The Long Road Home

Chapter Fifteen

Kidd hunched down behind a car just as Page told him to. He peeked over the hood and watched the woman head for the gas station where Jeric was rumored to have set up his camp. Kidd half hoped he was not there. He was afraid of what would happen to him and Page, if Jeric somehow caught them.

Page vanished into the dark station through the open door. Kidd froze when a high pitched scream came from the station. What if Page was hurt? He had to help her. He was almost around the car when Jeric burst out of the door stumbling away from the station. His left arm was twisted in an unnatural angle. Kidd's eyes widened in surprise when he realized, it was Jeric who screamed. Page step out of the gas station and Jeric ran. She motioned for Kidd to join her. When he got to her side, she whispered

'Be as still as you can.' He nodded, and she motioned to the retreating Jeric. Kidd watched as he stumbled toward the interstate glancing behind him once in a while to make sure they were not chasing him. 'It won't be long now.' Kidd frowned confused but did not look away. Out of nowhere, two infected slammed into him and he shrieked again as they slammed their fist into him. Once he was still, they looked around as they dragged him under the bridge.

'He is still alive.' Page whispered. 'They don't kill their victims for a while. Jeric will suffer a horrible death though. That I know for sure.'

Tears filled Kidd's eyes, and it felt like a great weight had been lifted form him. In the back of his mind, he had been expecting Jeric to pop up at any moment to hurt him and Page. He understood now that Page would fight to the death to keep him safe.

The woman herself ran her fingers through his hair. 'Come on.' She whispered. 'There are two boys in here that need us.' Kidd followed her into the station. Two boys who looked exactly alike sat in the corner tied up. They were dressed, but filthy. Page untied them and removed their gags. 'Okay?' She whispered they nodded looking ready to cry. 'You can talk, but try to whisper. We don't want the infected to hear us okay?' They nodded. 'What's your names?'

'I'm Sam,' the one on the right whispered. 'this is my twin brother Rick.' Page nodded.

'I am Page and this is Kidd.' She said 'How did Jeric get you?'

'We don't know.' Rick sniffed wiping at his eyes. 'We were sleeping and when we woke up we were here.'

'We live in the Campton settlement.' Sam said. 'It's south of Redridge.' Kidd pulled on Page's sleeve and she looked to him. He looked to her pleading hoping she could understand what he wanted. She smiled and nodded.

'Of course we will take them home.' She assured him and he sighed in relief. He did not mind talking to Page, but he did not feel comfortable talking around others. Page pulled out her atlas and looked on the map. 'Hmm, looks like it's about a days walk south to Campton. We passed the road we would need to get there.' She looked to the twins. 'You two must be tired so you can ride in the cart. It will be a little tight but it will beat walking.' They nodded. Sam looked to her blushing.

'Do you have any food?' He asked. 'We haven't eaten in years.' She smiled amused and nodded.

Kidd followed Page and the twins back to where they left the cart. Page pulled out three cans of raviolis and gave one to each of them. As soon as the twins were comfortable in the cart they started back the way they had come. Kidd offered Page some of his food but she just shook her head.

'That's for you sweetheart.' She told him ruffling his hair. 'You are still far too skinny.' He giggled, and they walked in a comfortable silence.

Page did not like this area at all. The farther south they went, the thicker the woods in the distance became. She could not see that far out and if there were infected in those woods, she did not want to be caught out in the open like this. The twins were still resting in the cart and Kidd was walking to her right.