The New Dead World

Chapter 3: Take Me Home

Dum Dum blasted old country music for the rest of the ride after the slight inconvenience. Some songs about strawberry wine and the amazing Dolly Parton. She is like a gift and a curse to me, all her songs are amazing... but if I hear that opening riff of 9 to 5, it's stuck in my head for at least four weeks.

"Hey Grim, we are here." He said cutting his music off. His truck's brakes squeal slightly as we stop. I jumped out and took a look around.

We are in front of a two-story house, with a run-down red Jeep in the driveway. Up a little grass bank is the beginning path to the Bob Kerry Bridge. There used to be a fence here, blocking the way up the little grass bank, but some long-dead guy ran through it. Now there is an opening for people to climb up.

I helped Wren out and walked up to Dum's window.

"Here take this, thanks for the ride." I try handing him a black chip, but he pushed it back to me.

"I don't want your money kid." He said with a soft grin. "I heard you're leaving, is that true?"

"Yeah... I was gonna go tomorrow morning, but I might just wait another day." I said.

"Where you go'in?" He asked.

"LA... I want to see the beach." I smiled softly.

"Bah!" he waved his hand.

As a self-respecting Southern man, Dum Dum hates California.

"Well... I know the settlements up there will be happy to have you, kid." He said and patted my shoulder. "I got to regroup with my team. If we don't meet again in this life, I'll see you in the next!" He belly laughed and turned his radio back on, Dolly Parton's 9 To 5 started blasting.

Shit.

He drove off and we watched his taillight disappear behind some houses. I turned to Wren and nodded.

"You ready?" I asked her. "This is gonna be a walk." I sighed.

She nodded and we walked past the ruined red Jeep and up the small grass bank. The bridge stretched far, all the way across the river.

We walked a few minutes, and Wren stopped just as the bridge met the river with a clear view of the Omaha skyline.

"Is that Eos?" she asked pointing a finger to the giant building.

The biggest building, near us. Lights on and a huge metal fence around it. A few watch towers stand over select points of Eos's wall. Big spotlights slowly scan around the nearby grounds.

"Yes, it is." I nodded. "Come on, let's get there. I have a shower, and we can get you a hot meal." I looked at her.

Her face lit up like it was Christmas.

"Hot water?" she asked with an excited grin.

"Hot water" I nodded, and she started walking again. "Hey wait!"

We followed the bridge more, passing a giant support pillar with metal cables that hold the bridge up in the air.

"Hey look," I said as she walked in front of me. She turned around and looked around.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" She asked.

"I'm in two states at once!" I grinned widely.