The King's Highway (Days of Dread Trilogy Book 1) by Caryl Mcadoo Page A
Authors: Caryl Mcadoo
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Woods Allison, time to put the weirdness behind you. Get your people back on the move.
Boggs walked beside him back to the maintenance shed. Once inside, it pleased him that the kids and all the stuff were well hidden. “Okay, guys, all clear. Y’all can come out now.”
“What was it?” McKenzie stood then stepped from behind a diesel drum.
“Don’t know, exactly, but whatever, it’s gone now.”
Although she eyed him hard, she didn’t give voice to her obvious suspicion that he’d just lied. He hated it that she knew him so well and could read him like that. According to her and his mother, there was never a good enough reason to lie. But sometimes, it seemed appropriate to him not to tell everything he knew—or thought he knew.
Not that he knew anything about what he just saw…or didn’t see.
She tilted her head down a notch staring at him from concerned eyes and mouthed ‘you okay’?
He nodded. “So, have we got everything packed?”
His little brother popped up and held out the tent. “What should we do with this? And shouldn’t I get your old pack and give Al mine?”
Taking the tent, Jackson hefted it. Didn’t weigh that much, but it was bulky. He looked at his brother. “Think you can handle the bigger one?”
With a snort, Cooper glanced at the nerd. “I could carry Al and your pack.”
The know-it-all offered a nervous chuckle. “He may be correct, sir. I’ve never exhibited a proclivity for athletics or been known for my strength.”
“Whatever, no problem. We can try that.” The boys swapped backpacks, and Cooper smiled like he could carry the extra weight just fine. “Anything else?”
No one said anything.
Checking his pack, he found a place to tie on the tent then picked it up. Wow, thirty pounds or more. Well, he’d just have to carry it. Sure didn’t want to leave anything behind. Getting this bunch to his grandparents looked like it would be tough enough. He shouldered his load and looked around one last time.
Not seeing anything worth lugging, he pronounced the end of the detour. “Okay then, let’s get gone.”
“Wait.” Al held his hands out. “I almost forget. We have some triple antibiotic ointment now in the first-aid kit.”
“So?”
“I should put some on Aria’s wound and change her bandages.”
“Sure, but let’s get to it.”
Aria didn’t much like the nerd messing with her, but also knew he was right. Her poppy had seen to it that she always had whatever medicine she needed and insisted she should use it. She slipped off the pack, pushed back the jacket from the drum she’d claimed as her own—not that all of it wasn’t hers—then lifted her shirt.
Al grabbed the edge of the bandage. “Fast or slow?”
She looked at him. “What?”
“Would you prefer I remove the tape swiftly or leisurely?”
“Swiftly, uh, fast.” She looked away. She wished she’d told Jackson that she’d rather he do it, but it was probably better for the nerd to handle it. He seemed to enjoy the doctor role without anything personal getting in the way. She really didn’t want the leader getting the wrong idea, but having him touch her side would be way better than the brainiac fussing over her.
“There, all done.”
She pushed her shirt back down. “Thanks.”
“What’s that?” Al pointed to her chest.
She glanced down. Something white poked out of the little inside chest pocket on her jacket. She pulled it out and unfolded it. With each word she read, her breath came harder. Tears welled and overflowed racing down her cheek.
McKenzie stepped beside her and held Aria’s arm. “What is it?”
CHAPTER NINE
Girls crying gave Jackson the heebee-jeebies. He hated it. Man, they could get weepy over almost anything, too. McKenzie went to boo-hooing over a baby miniature donkey picture one time that she thought was so cute. He eased closer. A part of him wanted to hug Aria and tell her everything would be okay, but he didn’t
Boggs walked beside him back to the maintenance shed. Once inside, it pleased him that the kids and all the stuff were well hidden. “Okay, guys, all clear. Y’all can come out now.”
“What was it?” McKenzie stood then stepped from behind a diesel drum.
“Don’t know, exactly, but whatever, it’s gone now.”
Although she eyed him hard, she didn’t give voice to her obvious suspicion that he’d just lied. He hated it that she knew him so well and could read him like that. According to her and his mother, there was never a good enough reason to lie. But sometimes, it seemed appropriate to him not to tell everything he knew—or thought he knew.
Not that he knew anything about what he just saw…or didn’t see.
She tilted her head down a notch staring at him from concerned eyes and mouthed ‘you okay’?
He nodded. “So, have we got everything packed?”
His little brother popped up and held out the tent. “What should we do with this? And shouldn’t I get your old pack and give Al mine?”
Taking the tent, Jackson hefted it. Didn’t weigh that much, but it was bulky. He looked at his brother. “Think you can handle the bigger one?”
With a snort, Cooper glanced at the nerd. “I could carry Al and your pack.”
The know-it-all offered a nervous chuckle. “He may be correct, sir. I’ve never exhibited a proclivity for athletics or been known for my strength.”
“Whatever, no problem. We can try that.” The boys swapped backpacks, and Cooper smiled like he could carry the extra weight just fine. “Anything else?”
No one said anything.
Checking his pack, he found a place to tie on the tent then picked it up. Wow, thirty pounds or more. Well, he’d just have to carry it. Sure didn’t want to leave anything behind. Getting this bunch to his grandparents looked like it would be tough enough. He shouldered his load and looked around one last time.
Not seeing anything worth lugging, he pronounced the end of the detour. “Okay then, let’s get gone.”
“Wait.” Al held his hands out. “I almost forget. We have some triple antibiotic ointment now in the first-aid kit.”
“So?”
“I should put some on Aria’s wound and change her bandages.”
“Sure, but let’s get to it.”
Aria didn’t much like the nerd messing with her, but also knew he was right. Her poppy had seen to it that she always had whatever medicine she needed and insisted she should use it. She slipped off the pack, pushed back the jacket from the drum she’d claimed as her own—not that all of it wasn’t hers—then lifted her shirt.
Al grabbed the edge of the bandage. “Fast or slow?”
She looked at him. “What?”
“Would you prefer I remove the tape swiftly or leisurely?”
“Swiftly, uh, fast.” She looked away. She wished she’d told Jackson that she’d rather he do it, but it was probably better for the nerd to handle it. He seemed to enjoy the doctor role without anything personal getting in the way. She really didn’t want the leader getting the wrong idea, but having him touch her side would be way better than the brainiac fussing over her.
“There, all done.”
She pushed her shirt back down. “Thanks.”
“What’s that?” Al pointed to her chest.
She glanced down. Something white poked out of the little inside chest pocket on her jacket. She pulled it out and unfolded it. With each word she read, her breath came harder. Tears welled and overflowed racing down her cheek.
McKenzie stepped beside her and held Aria’s arm. “What is it?”
CHAPTER NINE
Girls crying gave Jackson the heebee-jeebies. He hated it. Man, they could get weepy over almost anything, too. McKenzie went to boo-hooing over a baby miniature donkey picture one time that she thought was so cute. He eased closer. A part of him wanted to hug Aria and tell her everything would be okay, but he didn’t
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