especially with fall comin’. Ya get used to it.” She nodded, grateful for whatever protection she could get while on the beast. Noticing a nearby mirror, she walked over to stand in front of it. A gasp escaped her lips as she drank in the reflection. Amiel almost didn’t recognize the girl in the mirror, could even almost picture herself as one of the bikers she’d seen driving through her town on the way to their destinations. She’d dreamed of being in their shoes for so long, yet her day dreams had never yielded a better picture than the one staring back at her now. The leather chaps accentuated her slender legs, the jacket and gloves gave her a tough biker chick appeal, and the helmet nestled under her arm added a promise of mystery and anonymity. The long mahogany hair cascading down to her waist added sex appeal. She smiled confidently back at her reflection. Not too shabby. Tandy walked over next to her and bent to examine her boots.
“Nice boots” he said, complimenting her. Her smile faded slightly.
“Thanks. They were a gift from my brother.” If he noticed her glum tone, he didn’t acknowledge it.
“Good taste. They’ll do nicely on the road. Better yet, looks like they’re already broke in. Be more comfortable in ‘em for the long hours of ridin’.” She nodded, silent. “Right then, let’s get in the truck. Grab your bag and hop in.” She paused, momentarily disoriented and not at all ready to make her dream journey into a reality.
“Truck? Aren’t we riding the bikes?”
“Not till y’all learn the proper way of ridin’, we ain’t. Takin’ your trainin’ wheels off on Main Street ain’t exactly the best way to stay unnoticed. I’m guessin’ y’all wouldn’t want your ma comin’ home early and cuttin’ off your escape attempt.” He was definitely right about that one. The twinkle in his eyes left no doubt in her mind he knew just how desperately she wanted to avoid that.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ve got a place in the Outer City Limits. We’ll stay there till we’re ready.”
“We’re going to the Outer Limits?” she interrupted, swallowing hard. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous? I mean, I’ve heard the Rabids get inside sometimes.” The city did its best to keep the infected outside of the Inner walls, and it had been years since anyone had been infected. The Inner Walls that protected the heart of the city were tall, constructed of thick concrete and were heavily guarded at all times. And then there were the Outer walls that were a larger more imposing version of the Inner walls, only they were so big that they were less well guarded than the Inner walls. As such there were the occasional Rabids that found their way through damaged sections of the walls, or through some other inventive form or another. It was why Malinda had been so furious at Amiel for having been so close to the Inner City walls that night. While the walls were heavily guarded, there was always the off chance that a Rabid could find its way through. Very few of the city’s inhabitants ventured past the Inner walls, much less to the Outer walls or beyond. Unless of course they were like her mother, with a fully armed escort to parade them to the safe guarded roadways that lead to other protected cities like their own. Tandy stared at her as though she should be committed to an asylum. He was probably right.
“Y’all sure ya wanna to do this, honey? Ya do realize that while there may be some Rabes in the Outer Limits, there’s a whole heck of a lot more outside the city protections. And we’re gonna have to travel a long way through the Vasts to get where ya wanna go. And then we’re gonna have to fight through a whole bunch more of ‘em just to get into the city.” Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed, but she knew he was right.
“Gosh, you’re right. I sounded like a complete idiot just now. If I can’t handle the Outter Limits I certainly can’t handle the Vasts, or
“Nice boots” he said, complimenting her. Her smile faded slightly.
“Thanks. They were a gift from my brother.” If he noticed her glum tone, he didn’t acknowledge it.
“Good taste. They’ll do nicely on the road. Better yet, looks like they’re already broke in. Be more comfortable in ‘em for the long hours of ridin’.” She nodded, silent. “Right then, let’s get in the truck. Grab your bag and hop in.” She paused, momentarily disoriented and not at all ready to make her dream journey into a reality.
“Truck? Aren’t we riding the bikes?”
“Not till y’all learn the proper way of ridin’, we ain’t. Takin’ your trainin’ wheels off on Main Street ain’t exactly the best way to stay unnoticed. I’m guessin’ y’all wouldn’t want your ma comin’ home early and cuttin’ off your escape attempt.” He was definitely right about that one. The twinkle in his eyes left no doubt in her mind he knew just how desperately she wanted to avoid that.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ve got a place in the Outer City Limits. We’ll stay there till we’re ready.”
“We’re going to the Outer Limits?” she interrupted, swallowing hard. “Isn’t that kind of dangerous? I mean, I’ve heard the Rabids get inside sometimes.” The city did its best to keep the infected outside of the Inner walls, and it had been years since anyone had been infected. The Inner Walls that protected the heart of the city were tall, constructed of thick concrete and were heavily guarded at all times. And then there were the Outer walls that were a larger more imposing version of the Inner walls, only they were so big that they were less well guarded than the Inner walls. As such there were the occasional Rabids that found their way through damaged sections of the walls, or through some other inventive form or another. It was why Malinda had been so furious at Amiel for having been so close to the Inner City walls that night. While the walls were heavily guarded, there was always the off chance that a Rabid could find its way through. Very few of the city’s inhabitants ventured past the Inner walls, much less to the Outer walls or beyond. Unless of course they were like her mother, with a fully armed escort to parade them to the safe guarded roadways that lead to other protected cities like their own. Tandy stared at her as though she should be committed to an asylum. He was probably right.
“Y’all sure ya wanna to do this, honey? Ya do realize that while there may be some Rabes in the Outer Limits, there’s a whole heck of a lot more outside the city protections. And we’re gonna have to travel a long way through the Vasts to get where ya wanna go. And then we’re gonna have to fight through a whole bunch more of ‘em just to get into the city.” Her cheeks flushed, embarrassed, but she knew he was right.
“Gosh, you’re right. I sounded like a complete idiot just now. If I can’t handle the Outter Limits I certainly can’t handle the Vasts, or
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