After one final examination, Lucas returned to the driver's seat and extinguished the cab light. Taking a deep breath to calm himself he focused his mind upon the coming evening. Satisfied with the reading on the fuel gauge, he geared into drive and allowed the car to slowly coast forwards. Approaching the Mansfield building, he parked the car along the curb just outside the sealed metal gate. Even inside the car, the noxious odor of decay greeted his senses.
With the last vestiges of light fading from the sky, Lucas killed the engine and carefully examined his surroundings. Feeling a momentary sense of dread, he extinguished the cab light and sat in darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the traces of starlight. Knowing he- alone- was in control of his own security in the dark was a terrifying thing. Stained sheets nearby concealed lumpy remains, but nothing he could see was moving.
An initial shock gave way to relief as a spark of light sprang up from within the building. After a moment it spilled down the walkway, illuminating the car. Lucas waved to whoever was there, and cautiously emerged from safety. To maintain an illusion of confidence he retrieved a rifle, although feeling the weight of its carrying strap pressing into his shoulder felt awkward. Approaching the building, he scanned his eyes over the surrounding streets and sidewalks.
Jennifer approached the gate wrapped within a heavy grey coat. A strap from one of the scavenged rifles crossed over her ample chest. Wide hazel eyes peered through the bars hopefully as she gripped the lock. "Where's Evan?"
"We-" Movement suddenly drew Lucas's attention, spurring him to whirl around. After a few seconds of staring at the surrounding emptiness he concluded he had overreacted to shadows cast by the light source Jennifer had brought with her. "We found a working bus."
"A bus?" Jennifer regarded him with a curious look, her straight, medium length dark hair fluttering in the light breeze as she unthreaded the steel from the gate. She rewove chains effortlessly through the iron lattice once he slipped through. "So why didn't the others come back with you?"
"We found supplies too. More guns and ammo and water." Lucas fidgeted with his glasses as he tried to recall what he had planned to say. "I mean, it was all abandoned stuff that was probably brought in to help the trapped people. I guess they just left it behind when the black notes hit. He- er, we were- are- the others are gathering some before they head this way."
"In the dark?" Jennifer asked with a worried tone in her voice.
"There's floodlights that were set up. On a jeep crashed near the bus. Anyway, we turned it on and it lit up the surrounding area." Lucas added with what he hoped was an air of confidence. "Evan sent me here so we can leave now. He'll be going out to Blackwood dorm with the bus and the rest of the supplies. We're going to check the path ahead is clear so the bus won't get stuck." Lucas proceeded towards the building with Jennifer trailing. Ahead, he could see Ryan peering out at them.
"There's floodlights that were set up. On a jeep crashed near the bus. Anyway, we turned it on and it lit up the surrounding area." Lucas added with what he hoped was an air of confidence. "Evan sent me here so we can leave now. He'll be going out to Blackwood dorm with the bus and the rest of the supplies. We're going to check the path ahead is clear so the bus won't get stuck." Lucas proceeded towards the building with Jennifer trailing. Ahead, he could see Ryan peering out at them.
Ryan opened the door with his eyes wide. "Dude! You guys find anything?" He stepped outside just enough to hold the door open, snugly wrapped in his mildly tattered blue-grey winter coat.
Lucas made a sweeping motion with his arm, pointing out. "A bus! We're leaving tonight!"
"Score!" Ryan took a step outside with a goofy grin, but halted mid-step and stepped back. "Whoa, almost forgot."
"If we're leaving, we can't forget someone." Jennifer proceeded past Ryan into the building.
"Oh yeah! That too." Ryan withdrew, leaving Lucas alone in the chill.
A growing sensation of alarm welled up within Lucas as he halted. He hadn't seen anyone else here earlier and hadn't considered that possibility. Too many others would delay this course of action by an unacceptable margin. Time pressure was mounting and in his imagination he could picture Evan catching up with him at any moment. Alternatively, the others could grow suspicious of him or ask too many questions he couldn't convincingly answer. Lucas forced himself to steady his breathing with considerable effort as he waited.
It wasn't long before Ryan emerged with an overloaded backpack and held the door. Jennifer followed with a light in one hand, assisting a broad-shouldered, but slightly shorter man at her other side with his right arm in a splint. She spoke words which hit as a wave of relief to Lucas, "Okay, let's get out of here."
With few spoken words passing between them, they departed in an orderly fashion. Jennifer unsealed the gate, handing her light off to Ryan in the process. With zealous focus, Lucas advanced and hasted to activate the vehicle. Locks clicked; the engine flared to life in a gratifying burst of activity. Headlights threw their illuminating glare on the building ahead. The others packed their gear with alert haste and secured themselves inside. Soon the quartet were fully prepared for exodus with no signs of trouble.
As anticipation of successful escape filled his mind, Lucas thought about the route ahead. He did not have much direct experience with driving, but the only path he had considered taking was also the most familiar one. If there was a blockage or trouble somewhere, he would find an alternate path through. He just had to hope that the evacuated, dangerous zone didn't extend too far outside Portland.
"Which way are we heading?" Jennifer asked from the back seat as she rearranged the various weapons Evan had successfully recovered.
"Past Hillsboro." Lucas replied, taking them around the corner slowly. "Along sunset highway as far as we can take it."
Beside him, Ryan looked up. "How far do we have to go?"
"Hillsboro was evacuated." Jennifer responded. "So at least that far."
"That's not too bad." Ryan declared as a momentary lull overcame the occupants.
Lucas thought he glimpsed a standing figure somewhere along the streets. As he discovered the freeway onramp he dismissed the vision from his thoughts. If something or someone was lurking in the city, it was now too far away to matter. Accelerating down the freeway onramp prompted a release of anxiety like a pressure valve being toggled.
They hurtled through the dark tunnel separating downtown Portland from the surrounding area, Emerging on the other side, the car traced the freeway's winding path. It ran through the narrow, wooded valley between the hills dotting the edge of downtown Portland's western flank. Although the light posts dotting the sides of the freeway were dark and the asphalt was atypically empty, the natural scenery did promote a degree of comfort Lucas hadn't realized he was missing.
As Lucas eased the car along at a steady pace, Ryan reached forwards from the passenger seat to turn on the heater. Without speaking, he also turned on the radio and fiddled with the controls, seeking a signal. Trying not to distract himself too much from the drive, Lucas briefly wondered why he hadn't thought to try such things. As they listened to static coming out of the speakers in a slowly warming environment, Lucas grew more and more at ease with how the night was resolving.
Having other people around to help was wonderful.
Lucas made a sweeping motion with his arm, pointing out. "A bus! We're leaving tonight!"
"Score!" Ryan took a step outside with a goofy grin, but halted mid-step and stepped back. "Whoa, almost forgot."
"If we're leaving, we can't forget someone." Jennifer proceeded past Ryan into the building.
"Oh yeah! That too." Ryan withdrew, leaving Lucas alone in the chill.
A growing sensation of alarm welled up within Lucas as he halted. He hadn't seen anyone else here earlier and hadn't considered that possibility. Too many others would delay this course of action by an unacceptable margin. Time pressure was mounting and in his imagination he could picture Evan catching up with him at any moment. Alternatively, the others could grow suspicious of him or ask too many questions he couldn't convincingly answer. Lucas forced himself to steady his breathing with considerable effort as he waited.
It wasn't long before Ryan emerged with an overloaded backpack and held the door. Jennifer followed with a light in one hand, assisting a broad-shouldered, but slightly shorter man at her other side with his right arm in a splint. She spoke words which hit as a wave of relief to Lucas, "Okay, let's get out of here."
With few spoken words passing between them, they departed in an orderly fashion. Jennifer unsealed the gate, handing her light off to Ryan in the process. With zealous focus, Lucas advanced and hasted to activate the vehicle. Locks clicked; the engine flared to life in a gratifying burst of activity. Headlights threw their illuminating glare on the building ahead. The others packed their gear with alert haste and secured themselves inside. Soon the quartet were fully prepared for exodus with no signs of trouble.
As anticipation of successful escape filled his mind, Lucas thought about the route ahead. He did not have much direct experience with driving, but the only path he had considered taking was also the most familiar one. If there was a blockage or trouble somewhere, he would find an alternate path through. He just had to hope that the evacuated, dangerous zone didn't extend too far outside Portland.
"Which way are we heading?" Jennifer asked from the back seat as she rearranged the various weapons Evan had successfully recovered.
"Past Hillsboro." Lucas replied, taking them around the corner slowly. "Along sunset highway as far as we can take it."
Beside him, Ryan looked up. "How far do we have to go?"
"Hillsboro was evacuated." Jennifer responded. "So at least that far."
"That's not too bad." Ryan declared as a momentary lull overcame the occupants.
Lucas thought he glimpsed a standing figure somewhere along the streets. As he discovered the freeway onramp he dismissed the vision from his thoughts. If something or someone was lurking in the city, it was now too far away to matter. Accelerating down the freeway onramp prompted a release of anxiety like a pressure valve being toggled.
They hurtled through the dark tunnel separating downtown Portland from the surrounding area, Emerging on the other side, the car traced the freeway's winding path. It ran through the narrow, wooded valley between the hills dotting the edge of downtown Portland's western flank. Although the light posts dotting the sides of the freeway were dark and the asphalt was atypically empty, the natural scenery did promote a degree of comfort Lucas hadn't realized he was missing.
As Lucas eased the car along at a steady pace, Ryan reached forwards from the passenger seat to turn on the heater. Without speaking, he also turned on the radio and fiddled with the controls, seeking a signal. Trying not to distract himself too much from the drive, Lucas briefly wondered why he hadn't thought to try such things. As they listened to static coming out of the speakers in a slowly warming environment, Lucas grew more and more at ease with how the night was resolving.
Having other people around to help was wonderful.
