𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩

"Here." Del handed each of the kids a bottle of water. The sun had just came up. The truck hadn't stopped. Del wondered how Abraham had so much energy to stay up constantly.

"Thank you." Annie took a drink, "Will there be other kids at the place?"

"Maybe." Del didn't consider Beth, Jake or Carl kids anymore. She thought about Judith.. About Mika and Lizzie. Maybe they would be there. She hoped everyone would be there when they arrived. She hoped they could build a life there, but the pit of her stomach made her question it.

"I hope there are some girls. Abel just wants to read."

"Reading is good. You should keep reading too. Maybe there will be a teacher there."

"I hope not. I hate school."

Del gave her a soft smile before rolling down the truck window, pulling out a cigarette.

"Can I have one?" Annie questioned. The question made everyone in the truck look at her. Glenn looked at Del with a shocked look.

"Mom and Dad used to let me." Those words made Del understand their situation so much. Maybe their parents deserved to die.

"No. You're not going to smoke if you're staying with me." Del stared down at her. Annie folded her arms with a hmph.

"Only about a days more travel." Eugene stared down at the map. Del tried to focus on that instead of what Annie had just said.

Glenn looked nervous. Del knew what he was thinking because she was thinking the same things.

"Hey," she whispered to him, "They'll be there."

: ̗̀➛

"These kids are slowing us down, taking us way off schedule." Abrahams arms were folded. They were all facing with their backs to Annie.

"Don't be so serious." Rosita rolled her eyes.

"Done!" She called out. They turned around to see his smiling proudly.

"You feel better?" Del helped her back into the truck.

"Yeah. I really had to pee," Annie said matter of factly. Del helped her click her seatbelt on.

"Maybe don't chug you water next time, okay? We have a long drive. Does he need to pee?" Del nodded to Abel.

"You can ask him. He can hear you."

"He wont answer me anyway."

"Abel, do you need to pee?" Annie questioned her little brother. He shook his head no.

"Great! Let's load up!" Abraham climbed back into the truck.

"Abraham, do you need to pee?" Annie questioned him. Everyone broke into giggles, even Del cracked a smile.

"No, I think I'm okay."

"Okay, just checking! Everyone got their seatbelts on?"

Everyone answered yes before the truck pulled away. Del down smiled at the kids. Abel rubbed his eyes before laying his head in Del lap. She froze up.

"He's tired," Annie stated as if Abel wasn't already snoring.

"Yeah.. Uh.." Del looked down at him. She didn't know how to handle kids relying on her. Jake was different. He never laid on her to sleep or was sensitive. She was never like that with any of her siblings but Eddie. She thought about how much he loved kids. He would have loved to spend a road trip with the siblings. He would have offered for them to live with him in an instant. He always wanted kids. She thought about how he would act with a kid sleeping on him. He wouldn't even care. He wouldn't have a second thought about it. So she tried not to.