Brett Battles - Sick

“Boys! Come back out here!”

Once they reached the door to their room, Paul said, “What?”

“Come out here,” Sarge said. “Your mother and I need to talk to you.”

A few seconds later, they were all sitting around the living room.

“I think the news people aren’t telling us everything,” Sarge began. “My guess is they probably haven’t even been told themselves. Here’s the thing. I think this illness is a lot worse than they’re making it out to be. The reason we’re in the zone now is because someone who was sick must have passed through this area at some point. That means there’s a chance someone right here in town is infected, maybe more than one.” He looked down at his hands for a second, then back at the boys. “The bottom line is, you can’t stay here. If you do, you might die. Part of our jobs as parents is doing everything we can to keep our kids alive. So I want you two to get out of the quarantine area.”

“What about you and Mom?” Nick asked. “You’re coming with us, right?”

“My hip would never make it,” Sarge said. It was something that had bothered him for years. “And your mother…”

He seemed unable to finish, so their mom said, “I’d only slow you down.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Nick argued.

But they all knew she would. Their mom had put on some weight over the years. Not enough to be called fat, but enough to make her winded after a long walk.

“She’s staying with me,” Sarge said. “That’s not open for discussion.”

He pushed himself out of his recliner and went over to the desk in the corner. He searched through several of the drawers before he found what he was looking for and came back.

It turned out to be a map of Eastern California. He unfolded it and spread it out on the coffee table.

“You’ll take your dirt bikes. We’ll top off the gas from the tank in the car. Then you’ll head out this way.” He drew a path east across the map, toward Nevada.

“There’s no road there,” Nick said.

“I think that’s the point,” Paul told him.

“They’ll be expecting people to head west or south,” Sarge said. “That’s where the cities are. And you can’t go north because China Lake’s right up there. The Navy will have that whole area blocked off. They’ll never think anyone would go east.” He tapped the map. “When you get past this point, you’ll be out of the zone. Get on the first road you see, and keep going into Nevada. When you get there, keep a low profile, and don’t let anyone know where you’re from.”

“I’ll put some food together,” their mom said, already heading toward the kitchen. “You can carry it in one of your backpacks.”

“You’ll need some money,” Sarge said. “I got about five hundred dollars stashed away. I’ll give that to you. But I don’t know how long you’re going to be out there on your own, so make it last.”

“We will,” Paul said.

Nick stared at his brother. “We’re really going to do this? We’re going to leave them?”

“Yes. You are,” Sarge said before Paul could reply. “Now go get changed. You’re going to need some warm clothes. The nights still get cold.” As they headed toward the back, he added, “And bring your sleeping bags.”

Sarge decided they should wait until just after sunset to leave. When the time finally came, the boys rolled their dirt bikes out of the garage. Paul’s was an old Honda, while Nick’s was an even older Yamaha, both 125s. Each boy was wearing two T-shirts, a sweater, a jacket, a pair of jeans, and long johns.

“Promise me you won’t ride without your helmets,” their mother said.

“We won’t,” Paul told her.

“And you’ll call us once you’re out.”

“Yes. Yes.”

Though they were carrying their cell phones, chances were they wouldn’t have a signal out in the middle of the desert. But even if they did, Sarge told them not to use the phones until they were out of the zone, in case someone could track them.

Nick and Paul both hugged their mom.

“Remember, walk your bikes through town,” Sarge said. “Don’t start ‘em up until you reach the other side of the highway. Better if nobody knows you’ve gone.”

“Yes, sir,” Paul said.

Sarge shook hands with his sons. “You guys take care of each other. Now, get a move on it.”

Their house was on the western edge of town. The boys walked their bikes to the street, turned and gave their parents a long, final wave before heading east.

Randsburg was deathly quiet as they moved through town. It wasn’t a big place to begin with, but there was usually someone outside at this time of the evening. But if not for the lights in several of the windows, it would have seemed like the place was deserted.

As they neared the western end, Paul said, “I need to make a stop first.”

Nick looked at him for a moment, then his eyes widened in understanding. He shook his head. “Dad said no stops.”

“I don’t care. I’m not leaving without telling her goodbye.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Then keep going, and I’ll catch up to you.”

Nick stopped. “I’m not going without you.”

“And I’m not going without talking to her,” Paul said, halting beside him.

They stared at each other for several seconds, then Nick said, “Fine. But make it quick, okay?”

Paul smiled, and started pushing his bike again. “Sure. No problem.”

As they walked up to Lisa Jennings’s house, Paul sent her a text telling her to come outside, but not to tell anyone. Less than sixty seconds later, the kitchen door opened and she stepped out.

As soon as she saw Paul, she ran over and threw her arms around him.

“I’m so scared,” she said.

“We all are,” Paul told her.

They held each other for a few minutes, kissing a couple times, but mostly hugging. Finally, she noticed that Nick was there, too, then she saw the motorcycles and her face scrunched in confusion.

“What are you guys doing with your motorcycles? You heard everyone’s supposed to stay home, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Paul said. “We know.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“Come on. We got to go,” Nick said.

“Go where?” Lisa asked.

Paul glanced at Nick.

Nick shook his head, then leaned toward his brother and whispered, “Dad doesn’t want anyone to know we left, remember?”

“She won’t tell,” Paul said, not bothering to lower his voice.

“Tell what?” Lisa asked.

Paul hesitated only a moment before he spilled the whole plan to her. If he couldn’t trust Lisa, whom could he trust?

As soon as he finished, she said, “I’m coming with you.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. It’s going to be dangerous.”

“As dangerous as hanging around here waiting for the Sage Flu to get me?”

Nick stood silently by his bike, saying nothing, but the look on his face clearly showed he didn’t think Lisa coming along was a good idea.

“What about your parents?” Paul asked.

“Dad’s not even here. Got stuck in L.A. when this thing happened.” She tilted her head toward the house. “Mom doesn’t have to go to work at the motel tonight, so she’s been drunk off her ass all day. Finally passed out thirty minutes ago. She won’t notice.” She looked over at Nick. “I don’t want to stay here. I don’t want to die.”

Nick frowned, but then he nodded and said, “Okay.”

Five minutes later, as the three of them were walking down the road toward the highway, Lisa’s mother, still passed out on the couch, coughed.

Ash woke thirty minutes before dawn. In the bathroom, he peeled off most of the bandages that covered his head. His face was still swollen, though much less so than it had been the previous day. Bruises still encircled his eyes and covered his cheeks. Those, he knew, would be with him long after the swelling disappeared.