Read Online - - End of All Things, The by Lissa Bryan - Free Book Online Page A

So we have to hurry and get as far as possible in the time we have left.”
    Carly hesitated before asking, since she knew it was another dumb question, but she had to know. “If we can’t take a car or a motorcycle, what are we going to do?”
    “Ride bicycles. Walk.”
    “Justin, you’re talking four thousand miles here.” The idea of moving into a house across town had been daunting enough, let alone the idea of traveling across most of North America.
    “I know. It took me about one hundred and thirty days to do the entire Appalachian Trail, and I was going a lot faster by myself than I’ll likely be able to go with you.”
    “How many miles did you hike in a day?”
    “Most days, about fifteen to twenty, depending on the roughness of the trail. Since you’re not an experienced hiker, I’m expecting us to make five to ten, at least at first.”
    “What about if we ride bicycles?”
    “Double it. Maybe twenty miles per day, at first. More, as you get stronger. Some experienced cyclists can do eighty miles in a day.”
    Carly shook her head. “You’re talking about more than half a year, maybe more.”
    “Do you understand, then, why I want to leave as soon as possible?
    “Couldn’t we go somewhere else, somewhere closer, like Los Angeles? It’s always warm down there.”
    “But arid. The irrigation systems might not work without electricity and regular maintenance. We need to go somewhere we can grow enough food to sustain ourselves. Florida has an excellent climate for farming. I’m not saying we have to get all the way to Florida. There are other states in the South that would have a good climate for us, but I’m thinking of Florida as my goal. We may be able to use different vehicles during sections of our trip, but that’s not a guarantee. The ones we find may have dead batteries, or the fuel could have gone bad. If we encountered a roadblock or traffic jam, we’d have to unload the vehicle and try to find another. Bikes are more reliable.”
    “Do you actually have this planned out, or is it just an idea you have?”
    Justin chuckled. “Once you get to know me, Carly, you’ll find I have everything planned out.” He went out into the hallway and grabbed one of the bags that contained his gear. He opened up the front pocket and withdrew a map. A route had been highlighted, cutting across Canada and through the US, a bumpy line, but almost perfectly diagonal. She saw the first part of the journey took them north to Haines and then to Skagway. From there, they took the only highway east, through the mountains, into Canada. 
    “But the ferry isn’t running.” 
    “I know how to operate a boat.”
    “Is there anything you don’t know how to do?” she asked, a hint of a sour note in her voice.
    “I can’t play the piano, and I can’t dance.”
    Carly tilted her head. “Did they teach you all this stuff in the army?”
    Justin’s eyes were guarded. “Some of it, yes.”
    She traced her finger over the long line. “What if I refuse to go?”
    “I can’t leave you here to die, Carly.”
    Die? She gave him a startled look, but he didn’t back off and admit to exaggeration or soften the comment with a shrug or smile. Instead, he looked straight into her eyes, and his steady gaze told her he wasn’t trying to scare her or embellish. He saw it as an inevitable consequence if she were left there on her own, not as a possibility.
    She looked away, unable to meet his eyes any longer. “Because you knew my dad?”
    “No, not just because of the promise I made when I joined The Unit, but because I fancy myself to be a decent fucking human being. One way or another, I’m going to have to convince you, but I hope to hell it doesn’t take very long.”
    “What about Sam?”
    “What about him? He’s a wolf. They’re tough, and they’re built to run for hours without tiring.”
    She was thankful he wasn’t going to try to insist she leave him behind.
    “Listen to me, Carly, I know you