Her Wake

The Realization

Amidst our endless walk towards whatever it is we're heading towards, I hear yelling coming from the right of me, where all the cars are lined up. The surrounding area is all of the cars lined up to my right they look like no one is in them anymore, while on my left there is nothing more than the flat plain of dirt for as far as we can see with a few bushes here and there. My initial thought is to head towards the yelling to see if anyone needs help, I start to move towards the sound and just as I'm about to leave Mr. Ryet's side, he grabs my backpack. I turn to see him staring off in the distance towards the screams of help, then as suddenly as it started, it stops. I look at Mr. Ryet whose expression is a mixture of emotions, I see fear with seriousness and worry. Is there something I should be afraid of out here? I slightly tug away from his grasp and debate on walking to the direction the yells and screams came from. In the end I reluctantly turn back towards Mr. Ryet and start walking again. The gravel that's lined on the side of the road crunches under our footsteps, the wind has stopped completely leaving us with just a light amount of snow falling mixed with the orange sky.

          We continue walking for what I can say felt about ten minutes, then again I hear the yells for help again, I turn my head towards the noise once more. I feel Mr. Ryet place his hand on my shoulder, I look at his face and see that he is again showing that complex expression. I part my lips to ask why can't I go to see if they're alright, but Mr. Ryet tilts his head and raises his left eyebrow in a sort of questioning way. I get the hint and keep quiet, we walk away but I still glance behind to see if I can make out any body figures coming towards us, but I cannot and decide to just keep walking because what else can I do?

          I check my watch and see that it is now 5:21 am, the sun should be rising here in a bit. What time does the sun usually rise again? I think back wondering what time I checked my watch when we had been thirty minutes from Raton, was it 1:35? Or 1:45. Either way if we were heading to Raton, we should of been there by now! I can't remember where we went, I don't remember seeing him make any turns so we should be heading towards Raton. I know it's thirty minutes from that shell gas station to Raton by car, but by foot no idea but it has to be way less than what we've been walking. While I'm deep in thought I hear Mr. Ryet's voice, "we should branch off from here" in confusion I stare ahead and see a stop sign with a large paper sign attached to it. Probably made a big sign so the bus drivers could read it too. We approach the sign and read it, the lettering is a bit messed up but I think that's because it got wet from all the snow.

To all RSCs
This is the road that you will cross at, you will proceed to head to the south from here on until you reach the S.H.

I look up to Mr. Ryet who looks like a deer in headlights, he stares at the sign intensely. I stare past the sign towards the road ahead, this stop sign is at a four way intersection. I look to the right and left of us down the endless roads, I can see way further than before. The orange foggy air isn't as thick and the snow has stopped as well, the surrounding area is now a flat plain or dirt and again a few bushes here and there with one or two trees. The main road is not crowded with endless cars anymore either, it's as if all the cars just vanished and I haven't seen another person for a while now, what the hell is going on?. As I'm staring off into the distance I start to wonder how many people are around here, or how many survivors are in the area because maybe I can't see them but they still could be out there. Just as I start to think about everything that's happening, I hear footsteps from behind us. It's very faint but I can still hear them, it's not just one person there's a few of them. Is it the others? I turn around to face west, the direction we were heading from. I stare vigorously towards the unknown area, then I see a body figure appear. They come closer and I can make out who it is, it's Ms. Redite! I take one step towards her when I feel the strong grasp of Mr. Ryet from behind me. In confusion I quickly turn my head to see his face, he looks concerned and lost. I look back towards Ms. Redite, she's getting closer. "Let's go" Mr. Ryet tugs me towards him and he walks, no more a like jogs in the direction of which I believe is north. Aren't we supposed to be going south? "Hurry Faith!" Mr. Ryet roars at me while I look at him stopped not to far from me. I look at him and then back towards Ms. Redite, what's going on? Why are we leaving them?. Then I see from the corner of my eye Ms. Redite come into clear vision, I hurry and turn my glance towards her. She looks at me and then Mr. Ryet, I can see the confusion in her expression. "What's going on here?" She says in a calm manner, I open my mouth to speak but then Mr. Ryet speaks before I can "Ms. Redite, I need to have a talk with Faith. It's very important." I look back at him, his face is dead serious. I also see Ms. Redite straighten her back and reply "Of course Sir."