Read Online Schism by Britt Holewinski - Free Book Online Page B

better by my twentieth birthday, we’ll go somewhere else. That’s a year and a half from now. I can make it here until then.”
    “Where would you go?”
    “Colorado. I’ve heard rumors from people travelling through here that some of those ski towns managed to become pretty organized in the past year or two. I’ve even heard that they have power and electricity in most of the homes again, and water too. But you also have to be invited by its residents to live in those towns.”
    “Invited? How?”
    Maria shrugged. “I don’t know exactly, but like everything these days, if you have certain skills or things that people want, you have a better chance.”
    Andy wondered how valuable her skills as an amateur doctor would be. “Which ski towns did you hear about?”
    Maria frowned. “Why, you all thinking of leaving already? We were hoping you would stay awhile.”
    “Well, we would stay longer, but Morgan…well, it’s complicated.”
    “She’s pregnant, right?”
    Andy looked at her with surprise. “Probably. How did you know?”
    “Actually, it was just a guess, but last night before she left, I noticed her touching her stomach a lot. I thought maybe she wasn’t used to my spicy chili but then thought it could be something else.”
    “Pretty observant.”
    “Well, that’s what happens when you’re the daughter of a man who constantly got death threats. You learn to watch your back and watch others.”
    Andy wondered about the people in the truck that had just departed. Were they somehow involved with drugs? Was that a ‘thing’ that people still wanted? Is that how Maria got access to the kind of food she had served last night? “Do you miss your father?” she asked, keeping these other questions to herself.
    “I miss my mother,” Maria replied easily. “And if Julio and Carmen were around, I’d say I miss my father too. But in reality, it’s hard to miss someone who was friends with violent drug dealers and killers. My brother and sister were too young to know what he was really like, but I remember. I keep my feelings to myself, though. It’s not worth ruining their memories.”
    “Memories are all we have now,” Andy muttered before turning the conversation back to Morgan. “Please don’t say anything to the others about her being pregnant. Even Charlie doesn’t know. I’m the only one she’s told.”
    “Of course. So when will you all leave?”
    “I don’t know, but probably in a few days. I’ll talk with the others first.”
    “Well, let me know when you decide.” Maria put her hands on her hips and looked off toward the east. The sun was just about to appear. “Another day,” she said with a heavy sigh.
    ***
    Morgan awoke to the now-familiar sensation of nausea and hurried outside to vomit since the bathrooms had no water to flush. When she finished, she saw Andy walking toward the house. “You’re awake?”
    “Couldn’t sleep.” Andy noticed Morgan holding her stomach. “You okay?”
    “Just morning sickness.”
    She nodded with a look of sympathy before glancing at the house across the street where Ben and Jim were sleeping. “Any sign of them this morning?”
    “No, but I just woke up.”
    “I ran into Maria while walking. She was already awake.” She didn’t mention anything about the mysterious truck or Morgan’s pregnancy but recalled the rest of their conversation.
    “Do you think she’s right about those ski towns in Colorado?” Morgan asked.
    “Maybe. She said it was all just rumors, but why couldn’t it be true? It’s not impossible to imagine that some survivors actually managed to get a whole town up and running again.”
    “It sounds like a bloody miracle to me. But if it’s true, then sign me up.”
    Laughing, Andy turned to head across the street. “I’ll get the map from them and figure out the route we’ll take north.”
    “You’ll ask them now?”
    Andy looked back.
    “To come with us, I mean?”
    “Might as well.”
    After