"That sounds nuts, right?"
"If that was evil," John spoke up calmly, "then what are we? Good?"
"Possibly," Gary replied.
"Kind of makes you wish you had gone to church a little more often, doesn't it?" Frank asked, paused for a second, and then went on. "I never believed in God. I'll say that right out. We all said it already. But I'm starting to wonder. It's a hard thing for me to fully accept, but if I accept God being real, then I can accept the Devil, or evil, I guess, and that was what that thing was, I also felt there was something in that car, that thing was evil. I... No, Gary, I don't think you're nuts. If you are then we all are. I mean there has got to be some way to explain or at least understand this."
"You just did," Annie said quietly from beside him.
"She's right, Frank," Gary said, "You did. God and the Devil, good and evil. It's the same thing. Maybe that's it. Maybe we are good and whatever evil is was in that car, and I don't think evil wants us here, or anywhere for that matter. I don't think this is a rational or explainable world anymore. If it isn't, then all that's left, Is simply good or evil. There is no in between any more, just one or the other."
"So what’s next?" Gina asked, expectantly.
"If I knew that," Gary answered. "I guess I would be God. I'm not, so I don't know..."
"...Just to make my position clear though, I don't intend to start waxing religious, but you can bet that I might just start praying. It used to seem superstitious to me. Not anymore. Now it seems important."
Silence hung in the air for a few moments, and Connie spoke up. "But what should we do? Should we go back, or go into Rochester, or should we maybe go somewhere else?"
"I think that question needs to be answered by all of us," Gary replied calmly. "It's not a question one person can answer, and we've pretty much stuck together so far, I can't see splitting up if there's a disagreement. I think we all need to decide together."
"I don't see any reason to go back to Watertown," Lisa said
"I agree," Dave joined in.
"Well, whatever you guys decide is fine with me, I guess," Bob mumbled. Gary eyeballed him curiously.
"There's nothing there for us," Connie said.
One by one they all voiced their opinions, until only John, Annie, Frank and Gary were left.
"I don't see the sense in it," Frank said quietly. The remaining three nodded their heads in agreement.
"So... do we go into Rochester, or somewhere else?" Gary asked softly as he looked around the cramped garage.
"I for one would hate to think we came all this way for nothing," John said. "I vote we go. If it's bad," he shrugged his shoulders, "we get the hell out and go somewhere else."
Gary looked back at the small group. "Well?"
Silently, they all nodded their heads in agreement.
"That's that then," Gary said. "We'll go in the mornin'," he paused. "Tonight though, I think we need to keep watch. I'm going to take the first watch, who's next?"
"Me," Bob said.
"I'll relieve you," Dave said, "just get me up when you get tired."
"That should see us through the night," Gary said. "...I think it's best if we all sleep in here tonight, and on this side, behind the trucks. It might be a bit crowded, but I don't want to take any chances." Gary finished, picked up his rifle, and headed towards the glass enclosed front of the gas station, and the small group began to break apart. Annie spoke up, after most of the others had drifted away.
"Frank?"
"Ssshh," he said, as he put a finger over her lips, "no need." He led her away and they pushed two sleeping bags together in front of one of the Jeeps.
"Frank?" she said, "I just need to be held."
"I know," he said quietly. "I need to hold you." He took her into his arms and held her as he tried to push the thoughts that wanted to crowd his mind away. Annie slipped off to sleep quickly, but sleep eluded Frank. He lay quietly thinking, still holding her, until he drifted off to sleep himself much later.
He was still holding her when he awoke the next morning. Annie awoke a few minutes after he did. She kissed him softly, and said, "Thank you for not being like every other man I've met in my life. I could love you, Frank, you know that?"
Frank kissed her back, and then she left to help some of the others make something for breakfast. Gary wandered over, his eyes bloodshot, a rifle slung across his shoulder.
"Did you see anything last night, Gary," Frank asked?
"Zip. I stayed up all night myself. Whoever or whatever... They didn't come back."
"I thought you were going to switch off with Bob. You should have woken me up" Frank said.
"Was gonna switch off, but... I don't know, Frank, there's somethin' strange with Bob. It seems like he's walking around with his head stuck halfway up his ass. I ain't so sure he's gonna make it," Gary finished in a near whisper.
"It happens, some people can't take it when things get flaky, Gary. Still, you should have woken me up."
"Well, it doesn’t matter now," Gary said grinning. "Besides, it looked like Annie needed you. Looked like you needed her too," he finished quietly.
"I think we all need each other," Frank answered, "Bob will come around."
Once everyone had eaten they
