Jenni nodded, her black hair whipping around her face. The wind was blowing hot and fierce.
Katie stood with her hands on her hips and shook her head. "No, definitely not going to Madison. We're heading out to get your stepson. Then we'll see what we can figure out. I don't like the idea of us being all herded into one spot with only FEMA to protect us. We need to find more ammo and another gun. "
Jenni nodded. "I agree. "
Once back in the truck, they started down the road again. They had a plan now and Jenni was relieved. The world seemed a little more bearable now.
A few miles down the road they saw two vehicles pulled over onto the shoulder. Bodies surrounded both of the cars. Young and old were strewn about, bullet holes torn through them.
A few had obviously run for it, but hadn't made it to safety. As the white truck passed the tragic scene, Jenni recognized the girl from the convenience store still in her gas station smock.
Half her head had been blown away.
Katie didn't say a word as she turned onto an even narrower back road.
"I guess," Jenni said after a moment, "one of them was bitten. "
Chapter 3
1. The Truth of Things Yet to Come
Katie was tired of the sun blazing through the windshield and the steady hum of the road. It was nearly one o'clock in the afternoon and they had been slowly winding deeper into the Texas wilds.
Some of the roads were so narrow that two cars passing would have to hug the shoulder and slow down considerably. Herds of cows, peach groves, and empty fields were all they saw for miles. Occasionally there was a house in the distance, but they didn't even consider trying to pull off the road. Out in the country, people were barricading themselves in as the cities went to hell.
"What do you think is going on?" Jenni's voice sounded raw.
To preserve their gas the best they could, they had finally turned off the air conditioner. The wind blowing through the cab was warm, not hot, but the dust caught in their noses and throats.
"Where?"
"Out there? Austin, Houston, Fort Worth…" Jenni asked.
Katie thought about the morning and all that had happened to them. "It was spreading so fast, I don't think it’s going too well. Maybe the army can get a handle on it. I don't know. I know yesterday there was that commuter plane crash in Chicago they were blaming on someone going crazy and attacking everyone and a race riot in Philadelphia. But now I have to wonder. "
"I didn't see the news. The kids were watching Disney movies when Lloyd got back. Some bum bit him on the hand when Lloyd had rolled down the window to hand him some coins. " Jenni laughed. "He was such an asshole to his family, but always generous to everyone else. "
"He used to hurt you, didn't he?"
Katie's voice was gentle, but she knew her words stung.
"Better me than the boys," Jenni admitted.
"I got into the habit of not listening to the news until I got to work.
Lydia and I had a strict policy of making our mornings as peaceful as possible. It made the rest of the day just easier if we could relax, drink coffee, have breakfast, watch the sun come up…” Katie faltered as the tranquil memories of the morning came back to her.
Lydia had been wearing a long, dark dress with stylish ethnic jewelry around her neck and wrists. Her short, spunky hairdo had looked rather retro and cute. They had spoken about their weekend plans and Lydia's plans for the summer garden. It had been a lovely morning. She could still remember how cool and soft Lydia's hand had been in hers when they had kissed one last time before the world had fallen into chaos.
Jenni's hand on her wrist brought her out of her reverie and she could feel tears on her cheeks.
"Maybe if we had paid attention to the news," Katie said with a slight sob in her voice.
"There is a lot of bad stuff in the world. Sometimes it was just better to shut it out. "
Katie nodded briskly and tried to pull herself together. She had to concentrate on the here and now and get them to a safe place. Where that was, she wasn't sure, but they had to keep moving.
As the truck sped around a curve in the road an old station wagon came into view. A middle-aged man, wiry and sunburned, stood next to it waving desperately. Katie automatically began to slow down and Jenni gripped her arm hard.