Chapter 1
Following an old map, I managed to find a route to Atlanta from Kingsland that shouldn't have taken more than 5 hours. Of course that wasn't factoring in the fact that every person in Georgia was trying to get to Atlanta.
What should've been a relatively quick roadtrip ended up taking almost 3 days with multiple stops at gas stations and on shoulders. Anneliese was a relatively content baby, but like all babies they need to be fed, changed, comforted and played with. Penny being only 3 also required frequent bathroom breaks but Jackson was proving to be a wonderful helper with keeping Penny entertained.
The sun is almost setting as we approach the exit to Atlanta and my jaw drops at what I see
I pull to a slow stop as I stare at the skeletons of skyscrapers peering over the tree tops.
"Damn" I curse laying my head on top of the steering wheel
"That's a bad word Gen" Penny remarks from the back
"Yes, yes it is Pen don't you ever say it"
"What're we going to do" Jackson inquires
"Well I'm gonna pull over and more to the side in a little bit of shade and were gonna hunker down here for a little while to think out a new plan"
"How are you gonna make a new plan?"
"I don't know yet Jackson, just give me a minute" He huffs in response and looks out the window. 'What the hell am I supposed to do now' I think as I put the car into drive and reverse a little more so that we're parked more in the shade.
"Ok we're going to rest here a while, maybe overnight." I tell the kids, rolling the windows down a crack to let in any sort of breeze.
"Ok" Jackson says and he looks like he wants to say more but Anneliese starts to cry. I unbuckle as quickly as I can and twist to pick her up before grabbing one of the sample bottes to feed her. "Jack, you can get out a can of food and share it with Penny ok?"
"Yea" We sit there in the same spot for a good hour doing nothing but rhyming games and I- spy before its completely dark. Penny and Jack stretch out on the backseat and I make myself and Anneliese comfortable in the front seats before dozing off.
The sun wakes me in the morning and after feeding and changing Anneliese I decide to look through some of the cars on the other side of the highway.
"Alright Jack I need you to listen, this gun is loaded all you have to do is flick off the safety, point and pull the trigger. Do not use the gun unless a person, a living breathing person is trying to break into the car and take something. Ok? Jack do you understand?"
"Yes Gen"
"Ok as soon as I leave the car I want you to lock the doors, do not unlock them until I'm in front of the door. Don't leave the car for any reason, is that clear?"
"Yes" "Ok I love you guys, follow the rules. Eat a can of fruit it you're hungry. I'll be back soon" after their echoed I love you I grab the bookbag I just emptied and leave the car. After shutting the door, I wait until I hear the lock click before I move away from it. I quickly make my way across the highway, eyes peeled for any biters or people. I go through numerous cars, not finding much of anything. A few bottles of water some canned food.
Before I know it, the sun is getting high and I decide to check one last car before taking a break. In the trunk, there's a pack of diapers 3 sizes too big for Anneliese but I'd take what I can get. There's also a diaper bag with a can of formula and 2 bottles along with some outfits and a small blanket. I stuff the diapers in the diaper bag and swing it over my shoulder. Before I can lean out of the trunk a first aid kit catches my eye. Just as I reach for it a low growl from in the car catches my attention and I slowly peer over the seat. At the sight of a little baby half its arm missing growling and reaching towards me, induces me to throw myself out of the trunk and throw up everything I'd eaten the day prior which wasn't much.
Hastily wiping my mouth, I pick up the diaper bag and the first aid kit and walk back as quickly as possible. When I get to the car I can see that Jackson has the gun clutched in one hand, Anneliese in his other arm with a binkie in her mouth and Penny curled up beside him. I gently tap on the driver's side window and wait as Jackson quickly unlocks the doors. "Everything good?" I ask shutting the door being me and locking the doors.
"Yea, I fed Anne but you might wanna make sure I put her diaper on right. Penny's coloring" "Ok good. Why don't you hand me Anneliese and the gun and then get some read a comic or something " he nods and passes me Anneliese and the gun before retrieving a comic from the bag.
"Did you two eat anything?" I ask
"Yeah we had fruit for breakfast after you left but we haven't had lunch yet"
"Okay, I might go looking again." I inform him and get no response. After sharing 2 cans of vegetables between the three of us and feeding and changing the baby, I give Jackson back the gun and list the rules for the second time that day. I ignore Jack's eyeroll as I shut the door and head off in the opposite direction than what I did this morning.
I'm drenched in sweat and exhausted by the time the sun even begins setting. My search only yielded a few bottles of water and a box and a half of granola bars. After rejoining the kids I feed Anneliese while Jack and Penny share a can of green beans and then we all settle down to sleep.
Sleep seems to be impossible with how many times Anneliese wakes me up crying and once I finally get her settled I know it won't be for long.
Around 5 Jackson wakes up when I'm feeding Anneliese so I give him the gun and tell him to wake me up at 8 if Anneliese doesn't before then. I get 2 hours of restless sleep before Anneliese starts to whine.
"Did you and Penny eat Jack?" I question sitting up and pulling the whining Anneliese away from my chest.
"Yea we both had a granola bar and some water"
"Ok good"
"What are we doing today?"
"Well I'm gonna drive us up a little bit, maybe right in front of the Atlanta sign and look in some of the cars try and find some extra gas" I say seeing how the arrow for gas is indicating empty. "Same rules as yesterday ok"
"Yes Gen" I nod before settling Anneliese into her mosses basket and starting the car
"How you are doing Penn?"
"I'm ok Gen"
"Just ok?"
"Yea" "Hm well I spy something with blonde hair that needs to be happier" "Hm Jack?"
"Mm Maybe I was thinking a little someone named Penelope." She giggles in response and within the next minute I'm pulling to a stop in front of the sign.
"Alright I'll be back in a few hours maybe less. Love you"
"Hearing Penny's response of "I love you Genny" and Jacksons meek Love you too as I shut the door, I wait for the locks to click before moving away. A few hours later I'm sweating buckets and I think it's around noon. I can feel the exhaustion and the hunger starting to wear on me so I head back to the car having no luck on gas but finding a few coloring books. When I get to the car Jackson is in the middle of teaching Penny a hand game. I open the door when he unlocks it and slide inside.
"Hey, did you guys eat?"
"Yea a few pieces of fruit and some water"
"Ok good, I'm gonna need yall to be as quiet as you can ok? I need to look at this map" they both nod as I pull a local map out of the bookbag that I found earlier. On it are properties and woods that are labeled. I find where we are judging by where the highways intersect and consider the surrounding woods hoping to see a little house or something. And luck appears to be on our side for once about 5 miles west of where we are there's a camp ground with cabins.
"Alright guys I have a plan"
"Really?"
"Yes, really Jack. So, after I feed Anneliese and change her were going to start walking. About 5 miles that way there are some cabins we can stay at for a while."
"Ok" Penny quickly agrees
"Why don't we just find another car" Jackson questions
"Hopefully we will but we need to stay put for a little bit" he nods still not seeming so happy about my plan but that's not my main concern right now. I divide out food between 2 book bags same with our water bottles. Anneliese's formula getting moved between bags. As I fill our other book-bag with diapers to the brim. I stuff a blanket in with the food. I feed and change Anneliese quickly.
I strap the baby carrier around myself and settle Anneliese in before putting on of the book bags on my back and placing the diaper filled one in the mosses basket. I put the diaper bag full of clothes and diapers on my shoulder and carry the mosses basket in the crook of my elbow. Jackson puts the other on his back and grabs Penny's hand and we head into the woods.