Ashes (Of the Earth Series)

Chapter 7.2

"Push! C'mon!" I shouted, urging James and Lilly to put more effort into pushing the battered Subaru. "Get it rolling, we need enough power to jump-start the engine!"

"We're trying, dude!" James grunted, his voice strained with effort. "I don't see you helping!"

"Can you drive a stick? Know how to jumpstart this thing? No? Plus, I've got a broken wrist, you shitbird! Shut up and push!" I countered, frustration edging my voice.

Spurred by his irritation, James pushed harder, and the vehicle began to gain momentum.

"There ya go!" I encouraged them. "Clutch, key, and..." The engine roared to life, and we all cheered. "Yes! Woooo!"

Lilly and James clambered into the back seat as I hit the brake and revved the engine, eyeing the gas gauge. It was slowly rising.

"Where are we at?" Lilly leaned forward to see the dashboard.

"Half a tank? Not bad! But this thing probably gets shit for mileage," she remarked.

"These things get great mileage. It's the same model as my car back home. Why do you think I picked it?" I explained.

"And it's still better than walking," I added, a bit sharply. "Don't insult the good things that happen to you."

Lilly seemed a bit embarrassed. "Sorry."

"It's alright," I reassured her, rolling my eyes. "I guess I'm just too used to being an older brother. I don't mean to talk down to you guys. I'm just a little stressed."

James let out a laugh. "A little? I'm glad I gave you that gun, 'cause I was thinking about offing myself."

Lilly gasped and smacked his arm. "Don't talk like that."

"Guys, stop. Let's see if there's anything on the radio," I suggested, reaching for the knob but halting when I noticed an orange glow under the dash.

"Holy shit, a bit of luck! There's a CB in here."

"What's a CB?" Lilly asked.

"Citizen's Band Radio," James answered, surprising me with his knowledge.

"It means we can broadcast and find other survivors with access to one of these things, or HAM radios," I explained.

"Do you think that many people have these?" Lilly wondered.

"Sure," I replied. "Virtually all big rigs have them, and most taxis too. Plus, many people install them in their cars for fun. They're pretty useful for broadcasting road conditions and police traps."

I grabbed the speaker and clicked it a few times, listening to the faint static. Turning up the volume, I started flipping through channels, but heard nothing. I sighed and twisted the knob on the volume down.

"Hey James, climb up here. I need you to man the radio," I requested.

James climbed over the seat and took the microphone from me, his hands clammy. "I don't know how this thing works," he admitted.

I shook my head at James's hesitation with the CB radio, providing a quick tutorial. "This knob controls the channel," I explained, pointing to the right side of the radio. "You'll see the channels flash on the screen as you scroll through." I tapped the screen for emphasis. "Just flip through each channel, send out a distress call, wait a couple of minutes, then move to the next."

"What should I say?" James asked, uncertainty in his voice.

I paused, considering our situation, then took the microphone from him. After a moment of hesitation, I spoke into it with conviction. "To anyone listening, we're looking for survivors headed north or willing to head north. We're aiming for the Appalachian mountains, where my family owns property that should be safe. The attackers are focusing on cities. We're armed but come as friends. We'll defend ourselves if necessary, but we want to help. We have supplies and transportation. If you can hear this, please respond."

Static filled the air after my message.

I handed the microphone back to James. "Wait two minutes, then change the station," I instructed.

James nodded, giving me a perplexed look. "What?" I asked.

He shook his head and smiled, not saying a word.

I checked in with the others. "You guys ready?"

"Yessir!" they responded, gearing up.

"Then let's go," I said, engaging the clutch and revving the engine.

Hours passed with our calls going unanswered. Lilly voiced her doubt. "I don't think anyone's out there, Alec."

"We've been trying for hours," James added, his tone heavy.

I tapped the steering wheel. "We can't give up. There are survivors. We are living proof..." But before I could continue, the radio crackled to life.

"Hello? Repeat, hello? Is anyone there?" a voice came through.

I slammed on the brakes and snatched the microphone. "We read you, come in!"

A woman's voice answered, filled with relief. "Thank Christ. I've been scanning all day. It's good to hear another person."

I asked where she was. She was cautious at first, introducing herself as Whiskey Angel. I called myself Prometheus, explaining it was the last movie I'd seen.

Whiskey asked about our supplies. "Not much," I admitted. "Some food salvaged from cars, a pistol, a few assault rifles..." I decided to keep the alien weapon a secret.

Whiskey chuckled at our modest inventory. "Prometheus, huh? Savior of the world... Doesn't seem like you'll be able to live up to expectations. But... Company might be nice before I die."

"What do you have?" I asked.

Her response was fragmented with static. "I'm driving a Walmart truck... full of water... fresh produce. Produce won't last, but water's good... offroading right now... Road's are a ...... a nightmare... running low on gas."

"You're breaking up," I said. "Where are you?"

"I'm right off 168 headed north."

"That's about 60 miles from us," I calculated. "Hang tight, Whiskey. We're coming."

"Ten four," she replied.

James, eager to join in, grabbed the mic. "Ten four, rubber ducky!"

Whiskey's response came through choppy. "Don't... ever... do that... again," she scolded.

I couldn't help but chuckle, glancing back at Lilly. "Looks like we've made a friend. What do you think?"

James shrugged, but Lilly looked uneasy. "Could be dangerous," she said.

"We've got the gun and the alien weapon," I reminded them. "That truck could be a lifesaver."

"Yeah... It's up to you, Alec. We're just here for the ride," James said, his voice lacking the usual edge of his earlier banter.

"Well," I replied, my eyes scanning the horizon. "Looks like we're in for a bit of a drive... Let's stop off and stretch our legs for a few minutes. There's a gas station right nearby here."