Humanity Gone After the Plague

Chapter 29: Caitlyn

I pretend not to know what is going on. If Jon and Jo knew that I’m aware of all of it, they might try to talk to me about it or something. I don't need that. I'm not a stupid child. I understand.

I know what those boys were doing to girls back there in the Sanctuary. It doesn't take a genius to put together the words I overheard when Carter explained it to them in the bathroom.

I know Carter left because he didn't listen to Jon and put us all in danger. His “searching for a friend” excuse may have fooled Sara, but that was it. I will keep playing along.

Carter headed off in some hot-wired blue car at the gas station. I think I will miss him. He gave us a strength I will miss. His car flew into the distance while we all loaded back into the SUV. Sara's and Jo's eyes are still red from their tears. I just shut the door and stare out the window. Jon gets in the driver's side and we return to our goal – getting to the UN center. We have around a half a day ahead of us according to him.

We drive along and pass the outpost where the Sanctuary boy first waved us down. Several flipped over cars in front of a house make a pretty good station. I think I would do a few things differently. The hill on the other side of the road really makes it hard for them to see if anyone is coming up. I could even sneak up that hill. I press my forehead against the glass and peer down the slope as Jon guides us around the now abandoned station. Below are more houses and streets. It reminds me of where Sara and I once lived. I look over to Sara and give her a smile. She struggles to give one back and continues to pick at the bottom of her blue shirt.

We drive for hours until the sun beams straight down.

“We have maybe two hours of travel left. Let’s stop for a few minutes to stretch,” suggests Jon. The rest area is tucked away among the trees and looks vacant. He needs to stop for a few. I would keep driving. That's probably what Carter did. The SUV pulls along the side of the road and Jon and Jo immediately get out. They didn't share a single word the entire trip. They both fade into some nearby trees and I make out the shouts of their argument. Usually I try to listen, but I know what it’s about. Who wouldn't? I climb out of the back seat and walk over to a picnic table. Some names are carved into the wood, along with some hearts and a few random designs. I run my fingers along one of the cuts. When were these markings made and how different of a world was it then?

“What are they yelling about?” Sara comes up to me and asks. She sits on the bench and holds her hands in front of her.

“I'm not sure,” I lie. “They are probably just upset that Carter didn't tell us that he was planning on leaving us so suddenly.”

“I can't believe he did that to us.” Sara looks sad and she tilts her head down. I sit closer to her, our shoulders touching. “I mean, we don't have much farther, right?”

“No. We don't. This will be over soon. Carter will meet up with us later. Why don't you go lie down in back and try to sleep?” She nods and disappears into the car.

I look down the road. The shadows of the trees stretch across it, leaving the whole highway in shade. I pull my pen knife from my pocket and begin sharpening a nearby stick to take up my time. The shavings form into a pile on top of the picnic table. I have it notched into a pretty sharp stake when Jo walks out from the woods; Jon comes out several paces behind her. He stops at the SUV and leans against the hood. Jo keeps walking a ways down the road and sits on the guardrail. I throw the stick back onto the grass and join her.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Yea. I will be glad when this world is behind us.” She answers. I don’t agree. Jon turns to us from the car just a few dozen feet away.

“We had better get going,” he yells to us.

“Give me a few more minutes before I wanna be next you again,” she yells. She gets up and starts to walk along a path that leads into the forest.

“Where you going?” I question.

“I can see a stream down there. I’m gonna splash my face with some water and then we can get going.” She starts to head into the woods. I sit at the base of a tree and watch her slowly escape my view. A few birds land in the grass a few feet away, and they peck into the grass. One stares at me and then up into the sky. My eyes look up too and squint when they meet the sun’s rays. Closing my eyes, I breathe in the air.

Being out here feels right. It feels like home.

Between everything I learned from Jon and Carter, I could survive out here. It would not be hard at all. I would be away from all of this…this nonsense. Sara isn’t cut out for this though. She needs to be somewhere safe first; then we will see.

The birds suddenly fly away. It startles me for a second, and one even seems to catch my hair as it flies by. Looking down into the path, I can make out the stream but Jo is nowhere in sight.

“Jo?” I say rising to my feet and beginning to walk down the path. “Jo? Jocelyn?” I accelerate to a run, and soon my feet touch the side of the creek. She is nowhere to be seen. “Jo?” I get louder, cupping my hands around my mouth.

Where did she run off to? Why are girls so hysterical?

I follow the creek around the bend. Then I see her.

Well, I see them.

Three of the Sanctuary boys are quickly walking to the back of a car. The one in the middle has her slung over his shoulder. Instantly, I duck behind a bush and watch as they throw her into a trunk. All of them get into the car except one. His gaze peers around.

Saul.

He is soon back in the car and it takes off along the dusty trail. I want to run back to Jon, but I hesitate. I freeze. Fear grips me. That monster, Saul: he… he scares me. My left hand shakes. What Carter said they – he – did… I imagine Jo. I imagine Sara.

I imagine me.

A few seconds pass, but it feel like minutes, and I sprint back to the campsite. My legs take me as fast as they possibly can up the dirt trail. My toes catch a root and I fall.

Jon and Sara hear me stumble. Both of them can already tell something is wrong and they meet me halfway.

No one will scare me like that again.