If I had to listen to one more word about My Little Pony* I was going to shoot someone, literally. I had a gun now. I brought Chloe those Scooby-Doo books so I wouldn't have to put up with something like this for the whole ride but alas being a nine year old took over and the books no longer held her attention. So here we were listening to the epic tale of the Cutie Mark Crusaders trying to hook up their teacher and some dude with a magic potion. All I could think while listening to the story was we have something like that in real life and we call it alcohol.
I grinned out the window at my internal conversation and tried to drown out her rather demanding little voice. We had finally got out of the city using the back roads and absolutely horribly designed one ways. Luckily we didn't run into any infected just a couple of other vehicles heading in the opposite direction. They all had junk piled on their roofs as they sped into the city, no doubt trying to get to the emergency shelters. I knew most of those shelters would fall just like the school had but the travelers wouldn't listen. We even flagged down a mini-van and tried to tell them about the city being overrun but they refused to believe us. I guess if you hadn't seen it yourself, you would have a hard time swallowing the truth.
"Hey look it's a van!" Chloe exclaimed suddenly.
We all peered out the windshield to see a newer model of a Dodge Caravan barrelling down the one way. Unfortunately we were going the wrong direction on it so Ethan slowed and moved over as far as he could with the truck. The van would be able to squeeze through, if they slowed down that was. Just before they reached us they finally slowed down and stopped. The driver got out of the van and started to approach the truck.
"Stay here," Ethan said firmly to Chloe and she just nodded her head.
We all stared at the tanned, middle aged man walking calmly towards the truck. Ethan rolled down the window before hopping out, no doubt to allow us to hear the conversation.
"Ah, you're kind of in the way," The man said to Ethan.
"Sorry about that, had to use these roads to get out of the city," Ethan said back.
"Why not the interstate or main arteries?" He asked confused.
Ethan sighed, obviously not liking to be the bearer of bad news,
"We just came from one city shelter they had set up and it was overrun. We figured the safest thing would to lay low for a while in the country while we waited for the government and military to organize everything."
"We're heading to the stadium one, was that the place you guys were coming from?" The man asked.
"No the high school near downtown."
"Well maybe the stadium is fine."
"I wouldn't take that chance," Ethan looked over at the van, "Especially with your family in tow."
"We don't know what else to do," The guy shrugged helplessly.
Oh god, Ethan better not ask them to come with us. The last thing we needed were more liabilities, although in all fairness that's all we were to Ethan when he offered.
"You should turn back around and stay outside city limits."
"Thanks for the advice but I think we will stick with our plan."
Ethan looked really torn as he almost pleaded with the man,
"Look, I have a huntin' cabin 'bout another two-three hours from here. You and your family are welcome to come with us."
"That's really kind but we think an official shelter would be best. I gotta look out for my family, you know?" The man gave us a crinkled smile, "Name's Roy by the way."
"Ethan."
"Well thanks again for the offer Ethan," Roy said as he started back towards his van.
Slowly the van inched past us and Roy waved. I could see the curious faces of his young children pressed up against the van windows, watching us as they slid past us. I watched the van go past the Mazda and then Ethan fired up the truck. Soon the van disappeared behind us and I found myself hoping they would find what they were looking for.
The buildings had given way to a two-lane highway surrounded by trees in every direction. It seemed so surreal considering we were pretty much just blocked in by buildings on all ends. The highway was clear. This was kind of creepy in my books; it reminded me of when I would have the unholy 7 am Saturday shift at my part-time job and the roads would be empty the whole way there. We drove on, speeding with the Mazda still in tow.
There was a car pulled over to the side of the road and we gave it a wide berth as we passed. The driver side window was smeared with blood and the passenger side door was left wide open. The window was so dirty that I couldn't see in but Ethan didn't give us much of a chance to gawk as he sped away from the abandoned car. Suddenly no one felt like talking, even Chloe had stopped her tirade.
"So anyone want to play I-Spy?" Darren grinned.
Zoe smacked him on the arm and he feigned being hurt. Honestly, the joke was in bad taste but at least it helped to relieve some of the tension. Soon I felt the truck slowing down and Ethan flicked on his right signal light for John and Taylor behind us. The pavement ended with the highway and the sound of gravel crunching under our tires filled the cab. I could barely make out the Mazda behind us through the dust and gravel the truck was throwing up.
"I hope they can see," Zoe said as she peered out the back window.
"I hope he's not too attached to that paint job," I said back.
"Well black's not the best vehicle choice anyways," Darren said.
"So I hate to be that guy but are we close yet?" Zoe asked.
"The gravel road turn-off means about another forty-five minutes or so," Ethan said, glancing in the rear view mirror.
"Look!" Our trusty guide pointed out from the passenger seat.
There was a deer bounding along the tree line.
"Hmm, you weren't kidding about the game up here," Darren said.
"Yeah, it's pretty good around this time of year even though it's technically not huntin' season yet," Ethan pointed out.
"So what does that mean?" I asked.
"It means were only allowed to hunt for a few months out of the year and generally it's around October until January, so were a little out of the limits," Ethan answered.
"What happens if you hunt outside of the season?"
"Jail or a fine," Ethan said, "But I think that's the least of our worries."
He wasn't kidding.
"Once our dad took down a seven-hundred pound elk!" Chloe exclaimed proudly.
Ethan chuckled,
"Yeah I remember that day alright. Took me, Dad and Uncle Bobby just to lift it onto the back of the truck. Damn near dropped the thing on me as we moved it."
"We had elk for months," Chloe giggled, "Mom made Dad give the rest away 'cause she said she'd go crazy if she had to eat any more elk."
"Sounds pretty good, right about now," Darren said, "I could go for some food."
Great now I was hungry and we still had forty minutes to go. By the time we pulled up to the heavy iron gate, I was officially starving. Ethan got out of the truck to unlock the gate and swing it open. Darren hopped out and drove the truck through and the Mazda followed. When Ethan re-locked the gate he kicked Darren into the back again.
The immediate property was lined with barbwire fencing, the only break being the gate. I assumed their land went much further. Trees lined the area creating the feeling like we were in the middle of a forest, the only trail being the dirt road that led up to the cabin. The cabin itself was actually bigger than I expected. I was expecting a log cabin, but instead it was modernly designed, with dark brown siding and I could see the solar panels lining the roof and a few propped around the cabin on the ground. At the peak was a little window and I assumed that was a loft area or something.
"Nice," Darren said impressed.
Finally we were able to get out and stretch. I grabbed one of the bags from the back and took out a pack of beef jerky. Everyone grabbed some and soon we were all busy gnawing on the chewy junk food.
"So do we get the grand tour?" I asked, after taking a drink from my water bottle.
"Sure is a nice place you got here son," John said, eyeing the solar panels.
"Well my dad loves to hunt. This place used to belong to my grandfather but when he passed, my dad redid the cabin, fencing and all the amenities and hook-ups," Ethan said proudly.
We followed Ethan around back where there was a little garden with a few plants starting to sprout and a well a few feet from that. There was a small shed with a pile of wood beside it, no doubt for the camp fire which was located a few meters from the side of the cabin. Then he took us inside.
The air was musty from the place being locked up for so long without even a window cracked. The inside was furnished with very utilitarian type furniture that would last forever. Then I saw something that had me actually excited.
"A bathroom. Thank god!" I exclaimed.
No bathing in a pond somewhere. Laughing Ethan said,
"There is also an outhouse a bit further from the cabin."
I made a face at that and he laughed even harder. The kitchen was small and a huge stainless steel contraption stood even taller than I was. The fridge was a small mini one so I assumed this thing wasn't a second fridge.
"Meat smoker," Ethan said when he saw me eyeing the thing.
"Bailey and I dibs this room," Zoe said as she flung her bag into the room.
I walked over to the room which was barely big enough to host the two single beds. I dropped my backpack onto the floor and peaked at the other room which was just a mirror of ours.
"I dibs the loft," Chloe said excitedly as she climbed the wooden ladder that lead to a small ledge area.
I guess that window was really for a loft after all.
"Wait, does that mean we're bunking together?" Darren asked Ethan with a perplexed look on his face.
"Well it's that or the couch," Ethan said as he dropped himself onto the couch in question.
Dust flew up and Ethan started to cough as he waved away the dust surrounding him.
"Not much of a choice," Darren muttered.
"Guys," Zoe rolled her eyes, "So touchy about things like that."
I grinned at the look they shot her. At least they wouldn't have to share a bed, but to be fair calling those cots a bed seemed like an insult.
"Well at least you don't have to put up with Zoe's snoring," I joked and she punched me in the arm.
"It's not that bad," Zoe said as I rubbed my arm.
"I honestly don't know how you don't wake yourself up," I said, "It's like a chainsaw."
Chloe laughed from her perch in the loft and Zoe just rolled her eyes.
"You guys brought sleeping bags right?" Ethan asked John and Taylor.
"Yeah and a couple extras, if ya need any," John nodded.
"Maybe you guys should camp out in the living room until we make sure it's safe," Ethan suggested.
"Won't hear me complainin'," John said.
"You might when you hear Zoe snore," I grinned and Zoe lobbed a pillow at my head.
"It isn't that bad, dammit!" She yelled back.
*I know nothing about My Little Pony, all the information I have on it came from Wiki, so I'm not sure how accurate it is.