, breathless. “I watched every day for Scotty to come back. I want the monster in his shirt to fix my turtle again. Something’s wrong with his shell. It’s all soft. And he won’t eat anymore.” Kimir started to cry. “He won’t eat his favorite donuts.”
“Donuts? That’s not what a turtle should eat.”
“Where’s Scotty? I need him.”
Abby made a quick decision. She knelt down and pointed to the trail of animals disappearing over the hill. Glancing toward the last truck, she spotted Crystal hooking her pig up to its halter and leash. Kimir’s tear-stained face and dark beseeching eyes pleaded with her for help; a simple request from a little boy who counted the biggest thing in his life to be the health of his turtle.
“See that nice lady over there? She’s taking her pig to Scotty. Crystal. Over here.” Crystal trotted her pig over to Abby. “Can you take Kimir up the hill with you? Help him find Scotty.”
“Sure. Come on, doll, we have to hustle.” She took Kimir’s hand and started for the hill leading into the woods. Kimir glanced back at Abby, lost and pitiful.
“It’s okay, Kimir, I’ll be right behind you in five minutes.” She smiled encouragingly. As she reviewed the remaining trucks, she felt a strong aura probe her mind.
“It is time, Sister Abby. There is no time left. We must go now.” Abby noticed that Mimi, Penny, Barney and Echo remained behind waiting for her.
“Abby, come on.” Jose ran down the hill, waving for her to come. She scooped up Echo and Mimi, heading for the hill.
“Come on, Penny, Barney. You big guys can walk.”
Penny whined softly then stood, waiting for Barney. The aura gyrated. “My Barney is different, Sister Abby. He is sick. I need to cure him, put me down.”
“Not now, Echo. Barney’s fine.” She glanced back to check on their progress as Barney stood, walking forward slowly, with Penny at his side. Jose met her at the base of the hill.
“Here, let me take Echo. Let’s go . . . double time.” They scaled the hill, plunging into the woods, following the well-marked trail, animal droppings marking the way in the moonlight. As they approached the huge granite rock, Penny ran ahead to follow Jose into the Hive. Abby paused to steal a last quick peek at the ever-present moon, wondering how long it would be before she enjoyed the pleasure of standing under it again. Hurrying on, she followed Jose into the Hive.
*
The iconic moon sent its silvery beams down to the quiet neighborhood on Lily Pond Road, illuminating the silent homes; the abandoned tractor trailers motionless, no movement anywhere. Cool air settled to the ground as wisps of fog floated over the backyards where the laughter of children sounded, just a fragment of elusive memory mocking the moon. Crickets sent their nightly message to the gleaming globe, grateful for its magnetic presence. A red fox skimmed the edge of the forest, startled by the unfamiliar smell of cooling elephant dung, shivering at the image of the beast that had left its calling card on the edge of its territory. The fox picked up the trail of other canines, following the scent that led toward a huge boulder he knew well. A sound perked his ears. Cautiously, the fox crept through the underbrush where he came to a stop.
Three yards from the brush lay a medium-sized white dog with curly hair. The dog whined, its body shaking with tremors and seizures. The body stilled; then the dog’s head rose. Struggling to its feet, the disorientated dog walked in a circle, its legs trembling. Its body seized again, falling to the ground. The fox moved, causing the underbrush to rustle. The dog glanced at the spot where the fox hid, his tail thumping a lonely message of hope, then fading and still.
The moon cast a beam on the clearing, the fox trembling as he watched the light in the white curly-haired dog’s eyes dim and fade.
The fox stood rooted to his spot in the underbrush. After a time, he crept slowly up to the body of the white dog, sniffing . . . sensing the warmth of the body saying goodbye. Suddenly the fox raised its head to the air, his nose to the east and, in a blink, disappeared into the woods, leaving the forgotten white curly-haired dog named Barney alone under a moon that mourned.