Andrea leaned back against the side of her car and blinked back tears of frustration. It was dead and no matter how much they poked around the engine it wasn't going to resurrect, unlike some of the people they had seen in the last several days. She sighed and tried to smile at the man who had stopped to help the two women stuck on the side of the road.

Dale had pulled his RV off to the shoulder of the road as soon as he saw their car and roadside flares. He seemed okay, though she was always a little cautious about men who were traveling alone. He talked as he looked at the engine though, telling them about his late wife and his goal of traveling around the country since losing her. Amy already trusted him and was leaning over the engine with him, hanging on every word and asking lots of questions. It had given Andrea a few moments to collect herself after the fear and frustration of the morning.

"I'm sorry, but it really does look hopeless. If things were different I'd suggest calling a tow and getting it into a professional. As it stands? I doubt you could even get a call through." Dale stood up straight and looked directly at Andrea. "I know that we just met and you have no reason to trust me, but I don't feel good about leaving the two of you here on the side of the road. Would you be willing to ride with me to the refugee center?"

Amy looked at her, nodding quickly, and Andrea took a deep breath before answering. He was right, there really weren't many options. "Sure. If you can trust two crazy blondes, I think we can trust you. Just let us grab a few things. We don't really have much besides clothes, but we'd better take those." Andrea knew which bag had her handgun in it and there was no way she was leaving that behind.

Amy was grinning, "Thank you so much, Dale. It's already getting dark so I don't know what we would have done if we were stuck out here."

He nodded, and starting putting his tools away. "Not a problem. We humans need to stick together now, but you know there are plenty of people who will only be out for one thing as everything falls apart; themselves. I've already seen things that I wish I hadn't."

Andrea nodded, "We have too. It was never safe for women in many parts of this country, but I would bet that things are much worse for us all now." She grabbed their bags from the backseat and handed one to Amy. "This is all we need." She shut the doors, hitting the lock on her key fob.

"I wonder if we even need to lock it. Will we ever come back for it?" Amy had a strange look on her face, part fear but part something else that Andrea wasn't sure she would be able to name.

"Maybe not." She took her sister's arm, "Come on, we don't want to keep Dale waiting." He had already gone into the RV, leaving the door open for them and they followed now.

The city, and the center for refugees, was a good distance away still, but there was a lot of traffic on the highways and soon they had reached a snarl of cars that were completely stopped. Andrea could see in the glow of the city lights and headlamps that people far ahead were standing outside their vehicles, talking and looking toward the city. Dale seemed to be thinking the same thing that was on her mind, and he turned to give her a rueful smile, "We might be stuck on the road all night if this doesn't get moving soon. It doesn't look hopeful."

"I don't think I would be as brave as those people up ahead, in the dark like this, those things could come out of anywhere to grab at you." Andrea shuddered and Dale looked at her more closely.

"You've seen it happen, haven't you?" He nodded, "I have too. Maybe we should lock the door and cover the windows on the sides and back, just so no one gets any ideas about getting in. We can each take watch, if that would make you feel more secure."

Amy looked from Dale to her sister, her worry plain on her face. "You think someone might try to get in here?"

He nodded, "It's always a possibility. People see a RV and they start thinking about what supplies might be inside. They start wondering if they can take it for themselves." He frowned, "I've seen that before tonight also, but I have a gun under the seat here."

Amy looked to Andrea sharply and she smiled crookedly, "I hope you don't mind that I didn't tell you this before, but I have a gun too. My dad gave it to me before we left on our road trip. I didn't know if I should say anything until I was sure."

"Sure about me." Dale nodded, mostly to himself, "No, I understand. I didn't tell you about mine until I was sure of you too."

A flash of light from the city caught their attention and they all turned toward the windshield as flames rained down upon the city.

"Shit." Amy whispered, but the sentiment was echoed by both of the others. "Did they just firebomb the city?"

"Napalm, I think." Dale was shaking his head slowly, not sure if he was believing what his eyes were telling him. They were all frozen in place as more fire rained down and then suddenly, as though someone was pulling the plug from each block at a time the lights starting going out. It was like a cascade of darkness moving from one side of the city to the other until the only light came from the fires ahead and the headlights of the vehicles that were near them.

Andrea felt herself go pale, her vision greying for a moment until she caught herself on the headrest of the passenger seat. "We shouldn't stay here. It won't be safe, and if too many cars get behind us we won't be able to leave soon."

Dale caught her eye, "Sit before you fall down. I think I saw an access road back a few miles. Let me get this beast turned around and we'll get off the highway."

Amy felt her way back to the small table and bench, shaking her head. "Everything is different now, isn't it? Nothing will ever be the same again, will it? If they are bombing our own cities, they must really be giving up on beating this thing, whatever it is. How can we get through this if even the military is giving up?"

Andrea looked at Dale for a moment before turning to look at her sister. "Amy, please. Focus on the moment. We'll get through the night and then we'll see what we have to do next. Alright? Just stay focused on tonight."

The few cars that had been behind them seemed to have the same idea and several were backing up and turning, heading back to where they came from or taking other small roads that branched from the highway. Dale followed one, hoping for the best, and pretty soon they were at a small cleared area. "I think this might be as good as it gets for tonight, if we're going to get any sleep. I'll get out and talk to those people. See if they know anything we don't." There was a rugged looking man with a dark-haired woman and a small boy, already out of their car and looking around. "Want to come with me?"

Andrea nodded, but Amy shook her head, "I need to sit for a little more. I just can't process this yet."

Andrea touched her sister's shoulder briefly as she passed toward the door, "I'll be right back. Just focus on the moment, remember?"