Fellow Travelers (Max, Jack, Sarah, Skye and the dogs!)

Jack Burton wrote: "Is there anything either of you want from inside? Cold drinks, candy?" Jack asked looking back and forth between the truck bed and the woman.

"Well, something cold would be good - and anything with sugar in will be useful, I think. I guess that's something that'll become rarer over time - sugar. Not much being grown locally."

She paused, having caught sight of some movement back down the road, but relaxed when the flock of birds were more clearly seen as they passed overhead.

Max eased Jacks truck up to the pumps and began fueling it while Jack loaded.

"Yeah, that jerky will come in handy for sure. We'll take all of it we can carry. We'll need to check out that shelf with the motor oil; and anti-freeze and such on it as well."

"Next on the list, then. " Jack replied, the list of what they could scrounge was taking shape "I'll be back." He said , heading back toward the building.

Max finished fueling and headed back into the store to scrounge what he could. His first item of business was for his addiction to nicotine and he rounded up several cartons of Camel and some Winston and Marlboros, as well as several disposable lighters and some Ronsonol lighter fluid and flints for his zippo.

Got all the jerky and what canned meats they had. Not a lot but some. And I'm sure along the way we'll come across more things we're going to need."

Then he grabbed several quarts of motor oil and transmission fluid and a couple gallons of anti-freeze and 3 bottles of power steering fluid and divided them out among the vehicles. He also picked up several yellow bottles of HEET fuel treatment.

"This is handy stuff here," Max said as he went out with the bottles of HEET. "It is just denatured alcohol and a few other additives, makes great fuel for my Trangia Alchol Stoves...I've got a couple for me and my daughter in the truck and I can show you all how to make a field expedient one out of a pop can." Max finished as he loaded the HEET in his truck.

"Heard about them. Be interested in seeing how they work. There's a case of Coleman fuel back there too, whaddaya think?" Jack asked as he paused with the loaded hand truck. "Maybe one more trip and we're outta here?"

"Is there anything either of you want from inside? Cold drinks, candy?" Jack asked looking back and forth between the truck bed and the woman.

"Well, something cold would be good - and anything with sugar in will be useful, I think. I guess that's something that'll become rarer over time - sugar. Not much being grown locally."

"You're probably right about that, but it'll be a while before it can't be found." Jack replied with a smile, another thing that was becoming rarer. "Something cold and sweet. Oh, yah, there were some energy drinks inside, think I'll grab what I can, we need to be on our way."

She paused, having caught sight of some movement back down the road, but relaxed when the flock of birds were more clearly seen as they passed overhead.

Jack followed her eyes, his hand reaching for his pistol, but dropped away when he saw the birds. "Getting jumpy out here." He said about himself. "Skye? You want anything?"

Skye was hurrying out of the mart when the birds darted out, but what startled her more was the way the others reacted. She was jumpy anyway from her trip through the dead, so the tension was unnerving.

Still, she relaxed when the others did, and headed back to the trucks. "That was interesting," she muttered, shaking her head. The thought of salvaging anything from the mart turned her stomach, but she would do what she had to.

"Do you need me to do anything?" she asked, looking at Jack, her expression almost pleading for him to say no...

"Heard about them. Be interested in seeing how they work. There's a case of Coleman fuel back there too, whaddaya think?" Jack asked as he paused with the loaded hand truck. "Maybe one more trip and we're outta here?"

"They are great little stoves, they'll bring a quart of water to a rolling boil in 8 minutes....Definitely grab that coleman fuel, it won't work in any of my camping gear, but that Sarah girl said she stocked up on some gear and if nothing else it'll start a campfire in wet weather....or can be used in the offense or defense if need be.....Then I guess we can check out that truck."

Max started towards the truck then stopped and said to himself...."Almost forgot..." and he headed back into the store to get the box of cigars and and got the few packs of Backwoods Smokes hand rolled cigars that were behind the counter too....."While I'm at it, I grab these as well." He said as he grabbed a few packs of Redman Chewing Tobacco and carried it all back out to his truck as he seemed to be the only one with a nicotine habit and who was likely to smoke cigars to cover the smell of decomp....

The young Englishwoman listened to the others talking, and added, "I've still got some room in the trailer if you want to fill it up with anything; no point leaving space 'just in case' and leaving behind anything we might want in future, we can dump what's surplus if we have to."

She looked down the road they hadn't yet taken, not noticing anything untoward, and checked the way they'd come in again, as their tracks might lead any hostiles to their current position. Nothing. Still, Sarah refused to let her guard down just yet.

"Maybe one more trip and we're outta here?"

"They are great little stoves, they'll bring a quart of water to a rolling boil in 8 minutes....Definitely grab that coleman fuel, it won't work in any of my camping gear, but that Sarah girl said she stocked up on some gear and if nothing else it'll start a campfire in wet weather....or can be used in the offense or defense if need be.....Then I guess we can check out that truck."

Jack loaded up the hand truck as quickly as he could, beginning to feel like they had stayed in this place too long. He was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable, but perhaps it was the idea of stripping out this place. He couldn't be sure.

He came out of the mini-mart and made directly for the trucks. "Cold drinks for the ladies!" He announced setting a box with six packs of different sodas and energy drinks on the side of his bed and began loading, splitting the cans of Coleman fuel between himself and Max. "Ready to roll! Anything in that truck?"

"Do you need me to do anything?" she asked, looking at Jack, her expression almost pleading for him to say no...

"We're good. If you want to ave a looksee inside, fine, otherwise, just keep any eye on the road." Jack said and smiled. "You're doing just fine Skye. Just fine. We'll be outta here pretty quick now."

Skye shook her head. "No, I'll just stay out here. Once through there was enough." Sighing, she wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the ground. "I...don't want this, Jack. I just want everything to be normal. I know that's not going to happen, of course, but..." She shrugged, shaking her head, before looking up at him and smiling, although her expression was strained.

He came out of the mini-mart and made directly for the trucks. "Cold drinks for the ladies!" He announced setting a box with six packs of different sodas and energy drinks on the side of his bed and began loading, splitting the cans of Coleman fuel between himself and Max. "Ready to roll! Anything in that truck?"

Max backed out from the open door of the old timers truck, where he had gone and begun looking through it after securing his smokes and chewing tobacco.

"Not much, a half box of 9mm in the glove box and an old blanket I guess he kept in case he broke down on the road in bad weather....I reckon I'll leave it for anyone else that might need it....Bringin the 9mm ammo though."

He walked around and raised the hood and looked at the battery....it was a couple years past the out of warranty date, so he figured it wasn't much account for taking now, but he did wiggle the cable ends enough to disconnect the battery, which would keep the dash clock from draining it. Then he slammed the hood shut....The bed of the truck revealed a blue plastic 3 gallon can of kerosene, which he swung out and set on the ground as it jogged his memory....

He called out across the lot..."Hey..wasn't there an old portable kerosene heater back in the corner behind the counter?"

"Ready to roll! Anything in that truck?"

Max backed out from the open door of the old timers truck, where he had gone and begun looking through it after securing his smokes and chewing tobacco.

"Not much, a half box of 9mm in the glove box and an old blanket I guess he kept in case he broke down on the road in bad weather....I reckon I'll leave it for anyone else that might need it....Bringin the 9mm ammo though."

"Never have too much ammo, I'm thinkin." Jack agreed, as he watched Max. True he had a couple of cases of nine mil, but if it came to it, that wouldn't last forever.

He walked around and raised the hood and looked at the battery....it was a couple years past the out of warranty date, so he figured it wasn't much account for taking now, but he did wiggle the cable ends enough to disconnect the battery, which would keep the dash clock from draining it. Then he slammed the hood shut....The bed of the truck revealed a blue plastic 3 gallon can of kerosene, which he swung out and set on the ground as it jogged his memory....

He called out across the lot..."Hey..wasn't there an old portable kerosene heater back in the corner behind the counter?"

"Sure was, Might just come in handy, You want me to get it or you?" Jack called back wanting to be on the move, not sure why as there had been no traffic, not that there couldn't be, and he was giving himself even odds on any they would meet being hostile. And, they were still looting, no matter how one looked at it. It was survival to be sure, but it was still looting.

"You're doing just fine Skye. Just fine. We'll be outta here pretty quick now."

Skye shook her head. "No, I'll just stay out here. Once through there was enough." Sighing, she wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the ground. "I...don't want this, Jack. I just want everything to be normal. I know that's not going to happen, of course, but..." She shrugged, shaking her head, before looking up at him and smiling, although her expression was strained.

Jack smiled weakly, knowing what she was feeling because he remembered feeling. "I do too, I want my home and family back. I want my job back and everything that went with it, but we both know all of that is gone now. What we have is us. We'll be just fine. It may not be easy at first but we'll find a place that's safe, and soon." That last part was more hope than fact.

Sarah finished checking the road again, and looked back at the others, especially Skye. "We'll find somewhere to hole up soon enough. As long as we have the supplies, we can take our time getting more of whatever we need when we need it." That would be the safest option - the more they all kept their heads down, the less likely they were to encounter whoever had carried out the attack that had caused the death and destruction in the first place.

She glanced round. "Are we ready go now?"

"I'm good." Skye shrugged, then smiled at Jack. "At least we seem to have some good people with us now." While she trusted him and considered him her companion, she was glad that they had hooked up with others.

Looking at Sarah, she asked, "Are you up to driving now? I don't mind either way." She was pretty sure that Sarah would want to take control of her vehicle back...

"I'm good." Skye shrugged, then smiled at Jack. "At least we seem to have some good people with us now." While she trusted him and considered him her companion, she was glad that they had hooked up with others.

"Yep, that we do. But I believe there are others out there, good folks trying to figure out what happened and how they are going to survive this thing." Jack replied. "We'll be moving on in a bit, not long." And he was glad of that.

Looking at Sarah, she asked, "Are you up to driving now? I don't mind either way." She was pretty sure that Sarah would want to take control of her vehicle back...

"Sure was, Might just come in handy, You want me to get it or you?" Jack called back wanting to be on the move, not sure why as there had been no traffic, not that there couldn't be, and he was giving himself even odds on any they would meet being hostile. And, they were still looting, no matter how one looked at it. It was survival to be sure, but it was still looting.

"Grab it an we'll stick it in a hole in Sarahs trailer....then we'll get on out of here and find a place to hole up before dark." Max said as he carried the kerosene to the girls trailer. 3 gallons was about 24 hours of continuous heat in the kerosene heater with it on high, but longer on the lowest setting. He knew from experience with kerosene heaters. Or it was a lot of lamplight....Eventually they would need to look for a station with kerosene tanks as well.

"Grab it an we'll stick it in a hole in Sarahs trailer....then we'll get on out of here and find a place to hole up before dark." Max said as he carried the kerosene to the girls trailer. 3 gallons was about 24 hours of continuous heat in the kerosene heater with it on high, but longer on the lowest setting. He knew from experience with kerosene heaters. Or it was a lot of lamplight....Eventually they would need to look for a station with kerosene tanks as well.

"Consider it grabbed." Jack replied, then to Sarah. "There's a place for the heater in your truck?" He asked leaning on the hand truck, that excited, nervous feeling in his stomach.

"Plenty of room, or you can put it in the trailer - there's space there as well." She smiled slightly. "I made sure to take a vehicle and trailer with the largest carrying capacity I could find."

She turned her attention back to the road as the others finished collecting supplies; the world had become too dangerous a place to let their guard down.

The things were finally loaded and Max turned to the rest, "Lets get saddled up and move out of here," he called as he walked across the lot to his truck and called Dixie and Shiloh to join him.

"Plenty of room, or you can put it in the trailer - there's space there as well." She smiled slightly. "I made sure to take a vehicle and trailer with the largest carrying capacity I could find."

"Hell of a job! Only thing bigger would be a semi, we find a likely one I can drive it." Jack replied as he moved to the trailer.

She turned her attention back to the road as the others finished collecting supplies; the world had become too dangerous a place to let their guard down.

The things were finally loaded and Max turned to the rest, "Lets get saddled up and move out of here," he called as he walked across the lot to his truck and called Dixie and Shiloh to join him.

Jack left the hand truck where it stood and walked to his truck, wiping the vapo rub off with his shirt sleeve. "Let's hit it!" He called out opening the door of his truck and pulling the automatic from his waist band and laying it on the seat as he got in. He was ready to be away from this place.

Skye glanced at Jack, but decided to continue riding with Sarah, figuring that the men would be happiest of the 'girls' were together, and besides, she wouldn't mind a little female companionship. She called Chump over, then looked at Sarah. "You up for driving? I don't mind either way." Sarah had had some sleep now, and she thought that maybe she'd want to drive, and Skye wouldn't mind a bit of rest.

SkyeAzuara wrote:"You up for driving? I don't mind either way."

Sarah looked at the other girl and saw the look of tiredness on her face. "I'll drive; it's your turn to get some rest." She slipped the safety catch onto her rifle and carefully placed it in the foot well of the passenger seat, them climbed into the driver's seat and adjusted the position to suit her.

"Ready when you are."

Skye called Chump over, and the dog eagerly jumped into the passenger side of the van, settling at her feet. She sighed and fastened her seatbelt, then glanced at Sarah. "Hopefully , we'll find a good place to settle for more than just a night. I'm not really sure what they're looking for, though."

Max noted that everyone was ready to head out and climbed on into the truck with the four dogs and cranked up the Suburbans 350 engine.

Then he stuck his arm out the window and made a "Move Out" signal with his hand and pulled onto the road, keeping his eye out for trouble as well as a place to hole up.



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OOC: I'll be out of town for a few days and won't have internet access. You all can post as you see fit. I should be back on Saturday night or Sunday.

Max noted that everyone was ready to head out and climbed on into the truck with the four dogs and cranked up the Suburbans 350 engine.

Then he stuck his arm out the window and made a "Move Out" signal with his hand and pulled onto the road, keeping his eye out for trouble as well as a place to hole up.

Seeing the signal to wind it up, Jack turned the key and his truck came to life. They had been in this place long enough. It wasn't Afghanistan, but it was clear that the very same threats were possible here in the heartland of what was once America.

Jack waited as Max led out and Sarah's truck started to roll before he began to let his clutch out and move forward. Finding a place, a safe place that was defensible, that would be the trick. Maybe not such a difficult one, as there was no telling how many people remained alive, and of them, how many were outlaws. For the moment tho, his thoughts were of keeping this little convoy safe and moving.