Tuesday, January 3, 2012

# 43

We headed out onto the roadway and moved quick, if the group of weirdos were out here anywhere i didn't want them seeing us leave the Hotel. Not much movement around so I headed back to the highway and figured with how clear it was the day previous we would roll through Providence and head to route 146 that could take us all the way to route 20 and from there it was back roads to my brothers. Bob sat silent in the back and I had the rear view mirror angled so I could see his face but cut just before his eyes so he couldn't see me. Every time Leeya leaned against me he would seemingly cringe, this guy was wound too tight. I guess he has some issues and to be honest having him behind me with a shotgun wasn't my idea of comfortable. I distracted him by saying he should keep a keen eye on the sides of the van and if anything went down shoot through the windows. He started looking left and right but still stopped to stare holes in Leeya every so often. I wondered if she knew how wacky he was getting for her?

The road through Providence was quiet with almost no traffic , further pushing my confusion of why no one seemed to try running or leaving. The split after the Point street bridge was likewise quiet and we headed to the exit for route 146. The exit was a split exit between 146 and the state offices so I half expected some kind of congestion there but once again, nothing. This made me more and more confused, I wanted to see a car, any car driving so I would know someone else was out there. We did have to be careful, with so much dead silence our car driving down the highway could be heard for miles and anyone or "thing" would pay notice to it. The last thing I wanted to do was wake the dead literally.

We headed up 146 and the road had sporadic cars here and there laying in various forms and every once in a while a "thing" would be wandering either in the road or off to the side. It looked like they were lost almost and when they heard the van would start towards us to no avail. By the time they even had a lock on our position we were past them or about to. Bob finally said " This is too messed up we need to head back, your bother is dead you know he is!" I adjusted the mirror to catch his eyes and said " nice pep talk Bob, you should think of coaching". He gave a dirty look and said " you know what I mean , look around , there's no one, nothing, everyone is dead". I just replied with until I know for sure, then he and his family are alive and that is all there is to it". He sighed and sat back like a child told they cannot go to the mall.

The trip was generally non eventful , just various walking things and that was about it. No survivors or grouping of either type. I had hoped for a survivor or two , heck maybe a group like we had. But if there was a group out there that we drove past they stayed hidden from us. We reached route 20 by around 2 in the afternoon and I told everyone in the van if we didn't make tracks we would be locked out of the Hotel again. Bob instantly argued that we could just knock or some crap but I told him that we wouldn't put them in a bad situation for a chance to get inside. He was mad again and I could tell that Bob would either have it his way or I was a prick.

Route 20 was a lot tighter and more congested, it was as if everyone was running everywhere but not to a highway. Very confusing and hard to navigate through. We got to the mall and just as we reached it Bob said "we should go and check it out there could be things we could use in there". I stopped him and said "I am sure there is things we could use in there but Ive seen this movie and the ending blows." Leeya laughed only adding to the anger behind me. We drove past the mall and headed up the road towards my brothers and as we got closer the signs were everywhere that it was a bad deal all around out this way.

We headed down the main road leading to my brothers and my stomach was turning thinking of the things I could see. I feared the worst and as we turned up the hill the house looked fine, with no cars in the driveway. No cars, that was a good sign right? We pulled in and Leeya asked if this was his place and I nodded. I told them to stay put and keep an eye out and I would check it out. I grabbed the shotgun and headed inside. The door was locked and I booted it open and walked to the kitchen yelling for anyone. The house was empty and I wondered if they were out there somewhere. I ran up the stairs and when I got to the bedrooms the bureaus were open and empty, another good clue right? I had my hopes up that they got away and were somewhere safe, maybe they headed to Florida where my brothers wife's sister lived? Maybe the small town had an evacuation and they were all somewhere safe?    The thoughts made me dizzy with hope and sadness that I had missed them. I sat on the foot of the bed and melted in my shoes for a moment. Please be safe was all I could think.

I looked in the house a bit and grabbed a picture of the whole family together. Maybe they left for a better place, maybe they were safe. I knew one day if they were i would find them and if they weren't I would find out. It was a better answer than I had feared could have been there and that was something to give me hope and a reason to keep moving on. I walked out of the house with a bit of pop in my step , thinking of what could be. Leeya smiled at me and asked what was inside. I told her and Bob instantly went into they are gone mode. Leeya was like me she said it was a good thing that gives you hope. I liked Leeya's thought better, Bob just sucks.

We headed out of the driveway and down the road. I turned down the main street and headed right past the street we had came from and Bob instantly picked up on it. "Where are we going you missed the turn". I said calmly " heading to the hospital for chemo". Leeya looked at me worried and I said "no, no, not for me but I have an idea". Then went on explaining why and not mentioning Unice or her bite but just that it was a thought I had. Bob started with the usual negative you are no scientist and don't bother. I ignored it and pressed on.

1 comment:

  1. Yay! Brother is... somewhere! LOL And you should leave Bob somewhere. Maybe pull a Shane on him! LOL

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