Chapter 3: Traveling and New Friends

I am not sure how long I was driving. I wasn't even sure where I was. As I drove past an accident, something hit my car. I stop and put it in reverse. Standing there is a man only a couple years older and he has a young boy in his arms. I roll down my window.

"Do you need some help?" I ask

He responds "Yes, please. My brother was hurt and I haven't seen anybody drive past here for hours. Do you have room in the back?"

"Hold on, let me clear some of the stuff off the backseat." I get out of the vehicle and get the back seat all cleared out. "You can lay him down in the backseat. If you want to take the passenger seat, that's fine with me."

"Thank you. I am not sure how I would have gotten him to a hospital. My name is Richard and my brother is Daniel. What's your name?"

"Eden. I am not sure if there is a hospital that can help us. I have been driving for the better part of a day and you two are the only people I have come across. Do you know what is wrong with him?"

"His arm is dislocated and he hit his head pretty hard. I finally got him to sleep by giving him some pain killers."

"Well, we will have to reset the arm and look at where he hit his head." I start pulling over.

"What are you doing?" Richard asks with a hint of worry.

"We need to reset the arm. This seems like the best time to do it. He is asleep and won't give us any resistance." I get out of the car and get to Daniel before it even registers in Richard's head what I plan on doing. By the time it dawns on him I have Daniel's arm in my hands and my foot on his shoulder.

"Now just wait a minute! You don't have any…"

SNAP! CRACK!

"Aaaahhhhh! That hurts!" Daniel screams as he wakes up from the pain of his arm being reset.

"Sorry kid but it had to be done. I have some pain killers and soda in the back. Are you hungry?"

While all that was going on Richard got out of the car and walked around to where I was standing. He waited for me to be done talking to his brother before he said anything though.

"Yeah I am a little hungry. You got any water too?"

"Sure I will get it for you. Do you think you can sit up or do you want to wait for the pain killers?"

"I think I can sit up." Daniel said warily

"Good. I will be right back." I turn and start walking to the back of the car.

"What the hell was that?! You have no right to just do as you please! What if you hadn't done it right, Daniel could have been in more pain. Did you even think about that?" Richard yells into my face.

"I am sorry but it still had to be done. I had no idea what I was doing I just knew I could do it, ok? My life has gone from bad to worse since this whole thing started and I can't even begin to think about everything I have seen and figured out. All I know is that I am glad I ran into you guys. I might have gone insane if I was alone."

"No not ok. And do you think our lives are any better? We have no family after that meteor shower, just each other. So you can see why I would be very protective of my brother." His voice gradually gets lower towards the end.

"I can understand, I have no family either. It's just me. Sorry for not really talking to you first. Do you want something to eat and drink?" I try to get our minds off the thought that there might not be anybody else out there.

"Sure. Just talk to me next time a major decision needs to be made. You're not alone anymore." Richard tells me reassuringly.

"Thank you. Now let's get Daniel these pain pills and beef jerky. He needs protein." He takes the food to his brother as I get back behind the wheel. Richard climbs into the passenger side. I give a small smile. I am no longer alone. I now have friends who can be with me.

Where could she have gone? The meteor should have kept her knocked out for a couple of days. Enough time for me to get to her and take her back to the cabin. I need to figure out a way to find her. We will make the perfect couple. And we will repopulate the earth while I rule over it all. Now I just have to hunt her down. "Damn it!"