Westward and Wayward

Posted on Tue Sep 24th, 2024 @ 8:10pm by Ethan Thompson & Alonzo Blazevic

1,347 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Road Ahead
Location: En Route to Wisconsin
Timeline: September 14, 2010 - 04:00 p.m.

As what felt like a motley caravan of mismatched vehicles made their way westward, Alonzo had caught himself daydreaming a bit, just looking at the sky and thinking about the rest stop they had made not too terribly long ago. It had been an opportunity to grab a snack and take a leak, oddly similar to how a normal road trip would have gone back before the world went all wayward. That stop though had been more than refueling his hungry body or relieving his bladder with the safety of the others essentially guarding the areas like a cat colony. It had been an opportunity for him to speak with Ethan, someone that had come be a concern in the way a younger brother would be or dare he even fathom a child of under his custody, a ward of this apocalyptic scene. He reflected on how it had gone.

[Back At the Rest Stop]

It did not matter much to Alonzo whether he had the privacy of a stall, the challenge of a bottle, or the ability to just take aim at a wall. Whatever took the pressure off his bladder. After which, he took a breather. His back pressed to a wall as he slumped down and brought his head to his knees. The footfalls nearby were light, airy, a modern day Hermes acting as a merciful messenger albeit bringing Alonzo a bottle of water.

Alonzo took a few swigs before handing it back to the teenager. It seemed like an insignificant thing to even be concerned with germs or sharing a bottle. Neither had turned into one of those things yet and at times they were practically breathing on one another in tight spaces. "Hale told me he already talked to you about..." Whatever he was going to say, this was not the talk his parents probably had with him or planned to have with him. "Stuff" added Alonzo.

Stuff thought Alonzo. I'm an investigative reporter, a journalist, and the best I can do is stuff. Nevertheless, he looked at Ethan wondering if the unspoken clarity was good enough.

"Hale and I talk about a lot of things," Ethan said noncommittally as he slid down the wall to sit on the ground. He took a a small swig from the bottle, giving Alonzo a bit of side eye. "He also said you'd probably be nervous."

"That would be an understatement," Alonzo ricocheted back at Ethan. "I know times are changing or were before all of this, but it was never easy where my parents came from, how they were raised. Even being here in this land of opportunity."

He looked at Ethan. "I wanted to be the one to tell you, but I didn't want to risk losing you. I wasn't sure how you'd take it."

Ethan looked at Alonzo, confusion evident on his features, "you're talking like you have some highly communicable disease or something? "

Some days it still very much felt like that. "You are smarter than most people I've encountered, Ethan. There are people out there that would be afraid catching 'the gay' if I so much as shook their hand," explained Alonzo and that was one of the only times he had said the word.

"Because that's what I am I guess. My father did not like that. I was not allowed to even say that word around him. It got to the point I was afraid to even think it." There was a lot more Alonzo could have shared about when he was Ethan's age, but he didn't want to make this any more awkward than it was.

Ethan shrugged. "Parents have a lot of words they don't like hearing," he said after a moment. "In my house, it was anything to do with motorcycles and not becoming a lawyer one day. Hale says teenagers are supposed to argue with our parents. Something about it helping us to become independent or some such."

He drifted into silence for a minute or so while he thought about it all. "So ... you accepted your Father's ideas about how things were supposed to be and just ... what? Pretended to be someone else?"

"For a time, yeah. Unfortunately, I had to wait until college then I was able to be a bit more myself. My father didn't speak to me much and he passed away before the world ended up like this." This was Alonzo giving more about his life than he had shared with the others.

He appreciated that Ethan seemed to understand. "We're independent now whether we want that or not. It's us out here with Hale and these people. I don't know what is ahead, but I know you'll have my back and I'll have yours, Ethan."

"Do you include Hale in all of that," Ethan asked. "Or it is just me and you?" He shifted a bit, getting more comfortable, and took a couple of swigs from the bottle before passing it back. Water wasn't something you took for granted any more. And really, not anything was. "Lot of strangers around now. And they're all armed. Not sure how I feel about it ... I mean, what's to prevent them from ... staging a coup? robbing us blind?"

"Hale," Alonzo responded quickly, swiftly, and sharper than he intended. It was his respect and admiration for Hale mixed with something more that had caused the instantaneous defensive quip. He took the water and softened his tone and smiled. "He prevents them. Yes, I do count him as with us. I am sure you've gathered he and I are not just a thing due to loneliness and convenience." Something felt different when Alonzo said his name or thought about him.

He looked at Ethan. "Hale will do everything in his power to keep order. That is one of many things he was trained to do. We can't question him outwardly or openly about his leadership, the decisions he makes...none of it. It isn't that he can't handle the criticism, but I know we cannot afford to plant any doubt of his leadership in the others especially anyone new that is now armed." That was firmly true. They really could not. "I trust him with my life," added Alonzo.

"I get the feeling that some of those new people aren't all that convinced about Hale being a leader and all," Ethan said. "But then again, they haven't seen how much he does either." He paused a moment, thinking it through, because giving your word meant something or so his Dad always said. "Alright. Any questions I have, I'll make privately. Hale said that I get the downstairs bedroom so we three will share the cabin. I get the feeling with everyone he's given up so far, he's not willing to give that up as well. Course, I could be wrong. Adults are generally weird."

"And you are becoming more of an adult each day with all the things we have to endure," said Alonzo. It was a bitter reminder of how much innocence was ripped away from them all. He thought of the new people. "If you notice them acting weirder than usual or saying anything, let Hale know. I don't want any surprises."

Ethan nodded. "World has sure changed a lot," he said finally. "Not too long ago I was that science geek who sneaked out of the house now and again. Now, I'm worried about whether the people that I'm traveling with are dangerous or not. Whether they can respect the rules or just make up their own." He shook his head. "I'll tell Hale first thing. I promise."

"Sounds good to me, kid," Alonzo replied taking one last swig of water before passing it back to Ethan. "Best get ourselves ready for the journey ahead," he added. A mutual understanding established between them that support of Hale's leadership meant survival.

Ethan took a last swig and passed the bottle back, rising easily to his feet. "I'm ready," he said. "Well, as ready as I can be."

 

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