G Hopf: Driver 8: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel

“Where’s Tiff?” he asked running by.

“In the shack, I believe.”

He sprinted up the small rise and burst through the door.

Tiffany jumped from her seat when she saw him. “You scared the hell out of me!”

“The government, come, hurry,” he said excitedly, his breathing rapid.

“Government?”

“Yes, just come,” he said trying to rush her along.

She followed him back down to the truck. When they arrived the message was still broadcasting. “Listen,” he said. She sat in the driver’s seat and listened intently to the choppy broadcast. Her eyes wide with joy, she said, “We need to go to a higher point. Maybe we can get a better signal.”

“Good idea, scoot over,” he said.

“No, I’m driving,” she said sticking out her tongue and slamming the door.

They sped up an old fire break that led to the top of the mountain, there they hoped the signal would be strong. As they climbed higher and higher nothing changed. “Oh, c’mon,” he groaned.

“Maybe when we get to the top, have some faith,” she said.

She exited the wooded trail and was now near the barren and rocky crest. She turned the wheel hard, crested the mountain and like magic the static lessened and the recorded message was clear enough to understand.

Kyle turned up the volume.

“To all listening, this is the United States government broadcasting on six hundred kilohertz from Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. Anyone receiving this message and is in need of assistance proceed to the coordinates 38.7445 degrees north, 104.8461 degrees west.”

They both looked at each other. Tears welled up in Tiffany’s eyes and a huge grin spread across Kyle’s face. “Does this mean we’re going to survive? Does it?” she asked.

“I don’t know for sure, but I’m optimistic. We have to make a run for it.”

“We have the bus, we all can fit.”

“I’ll bring the truck to carry supplies and gear and we have a ton of diesel. I say we go for it.”

“You sure?” she asked.

He paused, thought for a second as the message replayed again. He smiled wide and said, “Yes.”

“All the kids are going on the bus along with Andy and Gwen. Joselyn you’ll go with Kyle in the truck. I’ll ride on the bus with the kids, and last but not least, George you’ll drive the bus,” Tiffany said.

“Please tell me you’re not one of those endless nervous talkers who drone on for hours during long boring drives,” Joselyn asked Kyle.

“I’m worse,” he fired back.

“Great, thanks a lot Tiff,” Joselyn groaned as she walked off.

Those who were riding the bus loaded on, except Tiffany. She walked over to Kyle who waited by his truck. “Triple check, you have the map and route?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“You have plenty of fuel. We’re not stopping if we don’t have to.”

“Correct.”

“Are you happy?”

“Yes.”

“Good, me too,” she said and headed back towards the bus. She stopped just before getting on and turned, “Kyle, one second.”

He waited.

She ran up, leapt into his arms and gave him a firm and passionate kiss. When she was done, she pulled away and looked deeply into his blue eyes.

“Whoa, that was awesome.”

“I love you,” she said.

Not expecting to hear that he didn’t know what to say so he stood looking dumbfounded.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I just wanted to tell you, that’s all. Now let’s get on the road.”

Kyle could feel the heavy weight of fatigue hitting him as his head bobbed down then snapped up.

“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Joselyn warned.

“I’m okay.”

“No, you’re not. We need to pull over.”

“No, no, no, we’re making good time.”

Joselyn picked up the small hand held radio, “Tiff this is Joselyn. We need to change drivers.”

“Okay, let’s pull over on the shoulder just past that sign,” Tiffany replied.

“Sounds good,” Joselyn answered. She gave Kyle a look and said, “You heard her big boy, pull over.”

Kyle hated to admit it, but Joselyn was right. He pulled the truck over with the bus parking just behind him. He got out, ran around to the passenger side and got back in. Joselyn simply slid across the bench seat.

“Can you believe I’ve never driven this big rig?” she said putting the truck into gear.

“Now I’m scared.”

“I didn’t say I couldn’t drive, just that I’ve never driven this truck. I’ve been working at the camp for three years and I’m finally driving it.”

“Where you from?” Kyle asked slouching deep into the seat.

“Denver.”

“Sorry., why didn’t I know that?”

“Don’t apologize. This whole thing sucks I just don’t understand why anyone would start a war, especially a war that destroys the world. I mean, who does that?”

“Dumb people, politicians, that’s who. The same people who are now safe in their bunkers. You know, maybe we tell whatever politician we’ll meet at Cheyenne Mountain what we think about them,” Kyle joked.

“You get their attention and I’ll kick’em in the balls,” she laughed.

“God knows they all deserve a swift kick in the nuts.”

“Do you think they’ll have hot water?”

“I guess.”

“That’s one thing I miss so bad, a hot shower," Joselyn said.

“Miss? You mean, need,” Kyle joked waving his hand in front of his face.

Joselyn gave him a shit eating grin and raised her middle finger at him. “Fu…” The windshield shattered and a single bullet struck Joselyn in the face and exited out the back of her head. Her limp body fell onto the steering wheel and jerked it hard to the left at a forty-five degree angle. The truck tipped up on it’s right tires and slammed onto it’s right side then began to tumble down the road. Kyle was tossed from the truck after the second roll and hit the pavement, rolling to a stop thirty feet away. The truck smashed through a guard rail and barreled down a steep ravine.

George slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the truck and Kyle.

The children all started to scream and cry.

“Stop the bus!” Tiffany hollered.

George did as she said but just before he could bring the bus to a full stop, several bullets slammed into the windshield; one striking him in the head, the other in the neck. He fell to the right and down the front stairs of the bus.

The children were wailing in terror.

Tiffany got behind the wheel and finished stopping the bus. With it fully stopped she turned to face the children who were sobbing and screaming. “Everyone out the back, now!”

Andy, who happened to be seating in the far back, got up and opened the back emergency exit only to find three strange and armed men waiting with their rifles all pointed at him.

“Don’t fucking trying anything,” one of the men said.

“I won’t, please, trust me, we’re not armed, we have kids,” Andy said.

“Jump out of the back. That goes for all of you, out the back now. Arms up, no bullshit, and this will be your last warning, don’t fucking try anything or I’ll kill ya’.”

Andy jumped first. A second man grabbed him and forced him down on the ground.

One by one, the children all exited followed by Gwen then finally Tiffany. Like Andy, they were all made to lie face down on the road. Tiffany turned her head giving her a clear view from under the bus to where Kyle was lying in the road. She prayed he’d wake and come save them.

Several men boarded the bus. They went from seat to seat looking for anything of value. One came to the back and called out, “Nothing on here but a few bags of fucking potato chips.”