A little later we were walking again towards the shortcut I found. We were greeted by a surprise. Sure enough there was a dip in the road so the ash would be thicker. I started waking forward.
"Lizzie wait-" Scarlet started. Too late, I slipped and fell under. My stubbornness will be the death of me.
"LIZ!" I heard Chris yell. There was a scream from Rochelle. I didn't go far, I got stuck from the waist down. I started coughing from the ash that I stirred up. I didn't want silicosis or the ash to turn into cement in my lungs.
"Liz! Grab hold!" Scarlett yelled. I looked over, Chris was hanging onto a tree branch near by and onto Rochelle's hand, Rochelle had a grip of Scarlett who had a hand stretched out to me. I grabbed her hand and they pulled me out. I sat on the ground and continued my coughing fit. I could hardly breath, my mask had slipped and I took a huge breath accidentally and it wasn't like inhaling snow, this stuff doesn't melt. Sand would be better than this poison.
I couldn't risk taking out a water bottle, ash could get in the bottle and I would have to throw out that bottle completely. Rochelle was rubbing and hitting my back which was loosening up the particles and helping a bit.
"Scar, is there a town or a building near by we can stop at?" Chris asked.
"Not for another 6 miles." Scarlett answered.
"Okay, uh we didn't go far from that rest area, maybe we can head back." Chris offered. I was still coughing but I could feel the ash clearing up.
"No." I croaked. "We can't lose time, we need to keep walking." I coughed again and stood up. "This area will be gone in just a day or two, the ash is piling up bit by bit, and we need to get home. The climate will drop in just a couple weeks and we need to be prepared." I stopped and kept coughing. Rochelle started patting my back again.
"Lizzie listen to yourself you're practically dying." Chris said sternly. I looked at him and coughed.
"I'll be fine, we need to keep moving. Dont worry about me I'll be fine." I spoke.
"Chris, I have to agree with her." Scarlet sighed. "I hate to admit it but she's right if we stay here we'll be buried."
"Scar-"
"Chris we need to listen to Lizzie, we'll help her when we stop again." Rochelle urged. I smiled at them, they understand.
"But-"
"Chris, we can't help her if we're buried under ash, and if we have to take that long route then we better get marching because it may just take all day to get there." Scarlet spoke to her brother. Chris sighed then picked up his bag.
"Then let's get moving."
*****
The ash got deeper as we were walking. We'll have to eventually be using snowshoes. The ash was showing no signs of letting up anytime soon, if it keeps falling like this we may get buried. This is way more ash than the scientists could have ever predicted.
"It's weird..." Scarlet mumbled.
"What is?" I asked then proceeded to cough.
"We haven't seen another person in 2 days." Scarlet responded. I thought about it, she's right, there should be a bunch of people somewhere, hiking for their lives.
"Maybe they made it to the town. Everyone left sooner than we did." I answered.
"Maybe..." Scarlet mumbled. Afterwards we went back into our silence besides my coughing. IT was starting to hurt my lungs, but considering the fact that I can't feel anymore dust it must mean that my throat is irritated. My lungs feel fine which is a good sign. No chance of silicosis or liquid cement. I hope.
Chris opened the map.
"We should arrive in the next 45 minutes if my math is right. We'll have to find a place where a roof isn't caved in." He sighed.
"Caved in?" Rochelle asked terrified.
"With the ash and rain? I wouldn't be shocked." I sighed.
"What?" Rochelle asked again. I sighed.
"Ash isn't like snow. Ash is literal, particles of rock from an explosion. That explosion was more powerful than 1000 Hiroshima bombs. This rock was turned into micrometers, yet it is still rock and heavier than snow. 20 cm could collapse a roof. Add rain and half that could collapse a roof. We've reached about 5 cm, and judging by how thick it is as we walk, some minor buildings may have already collapsed." I explained.
"I am so glad we have you with us." Rochelle spoke after a moment. I chuckled quietly and we kept walking. It was getting worse bit by bit but we managed to get to the little town. There were no houses, just restaurants and gas stations. There was a motel too. The room was partially caved in but we might be able to get something out of it.
But as I got a closer look, I saw what looked like a fire light. When I looked even closer, there were distant figures, they looked like ants, but no doubt those are people. I turned to the others.
"Come on!" Scarlet gasped and started running, we tailed her. I started shouting.
"HEY! IS SOMEONE THERE?" I screamed, then proceeded to start coughing. The people jumped up and turned around.
"HELLO?" They yelled. We ran over, they were all adults. We were still approaching when someone grabbed a gun and aimed it at us. We froze up.
What the?
"Don't move!" He warned. We didn't. The two others walked over to us and grabbed our bags.
"Hey we need those!" I glared.
"Shut up!" They yelled.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Checking for useful supplies what does it look like?"
"But WE need those." I was almost yelling again. Chris nudged me.
"Shut up." He hissed. I ignored him/
"It's survival of the fittest nowadays kid." He scoffed.
"We should be uniting not going against each other." I spoke.
"Oh shut up you stupid kid!"
"MAKE ME!" I screeched then keeled over and started coughing horrendously. Scarlet started hitting my back. I'm gonna be bruised there. The men were looking at us and discussing something, the first one finally walked up.
"She inhaled the ash?" He asked.
"Got stuck in a dip in the road." Chris answered, we were under a roof again so he handed me the canteen around his neck. I drank the water and coughed up some of the water and what felt like ash. I looked at the mess on the ground, there was blood in it. That can't be good...maybe the ash scratched my throat or something.
"Why didn't you leave her? She's going to die either way." The second one frowned.
"We need each other. Besides, Lizzie is our best bet to survive this. She's done so much research she might as well be a walking survival guide." Rochelle spoke. Scarlet nudged her.
"She knows how to survive this?" The third asked keeping his gun aimed at us. None of us spoke. Chris was rubbing my back after I finished my coughing fit. Sitting there leaning against him made me realize just how exhausted I was. We never stopped for lunch so we could make good time. And coughing has completely worn me out.
The three men turned to each other and spoke softly. I could feel my eyelids drooping on me, I struggled to stay awake. Chris was rubbing my shoulder gently. Rochelle had my hand and checking the bandages. Scarlet had a hand on her back pocket, and when I got a closer look it was a knife. Her eyes were on the men. They finally turned around and walked over.
"Here's the deal, we'll give you your supplies back, but only if you give us a route to get out of here and tips on surviving." The first one ordered. Scarlet gripped the knife. Chris looked at me, I looked at Rochelle and Rochelle looked at Scarlet who was glaring at the men. I sighed.
"Fine, deal. Give us our stuff first and we'll work out a route with you."
*****
We did exactly that. Those men gave us our supplies and I sat down and explained survival strategies and facts on the volcano. I also worked out a route and wrote it on a piece of paper and gave it to the men. Scarlet was there holding a knife. When we finished they left to another building. We settled down in the gas station that was there, I was forced under the blankets first.
"They tried to take our supplies and threatened to shoot us..." Rochelle whispered.
"If people are always acting like this...how much longer until people start eating each other?" I mumbled. Scarlet shuddered at the thought.
"I used to read stuff like this on the internet, now I think I'll forever be scared." She mumbled and got under the blankets.
"One of us should stay watch." Rochelle said. Chris nodded.
"I'll take first watch, Scarlet you take the second watch then Rochelle and that should take us to morning." Chris said.
"Uh-"
"No, you sleep. You've helped out so much already, you look dead so just sleep. We'll handle this." Scarlet interrupted. There was no point in arguing.
"Okay...thanks guys. Night." I whispered. I turned on my side and yawned. I let sleep overcome me, into a better world where none of this happened. A world where I can escape for a little while.
I wouldn't mind dying in my sleep, just not yet.
~~~~~~~~~
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Luv ya peeps!
~Nik<3