Chapter 3
At first I thought Daria had exaggerated, that the explosion had affected only Houston and the rest of the country were going about their daily business as if nothing had happened. We saw no signs of any more attacks, no more unidentified aircraft- no activity in the skies whatsoever. We thought the worst was over, we thought we were safe… We were wrong.
We had spent two days driving across the state, weaving our way through the back roads on our way to Louisiana. After Trent and Jesse had gone to get the gas, we had decided that, since no one else knew where their families were, we would try to find mine and Daria's parents in Atlanta. As we drove further away from the city and passed through the small towns that were littered across the countryside we were given false hope. The town's folk seemed blissfully unaware of the attack on Houston, they carried out their daily routines as if nothing had happened and we started to feel a little silly for the way we had panicked.
On the third day of driving we had decided to stop at a motel for the night, we were just a few miles off the boarder and we were all in desperate need of a shower and a good night's sleep. None of us were that surprised when the motel clerk told us we were the first customers they had had in almost a week; the place was putrid, given the choice of one of the rooms or another restless night in the Tank, I would have chosen the Tank.
Judging by the décor, the motel had been built in the early seventies. Quinn grimaced as she pulled back the covers of her bed and remarked that it had probably been that long since the linen had been changed. She screwed up her nose as she pulled the duvet back over the threadbare sheets and lay on top fully clothed. Daria watched and lay on the other single bed, not bothering to check the sheets.
"I still don't know why you insisted we share a room, I thought we made a pact we'd never do it again after the camping trip." Daria deadpanned as she stared up at the ceiling, the moldy off-white panels shone pink from the reflected neon light that was affixed to the wall outside. Its low steady hum penetrated the paper thin walls.
"I know, I guess I'm still a little shaken after the other night, plus I'm scared the last two dollar whore that used this room will come back." Quinn replied with a nervous titter as she rolled to face her sister.
"We could have afforded a room each you know, the manager gave the rooms to us for half price since the cable is still out." Daria said her last few words were marred by a deep yawn.
Quinn lay still for a moment before saying, "Don't you think it's a little weird?"
"What?" Daria replied.
"The way everyone is carrying on as if nothing happened. Do you think that maybe they don't know?"
"I guess, I mean there's no radio or TV reception, and the last few towns were far enough away not to have heard or felt the explosion."
"Do you think that maybe we over reacted? That we were wrong?" Quinn asked, a glimmer of hope shone in her voice.
"I don't know Quinn; I guess we'll find out when we get closer to the next city." Daria replied sleepily.
"I hope so, I really don't want to have to go another two days without a shower, you know how I-"
"Quinn," Daria interrupted, "Give it a rest, I need to sleep. Between you and that incessant drone of that damned light, it's making it really hard."
Quinn laid still and listened, there was most definitely a drone, but it wasn't the same one that was coming from the light. "Daria?"
"That's not coming from the light, is it?" Daria asked apprehensively.
The two girls got out of their beds and tentatively approached the window, just in time to see a large battered old troop-carrier crawl past the motel. In the dim light they were able to make out two forms perched either at end, both carrying rifles.
"Daria? You can see that too right?"
Daria nodded mutely then returned to her bed and began to collect their belongings, stuffing them into her old rucksack, "Hurry, we have to wake the others and get out of here."
Not thirty seconds had passed before a deep echoing boom of a shotgun sounded out into the night, causing them both to jump.
"That came from the office, our cars are in the parking lot; they know we're here." Daria said as she ran over to the window and peered through the blind. Two armed men had begun a slow walk to the cabins. "We have to hide, they're coming."
They stared at each other momentarily before their eyes darted around the room, seeking a viable place to hide. There was none. There were no closets, no space under the beds. They were trapped.
"The bathroom," Quinn said in a hushed whisper. "The window faces to the back of the motel, we can get out that way."
They entered the dark room. The window was a small wooden framed square that had to be pulled up in order to open. Daria stared at it, she had no doubt in her mind that Quinn would get through without any troubles; the girl ate nothing but rabbit food, herself on the other hand…
"Daria, come on." Quinn hissed as she climbed on top of the toilet and squeezed through.
Daria scoffed at the ease in which she had managed it. "You're joking right? How the hell am I supposed to do that?"
Quinn huffed, "Now's not the time for you to get snarky. Just throw me your bag and get your freaking ass out this window now!" she hissed, her voice had risen at least an octave.
Daria obliged, and with a little effort she got through the window. Once out the pair surveyed their surroundings, the motel backed onto a steep incline with a dense forest lining the top of the ridge.
"Come on, up there," Daria said as she tugged at Quinn. As she climbed she hoped the others had woken up in time.
