The Harris Family - Conflict (Long read!)

Posted on Wed Sep 11th, 2024 @ 11:00pm by Carmen Harris & Myles Harris & Jack Harris

6,035 words; about a 30 minute read

Mission: The Road Ahead
Location: Somewhere in Wisconsin
Timeline: September 14th, 2010 /10:43 AM

They had driven and slept in the car for two days since leaving Rochester and the small country club where they had sought refuge. It was getting late in the day as they drove along a road only labeled as 5000N.

Carmen looked up from the map in her lap. "Jack, there is a small town up ahead. Called St George. We might be able to find somewhere secure there."

Jack glanced over at the map as he slowed down a bit. "You sure? Locks like barely a dot on the map." He looked back up at the empty road ahead of them. Aside from the horde they encountered when he broke his nose, they hadn't come across any more of the zombies. Of course, neither had they come across any other survivors. While he didn't say it out loud, he was starting to wonder if they were the only three people left alive in the world.

"Yeah, but there is a church and a school. There may be a gas station or something." Carmen replied as she looked around the landscape. "Maybe it's been unaffected..." Hope laced her words.

Jack shrugged slightly as he continued to drive. "We can only be so lucky."

From the back seat, Myles spoke up. "Are we going to stop soon? I'm gonna need to pee soon, as will Daisy!"

Carmen nodded. "There is a school, parking lot and such." Carmen gave directions to Jack.

"Maybe ten more minutes, Myles," Jack replied, looking at his little brother in the rear view mirror.

"Okay," Myles replied quietly.

Carmen kept watch as they pulled into the town. Cars were parked haphazardly but were empty. "Left up here." She pointed to a parking lot.

Jack nodded silently, as he slowly entered the parking lot, his eyes and ears open for any sign of danger. "I'll check those parked cars for gas in their tanks," he said as he put the Buick in park, the front facing towards the exit of the parking lot. He shut off the engine, then sat there for a few beats, letting the silence descend back on the area.

Finally, he grabbed the pump shotgun and opened the driver's side door. "Get behind the wheel, Car," he told his sister as he got out. "Any sign of trouble, you get Myles out of here." They had enough fuel to get at least another fifty miles further down the road, if she had to leave in a hurry. He closed the door, then reached up and grabbed the empty fuel can they had found the day before, after leaving the country club. He had already fashioned a siphon hose for it as well.

Carefully, he moved to the nearest vehicle, an old 1972 Mustang. After finding its tank empty, he moved on to the next vehicle in line.

Carmen slid to the driver's seat and then said ‘Myles, let Daisy out on her lead, stay by the car’s back door. You can pee behind it. No going any further, pee and then get back in.”

The young boy nodded and did as instructed. After he got out, both he and Daisy relieved themselves behind the station wagon. He made sure to stay where Carmen could see him in the rearview mirror.

When they were both done, they got back in the car and Myles both locked the door, then put on his seatbelt and fastened Daisy's harness to the buckle next to his. "Thank you, Carmy," he said in his small voice.

"All good Myles," Carmen replied.

As they both watched for where Jack had gone, suddenly, Daisy started to growl. Before either sibling could react, a person was at the driver's door, trying to get in. It was an older woman, in her mid-sixties, who looked like she hadn't showered, or eaten in a week. Her eyes were a mixture of wild and kind.

"What are you doing in there, Sally?" I told you before, stop playing in your grandfather's car! You know how cross he gets when his car gets dirty!"

Carmen was so startled that it took her a minute to figure out what was going on. She tightened her grip on the wheel and was glad the windows were closed

Daisy was barking now, fully ready to protect her humans from this stranger. Myles held her close, fear in his eyes for the first time since the bombs fell.

Carmen turned the key in the ignition but the car didn't start, as she had rushed it and not made the connection complete. It took her 3 go's to get it started and she pressed the accelerator down too fast and the car lurched forward like a drunken sailor.

The woman spun off of the car as it leapt away from her towards the exit of the parking lot. Unfortunately, as Carmen had panicked some, it started to fishtail.

Carmen gritted her teeth as she struggled to control the car but managed to get it straight as she headed for where Jack had headed. Her arms ached as she did so.

From the other side of the lot, Jack heard the commotion, and hurried back. He saw the car moving towards him, and he saw the woman get back up and started to shout at them. Off to his right, he saw two more adults, one, another woman, looking to be possibly in her early twenties, and a large man, almost six feet tall and very powerful. Jack knew they had to get out of here. He waved Carmen to drive over to him as he moved towards where the passenger side door would be when she reached him. He clung onto the fuel can, which he had only been able to get a couple gallons from the abandoned cars.

She slowed enough for him to grab the door handle and it opened for him.

Jumping in, Jack was careful not to spill any gasoline, though the fumes quickly started to fill the interior. "Get us a couple miles out of town, then stop so I can stow this up on the roof," he said to Carmen as he watched the adults fade into the distance.

"Okay" Carmen said shakily. "That was.... scary. She called me some weird name." She glanced at Myles in the mirror. "Myles? You ok?"

In the back, Myles was quiet, still holding onto Daisy as she laid across his lap, gently sniffing his face, then giving his right cheek a gentle lick. Looking up at his sister's eyes in the rearview, he nodded his head slightly, wordlessly. He then buried his face in Daisy's fur.

Carmen pulled off the road a few miles later and put the car into park. She reached back to Myles. "Myles, it's ok not to be ok, you know?"

When Carmen stopped the car, Jack got out, did a quick look around, then went to the fuel tank and poured in what he had been able to siphon. He then quickly stored the fuel can and hose, in their spot on the back of the roof rack, stored in a larger plastic bin. As he did this, Carmen had turned to consol their baby brother.

When Carmen reached back for him, Myles undid his seat belt and moved forward, wrapping his tiny arms around his big sister. It was clear that the experience had shaken him deeply.

Carmen slipped from the driver's seat and back into the back with him. Jack could take the next few miles. She settled down and pulled Myles close as she put on her seatbelt.

Jack saw Carmen move to the back, so he slid in behind the wheel. He then put the car in gear and continued down the highway. As he drove, his eyes were moving all over the front and in the mirrors, looking for any sign of trouble. "That got us back to half a tank. We'll keep going till dusk, then find a place to hunker down for the night." He looked in the rearview at Carmen, who was still holding and trying to consol Myles. "Are you two okay?"

Carmen nodded for herself and then nodded at Myles and shook her head. She mouthed 'That scared him big time'.

Daisy laid her head on Carmen's legs. "Half a tank... is that enough to get to the cabin?"

Glancing at the map that Carmen had left open, Jack tried to do the math in his head. The last time they had visited the cabin, was right before the pandemic. "I'm not sure. We might have to find some more fuel before we get there." He then looked at the back of their little brother's head. "It's okay, Myles. That crazy lady can't get you. Carmen looked, Daisy and me...we'll keep you safe, okay? I need you to buckle up, buddy. It's not safe being without it, okay?"

Myles stayed where he was for a couple beats then, reluctantly, released his hold on his big sister and did as his big brother told him. Once he was buckled up, he leaned into Carmen's side, not wanting to be too far from her. As he did so, Daisy sniffed at his face and gave him a few gentle licks. She then laid down at his feet, as Carmen was where she had been sitting before.

Carmen considered things. "I will come back up front and check the maps." She said "If you drive slowly Jack I can make the transition."

Jack did as she requested. "Okay, come on up." The large station wagon slowed to a crawl as he spoke.

She ruffled Myles' hair and slid back into the passenger seat. She strapped her belt back on and picked up the map. She studied it as Jack increased their speed. "From the map, we are about a 5 hours drive from the Cabin." She said, "15 miles then we turn north."

After Carmen moved forward, Myles called Daisy back into the seat next to him and he buckled her harness back in.

Jack nodded as he listened. Looking back down at the fuel gauge and doing some math again, he responded. "It'll be close on fuel. If we can keep a steady speed, then we might get there just in time."

Carmen nodded as she listened. She wanted a buffer though, just in case they got there and ... they found nothing. "There is a BP about 4 miles after the turn."

Jack nodded as he replied. "Okay...that's where we will do a major search for supplies. If we can get a full tank, and fill the fuel cans, we will be good for the rest of the way."

They continued on down the road, both older siblings chatting softly, trying to calm their little brother.

As the BP Station came into view, Carmen placed a hand on Jack's arm, indicating he should slow down so they could get the lay of the land. "There are two gas pumps on that island over there," She said softly. "Looks like there is a mini mart there too... if it's not too late, we might be able to get more water bottles and such."

Jack nodded wordlessly as he pulled into the station slowly. He circled the property a couple times, looking for any sign of danger. Out in the parking area, there were two semi trucks with trailers attached, and another super sleeper semi that was bobtailing. There were also three other smaller vehicles in the lot. One was an old Beetle with the convertible top folded down, a beat up Chevy Silverado pickup, and a shiny black Honda Electroglide touring motorcycle, with a matching trailer attached to it.

Jack finally stopped next to the motorcycle, as nothing could hide behind it. "Okay, like before, get behind the wheel and wait. I'll start with the bike first, then check the bug and pickup. After that, I'll check the mini mart. If it's still safe, we can check the trucks, but only if nothing else pans out. We can't use the fuel from the semi's, as they're diesel, which won't work for us."

He got out, grabbed his bat, and the gas can with the hose, and moved over to the motorcycle. He quickly drained its fuel tank, which filled half of his fuel can. He then broke open the storage bins and took what was there, deciding to sort it all out later. There were two helmets, a set of riding gloves, a leather jacket, a couple bottles of water, maps, a few pairs of clothes, one for a large man, another for a smaller woman. He packed all of the stuff into the back of the station wagon. Then, he emptied the fuel can into the gas tank. Once done, he moved to the beetle.

Carmen had moved when he told her to. Sometimes they argued but in the end, he was in charge. For now her teenage brain added. But she trusted her brother.

As she watched, her gaze moved to the mini mart and frowned. Movement. Crap. She tensed. But the movement was slow. Not normal. Double crap. Undead.

As Jack moved to the old beetle, he saw the movement through the mini mart windows. "Shit," he said softly to himself. He would half to deal with them before they could check inside.

Deciding to finish what he had already discussed with Carmen, he moved quickly over the old German car. There was only about a quarter tank of fuel left in it. Thankfully, it filled his fuel can. He made two separate trips, finally getting the fuel tank on their car to full. He then checked the truck, but it had already been emptied. Taking the half full fuel can back to their car, he carefully stored it away. He then did a quick check for supplies in the beetle.

His search turned up two more bottles of water and a case of 10W 30 motor oil, which he knew would be useful for their car. Quickly storing that precious commodity away, he finally stepped up to the driver's door, kneeling down to speak to Carmen.

"I've gotta deal with those two deadheads. Otherwise, we won't be able to check the mini mart."

Carmen nodded. "Okay. Be careful Jack. I mean it. No risks."

The elder teen nodded. He wasn't about to just be reckless. He would plan out his attack, then strike when the time was right. He stayed low as he circled the mini mart, checking the windows and back door. The back door was locked and none of the windows were broken. He found a piece of rebar laying on the curb. He decided to use it in his plan. Peeking into the mart, he saw that one deadhead was in the back, the other was near the register.

His plan was to lure the first one out, then jam the door closed with the length of steel rebar, sliding it through the door handles. It wouldn't hold long, but it might be just the time he needed.

Taking a couple beats to get his adrenaline pumping, he stepped up and swung open the door. "Hey, asshole!" He shouted to the closer deadhead. It had been a big gentleman, wearing motorcycle leather pants and a vest with a white tee shirt underneath.

The creature gargled and hissed at Jack as it shuffled after him. The other one in the back of the store, started forward as well, though it moved slower, it's left leg not working. It was dressed in the uniform of the station attendant.

As the big one exited the store, Jack took a quick swing, taking out its knees, causing it to crumble away from him. As it did so, he moved quickly to close and block the door. Just as he finished, the former attendant reached the door and started to try to push through. The doors opened partially, then stopped, giving the creature only a few inches of space between the doors to reach out through.

Carmen made sure Myles was laying down so he would not see what was happening.

Jack wasted no time, circling back to the first creature. It had started crawling toward him, so he moved quickly around behind it, then planted his left foot on the center of its spine, and brought his bat down hard and fast, like an ax, smashing the skull of the former biker in a messy explosion of tissue and softened bone. It stopped moving instantly.

Wincing, Carmen kept looking around the area, hoping that the noise did not attract other deadheads to their location. That was the last thing they needed.

As he was taking a breath, the other creature finally broke through the doors, stumbling down to its hands and knees.

Jack picked up his bat and hurried over, bringing it down several times, before the creature finally stopped moving.

For a few moments, Jack just stood there, catching his breath, covered in gore. Then, he picked up his bat and wiped it off on the attendant's back. He then moved cautiously into the store. After a few moments, he stepped back outside, grabbing both creatures and dragging them out of the way. He then signaled Carmen to bring the car to the door.

With a slight nod, she put the car in gear and moved it to where he indicated.

Leaning into the open passenger window, Jack said, "It's clear inside, and there's a bunch of candy and other snacks still in there. While I get changed, why don't you two go inside and grab everything you can."

Carmen pointed past the convenience store. “Car wash over there. Might be able to find water there to wash yourself.” She suggested. She looked at Myles. “Come on Myles, let's go shopping.”

She put the car in park but didn’t turn it off. She slid from the driver's seat and headed into the minimart grabbing a handbasket from where it laid, overturned on the floor. She walked down the isles and began grabbing all different foods and such.

Myle ls followed suit, leaving Daisy in the car, as he didn't want her to get hurt inside. He grabbed the other basket, and followed Carmen, grabbing the things she left behind. While the shelves weren't fully stocked, they still held quite a few things. They would have to make several trips to grab everything.

While Carmen and Myles got supplies, Jack carefully checked the car wash. There weren't any more of the deadheads, so he could breathe a little easier. He found the hand wands and tried to use them, but they wouldn't activate without any change. So, he decided to just change completely out of his clothes, put the soiled ones in a garbage bag. Hopefully, when they got to the cabin, he could clean them then.

Moving back to the car, he saw an ice box, the kind that held bags of cubed ice for sale. If the ice had melted, he could use the water to clean off. When he reached the lid, he paused, seeing that it had been secured with a cotter pin. Carefully, he knocked on the aluminum lid. He was answered by thrashing and banging inside. He could also hear the unmistakable sound of the hissing that the deadheads made. He backed away from the box quickly, quietly, hoping the thing would calm down and go quiet again.

Finally, he got to the rear of the stationwagon, and he opened the rear access. He then quickly removed the dirty clothes he was wearing, storing them.in one of the shopping bags that their Grandmother had always kept in the back, to carry her shopping in. He then grabbed fresh pants and a hoodie from his bag on the roof.

Once he was done, he closed the rear door moved around towards the door of the mart, and entered, to help grab what they could. Seeing Carmen and Myles carrying up full baskets, he nodded. "Great job. Pack that stuff away and let's get the rest. We need to grab as much as possible, just in case." He slipped behind the counter and found the plastic sales bags. He put them on the counter, then searched behind the counter for anything the could use to stay alive. He left the lotto scratchers and tobacco products, but he did find some cleaners, paper towels and even extra napkins. Under the register, he found something more important: a black semi-auto pistol, with two full clips next to it.

Carefully, he picked up the pistol, ensured the safety was on, then remembering what his Grampy had taught him, found the clip release button, pressed it, dropping another full clip. After putting it on the counter, he carefully pulled back the slide. He found that the chamber was empty, which was good gun safety. He reloaded the first clip in, then grabbed the other two, slipping them into his back pocket. He then started to bag everything else he had found of use behind the counter, before coming out and moving to the darkened coolers, grabbing a couple plastic coolers that had been on sale.

Starting with the few bottles of water that there were, he next grabbed the sports drinks and sodas. Looking at the alcohol, he knew that a clear one could make do as an antiseptic, so he grabbed the four bottles of vodka, leaving all the rest.

Carmen sent Myles back in as she needed to take a personal moment and headed around the back to do so. She ducked down behind a few barrels and crates after making sure the coast was clear.

She had just finished and was stepping out when she heard another noise. A truck lumbered down the road. She muttered a swear word that would have resulted in her mother washing her mouth out with liquid soap. She darted into the mini mart. "Jack, a truck! Incoming!"

Jack had heard it too. He was already heading to the entrance. “Get Myles buckled in, then you do the same!" He hurried out and quickly loaded their new supplies into the back of the station wagon. When he looked towards the sound of the truck, he saw a semi, pulling a trailer, a few miles down the road. If they hurried, they might just get out without being seen.

Hurrying to the front, he slid behind the wheel. He spared a look at his siblings and Daisy. He then put the vehicle in gear. "Hold on!" He floored the accelerator, and the large vehicle took off, a bit laboriously, as it was so loaded down. However, he got them out onto the highway and sped away. "Car, watch for that truck. See if it follows us!"

Carmen turned in her seat and kept an eye behind them. "They are not pulling off. They were going to, but.. we need to get away, they are picking up speed."

Jack cursed silently. "Okay, Car, find me a road that that truck wouldn't fit on!" He pressed the accelerator to the floor, hoping that their power to weight ratio would allow them to put more distance between them and the tractor trailer.

Carmen nodded. She picked up the map as she balanced on her knees looking backwards. She traced her finger. "Here. Covered bridge. Low vehicles only. 1.5 miles on the right. But..." she paused. "What if that is a trap?"

Jack thought about it quickly, using his limited knowledge from the few military games he used to play. "I don't think so," he finally said, shaking his head as he took the exit. You said they had started to turn off, but kept going when they saw us," his eyes kept moving, looking for any additional vehicles. "It wouldn't make sense to set up a trap at the bridge if they didn't know anyone would be around."

Carmen gave a nod. "Cross the bridge and take the second left after it." She put the map down and kept an eye behind them.

The truck was gaining speed and she gripped the seat as Jack took the turn to head for the bridge.

As they turned the bridge, she watched the truck commence their slowing to make the turn. She just prayed they didn't want to wreak their truck and cross the bridge.

Jack could see the covered bridge, and the road past it. It looked clear, so he mashed the accelerator again, and the buick's powerful engine roared as they took off.

They shot into the old bridge at nearly 60 mph, causing it to shake violently. As they exited, Jack saw the truck come to a stop, its trailer swinging out to the right some. "Find us some more roads back to another highway!" He shouted as he fought to keep control of the heavy vehicle on the smaller, one lane road that they were now on, as they increased the distance from the truck rapidly.

Carmen swung back to face forward, She picked up the Map. "Two miles, then right."

Jack nodded, keeping his speed up. Glancing quickly in the rearview at their little brother, he asked aloud, "Myles, how are you and Daisy doing back there?"

Feeling new trauma from the excitement, the young boy merely squeaked out a timid, "We're okay," then resumed holding onto the golden retriever.

Carmen bit her lip and concentrated on the map. "IF.. if we drive through... we might be able to get there early tomorrow."

Nodding silently, Jack looked again at the fuel gauge. "In that case, we might just make it on fuel. Just tell me where to go. We will keep going for the next few hours, making sure we are far enough away from whomever was in that truck."

Carmen began to map out their trip. As they turned right, she gave more directions. "4 miles then left then 2 miles then straight onto that highway. It has toll booths but we both know they won't be manned. But there might be cars we can get fuel from..." she added as she plotted their course.

"We should be good on fuel. With our destination so close, I'd rather stop only if we absolutely needed to."

Carmen nodded. "Toilet breaks and Daisy" she remarked. A while later when the sounds from the backseat told them that Myles had fallen asleep she spoke softly. "Jack... what happens if... they are not there?"

He had already considered that as a possibility. "If that is the case, then we still stay there. They will have already prepared things. With their house being so far out, I doubt anyone would have stumbled upon it. In fact, the closest house belongs to that soldier friend of theirs, remember?"

Carmen thought about it. "Oh! I think I remember the person. Still, what's the likelyhood of him being near, being in the army?"

Jack shrugged as he drove. "That's not something we need to focus on right now. For now, let's just stay focused on getting there without any more issues. "

Carmen nodded and rested her head on the headrest. "I will finish the mapping." She said as she noted the time. It was getting into the afternoon now.

"We'll go another few hours, then stop for a quick bathroom break. Unless Myles or Daisy indicate that they need to go sooner." He then considered it further. "On second thought, it might be too dangerous to drive at night. So, find us a campground, or something remote, and we will stop there for the night. We will sleep in the car tonight."

"Okay, if you are sure," She said softly. She looked at the map. "Near the border there is a small campsite on a river."

Jack glanced over at his sister. "I know we are close. However, I've never driven there in the dark. Also, we would be more noticeable at night, being the only car driving on the roads with our headlights on." He shook his head. "I wouldn't risk you or Myles's safety on something like that. Not unless we were part of a bigger group. And truthfully, I don't know who to trust. Outside of family, the only guy I feel we could trust, was that soldier next door to the cabin. Our grandparents trusted him, so that's good enough for me."

Carmen nodded. "I understand." she replied.

Two hours later they pulled into an open area, near a running river. There were no other vehicles nearby and it was obviously not a well frequented camping area. Carmen pointed to an area near the water. "If we park there, we can bathe at least." she said softly.

Jack nodded, finding a spot under a large oak. He parked, the rear of the Buick facing the river. After shutting off the engine, they sat for a few minutes in silence, ensuring their arrival hadn't attracted any attention.

Finally, Jack spoke. "Okay, while I stand guard up here, you two go get cleaned up. I'm still good from before, so I'll hold off until after we get to the cabin tomorrow. Once you both are good, we'll eat something, then settle in to sleep. Any sign of trouble, and we are out of here, agreed?"

Myles nodded from the back seat. "Agreed, Jack."

Carmen nodded. "No arguments from me." She slid into the backseat then opened the door to let Daisy out. She followed and headed to the rear door and opened it cautiously. "Should fill the car with the fuel as well." She suggested.

Jack nodded from the front of the car, keeping his eyes forward, both for danger, and to give his sister privacy. "I will once you two are done. Hey, Myles? Why don't you come stand up here with me, so we can give Carmen some privacy.

"Okay, Jack." The young boy climbed out of the car and moved to lean against the front bumper with his brother, Daisy sitting on the ground in front of him.

Carmen wanted to roll her eyes but she grabbed her stuff and headed for the water. She looked around as she did so and noticed a small pit that had been dug. Curious, she went to it, and saw the remnants of a fire that was probably days old. She considered as she moved to the water and then stripped off to dive into the cooling water.

The water was cold but she surfaced quickly and swum back to the shore to grab her washing supplies. She bathed quickly and dried off, not making more noise then needed. Then she dressed in clean clothes and put her dirty clothes in a bag. She considered, as she did so, if she should do laundry that night or wait until they got to the cabin. Pulling her wet hair into a high ponytail she went back to the car and stowed her things. She went to her brothers. "Next." She said nudging Myles.

"'Kay, Carmy." The young boy hurried to the back and grabbed some fresh clothes and his small Superman toiletry bag. When he went to the water, Daisy went with him. "Stay, Daisy," he said, as he stripped down, then moved into the cold water, staying as quiet as he could.

Carmen looked at Jack. "Old fire pit back there. Could be a good idea to cook dinner."

Jack looked around them, making sure to keep at least one eye close to where Myles was, though he was sure that, if there was any danger to him, Daisy would let them know. "No. Tonight, we'll eat something cold. I don't want to run the risk that someone else, like that truck, is out there. In fact, tonight, you and I will sleep in shifts. That way, someone is always awake." He shook his head. "Something doesn't feel right to me, but I don't know if it's true, or just the stress getting to me."

Carmen nodded. "All good. What's got you worried?" She asked curiously. They were all worried and scared she knew but if he was even more ramped up...

He shook his head slightly, then replied. "The way that truck came after us. Almost as if they knew how we would react. We are exposed out here. I'll feel much better, once we are at the cabin."

At that moment, Myles and Daisy returned to them. "Where should I put my dirty clothes?"

Carmen smiled and pointed to a bag in the back. "In there Myles." She said, When Myles headed back, she lowered her voice and said "Can we drive at night without headlights?"

Jack looked up at the sky and shook his head. "Back home? Sure. But I don't know these roads well enough to do so on a cloudy night." He lowered his eyes to the horizon surrounding them. "We'll eat a little something, then turn in before it gets too dark. No lights or sounds tonight." He glanced back at Myles and Daisy, as the young boy put his dirty clothes away as instructed. "She will be our early warning alarm. Let's plan out the route while we eat, so in case we do have to run, we at least aren't going blind."

Carmen nodded. "It's a plan." she said softly and stepped over to get their meal ready.

A short time later, after they had eaten, then relieved themselves, they all settled in for the night, Jack and Carmen in the front seats, Myles and Daisy in the back. Jack had pulled out an old army surplus flashlight, and put the red lens on, to reduce the light seen outside the windows, as he looked over the map with Carmen. "Okay....we are....here." he pointed to where the campground was located. "It looks like, once we go a few miles on this road, it'll bring us to the interstate that would bring us to the area that the cabin is in. I think, if we don't stop, we can be there in about three hours."

"Three hours.. if it's clear." Carmen said softly as she glanced back at Myles who was snuggled down under a blanket. Turning back to her older brother, she pulled her own blanket up. "I think we need to get the stuff off the top of the car. We have room in the rear, and the two fuel cans can fit as well."

Jack glanced at the roof, then the rear of the station wagon. "I agree with everything, except the fuel cans. Even in the storage bin, they still give off fumes. Better to leave them where they are." Hr reached up and carefully pulled the dome light bulb out of the socket. "Keep an eye out. I'll store the stuff, then you get some sleep, while I take the first watch."

Jack quietly opened his door and got out, leaving it closed, but not latched. He then moved to the rear, his eyes and ears open for any sign of danger. He used the keys to unlock the window on the rear hatch, opening it just as quietly. He then spent the next ten minutes stripping everything, except for the bin containing the empty fuel cans, and carefully placing it all in the back cargo area.

Carmen watched carefully. And she listened. Owls hooted, and the beat of wings in the night was the only sound other than Jack's actions. Once he was done, and back in the car, she wound up the window so it was only open a crack so they had fresh air. Then she put her seat back back and moved the bottom forward so she could curl up and not interrupt Myles. She looked at Jack as she pulled her blanket back up. "IF we need to go, we go. Deal?"

He nodded as he looked over at his sister. "Deal. First sign of trouble, we're outta here. Now, get some sleep. I'll wake you in four hours."

Carmen nodded and closed her eyes. She was not sure she would sleep but she gave it a shot.

~OFF~

 

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