Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

Jenny’s laughter echoed through the speaker. “Can’t even see outside here. We’re all hunkered down, getting lunch ready. You at Madras yet?”

“Not even close.”

There was a weird crackling sound, and through a tide of static, they could just make out a man’s voice saying, “What’s your twenty, ladies?”

“Uh-oh,” said Mercury. “Jenny, shutting this off. More later.”

“Got it. Be safe.”

As Imani reached for the power switch, the same man’s voice, stronger this time, blared. “Ten–nine! Repeat that last transmission! I didn’t get your loca—”

Imani turned off the radio. “And you won’t get our location either.”

“Asshats everywhere,” grumbled Stella.

Mercury took the antenna from the roof of the truck, wiped off the snow, and secured it beside the radio—and the revolver, which she’d returned to its holster—Stella’s newly acquired rifle was tucked in the truck bed. “Hey, I wonder where this side road leads?” She put her hand over her eyes and squinted against the snow as she tried to look through the sheet of whiteness. “Maybe we should follow it a little way and see if we can find another vehicle. Unless you had time to fill the tank up before Mack interrupted us.”

“Got the tank about three-fourths the way full.” Stella shrugged. “We may as well drive a little way along this road. All I need is one vehicle, and I could easily top off the tank. I like having it full, that’s for sure.”

“Imani, do you mind taking a turn with me?” Karen asked. Her eyes were bloodshot and she frowned at the snow she kept wiping from her cardigan.

“I’d be happy to. I’m wide awake,” said Imani.

“Hey, do you guys care if I squish into the cab?” Gemma asked. “After smacking that guy, I’m pretty sure I may never sleep again.”

Imani put her arm around Gemma. “You’ll sleep again—just get ready for nightmares.”

“That’s not very comforting.” Gemma rested her head on Imani’s shoulder.

“But true,” said Stella. “And we can squish. You’re not very big.”

The five of them shook off snow like cats, got in the truck, and Stella began to slowly follow the winding one-lane. But they hadn’t gone far when they had to stop because several huge pines had snapped in half and completely blocked the road.

Stella braked and put the truck into neutral. “I’m gonna get out and see if I there’s a way around those trees.”

“Hey, we shouldn’t take any chance on getting stuck,” Mercury called out the open door to her friend. “We can stop and top off the tank at the next truck we come to on the highway, and—”

Stella held up a hand, silencing Mercury. Imani, who was sitting closest to the passenger door rolled down the window as everyone listened. The wind had died and the snow fell vertically, covering the broken trees and torn earth like a shroud. So, the sound of weeping carried eerily to them, as if the cries had found their way between flakes.

“Someone’s crying,” whispered Imani.

Stella hurried back to the truck. “Did y’all hear that?”

“Sounds like a child crying,” said Imani.

Stella nodded somberly as Karen came around the side of the truck. “I think I hear a baby crying.”

“Yeah, we all hear it.” Stella met Mercury’s gaze. “There’s no way to safely drive the truck around those trees. Get the gun and come with me.”

Mercury didn’t hesitate. She popped the glove box and pulled out the revolver.

“Who else besides Mercury can drive a stick?” Stella asked.

“I can,” Gemma said.

“Okay, kid, I’m going to turn this truck around. Then you get behind the wheel and get ready to drive like a bat outta hell away from here if we need a quick getaway.”

Gemma grinned and rubbed her hands together. “I’ve always wanted to be a getaway driver.”