On Our Way

We decided that we would have to switch to more fuel efficient cars. We drove around town until we found decent hybrid cars. Then we drove back to my place to transfer the food. On my way back I found an abandoned car hauler trailer that was completely enclosed. I attached it to my new hybrid SUV and drove back to my place.

"What's that for?" Matt asked me as I pulled up.

"It's for hauling more supplies," I told him, "here, come with me, I got some fifty five gallon drums in my dad's barn. We could take them and fill them with gas. There's also a large water tank my dad got from his dad when he died. We could screw it down in the trailer and fill it with water."

"Sounds good. I'll go get Steph and Mel to help us," he said.

"Okay meet me down at the far entrance," I said as I hopped in my car. I drove down to the barn. The large white door seemed heavy, and it was, but I knew the pass code which automatically lifted the door for me. I went over to one of the large drums and tipped it on its side. I began rolling it into the trailer as Matt, Stephanie, Melanie, and now David came running down the hill to help.

The four grabbed the large water tank and loaded it into the trailer as I rolled in another large drum.

"David, get the drill and some large screws I want to attach this to the trailer so it doesn't roll around," I said. He grabbed what I asked and brought it over to me. I screwed it in at the very front of the trailer closest to the car. I got a tie down and strapped the fifty five gallon drums to the wall.

I drove over behind my house and grabbed the hose. I put it in the water tank and walked out the trailer.

"Is everybody ready?" I asked as Katie pulled up in her new hybrid.

"I think so," Stephanie said speaking for everyone.

"Okay then, when the tank fills we'll head out. Steph could you come here please," I said. She walked over to me.

"I need you to go in my house and in my mother's room, grab all her jewelry. We'll need something to bargain for if we ever run into trouble," I said.

"Babe, I'm not going to take your mother's jewelry. Why don't you do it?" she asked.

"I can't bring myself to go into my house," I told her.

"Okay, babe, if you really want me to do this," she stated. I opened and held the door for her. She was only in there for a few minutes. By the time she came out the water tank had finished filling. I pulled the car and trailer back into the driveway. Katie came over to me.

"I got what you wanted," she said.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"In the back of your SUV and a shotgun and handgun in everyone else's car. Just in case," she replied. Just then David climbed back out of his car holding the shotgun.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It's for protection. You shouldn't have to use it, but I just want us to be safe," I told him.

"Fine," he said slightly angry. Ever since he was a little kid he hadn't liked violence and never liked guns.

"Okay this is how I want us to roll. Steph you're with me in my SUV, I need you to watch Tom in case he wakes up. David and Katie, I want you up in front of me. Matt and Mel I want you to follow behind me. When we get to the highway, go in each corner, like from the movie we saw on New Year's Eve in '07," I said. They all nodded in agreement. We hopped in our cars and moved out.

I had planned out the route already. We would make our way down to Toledo then take I-80 all the way out to Nevada. On the way we stopped at a CVS to grab some over the counter medicine. We had made it all the way to Illinois by nightfall. We stopped at a Sam's Club to spend the night there. I had always wanted to use the giant boxes there at the wholesale store to make a large fort. I decided that now I could.

We used beer cases as the outside wall and toilet paper for our bed. We found some blankets and some pillows. If this hadn't been a dire situation it would have actually been a lot more fun.

Just as we were settling in, Tom woke up.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"We're in Morris, Indiana," I told him, "we're on our way to Area 51. It should only be one more day to Nevada."

"Why are we going to Nevada?" he asked.

"We're on our way to Area 51," I said sternly, "hearing aides isle sixteen."

"No, Area 51 was moved a couple years ago to St. Elmo Indiana," he stated.

"Oh, well then I guess I owe you a thanks," I solemnly replied.

"Well maybe instead you could untie me," he said. I just starred at him.

"Look I know that you think I'm bad and I can understand that, but I want to go to the same place you're going," he said trying to persuade me.

"Okay fine, but if you try to run I will hunt you down and if you get killed in that process then that really sucks for you," I warned. I grabbed a knife and cut the ropes that bound his hands, then his feet, then the three that held him to the car. We didn't want to take any chances.

I took him to our beer and toilet paper fort.

"So tell us about yourself. How did you know what to do and all?" I asked.

"Well it all began four days ago. I was out on my mission and when I returned, my handler had disappeared. I figured that she had to go back to base so I called her on a secure line. She didn't answer. Then I got worried. I called base camp and still no one replied. I used the number only to be used in extreme emergency. They told me that if that number were to be dialed someone would be there within fifteen minutes, always. After two hours with no one arriving, I decided to head back to base camp.

"After arriving I walked through the halls, but nobody was there. I peeked in every door and around every corner. When I got to the time machine division wing I found someone; except they were dead. I looked around and found a note. It said that if I was reading this the experiment had gone wrong. The note said to find Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor. By the time I had located your house, they were gone along with everybody else. I hoped you would know something," he rambled.

"Well I don't know anything so I guess we'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out what we can," I responded. I laid down on my toilet paper bed and put my head on the pillow. It was surprisingly soft. Within minutes I was asleep. Little did I know is that I would need it badly. Tomorrow was going to be an eventful day.