Read Online Humanity Gone: After the Plague by Derek Deremer - Free Book Online
Authors: Derek Deremer
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doesn’t even change her facial expression. She just turns toward Jo and nods with an entire muffin in her mouth. She goes to say something and it almost falls out.
“See? They’re good,” says Jo. Soon enough, we’re all chewing away, except for my sister who is chewing loudly. I hate it when she does that. Daddy would never let her get away with it. Jon passes out some glasses with bottled water poured in them. I drink it down.
Jon crinkles up all the empty bags and sighs. I bet he wishes there are more we could eat today. “I promise breakfast will be a little more creative in the future. I’m going to get back to the trailer. It shouldn’t take too long. Plus, I’ll see if I can gather anything else from inside.”
The smile fades from his face quickly. I’m going to be twelve years old soon, so I can tell when someone is faking. Sara hops off of my bench and runs over to him as he turns around to walk to the door, and I follow. He jumps a little bit as I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Come back soon!” Sara says, doing the same.
This time, his whole face smiles, even if it is just a little one. As he turns away, I feel an odd tingling in my throat and clear it quietly.
Chapter 15: Jonathon
It’s hard to leave the girls. I already feel some sense of responsibility for the twins, a need to protect them. Plus, they are one of the few elements of my life that might make me smile anymore. Jo and I have gotten along well these past few days, but once things return to any sense of normalcy our problems will return. The door subtly creaks behind me as I pull it shut, and the storm door slams against the frame as I walk to the car. With a turn of the key, the SUV comes to life and drifts forward from my prompting. Maybe the long drive will give me time to understand why I feel so compelled to bury this ranger.
With nobody else in the car, I’m a little less careful with the drive. It feels good to take the turns a few miles an hour faster than I should: like an amusement park ride. I give the steering wheel a particularly aggressive twist to the left, and the car turns just barely faster than traction should allow. The extra floating dust in my rear-view mirrors confirms the fishtail.
Alright, that’s enough goofing off. I need to remain in the right mindset if I’m going to keep everyone safe. No mess-ups. Not now, when there is no telling what the consequences could be. My driving becomes immediately smoother.
As the road flies below me, I turn my attention back to the ranger. I had originally felt a sense of duty or something to this man who had given us supplies that may save our lives as we get used to “living off of the land.” The more I think about it, the more I realize that it must be more than gratitude. I understand why I couldn’t explain it to Jo yesterday; I can’t even explain it to myself.
Maybe since I can't bury my father...
I glance at the radio several times and begin to seek through the stations. Each one is in static. We really are secluded here in the woods. Or maybe they stopped broadcasting. Who would be broadcasting anymore anyway?
The road is becoming less dusty, and I can see pavement up ahead. The ranger's station should be just over this hill. The sun is well into the sky now, and although the warmth is currently pleasing, it might get annoying when I’m trying to dig a grave. Is six feet a requirement or a suggestion? I don’t have a clue. It doesn’t really matter how deep it is. The grave will be up to my chest. That'll
“See? They’re good,” says Jo. Soon enough, we’re all chewing away, except for my sister who is chewing loudly. I hate it when she does that. Daddy would never let her get away with it. Jon passes out some glasses with bottled water poured in them. I drink it down.
Jon crinkles up all the empty bags and sighs. I bet he wishes there are more we could eat today. “I promise breakfast will be a little more creative in the future. I’m going to get back to the trailer. It shouldn’t take too long. Plus, I’ll see if I can gather anything else from inside.”
The smile fades from his face quickly. I’m going to be twelve years old soon, so I can tell when someone is faking. Sara hops off of my bench and runs over to him as he turns around to walk to the door, and I follow. He jumps a little bit as I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Come back soon!” Sara says, doing the same.
This time, his whole face smiles, even if it is just a little one. As he turns away, I feel an odd tingling in my throat and clear it quietly.
Chapter 15: Jonathon
It’s hard to leave the girls. I already feel some sense of responsibility for the twins, a need to protect them. Plus, they are one of the few elements of my life that might make me smile anymore. Jo and I have gotten along well these past few days, but once things return to any sense of normalcy our problems will return. The door subtly creaks behind me as I pull it shut, and the storm door slams against the frame as I walk to the car. With a turn of the key, the SUV comes to life and drifts forward from my prompting. Maybe the long drive will give me time to understand why I feel so compelled to bury this ranger.
With nobody else in the car, I’m a little less careful with the drive. It feels good to take the turns a few miles an hour faster than I should: like an amusement park ride. I give the steering wheel a particularly aggressive twist to the left, and the car turns just barely faster than traction should allow. The extra floating dust in my rear-view mirrors confirms the fishtail.
Alright, that’s enough goofing off. I need to remain in the right mindset if I’m going to keep everyone safe. No mess-ups. Not now, when there is no telling what the consequences could be. My driving becomes immediately smoother.
As the road flies below me, I turn my attention back to the ranger. I had originally felt a sense of duty or something to this man who had given us supplies that may save our lives as we get used to “living off of the land.” The more I think about it, the more I realize that it must be more than gratitude. I understand why I couldn’t explain it to Jo yesterday; I can’t even explain it to myself.
Maybe since I can't bury my father...
I glance at the radio several times and begin to seek through the stations. Each one is in static. We really are secluded here in the woods. Or maybe they stopped broadcasting. Who would be broadcasting anymore anyway?
The road is becoming less dusty, and I can see pavement up ahead. The ranger's station should be just over this hill. The sun is well into the sky now, and although the warmth is currently pleasing, it might get annoying when I’m trying to dig a grave. Is six feet a requirement or a suggestion? I don’t have a clue. It doesn’t really matter how deep it is. The grave will be up to my chest. That'll
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