All Is Silence - Deserted Lands #1

Chapter 16 - Part II

LIZZIE WOKE WIRED. LAST NIGHT she talked Zach into the trip. He didn't want to go, he wanted to stay and join the hippies. But Lizzie knew if she convinced him she was going, he wouldn't let her go alone. Nev insisted on coming, too. They discussed leaving Spike, but he’d become a member of the family and the potty-training was going well. The warning pops of flatulence preceded an explosion. And they still changed Saj’s diapers, so it hardly seemed fair.

Despite her complaints about gigantic vehicles like Ford Expeditions, Hummers and Escalades, Lizzie let Zach talk her into taking the Tank. Her biggest issue was the damn thing got like five gallons to the mile in fuel economy. But there had to be a hell of a lot of gas out there with no cars on the road. All the other things she hated about them: high ride, over-powered, huge, four-wheel drive, were actually benefits for a cross-country route that would take them over mountains, desert and who knew what else. But she was still going to tease him about compensating.

Zach had found a trailer with a locking tool chest and a few empty gas cans. That along with the topper should allow them to scavenge as they went. He filled the tool chest with the new guns, ammo and a bunch of tools from the lake house garage.

“All right.” Lizzie was restless. “Let’s go.” She locked the house and took the keys. It felt a little weird. What argument would they have if they came home and found it occupied by some other set of squatters? But now it was as much of a home as she had.

On the way into town Zach stopped for gas. He came to the window as the pump churned. “I want to stop by the hippie commune before we leave.” Zach made eye contact with Lizzie. “Tell Vern our plans.”

He looked at her like he wanted her to ask why.

“Sure.” Lizzie rolled her eyes. If it made him happy, today she didn’t really care. She wanted to get on the road.

Lizzie said. “I’m taking you guys to R.E.I. for some real shopping. Hiking gear.”

“Since when are you a hiker?” Nev asked.

“It was a phase with Chad. Spent most of my babysitting money on good used gear at thrift stores.”

“Why do we need hiking gear?” Zach asked. “We can break into houses.”

“Here on the west side maybe, but Eastern Washington?” Lizzie asked, “Idaho? Say we get in a wreck or something else happens to the Tank. Might be a long hike to some place to break into.”

“Okay. That makes sense. I need…” He stopped.

Lizzie watched his face as a strange expression passed across it.

“I want to stop at Gramp’s place,” Zach said, “It’s not far out of the way.” He glanced at the sky and held out his hand, then climbed in. “I need to deal with some things.”

“Near Sedro, right?” Lizzie stuck her hand out the window and felt rain beginning to fall. The sky to the south was an ominous gray.

They found Vern loading heads of cabbage into a truck. He had a surgical mask over his mouth and nose. He held up his hands. Don’t come any closer.

Zach rolled down the window and slid the Tank into Park. “What’s up, Vern?”

“A new arrival from last week is sick. So are the people that hung around with him.”

“Shit.” Lizzie muttered. “Bad news.”

Zach glanced at Nev, “So the cop was right.”

Nev nodded. “Another good reason to head east.”

‘We’re heading over the pass—east,” Zach called to Vern. “Any new dead?”

“No,” Vern said, shaking his head. “You’re young. Hope you make it. Good luck.” He tipped his straw hat and headed back to the garden.

Zach slid the gearshift into reverse and hit the window up button.

“Hey, wait.” Vern had turned back and was running and waving at them.

Zach rolled the window back down. “Yeah?”

“A kid was looking for Lizzie.” Vern voice puffed out with steam. “Said he was friends from high school.”

Zach glanced at Lizzie, her face had drained of color. “What did you tell him?”

“Said I’d seen her around with some folks in a truck. Might’ve said your name. Bad news?”

Zach nodded. “Yeah. You see him again? Tell him we headed north.”

Vern nodded, his happy face troubled by a frown. “Okay. Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Zach said and pulled the Tank around. “Good thing we’re leaving town.”

“Yeah,” Lizzie said. “Let’s do it.” She felt like she’d seen a ghost.

They stopped at R.E.I. for hiking/camping gear and Ace Hardware for a skinny garden hose to use as siphon. They broke into a register there to have cash for gas stations if and when the credit cards stopped working.

When they pulled into a long gravel road with Rileyon the mailbox, Lizzie realized how long it had been since any of them had spoken.

Zach’s hands were tight on the wheel and his jaw matched. Lizzie saw a backhoe and a pile of cement slabs stacked in a pyramid near a series of garages and sheds. Zach still hadn’t said anything about his family.

The Tank rolled to a stop and Zach killed the engine. Saj woke up fussing.

“Dammit.” Lizzie fumbled through the baby bag for some food. “I bet you’re hungry, Saj. Sissie isn’t doin’ so hot taking care of you today.”

In the back seat Spike whined in harmony with Saj.

“Zach,” Lizzie said softly, “I think we better eat something.”

“Fine.” He glared and headed into the house.

“What the hell did I say?”

Nev shrugged.

Lizzie chose to leave it alone. She would probably make it worse if she forced it out into the open.

“I can help,” Nev called after Zach and followed him inside.

Lizzie stayed in the Tank alternating bites of baby food between Spike and Saj.

Zach came back outside and fired up the gas grill on the porch.

The barbecue was smoking and Zach brought out a small cooler of beer, knock off-brand soda pop and some meat patties. “Ground venison. Waste if that ends up freezer-burned.”

Saj played in the dirt with a stick. Spike sat all folded up with his arms around his legs, watching everything and everyone.

When the meat hit the grill, the scent made Lizzie’s mouth water. She picked through the beer to get a crème soda and popped the top, sipping the carbonated sugar.

When the meat came out it was amazing, wild and peppery. “I don’t know if I’ve ever tasted any meat this good,” Lizzie said. “Even better than the steak you made the other night.”

Zach nodded, eating quickly and silently. Then he disappeared, muttering something about things to do.