The Monster Apocalypse

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Brin swore she hadn't fallen asleep. She felt like she had blinked a few times and merely let out an exaggerated yawn before she re-opened her eyes.

But when she turned to her right to see the Shell gas station, and looked forward to see the four neighborhood blocks of a tiny town that featured one mom-and-pop motel on the right lining the dimly lit Main Street, she knew that more than an hour had passed.

"Is this Bridgeport?" Brin asked, lifting up her head. She looked down to see a puddle of drool on her brother's shoulder.

"I have no idea," Justin said.

Anaya and Ash turned their heads around at the same time. "Yup," they both said in unison. "Bridgeport."

"Reno may be the biggest little city in the world," Valerie added, "but this is by far the littlest city in the whole world!"

"It's like four blocks," Brin said, wiping the slobber from her chin and shaking her head real fast, to wake all the way back up. She looked at her brother and asked, "How long was I out?"

"An hour," he said. "Maybe a little longer."

"Jeez, I didn't even feel it."

"So we're getting closer, right?" asked Justin.

"Very close." Brin was amazed how fast that hour had gone by, but she was relieved to have received the sleep that she did. She knew more sleep wouldn't be coming for a long, long time. Unless they managed to grab Paul and her mother without a single obstacle—and she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Does she have to go that slow?" Justin tapped his fingers against his shotgun, like it was the only object between him and the potential dangers of the night.

"The speed limit is ridiculous in this town," said Brin. "I remember that from when we passed through the first time."

"Should we be concerned with getting pulled over by a police officer? Isn't that the least of our worries right now?"

"I know." Brin leaned forward and looked toward the front of the vehicle. Mrs. Hallow and Mr. Barker were whispering to each other, like they were discussing their plan of attack in Bodie and didn't want the young kids in the back to listen in. "Mr. Barker?"

He stopped talking to the vice principal and looked back at Brin. "Yeah?"

"What are you guys talking about up there?"

"Nothing, nothing," he said.

Mrs. Hallow started slowing the vehicle down, even though they weren't nearing a stop sign. There didn't seem to be a reason for slowing anymore, but slower she went—10 MPH, 5 MPH, and then a complete stop.

"What..." Brin looked out the windows to the left, and behind her. "For God's sake, what now? Why are we stopped?"

"Everyone, quiet down," Mr. Barker said, putting out his left arm horizontally, like he wanted to block everyone from potential danger.

"What is it?" Anaya asked, pushing her chest against the back of Mr. Barker's seat. "Is it bears or something?"

"No."

"Cows?"

"Think more creatively."

"Shit," Brin said. She looked at her brother, who appeared more concerned now than he did when he saw the alien life forms. She pushed her chin up against the seat in front of her and leaned her forehead against the back of Ash's cranium. "Mr. Barker, whatever's out there, can't we just run them over?"