ZACH ACCELERATED UP THE ONRAMP to I-5. "Let's see what you can do." He glanced back automatically to merge. No one coming. Duh. His foot pressed harder toward the floor. The engine whined, but kicked in, bursting forward. Ignoring the center line he straightened the curves. On the curvy hills above Lake Samish he decided that more than 90 m.p.h. was probably what he would have termed crazy before the whole world went there, but when the speed limit jumped to 70 he opened it up and hit three digits on the straightaways.
A moment of misgiving crossed his mind when he saw the remains of a car seat in the median. Should he have left Lizzie and Saj? He'd be back soon enough.
He kept up his speed. It was a lovely November day, the trees swayed in a light breeze as he passed the exit to Gramp's place off Cook Road. The Skagit Valley flats were devoid of human beings, but snow geese dotted the fields along with the big white marshmallow rolls of hay. Crossing the bridge into Mount Vernon, he remembered when a span of it had fallen into the Skagit River. It was before he drove, but he remembered hearing how bad most of the bridges were. If it went down now, no one would fix it.
He pulled off to forage for food at Safeway. Garbage cans propped open the doors, but they slid aside as he approached then clanged back into the cans. He grabbed some frozen chicken-fried steaks and found a microwave in the break room.
After lunch he continued south, his mind mulling the same questions over and over. Why had he and Lizzie and Nev survived? What was next? And what the hell was he supposed to do about his feelings for her?
How many times had he said they could sleep together and still just be friends? It had been lovely. He remembered bits and pieces, delicious moments, a flash of flesh in the moonlight, the touches of skin on skin. So much had already escaped his brain.
He pretended to be asleep when she woke in his arms, pretended not to feel her stiffen, pretended not to hear the deep sigh that sounded like anything but contentment. When it got light he waited until he was sure she was asleep again. Then he snuck out from under the covers, backing away from her, letting her be alone. He remembered the last glance he'd taken as he left her room, her calm, pleasant face and the softness of the skin he had touched in the dark.
Zach sighed, flipped on the radio and hit search. When it stopped on a 99.9, The Rock, playing Alice in Chains, he cranked it. The growling voices and guitars provided the mood he wanted. "It's all right," He sang, "Had a bad day."
* * *
He took the exit to Tumwater. He had nearly fallen asleep, jerking awake every few miles. The sun had gone down, but the light had not left the sky. He hit redial, calling Nev's number.
"Zach?" Nev answered before he even heard it ring.
"I'll be there soon."
"I'll come find you. There are a bunch of streets with similar names. I'll meet you by the gate. It says Silver Ridge."
"Okay. If that's what you want to do." He followed the G.P.S. and stopped at the entrance to the Silver Ridge development.
The wind whipped Zach's face as he stepped out of the Tank.
"Zach!"
Zach spun. Nev sprinted at him, her arms wide open. He stepped forward spreading his arms wide. She careened into him, dropping her backpack and wrapping her arms around him. He hugged her. "Nev, I'm so glad you're alive."
"Zach." Nev pushed him back and appraised him. "You're..." Her words stumbled. "Uh, me too." She finally said as she released him and retrieved her duffle bag. "Let's go."
"You're all ready to go?"
"Yeah. I said my goodbyes. Things are weird here."
"Okay. Sooner we hit the road, sooner we're back in Bellingham." He took the duffle and tossed it in the back seat.
When they got back to the freeway he noticed her still staring at him. "What? Have I grown a third eye?"
"No," she giggled. "You're a lot bigger than you were. It's only been a couple years."
"Oh, yeah. Grew six inches in three months my Junior year. Went from short to above average like that." He snapped his fingers. "So fast I got stretch marks on my shoulders."
"Wow. And not just up. You've been working out?"
"Well, some at school but mostly from 'working out' on the farm. Gramps-" He couldn't talk about Gramps, yet.
Nev nodded soberly. "Is he?"
Zach knew the implied question and the answers to the rest. "Yeah. Everybody in the family."
"Mine too." He saw her jaw tighten, but she turned her face into a smile. "I didn't think anybody I knew was still alive. Now you and Lizzie. And I'm heading home to Bellingham."
"Bellingham is dead. Except hippies and dog people. That's what Lizzie calls the folks who aren't all there anymore."
Nev nodded. "One of the reverend's kids is like that. Charley stares out the window all day. They said he got sick, got better, but something's off. He'll eat if you give him food."
A siren went off behind him. Zach saw flashing lights spinning in his rear view. "What the hell? Didn't anyone tell him it's the end of the world?" Zach stepped on the gas and felt the Tank rumble underneath him as it surged ahead.
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