The Prepper: A Short Story (Voices of the Apocalypse Book 2) (3 page)

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They waited for two days in the cave, but nobody else came. Critter went into John’s duffle bag and found Mona a pair of pants, a flannel shirt, and some boots that were a couple sizes too big.
 

“It’s time to go,” Critter said.
 

He wondered if they should leave Dave and John’s bags behind. What if they showed up later? Deep in his heart he knew they weren’t coming. He took Dave’s bag and tossed John’s to Trevor.

“Why doesn’t she have to carry anything?” Trevor asked.

“I can carry one of the bags if you’re not strong enough,” Mona said.

Critter had grown weary of their bickering.
 

“I’m hoping the two of you can learn to get along, or at least keep it to yourselves. We’ve got a long way to go before we hit the San Juans. We don’t know what’s out there and we need to be vigilant. So grow the hell up and work together.” His voice hit a peak and echoed off the cave walls.

The two jumped back a bit and looked at each other, nodding reluctantly. Then they crawled through the tunnel toward the main opening. Golden rays of late afternoon sun pierced through the crevice. They stood by the opening, waiting until it was dark to travel by night. They’d go through the switches that Critter had mapped out months earlier. The “getaway” car was hidden in the woods about two miles away. When it was dark, they squeezed through the opening and started their hike.
 

The air was heavy with smoke from the fires burning throughout Colorado. At certain peaks they could see across the basin to Denver. The whole place was on fire. Downtown, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the far-reaching suburbs.

“They’re burning every friggin’ thing down,” Trevor said, looking out across the horizon.
 

“The final phase of the Repatterning.” Critter pulled his bandana up around his face.
 

After the two-mile hike through the woods, they reached the spot where the Jeep was hidden in the bushes.

“You sure that thing still runs?” Mona asked.

“It’s old, but it works. And Trevor knows a thing or two about mechanics.”
 

Mona smiled at Critter, clearly impressed. “How long have you been planning this out?”
 

“A while.” He tried to play it cool, but he was beaming from her approval.
 

Trevor got behind the wheel, Critter took the passenger seat to navigate, and Mona sat in the back with the duffle bags. Nobody said a word as they drove through the brush, cutting through the woods. Trevor maneuvered the old Jeep through the trees until they hit one of the switchbacks, which took them down the side of the mountain to the road that would lead to the San Juans.
 

They decided not to look back at their burning city. Instead, they focused on the road ahead. The road that would take them to their new life. A new beginning. Critter was grateful Mona Hendricks had finally come around. All those years waiting had paid off. He looked to the backseat. Although the dark blue bandana covered her nose and mouth, he knew she was smiling.

THE CITY CENTER
THE NEW AGENDA
THE MAINFRAME
THE TORRENT
VOICES OF THE APOCALYPSE: SHORT STORIES

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