“Okay, good. That’s a good plan. I was worried we’d just keep driving in this and eventually they’d find us and that dramatic escape would be pointless.”
“Trying to escape oppression is never pointless, even if you’re not successful.”
“I guess,” She said.
“Besides, they won’t find us.”
“How do you know?” She asked.
“Because Ian and I used to lie on the reports Aaron would have us do.”
“What do you mean?”
“We used to tell them that we went East for all our runs, not West. They’re going to be looking for us going East. At least at the start. Even still, we need to keep every precaution just in case.”
“Why did you guys stay so long when you obviously didn’t trust these people?”
I sighed, “That’s my fault. I was hoping to get Emma to come with us. So I wasn’t ever ready to leave because I was never actually able to discuss leaving with Emma to see if she would be up for it. Also I felt good helping feed everyone.”
“Isn’t Emma with that Aaron guy?”
I nodded but didn’t want to answer. I suddenly felt my blood turn hot and boil as rage began to set in again. I knew deep down Emma had no idea what was planned for Ian, Natalie, and my fates but a part of me wondered. A little bit of doubt crept in that maybe she had been privileged to that knowledge to test her loyalty and she didn’t say anything because it would be the only thing to keep her from the crosshairs.
Perhaps it was just easier to think that way since I left her there. Either way, I’d probably never be able to ask her. “I know it’s wrong to say this but it was really cool watching you run over that Laura lady,” Natalie stated. She and I both began to laugh.
I didn’t slow down at all and kept checking the rearview. There seemed to be no one behind us. Natalie would sometimes turn and look out the busted back window to see if there was anyone.
Milo had lain down in the seat and gone to sleep.
I prayed that Jerry and his family would be alright and not have to pay for Jerry letting us go.
I tried to figure out when and where it had all gone wrong but honestly I didn’t know. We had stayed there too long, I knew that. But when we got there Laura and Aaron had seemed like such God sends. They had such a great idea and were so welcoming. Around the three month mark though is when things had begun to change. They would no longer allow new people into the safe haven. Even Maria’s sister was turned away when Maria tried to get her a place. I don’t know what had happened to her sister after that and I never dared ask Maria if she knew for fear it would be too painful to talk about.
I had also heard stories that people had been turned away and killed by zombies just outside the gates. I never quite believed that though because why would anyone continue to stay at a place like that if they had seen such things? Maybe I didn’t want to believe it but given what Aaron and Laura had done and tried to do, maybe it was true. People were scared and fear makes people do dumb and sometimes evil things. Like not helping someone who’s being robbed or raped for fear of what might happen to them if they help. It’s a terrible emotion that is all too easy to give into.
I saw the abandoned Dairy Queen off the side of the road and turned off the lights. I slowed down and made a right into the neighborhood where the van was.
I turned around in the cul-de-sac and stopped a few houses down. I grabbed the keys to the garage and the van out of the dash board.
“Natalie, you’re fifteen. Did you ever learn anything about driving?”
She nodded, “Yeah, a little. My dad started showing me when I was thirteen.”
“Okay, I’m going to get the van out of the garage and park it on the road. Can you put the Mustang in the garage and then I’ll help you get Milo and our bags?”
“I think I can do that,” She said.
As I got out of the driver’s side door she asked, “You’re not going to leave me here are you?” There was genuine fear in her voice.
“Natalie, I’ve brought you this far why would I leave you now?” I asked. “Besides, we’re in this together now.”
I could see her smile and she seemed to give a sigh of relief.
I heard a growling behind me. The zombie giving its position away before it was able to grab me. I put my knife in its skull. He had a friend behind him and I took her out too.
Natalie had moved to the driver seat.
“Okay, we must move quickly,” I stated.
I ran to the garage. It was a bit of work to get the key in the lock. I could see in the moonlight a bit but it was difficult with the lock being so small. I also kept stopping to do a visual check around me for zombies just in case one was a better hunter than the last one and managed to keep quiet before making a meal out of me. Finally I got it open.
I got in on the driver’s side of the van and turned her on. I was happy she cranked up. If this was a movie, she would have stalled or the battery would be dead or something even though she had run like a dream every time Ian and I checked her out.
I almost forgot the two things of fuel on the work bench.
