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Authors: Andrea M. Alexander
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her arms across her chest. Her bottom lip stuck out, and it was clear that she was pouting. She snapped, “Are you going to drive, or are we going to sit here all day?”
The windows had completely fogged up. I started the engine and hit the defog button. “Are you going to explain this Jensen thing?”
“I already did.”
“So studying side effects of a vaccination you and Wesley took years ago is worth five thousand dollars, criminal charges, and a law suit? I’m not buying it.”
Cody asked, “That’s what the CDC guy’s visit was about the other day? A vaccination study? That’s lame.”
I stared expectantly at Iggy. She stared out the front windshield. No one said a word. Finally, I shifted into drive and sighed. “All this excitement, and we haven’t even left town yet.”
Chapter 7
Cael
On a normal day, we would have been in Tennessee already. But a trip that usually took about an hour took twice as long because of all the accidents and emergencies. We came across a gas station with a long line of cars and a sign that read ‘$20/gallon, 8 gallon limit, cash only’. We figured that we’d better buy gas while we could, so we steered into the line, which blocked one lane of Highway 41 for a quarter of a mile. So far, we had avoided the interstate, but now that we were well outside of Atlanta, we agreed it would be the best way to travel.
This city was much bigger than Villa Rica, but I was still surprised to find so many people on the roads and in the stores. The parking lots of all the banks, grocery stores, and even the department stores were flooded with people and cars. And despite the perpetual gray drizzle, people were gathered outside in small groups to talk and, according to the body language I witnessed, argue.
“I need to go to the bank,” Cody said, rolling down his window. “I want to get my money out while I can.”
I looked over my shoulder at him. “I thought you were going to do that two weeks ago when I told you it was a good idea.”
“I didn’t actually believe this was going to happen, Cael. But look at them.” He gestured at the bank in the parking lot next to us. “Everyone is taking out their money, and there either won’t be any left, or the banks will stop letting people withdraw. I just know it.” He started rubbing his scruffy jaw. “I’m worried I won’t have access to my money. It’s my money. I want it.”
“I get it, Cody.”
He said, “I’ll just jump out here and wait in line for the ATM.”
“I’ll watch your back,” Iggy volunteered.
Cody guffawed. "Watch my back? You're a little girl."
Iggy smacked him on the arm. "I'll show you little! Let me tell you exactly — ."
Wesley grabbed her arm. “I’ll go. You stay in the car.”
Cody gave Wesley a ‘hell, no’ look and said, “I’m a big boy. I can go by myself. I sure as hell don’t want you hanging out with me.”
Iggy said, "Come on, guys. Bygones. We need to forgive and forget.”
“He punched me in the face,” Cody protested.
Iggy opened her door with a jerk. “ I’m going with Cody, and that’s final.”
Cody got out and Iggy took his hand, leading him across the grass and through the parking lot like a mother would her child. I chuckled at the sight of Cody towering over her as she looked around with suspicion. Once they were in line, Iggy’s wariness vanished and she struck up a conversation with the people around her while Cody chewed his nails.
I heard Wesley give a long, loud exhale. I asked, “Don’t you think you’re a little overprotective sometimes?”
“No.”
“Isn’t Iggy almost nineteen years old? She’s an adult. She can take care of herself.”
Wesley’s gray eyes met mine in the rear view mirror. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I get that Iggy can sometimes be defensive, and her mouth gets her in trouble. But she seems pretty tough. I mean, I’ve known girls like her –”
“No you haven’t,” he
The windows had completely fogged up. I started the engine and hit the defog button. “Are you going to explain this Jensen thing?”
“I already did.”
“So studying side effects of a vaccination you and Wesley took years ago is worth five thousand dollars, criminal charges, and a law suit? I’m not buying it.”
Cody asked, “That’s what the CDC guy’s visit was about the other day? A vaccination study? That’s lame.”
I stared expectantly at Iggy. She stared out the front windshield. No one said a word. Finally, I shifted into drive and sighed. “All this excitement, and we haven’t even left town yet.”
Chapter 7
Cael
On a normal day, we would have been in Tennessee already. But a trip that usually took about an hour took twice as long because of all the accidents and emergencies. We came across a gas station with a long line of cars and a sign that read ‘$20/gallon, 8 gallon limit, cash only’. We figured that we’d better buy gas while we could, so we steered into the line, which blocked one lane of Highway 41 for a quarter of a mile. So far, we had avoided the interstate, but now that we were well outside of Atlanta, we agreed it would be the best way to travel.
This city was much bigger than Villa Rica, but I was still surprised to find so many people on the roads and in the stores. The parking lots of all the banks, grocery stores, and even the department stores were flooded with people and cars. And despite the perpetual gray drizzle, people were gathered outside in small groups to talk and, according to the body language I witnessed, argue.
“I need to go to the bank,” Cody said, rolling down his window. “I want to get my money out while I can.”
I looked over my shoulder at him. “I thought you were going to do that two weeks ago when I told you it was a good idea.”
“I didn’t actually believe this was going to happen, Cael. But look at them.” He gestured at the bank in the parking lot next to us. “Everyone is taking out their money, and there either won’t be any left, or the banks will stop letting people withdraw. I just know it.” He started rubbing his scruffy jaw. “I’m worried I won’t have access to my money. It’s my money. I want it.”
“I get it, Cody.”
He said, “I’ll just jump out here and wait in line for the ATM.”
“I’ll watch your back,” Iggy volunteered.
Cody guffawed. "Watch my back? You're a little girl."
Iggy smacked him on the arm. "I'll show you little! Let me tell you exactly — ."
Wesley grabbed her arm. “I’ll go. You stay in the car.”
Cody gave Wesley a ‘hell, no’ look and said, “I’m a big boy. I can go by myself. I sure as hell don’t want you hanging out with me.”
Iggy said, "Come on, guys. Bygones. We need to forgive and forget.”
“He punched me in the face,” Cody protested.
Iggy opened her door with a jerk. “ I’m going with Cody, and that’s final.”
Cody got out and Iggy took his hand, leading him across the grass and through the parking lot like a mother would her child. I chuckled at the sight of Cody towering over her as she looked around with suspicion. Once they were in line, Iggy’s wariness vanished and she struck up a conversation with the people around her while Cody chewed his nails.
I heard Wesley give a long, loud exhale. I asked, “Don’t you think you’re a little overprotective sometimes?”
“No.”
“Isn’t Iggy almost nineteen years old? She’s an adult. She can take care of herself.”
Wesley’s gray eyes met mine in the rear view mirror. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“I get that Iggy can sometimes be defensive, and her mouth gets her in trouble. But she seems pretty tough. I mean, I’ve known girls like her –”
“No you haven’t,” he
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