“Why did Pupil make us leave our rides? It will take us forever to get home.” Erika complained
“I know right? ‘I taught you all I know’” Eriana said “Blah blah blah.”
“I hope mom is OK.” She continued.
“Me too.” Erika answered.
The two walked up to a burned out truck. Erika touched it and closed her eyes. The red paint came back on it’s shell. The tires reflated and the engine started. “Well there we go.” She said after she opened her eyes.
“You know how to drive?”
“Kinda.”
“Wonder if this guy does?” Eriana walked over to a body that recently had buzzards on it. She knelt down and put her hand on his tattered chest. After a few minutes his chest rose and he sat up. “What the hell happened?”
“You died.” Eriana said. “And now you’re alive. Can you drive?”
“Uh, well, um, sure.” He looked really confused.
“Sorry mister, she’s a little rude.” Erika said. “You remember the war?”
“Yes, I kinda do. I was on my way to Walmart. There was a bright flash. That’s it. That’s all I remember.”
“Is that your truck?” Erika asked.
“No, I don’t see my car. I’d like to help, but...”
“It’s yours now mister. All we need is a ride to Cumberland and your free to do what you want.”
“It is a nice truck. Where is Cumberland?”
“East side of Indy, about an hours drive away.”
“Let’s goooo.” Eriana said from the passenger seat of the truck.
After about 20 minutes of silence, Erika spoke up. “Mister, what’s your name?”
“Jack, Jack Nelson.”
“Nice to meet you Jack, or is it Mr. Nelson?”
“Jack’s fine. You did bring me back to life after all.”
“So, Jack, what did you do before the war?”
“Oh, well, uh, I was what you call a day trader.”
“Stocks and stuff?”
“Yeah, exactly.”
After a few moments of silence.
“What about you?” Jack asked, “What did you do before?”
“I was going to Ball State, getting a degree in animation.”
“And now you go around raising strangers from the dead.”
“Something like that.”
“Oh God, would you two shut up, I’m trying to sleep.” Eriana piped up.
Everyone got quiet again as they passed the Cloverdale exit.
“Eriana, Eriana, wake up!” Erika said as she shook her sister awake.
“I was sleeping damn it.”
“You have to see this, come on.”
Jack was already out of the car, looking around. The girls joined him.
“What the....” is all Eriana could say. It looked like a page out of the dinosaur books their dad had.
A giant dragonfly flew past their heads.
“What is going on here?” Jack asked.
“Not sure, looks crazy.” Erika responded.
“Looks weird and the road is busted up.”
The girls looked at the road ahead of them for the first time. It was indeed in pieces. Thick vines grew across the busted up pavement. Re-bar was busted up and thick tree like ferns grew in the middle of the street.
“465 is pretty jacked up.” Jack said.
The girls looked at each other. “We can fix that.”
They walked back to the truck and got in. Jack looked at them like they were crazy and walked back to the truck. He got in and looked up, the highway was clear. He looked over at the girls, shook his head, and drove off.
“You can let us out here.” Erika said.
“At a church?”
“Yes, at a church. We can make it from here. Thanks for everything.”
The girls got out and started walking to the church.
“Good luck!” Jack called out.
“Thanks, you too,” Eriana yelled back.
When the girls disappeared behind the church, Jack blinked rapidly. Yellow slited eyes opened when he calmed down, and a long skinny tongue darted out and wiped away the sweat on his forehead.
He reached into his shirt and pulled out his communicator.
“I have the location of the Ransford girls.”
ns 15.158.61.23da2
