Eleven
“Shit,” said Justice, tapping on the gas gauge , thirty minutes out of Rockford. “I think we’re running out of gas, already.”
Allie leaned over and looked at the gauge . “Why does it say that it’s half-full, then?”
“Must be broken.”
“Are we going to make it to the next town?” asked Kylie, staring into darkness, which held nothing but fields, trees, and the walking dead.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we’re screwed.”
“How far is it to the next town?” asked Allie.
“Janesville is another thirty miles, but we should be able to find an abandoned vehicle along the way. A farmstead or something ,” he replied.
“We have to walk?” squeaked Kylie, in horror. “In the darkness, all alone?”
He shrugged. “Well, you can wait in the truck until I come back with something more suitable.”
“Oh no,” she said. “Been there, done that. We’re coming with you.”
Within minutes the truck began to coast on the fumes alone. When it finally stalled, they got out of the truck and started walking.
“Pace yourself,” he said, staring forward into the darkness. “We probably have a very long walk a head of us.”
“It’s so dark,” said Kyle , biting her lower lip. “And there are so… many trees. Anything could be lurking in there, waiting for the right time to attack us.”
“ True, so keep your eyes open,” he replied, “and your voices down.”
“At least it’s not raining anymore,” whispered Allie.
“ True, but it left us with the smell of dead fish,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Hell, the smells on this planet just keep getting better and better every day.”
“And copper,” said Kylie. “It smells like copper, too.”
Justice sighed. “You’re not going to start with that bloody water thing again, are you?”
“Why can’t you open your mind along with your eyes?” she said. “This is only the beginning of what’s going to happen. A beginning to an end.”
“Dun, dun, dun…” chuckled Justice.
“You really think this is the end of the world?” whispered Allie, a knot forming in her stomach. She was exhausted and Kylie’s fanatical predictions were starting to really get to her.
Kylie’s eyes glittered in the darkness. “Well, I believe that it’s the end of something and that the zombies are just the prequel. Soon we’re going to be in the middle of something so profound, that it’s going to change the rest of humanity, forever. For some, it’s going to be exhilarating and beautiful, for others, it’s going to be devastating.”
Allie stopped in her tracks. “Okay, you’re beginning to really freak me out. I’v e never heard you talk like that. You sound so…prophetic. Is that even a word?”
She smiled. “ Yes.”
“So, this is all of the stuff you watched on the History channel?” asked Justice.
“Um, well… a little. But, I know you’re both going to think I’m crazy…”
“What?” asked Allie.
“ I’ve been having these dreams,” she said. “Crazy wild dreams, about war and death.”
“War and death?” frowned Allie. “Seriously? That sounds so morbid.”
She nodded. “ I know, right? I’ve had several these last couple of weeks. I’ve dreamt about, now don’t laugh, but angels fighting demons. Demons that are being led by Satan.”
Justice’s eyebrows shot up. “Satan? Oh boy. Look, I’m going to be honest with you- I’m an atheist. A firm atheist. So, obviously, I’m going to tell you that your mind is playing tricks on you. That there is no such thing as the Devil, demons, or even God .”
“Seriously?” asked Allie, turning to him. “You really believe that?”
“Of course. If there was a God, why would he have allowed so many people to die? Innocent people. And don’t tell me that only the really wicked ones were killed, because my little sister was as sweet and virtuous as they come,” he said, his eyes moistening up. “She
“Shit,” said Justice, tapping on the gas gauge , thirty minutes out of Rockford. “I think we’re running out of gas, already.”
Allie leaned over and looked at the gauge . “Why does it say that it’s half-full, then?”
“Must be broken.”
“Are we going to make it to the next town?” asked Kylie, staring into darkness, which held nothing but fields, trees, and the walking dead.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we’re screwed.”
“How far is it to the next town?” asked Allie.
“Janesville is another thirty miles, but we should be able to find an abandoned vehicle along the way. A farmstead or something ,” he replied.
“We have to walk?” squeaked Kylie, in horror. “In the darkness, all alone?”
He shrugged. “Well, you can wait in the truck until I come back with something more suitable.”
“Oh no,” she said. “Been there, done that. We’re coming with you.”
Within minutes the truck began to coast on the fumes alone. When it finally stalled, they got out of the truck and started walking.
“Pace yourself,” he said, staring forward into the darkness. “We probably have a very long walk a head of us.”
“It’s so dark,” said Kyle , biting her lower lip. “And there are so… many trees. Anything could be lurking in there, waiting for the right time to attack us.”
“ True, so keep your eyes open,” he replied, “and your voices down.”
“At least it’s not raining anymore,” whispered Allie.
“ True, but it left us with the smell of dead fish,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Hell, the smells on this planet just keep getting better and better every day.”
“And copper,” said Kylie. “It smells like copper, too.”
Justice sighed. “You’re not going to start with that bloody water thing again, are you?”
“Why can’t you open your mind along with your eyes?” she said. “This is only the beginning of what’s going to happen. A beginning to an end.”
“Dun, dun, dun…” chuckled Justice.
“You really think this is the end of the world?” whispered Allie, a knot forming in her stomach. She was exhausted and Kylie’s fanatical predictions were starting to really get to her.
Kylie’s eyes glittered in the darkness. “Well, I believe that it’s the end of something and that the zombies are just the prequel. Soon we’re going to be in the middle of something so profound, that it’s going to change the rest of humanity, forever. For some, it’s going to be exhilarating and beautiful, for others, it’s going to be devastating.”
Allie stopped in her tracks. “Okay, you’re beginning to really freak me out. I’v e never heard you talk like that. You sound so…prophetic. Is that even a word?”
She smiled. “ Yes.”
“So, this is all of the stuff you watched on the History channel?” asked Justice.
“Um, well… a little. But, I know you’re both going to think I’m crazy…”
“What?” asked Allie.
“ I’ve been having these dreams,” she said. “Crazy wild dreams, about war and death.”
“War and death?” frowned Allie. “Seriously? That sounds so morbid.”
She nodded. “ I know, right? I’ve had several these last couple of weeks. I’ve dreamt about, now don’t laugh, but angels fighting demons. Demons that are being led by Satan.”
Justice’s eyebrows shot up. “Satan? Oh boy. Look, I’m going to be honest with you- I’m an atheist. A firm atheist. So, obviously, I’m going to tell you that your mind is playing tricks on you. That there is no such thing as the Devil, demons, or even God .”
“Seriously?” asked Allie, turning to him. “You really believe that?”
“Of course. If there was a God, why would he have allowed so many people to die? Innocent people. And don’t tell me that only the really wicked ones were killed, because my little sister was as sweet and virtuous as they come,” he said, his eyes moistening up. “She
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