David Robbins - Thief River Falls Run

“We head west from here, right?” Blade asked, requesting confirmation.

Hickok, the map spread open on his lap, grinned. “Yep. West until we hit another highway, number 59 on this map. Later we cross over to Highway 10, and if I’m right, we’ll then have smooth sailing into the Twin Cities.”

“We hope,” Geronimo threw in.

“Yeah.” Hickok folded the map. “Where do you plan to stop for the night?” he asked Blade.

“Probably somewhere along Highway 59. We’ll get a good sleep, and begin the day early and refreshed,” Blade responded. “What do you think?”

Hickok shrugged. “Makes no never mind to me.”

“Wouldn’t it be best to stay inside the SEAL tonight?” Geronimo offered.

“It would minimize the risks,” Blade agreed.

“Risks, schmisks!” Hickok cracked. “I prefer to sleep outside, under the stars.”

“Aren’t you concerned that some creature might attack you in the dark?” Joshua asked.

“I can handle myself real good,” Hickok stated confidently.

“It must be nice,” Blade mentioned, slowly following the highway, avoiding the ruts and the potholes.

“What must be nice?” Hickok took the bait.

“To have your self-confidence,” Blade said. “You know, I bet if you had your life to live all over again, you would still fall in love with yourself.”

“That’s not nice.” Hickok looked hurt. “It’s also not true. I’m one of the most modest people in our Family.”

“What’s that?” Joshua suddenly shouted, leaning forward, between Blade and Hickok, and pointing directly ahead.

Blade, startled, slammed on the brakes. The SEAL lurched and stopped.

Ahead, forty yards or so, in the center of the roadway, stood a large animal. It stood six feet high at the shoulder, and was nine feet in length.

Huge, splayed antlers, longer and broader than any deer ever sported, topped a narrow, ungainly head. The creature was covered with brown fur, its legs long and hooved.

“What the blazes is that?” Hickok, astonished, asked. “It’s not an elk, is it?” Joshua was uncertain.

“No,” Geronimo answered. “We’ve seen elk before.”

“Think it’s a mutation of some kind?” Hickok stared as the creature calmly stood its ground, casually munching on grass.

“I think it’s called a moose,” Geronimo ventured.

“I agree,” Blade spoke up. “I’ve seen pictures of them in the Nature Series books. Funny, though. I didn’t think their range extended to this area.”

“According to the descriptions I read,” Geronimo concurred, “their range doesn’t.”

“What do you make of it?” Hickok queried.

“I don’t know,” Blade said thoughtfully. “Maybe it was forced here by conditions elsewhere.”

“What do you mean?” Hickok fidgeted in his seat. He could swear the thing was staring directly at him. Impossible, though. Nothing could see in from outside.

“Who knows what wildlife we’ll encounter?” Blade replied. “The Big Blast undoubtedly destroyed wide tracts of land and probably caused massive animal migrations. Plato said we should expect to come across radiation zones, areas devoid of all life. The animals would avoid those areas, and would concentrate in the sections untouched by the explosions and the radiation.”

“Maybe we’ll meet a buffalo,” Hickok joked.

“So how do we get around this moose?” Joshua inquired.

The vestige of the highway was passing through a densely wooded stretch, the trees pressing in on both sides.

“Should I shoot it?” Hickok suggested.

“No. We can’t use the meat and we shouldn’t waste the hide.” Blade placed his chin in his hands and bent down, his elbows on the steering wheel.

A sharp, raucous sound pierced the air. Everyone jumped, even the moose. It whirled and lumbered off into the trees.

“What the hell!” Hickok was grabbing for one of his Pythons.

Geronimo was glancing around, searching. “Where did that noise come from?”

Blade had involuntarily snapped backward. He eyed the dashboard. “I think it came from up here, somewhere.”

“What was it?” Hickok demanded. “Beats me,” Blade admitted.

“Whatever it was,” Joshua said, indicating the road ahead, “it got rid of the moose.”

“Maybe this thing did it,” Hickok suggested.

“What?” came from Geronimo.

“Sure. Maybe the SEAL did it, all by itself!”

“Be serious.” Blade tentatively touched the steering wheel.

“I’m dead serious, pard,” Hickok said, excited. “Maybe the SEAL scared off that critter.”

“This vehicle can’t think,” Blade reminded him. “How do we know?”

“Plato told us. He said some vehicles before the Blast were outfitted with something called a computer. These computers could think, could even talk to people. Carpenter probably didn’t include a computer in the SEAL because he had reservations over whether his descendants could use one. Computers were complicated.”

“And this thing isn’t?” Hickok snorted. “You needed special schooling to operate a computer,” Blade said, furthering his case. “You also needed training to fix one if it broke. Computers died with the Big Blast.

Whatever caused that noise wasn’t a computer. One of us must have done something to cause it.”

“I don’t know,” Hickok said doubtfully, not convinced. “I still think this thing can think for itself.”

“Too bad it can’t drive itself,” Geronimo interjected.

Blade smiled and resumed their trip.

“You know,” Hickok remarked after an interval of silence, “I’ve been thinking…”

“Uh-oh!” Geronimo promptly interrupted. “Now we’re in real trouble.”

“…and I’ve come to the conclusion,” Hickok continued, overlooking the wisecrack, “we could run into just about any kind of animal the further south we go.”

“Figured that out all by yourself, did you?” Geronimo smirked.

“It’s really beginning to dawn on me,” Hickok said seriously, “the magnitude of this experience.”

“Magnitude?” Geronimo exploded in laughter. “I didn’t think you knew a big word like that!”

“I was taught in the same Family school you were,” Hickok reminded him. “We had the same teachers.”

“Do you think any of these animals will pose a threat?” Joshua questioned.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, Josh,” Hickok replied, “we’re surrounded by threats. There’s mutates, and the clouds that eat you alive, and all kinds of critters just aching to chomp on you for a snack. Don’t you realize how dangerous this mission is?”

“We’ll just have to do the best we can,” Blade said.

“Hope it’s good enough,” Hickok grumbled. “The Spirit will guide us safely and enable us to overcome any obstacle,” Joshua assured them.

Hickok twisted in his seat and faced Joshua. “I have something I want to say to you.”

“There’s no need,” Blade interrupted, knowing what Hickok was about to say.

“Yes, there is, pard,” Hickok disagreed. “Listen, Josh…”

“Joshua,” Joshua amended.

“Sure, Josh, sure,” Hickok said, ignoring him. “I’m real glad you agreed to come with us on this here little trip, but I don’t think it’s the brightest idea you’ve ever had.”

“Why’s that?” Joshua asked quietly.

“This ain’t the place for you,” Hickok replied. “You belong back at the Home with the Family, teaching them about love and brotherhood and all that. You don’t belong here with us. Josh, there’s no telling what we’ll come up against.”

“As you said earlier about yourself,” Joshua said, smiling at Hickok, “I can handle myself real good.”

“Is that right?” Hickok bristled. “How?”