walkers the survivors (5 page)

   
So we left the bus behind and stuck the Dukemobile in the middle of the convoy and headed east for Brush, Colorado where we would head south to New Mexico.  I felt a lot better about things since we had fuel, pop tarts and water, the road looked clear as far as the eye could see and the mountains loomed to our right, seemingly, like they were pacing us as we rolled along.  Near dark, we pulled off in the parking area at the Dairy Queen in Last Chance Colorado, about 70 miles east of Denver.  The land was flat, barren and you could see for miles.  While we prepared for supper, the guys secured the building which hadn't been used in years and set up a secure perimeter.  Duke was still getting acquainted with the electronics of his new wheels so we'd do things the hard way until he figured everything out.  He said the place could do everything but make love but I didn't want to go there.

    
When it got dark, the sky was a blanket of stars from horizon to horizon. You didn't know where to look it all so beautiful.  We had a small to-do over a walker staggering by in the middle of the night which proved the security system worked, but other than that it was a nice, quiet night for a change.

                                                            
CHAPTER 5

    
I woke up alone the next morning but I wasn't worried about it and was in no hurry to get up.  The bunk was tight, but the small windows were open, letting in a warm breeze.  I closed my eyes and could imagine my big, queen sized bed at the cabin, cool, sweet air sending the curtains dancing and the calls of the morning dove.  When I opened my eyes again, I saw the skylight in the bunk, no curtains but the sounds of kids playing had me throwing back the covers and searching for my clothes.

    
When I climbed off the truck and saw the Dukemobile, I was taken aback at the science fiction of it.  I turned my head to the side and studied it a moment and was startled at the sound of footsteps behind me. "Kinda hard to imagine, ain't it?"  Sarah asked. 

    
"I'd say.  But somehow I can see Duke at the wheel.  How's the inside coming?"

    
"I have to admit, I had my doubts at first but he's done wonders and I think I can live with it. Somewhere in town, he found some flowered sheets and a comforter for the bed so I think I can get past the star wars effect.  Still, I have to admit, it does look like him.  Like someone thought of him when they were designing it."  We both stared at it a moment longer then turned and headed towards Lacy's RV.  "He's beside himself with all the gadgets and buttons.  I swear he was up all night playing with the damned thing.  Even woke us up because he had the sound to loud at one point.  I just rolled over and put the pillow on my head.  You can't talk to him when he's like that, so I warn you, don't try."

    
"Thanks for the heads up.  I think we should leave as early as possible this morning.  No telling what lays in store for us up the road.  We've lost a lot of time and he'll have all winter to mess with that thing."

    
"Yes, he said the same thing.  Doing it, however, is something else entirely."

    
When we approached Lacy's RV, most of the gang was standing around outside.  They were talking and as we approached I found the subject was the Dukemobile.  Mason turned when I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled before kissing me on the nose.  Lacy rolled her eyes and Mercy yelled from inside to hurry and eat.

    
Mason came inside and had another cup of coffee as I ate pancakes and fried spam.  Yea, I know I said I'd never eat the stuff again, but desperate measures and all that.

    
"Looks like it's a clear shot south to New Mexico on flat road from here, barring any road blocks and broken bridges."  I said, around a mouthful of pancakes.  I found if I chewed a few times, swallowed then took a drink of coffee I could get done faster.  Mason gave me funny look but didn't say anything.  Gotta love the man for discretion.

    
"All the outfits are fueled and ready to go.  Duke's been going nuts getting all his new play-toys up and running.  He was even able to get a hold of Ken this morning.  They're doing ok and he told them where we were.  He's so damned excited, Duke that is, that you can't talk to him."

    
"That's what Sarah said, so I won't talk to him.  He won't notice.  I hope he plans to drive that thing, cause I don't know if it would be a good idea for Sarah to drive while he plays."

    
"I thought of that but he said he was the only one driving it, so it'll be ok.  What the hell?"

    
I started to say something when I noticed the rocking.  Mason flew out the door, just as the sign on the building next to us fell to the ground.  An earthquake? Really?  I sat abruptly on the step as things rattled and rolled, the sound of glass breaking loud in the silence of the flatland.  It didn't last long but it felt like it.  The pancakes in my stomach weren't settling well, but I didn't care.  When was the last time an earthquake hit this area?  Then I thought explosion and looked in a circle around us for the mushroom cloud.  Okay, maybe I was being silly, but really.  What was that?

    
We stood and looked around at each other until some imaginary bell sounded and as one unit, we prepared to leave.  We didn't have to do much to get ready so we pulled out on the road and waited for the others to get in line behind us.

    
"I hope no bridges went down because of that, whatever it was."  I said, fluttering my hands at the same time.

    
"Don't even think it.  I don't know if we even want to do much more backtracking.  Remember, back when you could just get in your truck, and drive down the road?  You could go hundreds of miles in one day.   Now, you're lucky to go fifty miles without having to backtrack eighty."

    
"Yeah, I know.  I miss the good ole days too."

    
He smiled at me, then reached for my hand.  "At least we're together through this nonsense.   I can't think of another person I'd rather backtrack with."

    
"Oh, shut up, fool and drive down the road.   Looks like they're all ready."  Just then they each piped up over the CB that they were, in fact, ready and if we didn't move they'd go around us.  Geez!  We headed south.

    
Almost exactly one hour later we sat in the road staring at the buckled road in front of us.  We'd all gotten out of our outfits and were standing in a line staring at the mess. 

    
"Do you think we should try it?"  Lacy asked.

    
"I don't know.  Maybe one of us should just walk out and test it."  Sarah offered.

    
So Mason tentatively walked out to the wrinkled, black tar and started walking slowly across it.  It looked like about 30 feet of it was disturbed but there was no telling how bad.  Mason reached the other side, inspecting the shoulder of the road closely, then walked back across it.

    
"Looks like it might be a little soft, but I think it's okay otherwise.  I'll take the semi across, and that should be a good enough test.  If I make it we all should."

    
"If  'we' make it you mean, you aren't crossing that without me."

    
"Now JD, there's no reason...Hey!"  He yelled, as I headed back to the semi.  Climbing in, I tightened my seat belt as he opened the door.

    
"What do you think you're doing?"  he asked, clearly upset.

    
"I'm waiting on you evidently."  I stared out the windshield, waiting for him to close my door.

    
He stared at me a moment, then closed the door, stomped around the front of the truck, and got in.  Putting it in gear made a horrible, angry dragon sound , then he took a big breath, put it in gear and we eased forward.

    
Everyone parted and as we passed them but I could see the worried looks on their faces.  I hope they didn't see the scared look on my face.  Regardless, I was so not letting Mason do this alone.

    
The truck sank a couple of inches but the ground held.  Mason was having trouble controlling the steering wheel because the soft ground pulled him back and forth.  Semi's have an air ride system but the way we were hopping up and down in our seats had me afraid I'd be thrown through the roof.  Add that to the swaying and dipping the cab did side to side and it was a terrifying ride.  I was thankful we were only crawling because if we'd been going any faster we'd have wrecked.  We had just gained the hard part of the road when I looked in the mirror and saw everyone jumping up and down and pointing.  Then I saw the road behind us disappearing.

    
"Go. Go. Go.  Kick this fucking thing in the ass, the road's going.  Drive. Drive Drive.  Hurry. Hurry.”  I was nearly jumping in the seat as Mason jammed gears like a rookie and finally the trailer wheels found hard pavement.  We drove on another hundred feet or so to be sure, then jumped out of the truck, and ran back to check the damage.  The road continued to disappear as we watched and when it finally stopped there was a chasm a hundred feet deep and about 50 feet wide.  We were standing on one side while the rest of the crew stood on the other side staring at us.

    
Now what are we going to do, JD?
Lacy asked, mind to mind because the distance was too far to be yelling.

    
I ah...well hell, I ah...don't really...um ....

    
That's not helping JD.
She thought at me.

    
I know that, let me think a minute.

    
I looked at Mason, who was staring at the hole like it was gonna get him.  He was no help.  So I went to the truck and got out the map.  I was so flustered I couldn't think of what I was doing, so I was just as useless as everyone else.  I finally walked back to Mason and stared at the hole too.  What can I say, I was shaking like a whore in church from the adrenalin rush.  It didn't take me very long to sit hard on the hot pavement and cuss because it was too hot to be sitting on.  On the verge of tears I finally used Mason's pants legs to pull myself back up but he was shaking too so I just flung the map book down on the ground and screamed.  Yea, childish I know but the moment called for some drastic action and that was mine.  Mason jumped like he'd been hit with a couple thousand volts of electricity, as did the others and then everyone started talking at once.

    
How are we getting across, JD?

    
I don't think you are.  You're gonna have to find another way around.  As soon as I stop shaking, I'll look at the map and see.  Do you have a map?

    
No, we were depending on you, like we always do.  I guess that was a bad idea.

    
Now don't get excited about it, we just have to back up ten and punt.  Let me look at this thing for a minute.

    
So they milled around on their side of the road while I looked at the map.  There was several ways around but I didn't know if those roads weren't torn open like this one.  So, I told Lacy and she told everyone else.  We'd go on to Rocky Ford and wait for them.  There wasn't anything else we could do.  I didn't like it but we had no choice.  We watched as they slowly turned around, and drove back the way they'd come. I didn't realize just what effect watching them leave would have on me, until Mason pulled me into his arms and I realized I was crying.

   
We had some slow going when we found the road buckled up in several places.  I thought the semi was going to turn over once but it didn't.  It didn't help much when we drove right by a prison.  The damned thing was right next to the road with signs posted saying it was unlawful to pick up hitchhikers.  Yea, okay, whatever.  The prison walkers saw us and headed our direction, the fence keeping them from reaching us.  When I looked in the mirrors I could still see them straining to get to us, the fence swaying under their weight.  I didn't even want to think about that and hoped they calmed down before they tore the fence down.  It was a relief when we couldn't see them anymore.

    
It was two hours later when we finally pulled into the outskirts of Rocky Ford.  We headed for the rest area we spotted on the map and I'd told Lacy we'd be waiting.  Now all we had to do was wait.

    
Mason wanted me to get into the bunk and take a nap while he watched out for them but I was being stubborn so I promptly fell asleep in the passenger seat instead.  He woke me gently when it got dark,
JD, honey I need you to quietly crawl to the bunk with the least amount of noise as possible.  There's a herd coming.

      
OK, that woke me up.  I couldn't look so I just quietly slipped from the seat and crawled to the bunk and into the bed.  He very quietly followed me, slowly closing the curtains so they wouldn't be noticeable.
The doors
, I thought.  G
ot 'em,
he
thought and we stayed there for a long time, him holding me and me letting him.  I tried to connect with Lacy but still nothing.  I didn't have to ask if Mason was trying cause I caught him a couple of times, nearly yelling in his mind to her.  We'd just have to wait a bit longer.

    
We both fell asleep sometime during the night, waiting.  Waiting for the walkers to pass, waiting for the crew to show up, waiting for Lacy to connect.  I tried not to worry, I really did but I finally gave up and worried my head off.  If you're going to do something do it to the best of your ability.  That's what my mama always said.  I picked and chose when I followed that rule as a, well, general rule and this was one of those times.

    
Morning came and with it a thunderstorm.  Well, hell, why not.  The wind buffeted the truck rocking us and trying to lift the hood.  They're only made of fiberglass anyway, so it didn't take much.  The rain came down in sheets and the lightning was non stop which meant the thunder was non stop also.  I was tired, hungry, worried and had to go to the bathroom.  I know, I always have to go when things are in a pinch but that's just my luck.  I gave Mason the 'I have to go' look and he looked around but didn't find anything for me to use.  I already knew about it, so he just shrugged his shoulders and cupped my chin.
Sorry, brat. 
He kissed me good enough that I became interested in other things, till we felt the truck get banged against.  Oh, for heavens sake.