The Long Road Home

Chapter Twenty Two

She knew she was dreaming. There was no other way she could be back in the storefront in Burkton. Crouched in the corner trying not to move as the rippers stood in the center of the store. The smell was the worst of the whole dream. She remembered it being bad, but not like this. Page woke scowling. She shook her head, but the smell was still there.

A loud thump of something hitting the barn startled her. She looked to Kidd and saw him still sleeping with the baseball and mitt she had given him for his birthday yesterday. Page frowned confused as she rubbed her eyes. She did not understand why she smelled rippers. She stood and went to the window looking out.

Page's stomach dropped and the sight that greeted her outside. There were rippers everywhere moving north. She moved from the window and went to the door leading out to the barn. Opening it slow and easy, she peeked outside. The barn was empty, and it looked like the rippers had not found their way inside.

Page went to where the walkie was and picked it up putting in her earpiece before she turned it on.

'Stan,' she whispered. 'Stan wake up now. Make no noise.' There was no reply. 'Is anyone over there awake? Please answer the radio?' She hissed.

'Page?' Came Elaine's groggy voice.

'Shh.' Page hissed. 'There are rippers outside. Thousands of them as far as the eye can see. You guys need to get down in your bunker.'

'What?' She hissed shocked 'Hold on.' Page went to the window and peeked out again. She saw an upstairs light come on and the curtain moved a little. 'Oh my god.' Elaine said sounding ill. 'Hold on Page, we are going down stairs to the bunker.'

'Page?' Kidd said groggy. Page ran to his cot and knelt beside him.

'We have to stay quiet.' She whispered 'There are rippers outside.' His eyes widened in shock. 'It will be okay.' She told him running her fingers though his hair. 'So long as we don't make any noise, they won't bother us.' He nodded than frowned.

'They smell.' He said burring his nose in the material of the sleeping bag. Page smiled nodding.

'Yes they do.' She said 'The sun will not be up for a few more hours. Try to sleep okay?' Kid shook his head.

'Can I see them?' He whispered. Page frowned but moved back letting him up.

'Keep down.' She warned 'Don't make any sudden movements, and whatever you do don't make any noise at all. They don't know we are in here and we don't want them to.' He nodded, and she led him to the window.

The rippers were shoulder to shoulder as they moved northward. She had been dreading this moment since the weather had gotten nicer. The last of the show had melted away two days ago with no sign of anymore to come.

Last night she and Kidd had spoken last about moving on in the morning. Seeing the mass of bodies before her, she was glad they had waited so long. Page did not even want to imagine what would have happened to them if they had been caught in that horde.

'What's that?' Kidd whispered pointing to the right. Page looked and saw a flash of something dark in the sea of white.

'I don't know.' she confessed 'it's too dark and too far off.'

A loud crash came from inside the house. Page's stomach twisted as the rippers close to the house slammed into the walls trying to get in to find the source of the noise. The front door and windows gave in moments and the rippers piled into the house.

'Elaine?' Page whispered into the walkie. 'Please tell me you're in your bunker.' The silence sounded like it lasted for hours.

'We are safe Page.' Carrol replied. 'We got the door closed before they made it into the house. That damn safety door slammed before Stan could catch it. Are you and Kidd all right?'