The Road
Chapter Six
Ellie was quite excited about beginning their journey. For the first hour she asked questions about their route and if there was anything cool along the way. They talked about the place they were going to, what expectations she should have about the place. By the second hour into the trip Ellie was getting bored. The adults had gone quiet for the most part. "Are we still in Wyoming?"
Joel rolled his eyes to the girl in the back. "You are not going to start that 'are we there yet' Ellie."
"I was just wondering where we were jeez," she acted more offended then she was.
"We'll be in Wyoming for a while still," Lily peeked up in the rear view for a quick look at Ellie.
"Oh," she sagged a little.
The adults exchanged a knowing look. "Didn't you bring some books or something?" Joel questioned turning in his seat some to look at her.
"Well, yeah," she exaggerated the obvious.
"Then read your dang book."
"Its not a dang book," she quipped picking up her backpack. "It is kind of depressing though Lily."
Lily shrugged her shoulders. "It's an excellent period piece."
"Yeah well I still bad for the kid." She pulled Sounder out of her bag.
"After you finish it I have something else for you. I brought a few books along."
"Cool." Ellie had noticed that the truck has a slot to play cd disks. "Did you bring any music?"
"Sure," Lily always traveled with tunes. "In that pouch on the back of Joel's seat there's a blue case."
Ellie set the book down immediately to find music to listen to. She found the case and unzipped it. It was stuffed with disks, some in the little sleeves and some in between. "Cool do these all work?"
"They should."
The girl flipped through the booklet thing looking at the flat silver circles with CDR stamped on them and their names written on them in Lily's hand. She decided on one called Road Jams, it seemed appropriate. She passed it up to Joel. "Here put it in."
He eyed the disk suspiciously. "This aint gonna be inappropriate for Ellie is it?"
"Fuck Joel, just put it in." Ellie was impatient to hear Lily's road jams.
"It's fine," Lily assured worried pop.
Joel sighed and put the disk in. Lily reached over and turned up the volume. The guitar began, in a moment Lily was singing "An old man turned ninety eight, he won the lottery and died the next day. Its a black fly in your chardonnay, its a death row pardon two minutes too late. And isn't it ironic, don't ya think?" Lily loved the song and exploded the chorus belting it out right along with Alanis.
Ellie laughed delighted as Lily sang the song most animated. At first Joel just shook his head, but he was smiling. He remembered the song, it had been quite popular when he was still full of piss and vinegar.
Lily threw inhibition to the wind and twisted in her seat as she sang the song sometimes to Ellie in the mirror. She was revisiting some fun girlhood memories too. Joel couldn't help himself by the end he found himself singing along with Lily "A traffic jam when you're already late. A no smoking sign on your cigarette break." The girl in the back squealed hearing her pops join in. "It's like ten thousand spoons when all ya need is a knife."
Lily smiled. "It's meeting the man of my dreams."
"And then meeting his beautiful wife." Joel wagged a finger at Lily.
The adults sang together, Ellie thought it was fantastic. Joel wasn't as restless in his seat as Lily was, but she could see they were both having fun. Yes! if the rest of the trip can just go like this... When the song ended she clapped as they laughed at themselves and each other. "That was awesome."
2
Ellie was content to sit back and enjoy the music for a while. Eventually she kicked back and started reading her book. She made her way through a good chunk of it and looked up at the adults in front. Joel was nodding off. "Hey, are we still in Wyoming?"
"Ellie," Joel grumbled a warning.
"What? we've been driving for like eight hours."
"It's been more like five," Lily corrected. "We're almost out of Wyoming."
"Ugh!" Ellie set her book aside. "I'm hungry and I have to pee and I want to get out of this truck."
Joel sighed, but Lily could empathies. "Alright, I'll find a spot." The road was clear of abandon cars and debris for miles around. Lily slowed them to a stop and put the truck in park. She killed the engine and Tom Petty came to a sudden stop.
She couldn't wait to be out and Ellie had her feet on the pavement before the adults had even opened their door. "Ahh freedom."
The protective father got out quick. "Ellie, godamnit. Would you let me get out first and make sure it's safe?"
"There's nothing here Joel, you can relax."
"Just do what I tell you Ellie, its the least you can do dragging us away from home for this horse shit."
Lily got out and stretched a little. "Oh man I sat on my ass too long."
Ellie started for some shrubs at the side of the road. "I'm going."
"I'll go with you," Lily offered before Joel could find a problem with it.
The girls walked away, he put his back to them and walked off to water some grass of his own. Lily made them wash their hands with some of their portable water, Ellie spread a canvas tarp in front of the truck; they had jam sandwiches and cucumber slices with their lemon tea in repurposed old plastic soda bottles. After they ate there was some walking and stretching, Joel offered to take over driving and Lily accepted.
Joel was helping Lily snap the cover back on after putting away the tarp when Ellie asked "How much longer will we be in Wyoming?"
"Ellie," Joel did not want to hear it again.
"We're almost done here Ellie I promise." Lily went to her door as they started to pile back into the truck.
"How much more driving are we going to do today?" the girl nearly groaned.
"Until it gets near dark I reckon," Joel settled in his seat.
Ellie slammed her door shut and rolled her eyes. "You have so got to be kidding me."
"This aint no leisurely road trip," Joel reminded the girl in the rear view mirror as he adjust it for his eye level.
"I'm going to have to start calling this truck Callus Two with all the fucking sitting I have to do back here."
"Are you uncomfortable Ellie?" Lily closed her door.
"My ass only has so much padding," Ellie grunted squirming in her seat to get comfortable again.
Lily looked over at Joel, he was frowning and shaking his head a little. "Okay than, how about this. There's a rest stop just across the state line, we'll camp there for the night, start again in the morning."
"How much longer until we get there?" Ellie asked suspiciously. She was sick of this giant state.
"An hour or so. Can you hold on that much longer?"
Joel wasn't crazy about the idea. "How do we know it's safe Lily? I think we should just keep going."
"Oh come on Joel," Ellie pleaded at him in the rear view.
"We'll make sure the place is secure, set up inside. It will be fine," the other adult assured.
He sighed. "This aint no vacation it is dangerous out here."
"We'll be fine."
"I'll stop, but if there aint a way to make it safe for the night we're gonna keep movin."
Ellie was grateful she wouldn't have to be in this truck for too much longer. Joel could make just about any place safe. "Thanks Joel."
"Don't thank me yet." He started the truck and dropped it into gear hoping their luck would hold out a while longer.
3
Joel made it a point to pull Ellie's nose out of her book when the Welcome to South Dakota sign came into view. She put her book down and paid attention to the road the rest of the way there. Joel slowed and pulled off ninety at the rest area. The parking lot still housed a few cars abandon years ago and left to rust; two of the three had at least one flat tire and they all had windows missing glass. A picnic table sat rotting in the midst of a brick shelter that had its roof blown off. The blue handicap sign on the front was faded and rusting. The main building was just bathrooms and tourist information, it's heavy glass doors were still intact, a pair of beverage vending machines stood sentinel by the entrance. The place appeared to be empty. Joel parked a short distance from the entrance watching the door.
"I'll go in and make sure it's clear." Lily reached for her door handle.
"Now wait just a godamn minute," Joel put a hand on her arm to hold her up. "There could be a pack of clickers inside there. Just sit tight, I'll sneak round and get a peek."
"That's just what I was going to do," Lily frowned at him.
"You drive the getaway car if need be." He opened his door. "Come on now get in my seat." Joel got out and drew shorty as Lily slid into the drivers seat. "Watch my back."
Lily freed her nine from the holster sitting between the seats. She got behind the door aiming at the information center. "Ellie, watch behind us."
"Okay," Ellie got on her knees and looked out the back window.
Joel ducked from one patch of overgrown junipers to the next. He didn't hear anything, he didn't see anything yet. Cautiously he made his way behind a stone bench doubling as a short wall that kept pedestrians on the sidewalk and off the back lawn. He listened and still heard nothing. Quietly he inched past the vending machines toward the door; the lobby looked empty so he stepped inside.
It was hot in here and the air was stale. The lobby was empty save the book racks still stuffed full of yellowing tourist pamphlets. Joel stood listening for a minute. It was all quiet so he moved to check the men's room. He pulled the door open, gun ready. The door let out a rusty squeak and Joel heard the familiar sound of a clicker being startled awake. "Shit," he whispered as the clicker burst out of a stall near the end of the line.
The clicker in mechanics coveralls charged at the sound of the meal it found. Joel let it get a little closer then fired his gun. Shorty ripped the top half of the clicker to pieces and it fell down dead. Behind him he heard another scream. He turned quickly to see a second clicker come running at him from the lobby. Joel turned and shot the monster that had been hiding in the other bathroom. He did a quick check of the men's room for any more surprises then did the same in the ladies. It had been just the two in here. He went back to the door and stepped back out into the sunny afternoon.
"I heard shots!" Lily called out as soon as she saw him.
Joel made haste back to the truck. "There were a couple of clickers in there, but I got em. I'm gonna go check those sheds out back, then I'll take care of the bodies."
"Are we good?"
"I think so."
"I'll walk the perimeter, you check the sheds."
The place checked out fine, no more infected or otherwise were found. Joel and Lily dragged the dead clickers out behind the sheds. The adults wrestled the Special Cola and Snapple machines inside to use to block the entrance as they slept tonight. Ellie helped Lily put up the three man pup tent in the lobby. They grabbed what they wanted from the truck and then Joel parked it in the overgrown grass behind the tourist stop. There was plenty of time before it started to get dark for everyone to walk off such a long sit and take in a beautiful view.
Ellie sat on a picnic table that had once been painted white. Twenty years of neglect had taken it back down to bare wood in most places, moisture had warped the pine stealing its flat away. She looked over at the adults, Joel was getting a fire going so Lily could heat the stuff she was putting into a cast iron cooking pot. Ellie was hoping for something good, Lily was a preserving pro and had brought all kinds of stuff to keep them fed along the way. The broken couple had been good with each other today, there was still hope they could work it out. Ellie would be patient, she didn't want them annoying each other when they had to spend ten hours a day cooped up together in the truck. The view of the rock outcropping was fabulous, Ellie kicked back and waited for food.
4
Joel let them linger outside until the stars came out then insisted they barricade in for the night. Lily chained the doors together then the adults moved the soda machines in the way. He used one of the pamphlet displays to block the men's room door and the other for the ladies just in case; they had windows low enough to be boosted up into.
When they were secure and settled in Lily had something for Joel. She dug the novel out of a bag and offered him The Gunslinger. "Here, it's the revised one."
Joel took the worn looking paperback . The Gunslinger was embossed with mostly scrubbed off gold paint The Dark Tower I was printed below it. The circular medal beside the crow on the cover promised Revised and expanded throughout. The books spine bore the lines of pages being spread open over and over again. "Revised huh?"
"Do you remember when Stephen King got hit by that van?"
"Jesus Christ! Stephen King got hit by a van?" Ellie asked with eyebrows raised. "Did it kill him?"
"No, but almost." Lily was a fan. She read It at thirteen and was hooked. "He was fucked up for a while, but it made him realize he had to finish the Dark Tower series; for the fans. It scared him enough to crank out the last three books in just a few years. Overall though, he had been writing about Roland for over a decade. As the story grew a few things changed so he revised the first book and gave us his finished series."
He was trying to remember the story. "Does Roland get to the tower?"
Lily smiled. "Spoilers~" she laughed and went back into her bag for her own book.
"Can I read those books?" Ellie was interested.
"Maybe when you're a little older." Joel sat on his sleeping bag; he had unrolled outside the tent. He was not cramming himself in there with the girls. "Tom Gordon is one thing, but this Roland feller is another."
Ellie put a hand on her hip in defiance. "Oh yeah, how come?"
"Because Roland is a motherfucker," Lily would never forgive him for Jake. "Have you finished Sounder yet?"
"Ugh, almost. It's so depressing. I hope you have something good for me after this."
"I think I can manage that."
It was getting late enough to be parental, they had another long day ahead. Joel looked over at his girl in the lantern light. "Maybe you can manage finishing you're assigned readin before you worry about another book. In fact you outtta be layin down reading now. It's gettin late Ellie and we have to be up early."
"I don't see why I need to be well rested to sit on my ass for a week," she grumbled her protest.
"Ellie," big daddy warned.
"Fine," she gave up the fight. Ellie grabbed her book and flashlight and crawled into the tent.
Lily took her own book in one hand and her flashlight in another. "I'm going to join Ellie. Happy reading." She ducked into the tent leaving Joel alone.
He sighed and looked down at The Gunslinger. Parts of the story came back to him. Roland the motherfucker let the kid die, that much he could remember. He bet that's why Lily didn't like him. "The Dark Tower one huh? We'll alright then." He got comfortable on his sleeping bag and started to read.
Joel was lost in the desert with the gunslinger and the boy when Lily snuck out of the tent, her flashlight leading the way. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Lily?"
"Joel," she went to her backpack and unzipped it. "I see you're still reading."
"The introduction was pretty weird. Stephen King musta hit his head pretty hard in that accident or maybe it was the drugs."
Lily laughed fishing out a small Tupperware container. "He had an amazing mind, incredible story telling talent."
"I guess." He watched Lily pluck a joint from her water tight box and he lifted a brow. "Oh really?"
"Ellie is asleep, has been for a while."
"What if we get attacked by hunters or runners?"
"I can still shoot with a buzz." She fished her lighter out of her pocket. "My back is angry with me and I need something to help me sleep." She lit up and took the fresh hit.
Joel sat up so there was room for Lily to sit on his sleeping bag with him. His body wasn't happy with the prolonged sitting either. "Go on, sit down." He bent the corner of the page he was on and set his book aside as she sat down cross legged beside him. Lily offered him the joint. He took it. "My neck is kinda stiff."
"We'll get to that dealership in the morning, check for a headlight." She took her dubie back. "Maybe if we make more frequent stops to stretch we can travel into the night." Lily took a big hit and passed it back.
"I don't really trust the roads." Joel hit the joint again. "We should start looking for gas too. I know you got some squirreled away somewhere, but we're low now and you can never be too sure your stash wasn't found."
He was as practical as he was protective. "Headlights and gas, got it." He passed her dube back and she hit it again.
Ellie was asleep, Joel had something for Lily. She offered him the smoke again and he waved her off. Joel pulled his backpack to him and stuck his hand in for the recorder. "I got something for you Lily." He freed it from his bag and they looked at it. "I found this when I was making my way to Ellie in the hospital. It ended up in the bottom of my bag, forgotten until I started to pack for this trip."
Lily looked at the recorder like it was hostile. "What is it?"
"Marlene's recorder. I'd rather Ellie not hear it, but here," he held out the device to Lily.
She looked from the thing in his hand to Joel. "Marlene..."
It looked like she wasn't going to take it so Joel just hit play. Hey Anna the voice of a ghost talking to a ghost whispered through the lobby. Marlene sounded tired, reminiscent but determine. She was going to kill Ellie without looking for another way. She would leave the smuggler alive to share the pain with her. Your daughter will be with you soon. Joel hit stop. "Like I said, I had no choice."
Lily hung her head for a moment. "Marlene was always full of herself, she could be cut throat sometimes, but this... Fuck Marlene." She hit the dwindling joint. "Obviously she changed over the years and it wasn't for the smarter."
"I just want you to understand what we were dealing with back there Lily."
"I do understand."
"Then don't hate me for it." They stared at each other in the lantern's glow for a long moment. Lily took one more hit off her smoke then crushed it out on the tile floor. "I think we had a pretty good day today, looks like we got to have that picnic after all."
She looked at him wanting to forgive, but Lily still wasn't able. "Today wasn't so bad. I'm going to bed." She pitched the dead end of her joint into a corner and went back into the tent.
There was hope and the road ahead was a long one. Joel went back to his book and read a little more. The weed left him relaxed and soon he was sleepy. He marked his page, doused the light and lay down to get some sleep.
5
In the morning Joel and Lily slid a soda machine out of the way and stepped out into the light of early day guns drawn. He went around back while she moved to the parking area to take in the bigger picture. They were still alone; Joel brought the truck back up to the cracked concrete. Lily started a fire and brewed a cup of coffee for each of them in her little percolator. The trio had a quiet breakfast taking in the beautiful scenery before it was behind them. They packed up the truck, Joel offered to drive first and Lily accepted.
After a quiet start Lily reminded him, "The Chevy place is just past this town called Piedmont, exit forty six."
"Is it empty?"
"I've never seen anything there, but I've only hit the gas stop over that way, I don't go through town if I can avoid it."
It was a smart way to go. Where there used to be people, now only clickers remained as a testament to the slaughter of mankind by the infected. "If we can find another Silverado I can strip off any good parts we got room for in the back."
"Let me guess," Ellie looked away from the window up into the rear view. "You worked in a chop shop too?"
"How do you even know what a chop shop is?" He parented into the rear view. "Never mind. I've worked on cars in my time is all you need to know."
Ellie sighed and sagged back in her seat. "A gas station and a car lot, awesome tourist attractions,"
"This aint a vacation Ellie."
"I know, but its not like we're going to do this again anytime soon. If there's something cool along the way I want to see it."
"Most cool stuff," Joel used her words, "is in populated areas that are clicker and hunter territory."
"Yeah, but not all of it right? I mean, I know that was just rest stop, but the scenery was beautiful."
Joel sighed, he agreed. "I'm sure you'll see plenty of scenery along the way."
Lily didn't want Joel scolding Ellie anymore then she wanted the girl nagging him. "There are a lot of pretty places between here and there. Why don't you take out your US history book?"
"Aww man, school now?" Ellie complained.
Lily turned and looked back at Ellie. "You've got away with doing a whole lot of nothing these past few days. Get out your book, use the index to find South Dakota and read me its history aloud."
His girl groaned, but did what her teacher told her. Lily had Ellie all under control and he smiled a little. Ellie began to read about the indigenous people and worked her way up to the Louisiana Purchase by the time Joel saw the exit coming up. "That it Lily?"
"Yes. The gas station is on the right."
Ellie looked up from her book to see the next place they were going. Joel slowed them as he veered off onto the off ramp. She had a clear view of the gas station across the way. There was a covered island for the gas pumps out in front of the grocery store. There were cars packed in all around the pumps, people had abandon their cars here a long time ago. A big rig with no trailer had smashed into the pole that held up a red sign that now lay in pieces in the shadow of the cab. There were vehicles left to rust and rot in front of the market too. The front windows of the store had been smashed out, so had the glass in the door. "We're going over there?"
Joel proceeded with caution, he brought the truck to a crawl as he turned right off the ramp to turn into the gas station. "Everybody keep your eyes peeled."
"Underground tanks are right behind that Honda." Lily pointed studying the cluster of cars at the pumps. Everything looked as it had when she was here last.
He pulled up alongside the well caps and parked. Joel shut the truck off and they all sat listening through the chain link. When he was satisfied he didn't hear anything he opened his door a crack. "I'm gonna take a look around the cars."
Lily grabbed her nine and opened her door. "We should check the store too. I'll watch your back."
Ellie put the history book down as the adults got out and closed their doors quietly behind them. They moved like the soldiers Ellie saw in that Aliens movie. She could imagine them finding a nest of clickers in the store. Ellie shuddered as they circled the island. "Anything?" she called softly out the window as the pair started for the store.
Lily shook her head negative, she and Joel approached the market and paused outside to listen. They still heard nothing; Joel pulled the metal door frame open and stepped inside with Lily behind him. They passed the cashiers counter, Lily peeked behind to make sure there weren't any new corpses. They moved isle by isle down the store then walked to the back to check the far end. They were almost to the office in back when there came the familiar sound of clicking.
Joel stopped in his tracks for a second then moved back pushing Lily with him. They ducked behind one of the four produce stands listening. He heard two different creatures clicking and flashed Lily two fingers. She nodded in understanding, he pulled out his hunting knife as the first clicker came staggering out of the doorway. It stopped, twitched and shrieked before starting down the ravaged pet food isle. He looked at Lily, pointed to his eyes and then the office door. She put her gun on the door as he turned to sneak after the first clicker.
Her head was barely above the stand, Lily kept her gun on the door, but watched Joel as he stealthily closed the distance between himself and the infected. When the clicker stopped to twitch again Joel jumped him and ended his noise with a good stab to the jugular. Nice.
He wasn't done yet. Joel stepped over the dead clicker and grabbed an old jar of pickles off a shelf. He wanted to kill the other clicker away from Lily and without anyone having to fire a shot. He looked back at her and pressed the air down with the palm of his left hand. She ducked and he threw the jar where he wanted the clicker to be. Glass shattered and the clicker in the office roared. It charged out seeking the source of the sound. While it clicked and twisted over the pickle mess Joel got up behind it and plunged his knife into its neck. He dropped the dead thing and looked around. "Okay, I think we're all clear."
She got up and went to the office for a peek inside, nothing of any interest. "Let's get back to Ellie."
"Let's get this gas and get the dang light and get the hell outta here."
"Clickers must have wandered up here from one of the towns off ninety."
"Which means there may be more around here." They moved through the store to the door. "Let's get this over with." Joel stepped into the sunlight and looked around again. "Alright Ellie, you can get out, but stay near the truck."
Ellie got out to meet her caretakers in the parking lot. "Everything go okay in there?"
"We're fine," he moved past his girl to the truck.
"Ellie why don't you grab the binoculars out of the truck and keep a look out while we get some gas," Lily was more gentle.
"Sure." She walked with Lily back to the truck. Joel was already unsnapping the cover back. Lily went to help, Ellie opened the drivers door and grabbed the binoculars. She took them and climbed up on the roof of the Honda for a less obstructed view. Behind the store was wooded hills. Across multiple lanes of highway was the car dealer Lily was talking about. Between it and the intersection was a big steakhouse, its giant sign facing the highway was still legible after twenty years of exposure to the elements. "There's a big restaurant by that car place," Ellie looked at the adults now screwing around with hoses. "Think there's anything in there we can use?"
"Knives maybe," Lily straightened her end of the hose.
"We don't need to be going in there," Joel frowned. "There could be more clickers in there."
"More clickers?" Ellie raised a brow.
"There were two inside." He grabbed the crowbar out of the back and used it to pry up the heavy cover. He moved it aside and caught his breath. "We're just gonna get this damn gas and a damn headlight and get on outta here."
"Fine," Ellie went back to watching for anything moving around out there.
"I'm not sure how much is left here," Lily looked down into the hole.
Joel started to feed the hose down into the darkness. "We'll see."
There was enough gas to fill the three empty gas cans in the back and top the truck off.
6
Joel worked as quick as he could and spilled very little. While he finished securing the truck Ellie and Lily went back inside the market to see if there was anything of use left in there. Lily scavenged the coins out of the registers and took the last three working cigarette lighters that had fallen behind the counter. The change could go into some bombs and lighters were always useful. Ellie found a deck of playing cards still mostly new inside their packaging. She stuffed them in her back pocket and followed Lily out of the store.
They got back in the truck and Joel eased them across the bypass. The parking lot of the steakhouse was empty, the dealership lot looked like it had been raided. The customer service center had been burned down to its concrete frame. Some of the cars were missing tires, others sat with their hoods open to the Dakota sky. He cruised over to a line of trucks, two of them were Silverados and the year he needed. "Now that's what I'm talking about." He parked in front of the trucks and killed the engine. Once again they all sat listening for the sounds of infected.
Joel stepped out first with El Diablo in his hand. He looked around as Lily got out behind him. "Let's walk the lot real quick, make sure we're alone."
Lily gave Ellie the quick warning, "Stay alert," then followed Joel down a row of SUV's. He took one side of the driving lane, she took the other. They ducked around the Chevy's checking for sign of infected or hunters. Their luck held out, the lot was clear and they made their way back to the truck. "It's okay Ellie."
Ellie got out bringing the binoculars with her. "So what now?"
Joel went to the back of the truck and rolled back the cover to get to the tool box. "Now I'm gonna get us some parts."
The girl sighed. "And we get to stand around and watch."
Lily took the binoculars from Ellie as Joel picked out some tools. "I'll keep watch, you can help Joel, maybe learn something." She climbed up on top of the SUV closest to her truck to see the lot and everything around it.
She sidled up to Joel. "Can I help?"
As long as Lily had her eyes all around Joel could make the time to spend with Ellie. "Sure you can. I'll show you how to get it done."
7
Joel spent the next half hour showing Ellie how to take out the good headlight without destroying it and how to put it back into their truck's front end. They tested the light, it worked on high and low. He decided to go after the other light to replace the low beam only light on the other side. He and Ellie got it out and were going back to their truck when from above Lily warned "I see runners, pack of about a dozen coming down ninety west."
"Alright get in the truck," Joel took the new light and the tools he used and put them in the toolbox. He snapped the cover closed as Ellie got in and Lily climbed down.
"Let's get out of here before they get too close." Lily jumped in and closed her door.
Joel heard one of the runners scream in the distance. "Shit." He got in, slammed the door and started the truck up. There were still plenty of parts he could have picked off the other truck, but they were out of time; the runners would be here in minutes. The infected saw the truck pull back out onto the road and head for the eastern onramp. It was enough to riel some of them up enough to break into a run to reach the travelers before they were gone. They got back on ninety and Joel pushed down on the gas a little harder. He could see runners in the rear view as he left the place in their road dust. "I thought you said you didn't see any infected around here?"
"I haven't before today. The clickers don't worry me, but the runners still looked kinda fresh. They've turned within the last six months."
"Hunters?"
"A couple of them were women, it was more likely a group of survivors that..." Lily didn't vocalize their misfortune.
"Do you think it was one of Uncle Tommy's outposts?" Ellie worried.
"Naw," Joel tried to sound reassuring. "We're too far away from any of those places, besides Maria makes sure the other towns check in often. It wasn't one of ours."
Ellie nodded somewhat relieved to know places that were secured against the infected could stay that way. "So they were people trying to live out here?"
"Or people traveling from one QZ to another," Lily didn't mention the black armband she saw at least one runner wearing. She would save the firefly talk until Ellie was asleep.
"Where is the closest quarantine zone?"
"There's one in Sioux Falls still holding on," Lily answered putting her gun back in its holster. "Maybe they were headed there from someplace further west."
"They didn't make it," the girl sagged in her seat.
The adults exchanged a knowing glance. "Best not to dwell on it," Joel looked back at the road. "You should get back to your studies, we'll stop for lunch in a while."
"Come on Ellie, back to your history."
Ellie put the history book back in her lap. "How long will we be in South Dakota?"
"Damnit Ellie," Joel didn't want to hear this again.
"Six hours give or take," Lily answered. "Find your place in the book." The girl sighed heavily, Lily looked over at Joel sidelong. He took his eyes off the road long enough to look over and give her an appreciative nod. She didn't want Ellie worrying about it either. "Louisiana Purchase, lets go."