Chapter 7

Higher Ground

Summary: Meeting survivors.

Palmdale looked much like the Valley – virtually deserted.

Regardless of my doubts earlier, I found the Antelope Valley Freeway was surprisingly clear – I guess we really were far enough beyond the major traffic backups - and we got into Palmdale without incident. However, near Palmdale Airport, I almost drove into a war zone in southern Lancaster. We rounded a shallow curve on Route 14 even as we heard, then saw, a firefight about a quarter mile ahead. I slammed on the brakes and then turned right onto a side street, hoping the combatants were too busy killing each other to come after us.

Fortunately, I guessed right. Later, Jade complimented me on that move but I just said we got lucky. She argued we made our own luck. I still don't know about that, all I know is we got out of the nation's second largest city – and expansive suburbs - with very few problems.

God, I was already considering that dead boy as just a 'problem'!

Anyway, a couple of blocks later, I saw a street named Sierra Highway - the same one I had considered? - that looked like it was going the same direction we wanted to go. Away from the fighting, it was pretty smooth running - again only the occasional abandoned car or truck - which was becoming an all-too familiar sight. A mile of so out of Lancaster, I suddenly thought of Beck when a sign appeared directing traffic to the Willow Springs International Raceway near Rosamund.

So we decided to stay on Sierra for a while. About ten or fifteen miles later, I merged back on 14. We still had to pass through Mojave and skirt California City but I kept hoping for the best.

On the map, Mojave had a lot of land but much of it was just open desert. As we headed on towards Mojave, I saw a vast field of solar panels to the left of the highway. Beyond that was a large array of windmills, acres of them. Their giant blades were slowly turning in the nearly ever-present wind.

For miles, the windmills were arrayed and more solar farms were scattered near them. A brave hope for a carbon free future...

I knew, sooner or later, grit and sand would get into the turbines and these massive, passive power generators would die. Even the solar cells would eventually be worthless as sand and dirt would be blown over the panels, scratching and marring the glass surface, if age and other climatic agents didn't damage them irreparably beforehand.

Most of the population in this desert-scape were concentrated near the Mojave Air and Space Port. It was quiet there so we had little problem passing it by.

But, when I saw a sign pointing the way to that Air and Space Port, I felt a sinking in my chest. How long would it be before Man would be back in space? Or would it ever happen again? Far from the expectations of a bright Star Trek future, we were falling into the latest Dark Age, at best. Would our descendants even remember we walked on the Moon?

Maybe, someday far in the future, someone from Earth will find the remains of one of the six Apollo landing sites or one of the unmanned probes. What will they think? A flag they probably won't recognize and an ancient language on one of the landers' plaques as well as other artifacts that would be incredibly ancient to them? Maybe they'd even believe the old staple of ancient, alien astronauts.

I have to stop dreaming about what was and what might've been... But it's hard. Even now. So much hope and promise that is still fading into history.

Regardless, I almost mentioned my thoughts to Jade but I saw she was still not in the mood to talk.

As I planned, I stayed on Route 14 North through the upper areas of the High Desert. Route 14 North and South was also known as the Aerospace Highway, given it's proximity to the Mojave facility.

In a few hours after leaving L.A., we were firmly on the east side of the southern Sierras, surrounded by the desert. I remembered learning in a science class that the rains that came in from the Pacific almost always fell on the Central Valley and the western slope of the coastal ranges – the Sierras and the Cascades farther to the north - leaving little or none for the country east of the ranges. That's why so much of eastern California, Nevada, Arizona, eastern Oregon and Washington are arid, or semi-arid at best.

I mentioned this to Jade and her response was "No duh, Vega! I was in the same class, remember? By the way, arid and semi-arid? You been reading a thesaurus?"

"Hey! I know big words! I just didn't want to use them so you wouldn't be confused!"

"Confused?"

The ensuing, comforting argument lasted until we were near Indian Wells where the highway split into northbound and southbound lanes with a sandy median for some reason. Due to the late start, and the stops we made for Dad, an expensive gas stop, then coffee, as well as the...incident at Jade's, it was getting late. The sun was close to the crest of the hills to our west. Later, I was thankful we stopped there – part of me actually started believing in a guardian angel or providence. When I mentioned karma to Jade once before, she scoffed – naturally. "Karma doesn't like me."

But, at that time, she said, "Vega, maybe we better stop for the night."

"Yeah, I think you're right. Look, up on the right side of the road. There's a motel up there."

It wasn't much but there wasn't much around Indian Wells. This was not the more famous Indian Wells near Palm Springs to the south. This was a small, unincorporated settlement that probably looked deserted even before the Fever. It was little more than a crossroads in the desert.

The sun- and wind-blasted motel reminded me of the one in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, Psycho - but without the creepy old house on the hill behind it. No one was in the office – and no stuffed birds in sight thankfully - so Jade finally just signed us in and grabbed the key for one of the rooms.

I acted as lookout to make sure there weren't any nosy people watching what we did as Jade unloaded Mariska into our room. The deal was that I reload it in the morning. As she was getting the last case of our supplies into the room, I noticed a diner that was lit up across the highway. Seeing someone moving inside seemed to indicate it was open.

"Jade, that diner across the road looks open. I want to check it out."

"Be careful, Vega. Could be looters or..."

"I know. After today, I really know." I saw the brief look of grief on Jade's face but let it go without saying anything more.

Slipping the strap of one of the AKs over my shoulder, ready to use it, I hoped. I scanned the area. A few houses and a trailer or three beyond the diner, a small shop further along the highway and nothing behind the motel on the east side of the highway.

I walked across the highway to the diner to see about getting some food. As I said, it was lit from inside and looked open so I walked right in.

The bell at the front door startled me. I was actually surprised to see there was a woman by the register. She was a sweet older woman. Reminded me of my Nana. "Kin I he'p you, sweetie?"

"Um, yeah. I need to order some food to go."

"No problem. An' you kin leave the hardware. I'm safe!" she said with a laugh. Going on, she said, "Grab a seat and I'll make you and yer gir'friend some burgers an' fries. Less you want somethin' else?"

I sat at the counter as I replied, "Uh... No... No, thank you. Burgers sound great! Can you make one of them rare? Oh, and coffee?"

"Sure! Glad ta." She disappeared into the back and I soon heard sizzling from the grill and realized how hungry I really was. I did keep my right hand near the Magnum until I finally felt safe when she didn't come right out to try to kill me.

After the stench of the funeral pyres in L.A., I actually wondered if I'd ever be hungry for meat again. But when the smell of the burgers on the grill hit me, I was practically salivating. Then again, I hadn't bothered to eat that much over the past week. And nothing since last night.

That was the moment I felt safe there.

"By th' way, I'm Esther," the woman said, her face in the server window.

"Tori. Tori Vega."

"Ya comin' up from Ellay?" She said the nickname like a single word.

"Yeah."

"Bad there, is it?"

I shook my head. "It's worse than you can imagine. The streets are mostly deserted. Fires everywhere, even beyond the mass crematoriums at the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium and the Rose Bowl. And the survivors are killing each other."

"Dodger Stadium? Well, that's jes' wrong. My Clete was a die-hard Dodger fan back to their days in Brooklyn. Al'ays called 'em Dem Bums. An' we always enjoyed a trip down to see the Boys in Blue."

Listening to her, it suddenly struck me, "Hey! How'd you know I was with someone else?"

"I got eyes, don' I? Yer jus' across the highway. Anyway, ya gettin' 'way then? That's smart. Wherya headed?" I looked up to see her smiling face in the wide server window between the kitchen and the dining area. It was the sweetest smile I'd seen in what seemed forever.

I almost told her but, in this brave, new world, I knew better than to broadcast too much. "Um, I'm not sure yet. North for now then... Maybe Tahoe or..."

"Don't worry, sweetie. Ya don' gotta tell me. Even if you had, I wouldn' blab it. If anyone was around ta even ask. Me? I'm stayin' here. I…I got plenty a'supplies. My husband was one a'them survivalists and really set us up for the Russkie attack he 'knew' was comin'. Even after the Soviets fell apart." Esther really used finger quotes too. I had to smile.

"Ya plannin' on stayin' at Norm's motel? Nice place. He always kep' the rooms fresh an' clean." She chuckled, a bright, friendly sound. "We used to give him all kindsa grief 'bout his name and that hotel lookin' like the one in that Hitchcock movie."

Suppressing the shiver at the owner's name, I nodded with a smile, then asked, "Is he here? We owe him for the room."

"Honey, I'm the only one left here. Weren't too many to begin with but the ones what didn't get sick, high-tailed it outta here. Indian Wells is on the way to bein' the West's newest ghost town."

"Why didn't you leave?"

"Nowhere t'go. My family lived here. Back to afore we was even a state. My great-great-whatever grandpa was a real, original Forty-Niner. An' I ain't talkin' football." She chuckled then added, "So, I bin here since I come out a'my mama. I buried a son an'a husband here. Anyway, like I said, I ain't got nowhere t'go. And no d'sire ta go anywhere."

The little bell over the door rang and I spun, my hand dropping to the pistol on my hip. Even as I saw Jade walk in, I felt proud I was trying to be ready.

"Vega, what the hell? You gonna draw on me?" Even Jade noticed I was ready now. "Oh, and thanks for the help with the heavy shit! My arms are ready to fall off."

Esther looked out of the window between the kitchen and the dining room, asking, "You the gir'friend? I'm Esther. Food'll be ready inna minute."

Jade was at a loss for words before she declared, "I'm not her girlfriend!" I waited a moment and heard the expected, "She's not my friend."

But the tone was a lot less harsh than I'd ever heard from Jade. Another of the few positive moments I experienced in recent days.

"Why, sweetie, yer a girl and yer definitely a friend – regardless of what ya say. What else are ya?" I had to giggle at the logic which earned a glare from Jade. But, truthfully, I hadn't felt this at ease since the Fever broke out.

"Ya still want this ta go?"

As Jade glanced around, I said, "According to Esther, there's no one else here."

With a doubtful look on her face, Jade looked out and across the empty highway. "Um...nah. We can eat it here, I guess. Okay with you, Vega?"

"I'd love to." We sat at the counter, each regularly checking across the road for anything going on. Fortunately, there was one of the rare streetlights in Indian Wells directly in front of the motel. It illuminated our car and the front door of the room against the growing darkness settling over the desert.

She muttered something about this maybe being a set up but I shushed her. And I really hoped I was right.

"Hell, if someone was going to clean us out, it'd take some time and we'd see it from here anyway."

Esther soon brought out two plates with big, juicy cheddar cheese burgers with sliced tomato, fresh onion and lettuce and another platter with a big pile of French fries. Somehow, she knew the rare burger was Jade's. I swear I didn't say anything…

Then she got us drinks. Jade, of course, had coffee. I asked for a soda and got a large Coke.

Esther announced, "I'll go fry up some more burgers for ya. Jade, they're gonna be well-done – rare ain't gonna do it for travel. And I'll fix up some other stuff. Take it all with ya. They won' be much good to me 'fore they go bad. I'm bettin' the power will be goin' soon and ev'n so, I'm gonna have ta toss a lot of food as it is."

As we finished our dinners, Esther took the plates and set them on the back counter. Then she placed two smaller plates with big slices of apple pie in front of us. "Want some ice cream on top?"

We both agreed. Soon, there were huge dollops of vanilla ice cream on our slices of pie and we ate the best dessert either of us had ever had. I know we had better - at Maestro's, a five-star L.A. restaurant, for instance - but, given the circumstances, this was a completely unexpected and wonderful treat. That alone made this the best ever.

I knew it for sure when Jade said, "This is the best dessert I've ever had, Esther!"

We got ready to leave and I asked, "Can we get the check, Esther?"

"No charge." Seeing the surprised looks on our faces, she chuckled, "What th' hell good is money now anyway?"

"I... Well, after the clown in Santa Clarita..."

"Yeah? Well now, ya gotta tell me 'bout him." So we settled back in our seats – after Jade again checked across the street from the window.

As Jade got a second cup of coffee and I got another Coke, I explained about the fact that we paid nearly forty dollars a gallon for gas. As we were almost empty, the guy at the gas stop got a windfall of paper from us. He wouldn't take a credit card but did take cash. It cleaned out about a sixth of our cash, which was mainly from Dad's survival stash and Mom's ATM – I cleared her account before we left (she gave me her PIN before she lapsed back into the Fever-induced coma, just in case). Anyway, add to that two cups of crappy coffee that cost another ten bucks. So almost a grand but that still left us with a several thousand dollars in cash. But we left with a full tank...

Esther shook her head and tsked a couple of times then said, "Shame what people'll do. 'Less he was stockin' up fer when he runs outta toilet paper..."

All three of us laughed heartily even as, in my mind, I imagined Jade and I eventually using the twenties when we peed.

Finally, Jade and I left, after promising we'd be over for breakfast before we headed out.

Jade sighed in relief when we entered our extremely crowded room. She admitted she was still a little afraid that Esther was distracting us while someone else cleaned us out. She clammed up when I asked, "If you were suspicious, why didn't you come back here to check?"

That actually shut Jade West up!

Fortunately, nothing was missing. We had all the foodstuffs, water, guns and ammunition. And our pictures - yes, even Jade saved some. But it all left little space to move around.

Later, as we lay in our beds - both queen size and very comfortable - we discussed Esther. And reached an agreement.

Later that night, I lay in the dark and quietly cried. The boy's death, the ruins of him on the side the truck, my family, my friends, even the eventual loss of such simple pleasures as pie ala mode. It was then I heard a quiet sobbing from the other bed. I got up, wiped my own teary eyes and sat next to Jade. I placed my hand on her quivering shoulder and was actually scared. I'd never seen Jade like this. Even when she and Beck had broken up the first time, she was strong even as she cried into my late Nana's knitted throw pillow. This was the quiet weeping of a broken spirit.

"Jade, it's going to be okay. I know it's scary and the future doesn't look good but we'll make it."

The girl turned onto her back and stared at me. "That's not it! I killed someone today! I actually shot and killed a boy not much older than us! It was so easy. All I had to do was squeeze the trigger and... I... I never thought I'd do something like that. Not outside of a game or a movie. I actually...killed someone."

I lay next to her and pulled her into my arms as she resumed crying into my shoulder, "You did it for the best reason possible - to save someone in danger. Jade, you did it to save me. I'll never forget that. I wish you didn't have to do that but I'm glad you did. I hope I never have to do it either but it's, well...a..."

"Not just that, Vega. I think I recognized him from Karaoke Dokey or the Gorilla Club or..."

"Doesn't matter, Jade. Ssh... Jade, please. You did what you had to do. The...the old w-world is g-gone... We have to live in this one."

Jade looked up, her eyes still full of tears even as she said, "If you say it's a brave, new world, I'll deck you..."

I couldn't help but laugh given my thoughts at the diner earlier. Quietly, Jade resisted and then gave in and laughed. And I felt her relax in my arms as we shared that moment. I knew she'd be haunted by the killing for a while, likely for the rest of her life to some degree. I knew I would be too.

And we are. It's easier now but still hard to deal with it when the dreams come.

That night, I silently promised myself and Jade, that I would be there for her whenever she needed me. We fell asleep in each other's arms, unwittingly setting the stage for our future.

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. Jade was already up and out. I grabbed a quick shower, noting the damp towel from Jade's own shower. I stopped myself from fingering the wet terry cloth too long, shaking my head with a smile as I used the other towel for myself.

We quickly loaded Mariska. Jade, of course, telling me all the things I was doing wrong. I avoided going to the driver's side as much as possible so I wouldn't see any possible leftover…remains. When I finally did, all I saw were the holes from the shotgun pellets – even with the 'wash' Jade gave the day before, I was sure there were still small bits and pieces of the boy left behind which I made a point of ignoring. I looked up and Jade pointedly ignored me. The strength in this young woman was astounding. I smiled and finished loading.

Then we drove across the highway to park in front of the diner. It reminded me of a joke about Southern Californians who, instead of walking, drove across the street to 7-Eleven for a quart of milk then back across the street to their home.

Esther greeted us with smiles and big hugs before going back to the kitchen to make us big breakfasts.

Often diner food is - was the best restaurant food. May not be fancy or chic but simple, tasty and filling. Esther's food was definitely that. We had orange juice, Denver omelets (much better than my half-assed attempt a few days before) with grits, hash browns (with grilled peppers and onions) and toast. On the side, we each had a small stack of pancakes - small meaning only three, plate-sized flapjacks as well as a plate of properly well-done bacon between us.

And coffee. Of course.

"You gals headin' out then?"

I managed a nod and Jade took a sip of her coffee before saying, "Yeah. Wherever the road takes us."

Esther smiled and nodded. "Don't blame ya. When I was a young'un, I'da left this place a long time ago. Wanted to go to Hollywood and be a star! Then I met Cletus when I was in Ellay. It was in the Union Station. He jest come back from Korea an' was about ta take a train home ta Brooklyn. I was a USO hostess, meetin' returnin' boys from over there and Japan. Instead of gettin' on the train, we started to go t'gether. After what he saw over there, he fell in love with this 'natural devastation', as he put it. When he passed… What? Ten year back? Well, I jus' couldn't leave. And since my fam'ly's been here for'ver...

"Y'know, jes' up the road a piece is a marker. This was historic. Used ta be an Indian waterin' hole what saved more than a few travelers." She cocked a crooked grin at us and said, "Guess that's why the place is called Indian Wells…

"Also, later it was a stage an' freight station 'tween Ellay and the Coso and Cerro Gordo mine camps."

Jade said, "That's pretty cool. I always liked history."

That surprised me. I didn't know she was a history buff. How much more didn't I know about this dark girl I owed my life to?

I glanced at Jade. We both liked this sweet old woman. She nodded and I asked, "Esther, do you want to come with us? I think we have a place to be safe and... Well, we hate to leave you here alone."

The older woman shook her head with a wistful smile. "Thank ya, girls. Means a lot. It really does, but... Much as I used to hate it back when I was a young'un, this here is home. I may be the only one left but I can't leave."

"Esther, what will you do? How will you survive? I mean, it's all desert out there," Jade said. "Come with us, please…" Jade pleaded.

"Hon, it's always been desert. And it always will be. It's jest tha' Indian Wells is in me and I'm in the town. I don't guess ya young'uns would understand, comin' from a big city."

I know my eyes were watering a bit and I'd've bet Jade's were too. I didn't want to chance a look.

We finished our breakfast in silence.

Then Jade groaned, "Oh Jeez, Vega, I'm so full..."

I had to agree. "Me too. Esther, that was incredible."

"Nothin' different than I've done for the past near sixty years. But I never get tired of hearin' that kinda reaction." She got up from the stool she occupied as we ate and said, "Rest and let yer tummies work on all th' food. I'll be right back. Help yerselves to the coffee."

As she disappeared into the back, I poured us each another cup then came back around the counter and sat rubbing my too-full belly. I savored the feeling. I knew there certainly were lean times ahead and we probably wouldn't feel this sated again. At least, not for a long time. Maybe not ever.

Soon after, Esther came out with a box full of food. She set it on the booth table near the door then went back into the kitchen. Soon, she was back with another box. Then another and another. And still another.

After she set ten boxes near the door, we were speechless. And, to Jade's delight, three cases were each of full of twelve two-pound cans of coffee.

"Here ya go. Compliments of th' Desert Diner."

Regardless of her joy at the additional coffee, Jade surprised me by speaking up, "Esther, we can't take this. What about you?"

"Unless you changed your mind?" I asked hopefully.

"Nah, I'm a stubborn ol' woman. Ya don't need me taggin' along. I'm stayin' here. I have what I need. 'Sides, I won't need much. I won't be here much longer. I'll be with my Cletus soon."

"Esther, you're not planning to…?"

"Nah, not that. But I am goin' to be with Cletus." She smiled, and not sadly. "Y'see, I got the diabeetees. My insulin won't last much past th' end of th' week and then..."

"We can find more. There are abandoned drug stores..."

"An' how much more time would that give me? 'Nother month or two? Insulin ain't no good after a few weeks or, mayhap months. Even with 'fridgeratin'."

I didn't want to lose this sweet lady we just met. "We can get sheep and… I don't know but I remember from 'Alas, Babylon'…"

She held up her hand as she forcefully rebuffed us, "No! Thank ya but I'll stay here. I've hadda good, long life. May notta been excitin' but I ain't about ta complain. You girls jus' go ahead an' don' worry 'bout me. Ya haveta take care a' each other. I can't tell ya how much it means that yer willin' ta take an old fossil like me along. You girls are the sweetest things. I love ya for tha' alone."

I got up and pulled her into a big hug and kissed her on the cheek. My own cheeks were wet with tears. And Jade... Well, even the ice queen can melt from time to time.

She roughly pushed me out of the way and embraced Esther, actually giving her a kiss on the cheek.

After a long moment, Esther pulled out of the hug and said, "Let's get this stuff loaded."

Her face was turned away so we couldn't see her own tears.

Soon we were all standing in front of her diner. Esther handed Jade two, old-school, gallon-sized thermos bottles of coffee.

"You gals stop up the street a-ways at th' market. Jacob got his old man's gen'ral store - been in the fam'ly fer years. Since afore the Depression, I recall. Young Jacob's done a helluva job wi'it. Ain't got much like you cityfolk 'spect…" Esther gave us a smile as she said it. "But he did jus' get a delivery and it shouldn't go to waste. Got gas too.

"Now, you girls go an' survive. Make a new life for yerselves. And promise me you'll help each other an' be there for each other."

Again, Jade surprised me, "We will, Esther. I'll be there for Vega, no matter what. I promise."

Happy at Jade's declaration, I could only pretty much echo her.

And I grabbed her hand in gratitude. She looked at our hands and said, "Three... Two... Don't let me get to one..." I just squeezed her hand a little tighter, then, just as she said, "One!" I released her hand. But I still have a smile on my face. She quirked her brow but I saw her lips twitch up a bit.

"You two are so cute t'gether. Even if ya ain't t'gether. And I'm so glad I got to meet ya. Gives me hope fer the future. Now go 'fore you make me into some sobbin' mess..."

The three of us embraced in a group hug before Esther gently pushed us off.

"Go. Jacob's then yer future. Don't ferget the marker. Jest past the micr'brew'ry…"

"I'll never forget you, Esther," Jade declared.

"Me either."

"I won't forget you gals neither. Even after… Well, anyways, be good ta yerselves..."

As promised, we stopped up the road. Like an over-sized Drucker's Store on the classic cornpone TV shows, Green Acres and Petticoat Junction, Jacob's was a small general store. It would take up less than the drug section of a major grocery chain like Kroger's, Alpha Beta or Ralph's. But it was half-again as big as the usual Circle-K, 7-Eleven or another mini-mart and with more reasonable prices and a wider, if small, variety, including a real butcher section. And Jacob, or his father or grandfather or whoever, had a gas pump installed alongside the store.

The place was stocked with a lot of canned, jarred and dried goods worth salvaging. We failed to clean out the store, running out of room in the SUV after the gifts Esther bestowed on us. A lot of the stockroom was untouched. But Jade made a point of grabbing all the coffee in the front of the store and the backroom. Most of what we left behind were perishables - dairy products, the contents of the meat counter, the other coolers, any frozen goods and baked goods like bread or buns.

By the way, we did just manage to keep enough space for me, or Jade, to use Mariska's rearview mirror.

Then we filled up at the pump to the side of the store and also filled a dozen brand new, ten-gallon, heavy-duty, plastic jerry cans Jacob had stocked in the small hardware section. Took both of us to get them up on the roof of the truck – they weighed upwards of eighty pounds apiece full. Then we strapped these to the roof with bungee cord straps Jacob had in stock.

As we got back in the SUV, I glanced back and saw Esther waving us goodbye. Jade and I returned the wave then, reluctantly, started the engine.

Shortly after we left Indian Wells, I had to pull over to wipe my eyes a few dozen times. Jade remained silent but I saw her doing the same.

Soon, I glanced to the left and saw the old marker. As promised, we stopped.

Took a while longer to get going after that.

Notes: Indian Wells is a real place but less than I describe here. I just liked the idea of a small desert town to stop in and built it up slightly from a few weather-beaten buildings and RVs. I added the diner, the small store and the motel. The monument and the microbrewery Esther mentioned are real.

For those that care, I modeled the diner after the Ruby from the great Canadian comedy series Corner Gas.

Thanks to Loganx5 for help with this story.

Chapter title is from the Stevie Wonder classic.