Small Talk
Seth told them about the fires and when they reached Monticello, they found his burned-out truck where he'd left it out of gas. "We may as well head out to Mesa Verde. The others will be there. It was Len's bug out location," Seth remarked sadly.
"Wow, no shit, Seth?" Keith asked trying desperately to repair any bad feelings Seth was surely harboring.
"Yeah. Him and a guy, Nathan O'Connor, worked on it for years. I just hope they all made it ok," Seth added, suddenly thinking of Haven. His heart twinged. His Mom hadn't liked Haven one bit. It was only thing that ever really caused arguments between them. He grit his teeth. He just couldn't let himself go there.
"Who all was with them?" Keith asked unbelievingly.
"Everyone." Seth sighed. "Hollis, Verbena, Bretta, Haven, Nate and his family and some of his other friends."
"Bretta?" Monica echoed. "Great. She'll want to beat my ass when she sees me," she mumbled under her breath.
Cole gave her a look, and added a stern warning. "Just keep your shit straight and you won't have to worry. I mean it too."
Monica said nothing in response and Seth was grateful. He didn't want to have to take sides, but he knew if push came to shove Cole and his ex would have to hit the road.
When they reached the impasse right outside Cortez, the sun was starting its descent. Cole muttered a curse as he pulled to a stop and he and Seth looked at each other in apprehension. The road was completely blocked. It was one thing for them to trek miles out of town to reach their destination, but Monica and Payton would never make it.
"Damn, Seth, what are we gonna do?"
"Wait here," Keith said from the back seat. He got out and trotted off crossing the other side of the road and disappearing from sight.
"What's he doing?" Cole breathed.
"Looking for a vehicle I'm sure," Seth informed him cynically. "Mom said he had a gift, you know, he was from L.A."
Cole smiled anyway. "Excellent. Everyone should have a back-up profession. Let's get our things out and be ready."
As assumed, Keith ran up moments later and told them all to hurry. He had found an old beater at a convenience store. The Wagoneer looked like it was on its last leg, but it was what they needed, and they loaded everything in, and Seth jumped behind the wheel and they headed up the San Luis Skyway and on to Mesa Verde Park.
As they drove Keith tried to tell Seth what he could about the situation they left behind at the hospital. Remarkably, Seth thanked him. He had only met Keith a few times, but he was thankful the man had the sense to get them out of there. He reiterated to Keith that where they were going, they would be far from the reach of any virus and there was no longer any need to worry.
"That may well be true, but everyone needs to understand, there is no cure. None."
"Well its bound to wind down sooner or later, isn't it?" Cole asked.
"This virus kills. It doesn't wind down. It jumps from host to host, and keeps going. It turns people into monsters. The CDC abandoned everything. That's unheard of. I can't tell you how many bodies the army hauled away."
No one said a word to this as if they couldn't wrap their minds around the enormity of the situation they were dealing with.
Keith sat back in the seat defeated. They just didn't understand, and he was at a loss to make it any clearer.
He didn't know Haven at all, but he did know how Billie hadn't been too awful thrilled when Seth had taken a liking to her.
Like any mother she wanted only the best for her son and a ready-made family was just something she had never imagined in her son's future. Keith had listened to her vents many times.
He looked at Monica and the little boy sitting between them. Payton looked up at him and smiled. Keith smiled back. "How old are you?" he asked him.
He instantly held up his hands showing him seven fingers.
"Wow. Seven?"
Monica smiled. "Well almost. On your birthday, Payton."
"When is your birthday Payton?" Keith asked, trying to make small talk.
Payton looked at his mother for help.
"You don't remember?"
He shook his head shyly smiling.
"How about August?" Monica reminded him.
"OH yeah. August," he announced happily.
"August the seventh, you'll be seven. How about that," his mother said rubbing the brown tuft of hair on his forehead.
"Daddy I'll be seven on August seven," he chirped.
Cole turned around and smiled at him. "You sure will Son, your getting bigger by the day," he said proudly.
"Guys were here," Seth announced as he turned into the park entrance and slowed way down. "Not much further and we'll be there. They're staying at the ranger's station in the Spruce Tree section. Its only about five or so more miles. Hang on Payton it's a bumpy ride," Seth said. Cole had been his friend since highschool and Payton was like a nephew to him.
Payton bounced up and down in the seat. "Yay! Mommy will there be some kids there to play with?"
Monica nodded, but her stomach lurched at the same time. She wasn't looking forward to Bretta's reaction when she saw them with Cole.
〰️
Len had seen the strange old Wagoneer, miles before it reached them at the Spruce Tree Center. He had been at the top of the Cedar Tree Tower site with binoculars surveying the area for any encroachers who may have been seeking refuge or worse. After Bucks harrowing tale Len wanted to make sure they weren't waylaid by any others who might have something besides refuge in mind as well as anyone showing signs of illness.
They just couldn't chance it.
He headed back down to the road and drove back to Loop Rd, where he would meet them as they arrived.
〰️
Seth pulled up to the intersection of the small Loop Drive Way and stopped at the barricade Len had placed there. Everyone jumped out but were startled by the loud command Len shouted at them to get back in the vehicle. Monica immediately grabbed Payton and got in the back seat, and Keith stood behind the open backseat door. Seth and Cole stood there, and Seth hollered over asking what was wrong.
Len lifted his mask. "I'm glad you made it," he yelled, "but you're going to need to go back to Far View Lodge for the night Seth, okay!"
"Why Len? I want to see Haven, can you send her out, she can come with us," he shouted back.
"I'm sorry I can't do that Seth. We have to make sure none of you are sick!"
"What the fuck, Len. We aren't sick!"
"Seth," Keith chastised him. "He's right. Shut up and let's go. I'm tired and so is everyone else. We aren't going to stand here and argue."
"Well I am. I want to see Haven," he blurted back at him.
"Not possible Seth," Len bellowed. "She's been exposed."
The words hit Seth like a blast of cold wind.
"Go on to Far View, I will be over in the morning to bring some supplies."
"Come on Seth," Cole mitigated. "You'll make it one more night."
"Muther fucker, this is bull-shit Cole. What the hell. You go up to Far View. I'm staying here."
Suddenly Monica walked up and slapped him hard up side his head. "Are you crazy! You're going to do exactly what he said. This isn't a joke Seth. Do you want to die? I don't! And I have Payton to think about!"
He stood there holding his head in shock.
She pointed to the truck.
He turned and got in, waiting for her and when she slammed her door he backed up and drove back up the dirt road. Clarity was starting to set in. And he didn't like it.
Len went up to tell Nate and Deag they were here.
〰️
Far View Lodge was an impending brick structure situated in the middle of nowhere. Like a desert fortress it sprang up suddenly at the top of the hill. It looked more like an observatory at first, but inside it was far from scientific. It was warm and comfortable but eerily silent.
Cole and Seth unpacked the things they had brought, which wasn't much, and the group assembled in the great room. Seth declared he was going to bed down right there and Monica, with Cole went to find something to eat for Payton and the others. In the end they all decided to stay together. The lodge was just too sprawling to feel safe.
As the night wore on, Monica got Payton settled, and the others finally slept but Seth was restless. He paced the floors and wondered what the future held for any of them.
Suddenly Keith was there, and he motioned for him to follow him outside. They stood together at the railing of a long balcony and looked out at the dark land and the stars above them.
Finally, Keith apologized to Seth. "I know all of this is tough, but sometimes you have to listen to someone else's directions. It cannot always be your way. That's how people die."
"It's alright, you were right." he admitted. "I'm just not used to this craziness. I'm sorry too," he said rubbing his cheek. "Monica's got one hard punch." He tried to make light of things, but Keith was dead serious, and he could hear it in his voice.
"Seth, to get through this we're going to have to slow down and do things right. You said Len had been working on this for years. Just what has he told you about why he was doing it?"
Seth shrugged with indifference. "Not much really. I never really thought that much about it. I figured, you know, he's Indian and all, maybe it was just normal for him."
Keith rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered Seth's explanation. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on, let's get some sleep. Len will probably be here at daylight, then he'll explain things."
They went in and lay down on their pallets. Seth was almost instantly asleep, but Keith lay awake thinking. He tossed and turned as his mind wandered aimlessly over the events of the last several weeks, wondering if there would ever be an answer for what had become the worst disease in history and finally fell into a fitful and troubled sleep.
Everyone was up at the crack of dawn and Monica scrounged around in the large restaurant pantries to make a breakfast for Payton, while Keith spoke with Seth and Cole and told them about some of the thing's he'd overheard from the military advisors who met with the CDC at Salt Lake Regional before they had simply lost all control of the situation.
With the death count superseding what they could handle, there had been an attempt by FEMA to gather the uninfected into quarantine camps in the hope of saving as many people as they could, but all their efforts failed as the public turned to riots and looting. By then even marshal law had collapsed and the CDC abandoned the effort. The people they had managed to confine in the camps quickly lost trust in the system and it became impossible to hold them. That was when the worst of the viral infections struck, and thousands died in those camps only to become one of the restless undead monsters.
Rouge military units broke away from protocol and began killing random numbers of people. They began sweeping through towns and killing anyone in sight. It was a deathtrap to be caught anywhere by them. Worst of all was the realization of just how fast it happened. It was a bloodbath.
As Cole and Seth questioned Keith about other things he had seen or heard Len arrived, dressed head to toe in his chemical suit and head gear.
Seth noticed that he looked around for someone and he knew Len was looking for his Mom. His head dropped and he told Len what happened. Len took him in his arms and hugged him, whispering his sorrow. "We have many things to mourn, but for now we have to be strong. Haven has needed you and you have to be here and present for her Seth."
Seth swallowed and nodded.
Seth helped him gather the bio-suits and with his arms full of gear, he and Len walked in and Payton, startled at the sight jerked with fear and screamed a bloodcurdling howl.
Monica ran to him and rushed him out of the room, but Cole made her bring him back, telling her he was going to have to get used to it because he'd have to be geared up as well.
"Can't we just stay here with him," she argued.
"We need to stay together Monica," Cole said, taking Payton from her and bringing him over to see there was nothing to be afraid of.
"That's ridiculous, Cole. Why put him through all that," she demanded.
Keith took Monica by the shoulders and brought her in to sit on the couch in the great room. "Shut up," he hissed. "Cole is right. Whining will get you killed."
Len began helping them get suited up. "As soon as you're all dressed, we'll go. Buck has food ready and we have a lot to tell you."
Seth nodded and helped Cole get Payton ready. "You'll have to carry him, so you get suited up first and then I'll help Monica."
With-in thirty minutes they were all ready and they followed Len outside. Instantly Seth noticed someone sitting in the jeep that Len had driven over. It was Haven. She got out and Seth ran to her.
"Oh god baby!" he rasped taking her in his arms. He slid his hand down her back and rested the other on her swollen belly holding her until Len got behind the wheel and he helped her in the back seat where he joined her. "God, I wish I could kiss you baby," he whispered.
"I'd like to kill you, Seth. You're such a dumb-ass," she snapped back.
Len smiled at her. "Atta girl Haven, I couldn't agree more."
"Shut the fuck up Len," Seth mumbled under his breath. "I made it back didn't I," he reminded him.
"Yeah, I guess you're right about that."
Beyond his comment, Lens expression was unreadable, as usual, but he did after all bring Haven with him. That said everything Len's flint like features never would.
Keith got in with Len and Cole drove Monica and Payton.
Monica sat in the back seat with her son. She felt sick to her stomach, and nervous as hell. She did not even want to be anywhere near Bretta Howard. Too many times before they had had words and it never ended well. Honestly, she was scared of Bretta who was slightly bigger than her and tough. She had grown up in Missouri. She was a farm girl, and her muscles proved it. She had a mouth too.
No, Monica was not looking forward to this.