Azuara's Road House

"Yeah, all right." Leaning back into the sleeper, she found the pictures and his kit, handing them down, then grabbing his pillow, too. She wasn't sure how he felt, but she knew that she preferred to have her own pillow with her if she could.

Flopping onto the seat, she looked down at Jake. "Anything else? Otherwise, I think that's it."

"Yeah, all right." Leaning back into the sleeper, she found the pictures and his kit, handing them down, then grabbing his pillow, too. She wasn't sure how he felt, but she knew that she preferred to have her own pillow with her if she could.

Flopping onto the seat, she looked down at Jake. "Anything else? Otherwise, I think that's it."

Jack took the pictures and for a long moment starred at them, then caught the pillow. He snickered. “Thanks, you know I would have forgotten that, and been real sorry. Been with me a long time.” Then he suddenly felt stupid, being concerned about a pillow, though he realized it was but a distraction from his real fear, that he was now a widower.

“Well, come on down and lets put this show on the road.” He stepped over hand held out his hand to her.

Jack took the pictures and for a long moment starred at them, then caught the pillow. He snickered. “Thanks, you know I would have forgotten that, and been real sorry. Been with me a long time.” Then he suddenly felt stupid, being concerned about a pillow, though he realized it was but a distraction from his real fear, that he was now a widower.

"Pillow's the comfort of home, right?" Skye looked down at him, smiling. She hadn't traveled much, but her pillow had always been along.

“Well, come on down and lets put this show on the road.” He stepped over hand held out his hand to her.

Taking his hand, she jumped down from the cab, then called to Chump, who was exploring the yard. Unlike the last time, he responded promptly, trotting over to them, his tail wagging frantically. "Would be nice to be a dog," she mused, "oblivious to...things." Looking up at Jack, she shrugged, then climbed into the pickup and buckled the seat belt. She knew he was anxious and there was no reason to keep him waiting.

“Well, come on down and lets put this show on the road.” He stepped over hand held out his hand to her.

Taking his hand, she jumped down from the cab, then called to Chump, who was exploring the yard. Unlike the last time, he responded promptly, trotting over to them, his tail wagging frantically. "Would be nice to be a dog," she mused, "oblivious to...things." Looking up at Jack, she shrugged, then climbed into the pickup and buckled the seat belt. She knew he was anxious and there was no reason to keep him waiting.

The drive to his place was mostly silent. It was beginning to set in, the idea that f he didn’t find them at home, he probably wouldn’t find them. He knew that phones were still active, but they would have to be answered for them to be useful and make any difference at all.

All of his attempts to call Elizabeth, or her parents had garnered nothing but the ringing of the phone followed by voice mail. Better than endless ringing.

The truck stopped in front of his place. Jack looked over, past Azura at the front of the single story frame house. He took a deep breath and opened the door. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.” He said to her as he stepped out of the vehicle.

It was a matter of minutes until he was back with a bag. He tossed it in the back. “Nothing, they’re not there. Some stiff is gone so I think she made a run for her parents place.”

Skye watched through the truck window as Jack went inside, her hand moving down to stroke Chump's ears as she waited. When he came out alone, she felt her heart skip and a pain ran through her chest. It had been so recently that she had lost her father, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the man.

When Jack came back and announced that they weren't there, she felt a small ray of hope, and crossed her fingers that he wouldn't have to go through the same anguish that she had. "Do they live far?" She hoped not, for his sake, so that he could at least know one way or the other...

Skye watched through the truck window as Jack went inside, her hand moving down to stroke Chump's ears as she waited. When he came out alone, she felt her heart skip and a pain ran through her chest. It had been so recently that she had lost her father, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the man.

When Jack came back and announced that they weren't there, she felt a small ray of hope, and crossed her fingers that he wouldn't have to go through the same anguish that she had. "Do they live far?" She hoped not, for his sake, so that he could at least know one way or the other...

“Not far. Twenty minutes or so, and with no traffic, well, shouldn’t take long. I don’t get an anser on the phone, not their house or any of the cell’s.” Jack said starting the truck. He checked the fuel gauge and drove to the company pumps and filled up, even took four five gallon cans that were there and full. Just in case.

He drove out of the lot and onto the highway heading south for the in-laws place. It was a chance, but with no phone contact in days, well, he wasn’t real positive that he would find them there. He left the highway in the last quasi sub-division before what seemed to be the endless farmland and turned down a tree lined street where cars were parked askew. Doors were open, garages open, cars backed out at various degrees. Some bodies visible.

Jack pulled up in front of the gray stucco house. Liz’s car sat in the driveway. The doors were all closed. The garage door down. He stopped and opened the door and stepped out. Something just didn’t look right. He walked to the side yard and opened the gate. Closing it he jogged back to his truck. “Gone, they have a motor home and it’s gone.”

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Skye forced a smile. While it was, indeed, a good sign, it also meant he wouldn't know what happened to his family, especially if they weren't answering phones. But she really hoped that he could know for certain what had become of his loved ones.

"Is there somewhere else they might have gone? Friends, maybe, or a favorite camping spot?" She wanted to help, but wasn't sure she could.

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Skye forced a smile. While it was, indeed, a good sign, it also meant he wouldn't know what happened to his family, especially if they weren't answering phones. But she really hoped that he could know for certain what had become of his loved ones.

"Is there somewhere else they might have gone? Friends, maybe, or a favorite camping spot?" She wanted to help, but wasn't sure she could.

“Now I couldn’t be sure. Carl and I never did see eye to eye on anything, and knowing what he might or might not do, well, beyond me. I guess our best bet is head south from here, I think that’s going to be the easiest.” He said as he got back in. He hung his head a moment, then looked up as he started the engine. “Best get moving. We need to find someplace safe.”

"Yeah," Skye agreed, not sure what else to say, but knowing that it didn't matter. He would know what she was feeling, and likely he had the same hollow feeling in his chest that she had had since her father had died.

Finally, she muttered, "What's safe?" Looking over at him, she shrugged, then added, "There have to be other survivors who are banding together, right?" Not that they knew how to find them.

It was getting dark and she was beginning to wonder about what they would do for the night, but she wasn't going to ask. If he decided to drive all night, that was fine...somehow, if felt like they were running from he scourge, and stopping would be somehow intrusive on that. And she really had no desire to be in someone else's home anyway...camping would suit her just fine.

"Yeah," Skye agreed, not sure what else to say, but knowing that it didn't matter. He would know what she was feeling, and likely he had the same hollow feeling in his chest that she had had since her father had died.

It really was all he could do to push on, but he was realist enough to know there was nothing to be gained by sitting and waiting to see if Liz would turn up. She and little Phil were with her folks somewhere and hopefully alive, though deep inside, he had his doubts.

Finally, she muttered, "What's safe?" Looking over at him, she shrugged, then added, "There have to be other survivors who are banding together, right?" Not that they knew how to find them.

“Yah there does, there just has to be. Stands to reason. There’ll be good and bad out here, that’s for sure. But where it would be safe? Man, I have no idea. I do know that it’s getting late, and I’m getting tired.”

It was getting dark and she was beginning to wonder about what they would do for the night, but she wasn't going to ask. If he decided to drive all night, that was fine...somehow, if felt like they were running from he scourge, and stopping would be somehow intrusive on that. And she really had no desire to be in someone else's home anyway...camping would suit her just fine.

Suddenly he added; “Maybe we can find a place and get some rest before we go on.” Mentally he was exhausted, even a couple of hours would be good. Now the trick would be was it better to park in the shadows, or the bright light? True they were armed, but armed people asleep are vulnerable.

"Right." Skye glanced at him and smiled wearily. "I don't know about you, but I'm kind of beat...been a long day." Letting out a long breath, she shrugged. "And it might be best to find a place before it's too dark. I can make us some sandwiches, and we have chips." Her head was starting to ache, the result of the combined stress of the day.

(How about we end up pulling in near where Max is, and Chump can take off and essentially lead them to the house?)

"Right." Skye glanced at him and smiled wearily. "I don't know about you, but I'm kind of beat...been a long day." Letting out a long breath, she shrugged. "And it might be best to find a place before it's too dark. I can make us some sandwiches, and we have chips." Her head was starting to ache, the result of the combined stress of the day.

“Good idea, we’ll just find a place and pull off. I haven’t seen anything moving for a while now.” Jack said. “I think no matter what we decide, we’ll be alright. Meaning whether we choose to sleep sitting up in the cab or set up the tent I have behind the seat. We have bags to use, so I guess we can be as comfortable as we want to be. What do you think?”

(How about we end up pulling in near where Max is, and Chump can take off and essentially lead them to the house? OK!)

Skye shrugged. "Well, we're not going to stay, and the ground is all wet anyway. May as well just sleep in the truck. That way we can get an early start..." To wherever they were headed. "Besides, if it storms again, I'd just as soon stay dry."

Reaching down, she stroked Chump's ears, then sighed. "Don't think I have the energy to fight with a tent anyway."

Skye shrugged. "Well, we're not going to stay, and the ground is all wet anyway. May as well just sleep in the truck. That way we can get an early start..." To wherever they were headed. "Besides, if it storms again, I'd just as soon stay dry."

Reaching down, she stroked Chump's ears, then sighed. "Don't think I have the energy to fight with a tent anyway."

“You know, me neither. But we need to find us a spot.” Jack replied with a half grin. He wasn’t feeling particularly jovial, but the visual of fighting with a tent, which he had experience with was humorous. “I suppose Chump would appreciate a stop soon, so if you see someplace that looks good sing out.”

"Yeah...good thing he's old, he doesn't run around as much as he used to." Shifting in the seat, she sat up taller and watched out the window. As they approached a tree-lined area she leaned forward. "What about there?" she asked. "It looks protected, and we haven't passed any houses for a bit." She shrugged. "Maybe we can get off the road some, behind the trees?" The overgrowth there would be dense enough to conceal them as long as they didn't have a fire.

"Maybe we can get off the road some, behind the trees?" The overgrowth there would be dense enough to conceal them as long as they didn't have a fire.

“Yah that looks good .” He said gearing down and applying brake as he eased off the desolate highway onto the dirt. He eased the truck down into the tall weeds behind the trees. He was always amazed at the height weeds reached. Over the bed by inches. “I didn’t see any other cars or trucks out there before we turned off, so I’d say we’re probably on our own out here. Might want to let Chump out to do his business.”

"Yeah, all right..." Skye looked out the window at the damp weeds that were blocking her view of anything but the darkening sky and treetops. She pushed the door open, then hopped out, pushing weeds aside. "Come on, Chump."

As the dog jumped out, she looked over at Jack. "Do you think it's safe for me to go with him a ways? I won't go far, even if he does." It would be good to stretch her legs, but even if she wanted to go far, the tall grass and wet soil was a good deterrent.

"Come on, Chump."

As the dog jumped out, she looked over at Jack. "Do you think it's safe for me to go with him a ways? I won't go far, even if he does." It would be good to stretch her legs, but even if she wanted to go far, the tall grass and wet soil was a good deterrent.

“Yah, here.” He handed her the Lady Smith. “There’s one in the chamber. The safety is off. All you have to do is point and shoot. I’ll be right here and I’ll come running at the first shot.” He smiled. “But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Of that he was not certain, but he felt things out this far had not degenerated to the danger point just yet. And headlights could be seen for quite a distance, so he felt they were safe, for the time being.

Nodding, Skye took the gun, carrying it carefully, with her finger off the trigger as she'd been taught. It was good to get out and move around, even if she was wary and couldn't really enjoy it.

Chump, on the other hand, was more than happy to lope amid the weeds, stopping here and there to mark his trail. But when he trotted out of the weeds and into open field, Skye stopped...she wouldn't go into the exposed area, as much as she wanted the dog near her.

"Chump!" she hissed, starting to step after him, but letting the demarcation of weeds and bushes against the field act as an invisible barrier. "Chump!" she called louder.

But the dog had focused on something, and wasn't listening...

"Chump!" she hissed, starting to step after him, but letting the demarcation of weeds and bushes against the field act as an invisible barrier. "Chump!" she called louder.

But the dog had focused on something, and wasn't listening...

Jack heard Skye’s muted calls for the dog, she wasn’t that far away from him. In an ordinary moment in time, he would have thought nothing of the dog running off and not responding to her calls, but this was far from an ordinary moment in time.

With practiced ease Jack was moving, the automatic in hand, slipping through the weeds until he was along side of the girl. He could see the trail of crushed weeds where the dog had gone. “Best we go after him. Before he gets too far away from us.”

With practiced ease Jack was moving, the automatic in hand, slipping through the weeds until he was along side of the girl. He could see the trail of crushed weeds where the dog had gone. “Best we go after him. Before he gets too far away from us.”

"Really?" Skye glanced at Jack and broke into a smile, glad for the chance to go after the dog. She'd been ready just to go back to the truck and wait, but now that she had been given leave, she gladly started out into the open field, jogging after the dog.

The night was still overcast, so there wasn't even starlight to see by, although she could make out shapes like trees, enough that she could move fairly easily, as long as the ground stayed fairly level.

Chump's excited yap sounded to their right, not far off, and she changed direction. "Chump!" she called, trying to keep her voice low, although in the open, it was still loud...

(Gonna start us a new thread so Max can join us)

Chump's excited yap sounded to their right, not far off, and she changed direction. "Chump!" she called, trying to keep her voice low, although in the open, it was still loud...

Though Jack had a feeling of uneasiness, it was not as if he thought they might be set upon at any moment. But the dog running off hadn’t been expected. But it was for sure that Chump was on to something, which the yapping, so all he could do was follow Skye and see where it led them.

(Gonna start us a new thread so Max can join us)((Excellent idea!!))

This is the new spot:

https://newbeginning11.forumotion.com/t37-fellow-travelers-max-jack-skye-and-the-dogs#969