here?” Bishop asked, squinting as he looked ahead into the sunshine. The road disappeared around a bend and then was hidden behind a series of small houses.
Jonas looked around for trouble. Bishop wouldn’t have stopped without good cause. It looked as though they were going to pass through a small town, but Jonas could see nothing unusual.
There were a few dead bodies in the field beside the road, but dead people were more common sight than the living these days, and they weren’t moving.
“Fine, just fine,” said Dakota, trying to raise a smile. She had no intention of bringing up how sick she felt.
“What is it?” Jonas knew Bishop hadn’t stopped for a chat. Something had made him stop; something that was causing him to look concerned. Jonas hoped he wasn’t about to tell them they were going to have to go back.
“I know, Annalise, I know.” Bishop drew in a deep breath. “Up ahead. There was some sort of road accident. It’s a real pretty mess, folks.”
Jonas’s heart sank. They were going to have to find a way around. How long would that take? It could cost them hours.
“You’ll be able to squeeze past,” said Bishop, obviously noticing the look of worry rapidly spreading across Jonas’s face. “There’s a hole in the wreckage that I reckon you’ll be able to get through. As long as there ain’t too many of them zombies, you’ll be fine. Just stick to the western side of it and aim for the church tower you can see in the distance there.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” said Lukas. He rolled his neck around his shoulders, and then gripped the wheel, determined not to let anything interfere with the plan. “If there’s a way through, I’ll find it. If not, I’ll make one.”
Bishop grunted. “I know, I know.”
Jonas saw Bishop look away and mutter something under his breath. It sounded like he was agreeing with something, as if he had someone perched on his shoulder, but besides Black Jack, there was nobody else out there.
“Thing is,” said Bishop, “I’m going to have to leave you here. Wasn’t my intention to leave you so soon, and I’m real sorry. I know you need to get over the border in a hurry.”
“Bishop, I’ve seen that look on your face before,” said Lukas. “Like just before you went out and came back with these two.”
Jonas watched as Bishop looked from Lukas, to Dakota, and then finally to him. He felt Bishop’s eyes bore into his, and then he understood. Bishop wasn’t just leaving them for the sake of it. There was something he had to do. There was someone out there in the town ahead, someone who needed help. Bishop wanted to help someone on their way again.
“Who is it?” Jonas asked. “How many?”
“I’m not sure,” said Bishop. “At least one, maybe more. I can’t just pass by, though. I have to know. At this point in time, there’s no time to sit down and formulate a rescue plan. I’ll just do what I can and figure it out as I go. It’s real nasty in there.” Black Jack snorted, and Bishop calmed her, stroking her black mane. “Once you’re past the crash, go straight past the church, and you’ll find yourself back on track. Don’t get sucked into the town center. It’s a mess. Okay?”
“Where are we?” asked Dakota.
“Up ahead that’s Janesville,” said Bishop. “There’s no reason for you to get held up, though. Lukas here will take care of you, right?”
Lukas nodded. “That I will.”
“So, we should be okay after we get through Janesville?” Dakota meant it as a statement, but it came out like a question.
“Avoid Minneapolis,” said Bishop firmly. “After that, you’ll be fine.”
All the time they were talking Jonas kept thinking, how was Janey doing? Were Mike, Chester, and Ritchie all okay? Had she stayed at home like she’d promised, waiting for him, or had she given up like he had given up on her all those years ago. Jonas thought of his father, of his mother, and how happy they had been all
Jonas looked around for trouble. Bishop wouldn’t have stopped without good cause. It looked as though they were going to pass through a small town, but Jonas could see nothing unusual.
There were a few dead bodies in the field beside the road, but dead people were more common sight than the living these days, and they weren’t moving.
“Fine, just fine,” said Dakota, trying to raise a smile. She had no intention of bringing up how sick she felt.
“What is it?” Jonas knew Bishop hadn’t stopped for a chat. Something had made him stop; something that was causing him to look concerned. Jonas hoped he wasn’t about to tell them they were going to have to go back.
“I know, Annalise, I know.” Bishop drew in a deep breath. “Up ahead. There was some sort of road accident. It’s a real pretty mess, folks.”
Jonas’s heart sank. They were going to have to find a way around. How long would that take? It could cost them hours.
“You’ll be able to squeeze past,” said Bishop, obviously noticing the look of worry rapidly spreading across Jonas’s face. “There’s a hole in the wreckage that I reckon you’ll be able to get through. As long as there ain’t too many of them zombies, you’ll be fine. Just stick to the western side of it and aim for the church tower you can see in the distance there.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” said Lukas. He rolled his neck around his shoulders, and then gripped the wheel, determined not to let anything interfere with the plan. “If there’s a way through, I’ll find it. If not, I’ll make one.”
Bishop grunted. “I know, I know.”
Jonas saw Bishop look away and mutter something under his breath. It sounded like he was agreeing with something, as if he had someone perched on his shoulder, but besides Black Jack, there was nobody else out there.
“Thing is,” said Bishop, “I’m going to have to leave you here. Wasn’t my intention to leave you so soon, and I’m real sorry. I know you need to get over the border in a hurry.”
“Bishop, I’ve seen that look on your face before,” said Lukas. “Like just before you went out and came back with these two.”
Jonas watched as Bishop looked from Lukas, to Dakota, and then finally to him. He felt Bishop’s eyes bore into his, and then he understood. Bishop wasn’t just leaving them for the sake of it. There was something he had to do. There was someone out there in the town ahead, someone who needed help. Bishop wanted to help someone on their way again.
“Who is it?” Jonas asked. “How many?”
“I’m not sure,” said Bishop. “At least one, maybe more. I can’t just pass by, though. I have to know. At this point in time, there’s no time to sit down and formulate a rescue plan. I’ll just do what I can and figure it out as I go. It’s real nasty in there.” Black Jack snorted, and Bishop calmed her, stroking her black mane. “Once you’re past the crash, go straight past the church, and you’ll find yourself back on track. Don’t get sucked into the town center. It’s a mess. Okay?”
“Where are we?” asked Dakota.
“Up ahead that’s Janesville,” said Bishop. “There’s no reason for you to get held up, though. Lukas here will take care of you, right?”
Lukas nodded. “That I will.”
“So, we should be okay after we get through Janesville?” Dakota meant it as a statement, but it came out like a question.
“Avoid Minneapolis,” said Bishop firmly. “After that, you’ll be fine.”
All the time they were talking Jonas kept thinking, how was Janey doing? Were Mike, Chester, and Ritchie all okay? Had she stayed at home like she’d promised, waiting for him, or had she given up like he had given up on her all those years ago. Jonas thought of his father, of his mother, and how happy they had been all
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