Open Roads (14 page)

Dylan exited the cabin and started for the steps. Gabriel grabbed the boy by the shoulder, and Dylan looked up.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said.

Dylan shrugged Gabriel’s hand off and continued for the stairs, mumbling, “Whatever.”

Though the day had brought with it a cool Autumn chill, Gabriel stood sweating. His nerves crawled on his arms like hundreds of spiders, and his head began to throb. It felt like someone pressing the heels of their palms against both of his temples. He’d been so distracted that he’d forgotten about his injured hand. He looked down and saw that he’d dropped the rag onto the porch, and blood seeped from his hand onto the wooden slats. He went back inside the cabin, grabbed another rag, applied pressure to his hand, and then made his way across the front porch.

Charlie and Scott worked to unload the generator out of the back of the SUV. Like Will, both of the men looked like they’d been through hell. They set the generator down onto the ground, and then Charlie walked over to Will and extended his hand.

“Brother, thanks again for helping us out.”

Will laughed. “You’re the crazy son of a bitch that ran into that store.”

Charlie shrugged. “Gotta do what we gotta do, man.”

“I guess,” Will said, still smiling.

Charlie turned around to Scott and said, “Let’s roll this thing over by our cabins for now. We’ll talk to everyone else in a little bit and see where the best place to put this will be.”

Gabriel approached Will, who turned and smiled at him, as if everything were cool.

“Morning, man,” Will said. “What’s up?”

Not slowing his gait, Gabriel sprung his arms and shoved Will in his shoulders, sending him down into the dirt.

“What’re you doing?” Holly said. She turned to Dylan and said, “Go inside.”

“No, I—”

“Now,” Holly said, making sure her tone conveyed to the boy that she wasn’t offering him a choice. Dylan pushed past Gabriel and slowly made his way up to the cabin, taking his time and looking back.

Will’s expression had turned from a smile to a look of disgust as he jumped back to his feet.

“What the fuck?” Will said.

“You’re asking me ‘what the fuck’?” Gabriel said. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Where the hell’ve you been all morning?”

“Well, considering how these people were nice enough to bring us into their community here and offer us food, shelter, a place where we could all be fucking normal for a change, I thought I’d return the favor and go help them pick up a generator.”

Gabriel glanced over to see that Charlie and Scott had stopped, standing only about fifteen yards away. They watched the scene unfold. Gabriel refocused his attention to Will, taking a step toward him to cut their distance in half, now standing where their chests almost bumped.

“You don’t think saving his life at that store yesterday was enough?” Gabriel said, keeping his attention on Will but pointing his finger toward Charlie.

“You blind, Gabriel? They might’ve saved
our
lives. Four whole cans of fuel? You think they really have to give us all that?”

Gabriel scoffed. “Whatever. Just get your shit together so that we can get the hell outta here.” He turned around and started back toward the cabin, looking around the campground to see that everyone was outside now, either standing in the courtyard or watching from the front porches of their respective cabins. Including Jessica, who leaned on the bannister of the front porch, shaking her head as she and Gabriel made eye contact. He looked away and continued his march back toward his cabin to grab the last of his things.

“I’m not leaving.”

Gabriel stopped and turned around again, watching everyone’s eyes settle on him as he did. Will stood with his arms crossed, as if he were staking his claim in the land.

“I’m staying here,” Will said. “I’m tired of running. Tired of chasing some sort of false hope.” He put his arm around Holly, who looked shocked, as if this were news to her, as well. He held her for a moment before letting go and stepping toward Gabriel. “Charlie offered for us to stay. All of us.”

Gabriel let the words sit in the air for a moment, the anger crawling all over his arms again. Even though the day was cool, it felt as if the sun was baking him. But that was just his internal heat rising.

He had no response for Will. He simply turned, kicking the gravel as he swung around, and stormed back to his cabin.

***

Gabriel made one last pass through the cabin, making sure he’d gathered all his things. He went into Dylan’s room and began transferring the boy’s few possessions from the bed to a bag. The bathroom door opened and Dylan came into the room.

“What are you doing?” Dylan asked.

“We’re leaving,” Gabriel said.

“I’m not going,” Dylan said.

Gabriel turned around to face the boy. He said, “Yes, you are. We’re not stopping anymore, and we’re gonna get to Virginia and find your parents.”

“But I heard Will say he isn’t going. Is Mary Beth?”

Gabriel ignored the question and turned back to the bed, and zipped up Dylan’s bag. He picked it up and walked it over to him.

“Just take this and load it into the van.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Dylan said. “I’m not going without her.”

The front door of the cabin opened and Jessica emerged. Dylan ran over to her.

“Tell Gabriel that I don’t have to go,” Dylan said. “Please.” He had tears in his eyes now, and Gabriel could feel a new brand of guilt ride up into his gut. This wasn’t the first time he’d had trouble with Dylan over his decisions, and he knew, just like before, that the kid would get over it.

“You can’t make him go with us if he doesn’t want to go, Gabriel,” Jessica said.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “Us?”

Jessica said, “I’m going with you. There’s nothing for me here, and I want to see what we can find in D.C. To see if I can help you find your family. But you can’t make Dylan go. Let him stay here. It’s safe here. Let Will and Holly look after him. Let him stay with his friends and try to somewhat live a normal life.”

Gabriel couldn’t look at Dylan without feeling remorseful. The responsibility for the child had almost literally fallen into his lap, and he’d grown so close to Dylan. The truth was,
he
wasn’t ready to let Dylan go. More than once, the thought had crossed Gabriel’s mind that he would get to Alexandria and never find Dylan’s parents. And with a gun to his head, Gabriel would have to have told the truth and say that he
hoped
they wouldn’t find them. Even though it had only been a couple of weeks, he’d taken Dylan in like his own child. Letting him go would just leave another hole in Gabriel’s heart.

But as he looked into the boy’s eyes, he knew what the right decision was.

***

Most everyone at the camp gathered around to see Gabriel and Jessica off. Gabriel had calmed down, though he hadn’t changed his mind about leaving. He had no other option. The simple thought that he’d already wasted too much time and had possibly missed the opportunity to save his own family weighed heavily on him.

Gabriel and Jessica each walked down the line of people, shaking the hands of the survivors from the campground first. All of them were present except for Thomas, who’d remained strangely absent. Jessica thanked each one of them, and Gabriel followed, simply acknowledging each of the individuals without repeating the same pleasantries as Jessica. Holly and Will stood near the end of the line. Once Jessica was done hugging each of them, Gabriel stepped up. Though he and Holly had had it out earlier, she still allowed him to give her a hug, as well as a kiss on the cheek. He then moved in front of Will, and the two men just looked at each other. Gabriel could feel everyone’s eyes on them, as if they were waiting for a fight to break out. He then looked down and saw that Will had his hand extended out. Gabriel waited a moment, then accepted the handshake.

“You sure you wanna do this?” Will asked.

Gabriel responded, “Are you?”

Will nodded.

And that was the extent of their conversation.

Gabriel now drew in a deep breath as he arrived at the three children. He shook Reece’s hand, then looked down to Dylan and Mary Beth. She had her arm around Dylan as he cried. Gabriel leaned down to eye-level with them.

He said to Mary Beth, “You take care of him now, you hear?”

She smiled and nodded, saying, “Yes, sir.”

And when his eyes met Gabriel’s, Dylan let go of Mary Beth and embraced Gabriel, letting out all of his emotion. The small hands gripped the back of Gabriel’s shirt tightly.

“Don’t go,” Dylan pleaded.

“I’ve got to,” Gabriel said. “You know that. I’ve got to find my wife and my little girl. Once I find them, perhaps I will bring them back here if there’s no refuge in Washington.”

Dylan didn’t respond. He just held Gabriel and cried. Gabriel’s gaze shifted to the other, particularly to Will and Holly. He could see in both their faces that they both hated his decision to leave, but also that they understood it. Gabriel just hoped that splitting from the group would turn out better than it had the last time he’d tried to go out on his own.

Gabriel pulled away from Dylan, his hands gripping the boy’s shoulders tight. He jostled Dylan’s hair, choking back his own tears. He wanted to stay strong for the kid, but it was growing more difficult with every passing moment.

A door to one of the cabins slamming drew everyone’s attention. Leaving one hand on Dylan’s shoulder, Gabriel used his other hand as a visor to block out the sun and look toward the commotion. Thomas had emerged from his cabin, lugging a suitcase-on-wheels behind him and carrying his rifle over his shoulder. The silence among the other survivors said it all.

Claire split from the others, walking toward her brother, and said, “What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving,” Thomas said, marching toward the van.

“What?” Claire said. She moved from beside him to in front of him, halting in his path so that he would come to a top. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”

“I’m going with them to Virginia,” Thomas said. “I’m tired of sitting around here doing nothing. Someone in Washington has to know something about what’s going on or how to stop this demonic plague.” He looked over to Will. “Claire told me about what you know. About what happened to you. That information is far too important not to try and get it to Washington.”

Will looked on, his arm wrapped around Holly.

Thomas went to throw his bag into the open sliding door of the van, but Claire stopped him. He turned back to her, eyes almost crossed in frustration.

“Claire, let go. You’re not stopping me from leaving.”

Claire said, “No, I’m not. But I’m not letting you leave without me. And if I’m leaving, I’m not leaving my car here.”

***

Gabriel and Jessica transferred their things to Claire’s SUV, while Claire had retreated to her cabin to gather her things. Once she came back outside, ready to load her things and leave, Gabriel left Will with some of the ammunition he’d gathered, now that Thomas had decided to come, bringing with him a small arsenal.
 

“Thanks,” Will said.

Gabriel nodded and turned around to load into the cockpit of the SUV. He’d be taking the first driving shift.

Will said, “Hey.”

Gabriel looked back.

“Good luck finding Katie and Sarah.”

With a nod, his lips pursed, Gabriel said, “Thanks, brother.”

He shut the door and clicked on his seatbelt. When he looked back out, Dylan stood staring, his eyes mostly dry now. Gabriel waved and gave the boy a thumbs-up, and Dylan waved back.

Before he had any second thoughts about leaving, Gabriel looked away, drawing his attention to the rearview mirror as he backed up. Dirt appeared in the reflection, the tires sending it into the clean, mountain air.

He started down the dirt path of the mountain, and he didn’t look back until they turned around a corner, and he glanced into the rearview mirror again.

All he saw were trees and dust.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

They watched as the headlights to Claire’s SUV disappeared around the corner through the trees. Dylan’s tears flowed freely now, and the boy allowed all his emotion to drain out of him. Holly left Will’s side and hugged Dylan, patting him on the back and assuring him that everything would be fine.