Dating : The Road To Nowhere

The old car was louder than I thought it would be.

It coughed and sputtered but it still ran which worked for us.

All we had was the road ahead. It was the first journey for either of us.

Heck, it was the really the first time we’d been out of the city. There were a few trips outside here and there, but it was with our parents and that didn’t count.

But a delivery had to be made to the next town over and we both volunteered as it would finally give an excuse to leave the city.

My parents didn’t think it was the greatest idea, and neither did Jesse’s mom and step-dad, but we old enough to leave without chaperones and things had been quiet for so long that they didn’t think there was any danger.

We signed out a car at the motor pool. Jesse was a few months older so she had to sign for it. The mechanic lead us to an ugly green monster of a car.

“Why’s it so old?” Jesse asked.

“These are the only ones left. They’re easier to repair and keep working, and we can make the parts we need.”

So we filled it with biodiesel, and took an extra can of fuel to be safe. She fired it up and we headed to the wall.

At the gate a guard asked where we were going.

“Making a delivery to Laketown,” I said.

“First time outside?” the guard asked.

“Pretty much.”

“Be careful. Y’all got a radio?”

I showed him the black hand-held device.

“Alright. If anything happens. Send for help. Stay in the car. If it’s close to nighttime just stay inside and we’ll come get you in the morning. Do not try to walk back. If you’re on foot a guard will take you out.”

“Understood.”

“Has anyone seen anything?” Jesse asked.

“Not in a long time. It’s been over a year since the last sighting, but it’s still best to take precaution.”

The gates opened and we headed out.

The car didn’t go super fast, only about 30 miles an hour, but it felt like we were flying. We rolled down the windows and the winds soared through my fingers. It was like nothing I’d ever imagined. It was so much faster than a horse cart or bicycle. Jesse wasn’t nearly as amused, as she’d focusing on driving, but I could tell she was excited. Her smile was visible even through the hair swirling around her.

It was incredible. The sun was out. The grass was green. The sky was blue and the only thing in front of us was the open road. It was everything we’d dreamt of.

Until we crested another hill and saw it.

The graves.

I didn’t realize it was this close. I had only been out there once before for a memorial service.

“Oh my god,” Jesse said and I couldn’t think of anything to add.

We slowed down a touch but there were so many. Thousands and thousands of headstones going on forever. One for everyone who died in the Conflict. At least if they had someone left living to put a stone up for them.

“There’s so many,” she said.

“Wow,” was all I could muster.

We were silent after that as we drove by. Silence was the only honor we could think to give.

The car sped along, we still hadn’t said anything when Jesse yelled, “Look!”

I gazed out her window to see what made her yell.

But it was obvious. It was walking through knee high grass a hundred yards from the roadside.

“I’ve…I’ve never seen one before,” Jesse said looking at the creature.

“Me either.”

“Let’s get a closer look.”

“Are you crazy? We’re supposed to radio this in.”

But she was already out of the car and opening the trunk. The trunk held a few emergency items in case such an occasion arose.

There were leather gloves that went to the elbow and tough canvas aprons, as well as masks and face shields. And of course some hand tools, a hammer, and few knives.

Jesse grabbed a long metal spike while I donned the gloves and apron.

“Let’s go,” she said and jogged into the grass.

I followed shortly after.

We were ten feet away before the creature realized we were there. It was so creepy looking. Its skin was worn and wrinkled. Its muscles were showing in some places, and it could barely walk, merely dragging its left foot as it started shambling towards us. Its hair long and twisted, grey and muddy.

The weirdest part was it still had a tattered blue dress on, the sole remains of her previous life. And her eyes. God her eyes were pale blue but just stared right through you.

“I didn’t think there were any left,” Jesse said.

“Yeah,” I said, “We’ll have to tell them when we get back.”

“We can’t tell them we got this close.”

“Yeah I was going to leave that part out.”

It was getting closer.

“What should we do?” she asked.

“Get back in the car.”

“We can’t just leave this thing.”

“Why not?”

“You saw those graves. How many do you think she put there?”

“I have no idea.”

“Or what if she attacks someone?”

“Who?” Everyone is behind the wall.”

“There are still people out here.”

“Anyone still out here knows how to handle themselves. Let’s go.”

“No. I can’t.”

“Why?”

“What if she was the one to do it?”

“Jesse there’s no way to know.”

“He’d want me to get revenge.”

“He’d want you to get back in the car.”

“I can’t leave it.”

The thing got closer and Jesse stepped forward and thrust the spike at her head. We’d drilled this a thousand times.

But that was just practice.

Jesse missed.

When I got back to the car, I turned back home. I didn’t care about the delivery. Laketown could wait.

As I drove back I looked out at the two new graves and cried in silence.