5

The wind died down as they walked the road. Not taking her eyes off of Stephen, Kailie steadied him every few minutes when he dazed. His eyes had dark circles around them, and James practically carried him much of the way. Kailie never saw someone so exhausted since she finished her final exams in college.

“Come on, Stephen,” she begged. “You have to stay awake.”

His lips were moving, but nothing was audible. A couple times, James put his ear near Stephen’s lips to make sure, but nothing came out. His head twirled with the movements as they walked down the road. It was a little warmer once they made it out of the tree tunnel and next to the road to Joshua. Kailie never saw the road so deserted, though.

James shook his head. “How much farther to your place?”

Letting out a deep, long sigh, Kailie rolled her eyes. “Maybe eight miles. Three just to get to the town.”

Annoyed, James moved Stephen’s arm a little tighter around his shoulder. Looking at his watch, he thought it must have been wrong. It was a quarter to eleven in the morning. With Stephen’s little “episode” and James’s near-death experience, time didn’t exist much, he thought. It was like the world suddenly stopped moving.

“Maybe I should take him,” Kailie suggested. “You need to save your energy.”

James scoffed. “Maybe we both do.”

Setting Stephen on the ground, the two sat on each side of him, watching the road. The warmness was like heaven on Kailie’s face and arms. Being in Bethesda, she had a thought that she might never know of the sun again. The sky was still a bit gray, but the sun was just poking out enough for someone to feel it. Still no wind came, and they found that a relief. The grass was in the middle of green and brown, just the way Kailie admired it. Just before officially hibernating. Staring at her best friend, she noticed James’s eyes were the only parts of him that were moving. When she tried to comfort him, he flinched like he’d just been hit.

“How are you?” Kailie asked, finally.

He shook his head. “Just peachy. I live for having some undead b*****d attempt to kill me, putting you in harm’s way.”

Kailie wrinkled her nose at the comment. He was terrified and she knew it all along. She didn’t have to be book-smart to figure that one out.

James sighed, slowly rising. “We should keep moving. I could use the exercise.” Chuckling at that comment, he hauled Stephen over his shoulders and pressed on, Kailie still staring at him. As she followed him, Stephen started stirring. His eyes kept flickering like he was in the middle of a nightmare. As he opened them, Kailie gave him a warm smile.

“Welcome back,” she greeted.

“W-what’s going on?” he mumbled. His head slowly moved from left to right.

Kailie took his hand. “It’s okay. We’re taking you to Joshua. My grandfather will want to see you.”

Easier said than done. Kailie’s legs were rubber as they continued walking. Stephen was regaining consciousness while riding on James’s back. The winds weren’t as strong down the road, so it was easier for James to move at all. That didn’t stop the claw feeling around his neck. Kailie didn’t dare tap him on the shoulder for any reason. She figured Posttraumatic Stress Disorder was the appropriate term to describe his behavior.

Stephen was silent as they walked with the sun on their backs. He was in front of them after he regained consciousness. He never said a word as they kept on. Kailie figured there wasn’t anything left to say until they reach their destination. She knew what they were all thinking, though. She knew, because she was thinking the same thing.

“You sure you’re all right?” James asked.

Stephen nodded, limping the whole way. Why isn’t he completely drained of energy? How is he moving at all? He never turned back to check on them, unlike Kailie’s previous experiences. He stopped every once in a while just to hear footsteps behind him. Seems a bit paranoid, even given the circumstances. There were scars all over his hands and arms. With the limp, Kailie figured, it was odd that Kana wanted him at all.

There was an abandoned red Chevy on the side of Union Hill, and they didn’t have to ask each other if any of them disagreed on the decision. Kailie felt like her feet molded into the tar of the street. James could barely keep his eyes open and Stephen’s limp was getting worse. The sun was still out as Stephen drove them the rest of the way. Clouds were still threatening it, the wind blowing in their faces. It was the perfect balance of a warm light and a cool breeze.

Passing by a man’s castle, Kailie felt a sudden wave of relief. When her grandfather used to drive her to and from school, she considered that castle the midpoint in each direction. Please be home, please be home! She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t be, but it couldn’t hurt to be cautious. Her grandfather’s schedule was continuously unpredictable when he had time away from work: church, friends, outings, Kailie couldn’t keep track anymore. It was very rare, though, for him to be home for too long on his days off.

#

Turning on 705, Kailie didn’t recognize her own home. Everything was in place, but the streets were covered in red liquid. Dogs were crowding in the neighbors’ yards, and part of the gate to Kailie’s house had been torn down. Dead birds and toads lay in the street. Windows were broken. Branches and logs were piled up in the front yard.

“Looks like Hell passed through here while we were away,” James replied. He clutched Kana’s pendent. When his fingers ran across it, it was the first time he realized he still had it. The color turned to sky blue. He handed it to Stephen.

Kailie nodded.

Stephen drove the truck into the driveway, or what was left of it. Coyote carcasses surrounding the parking area. Buzzards were circling their soon-to-be dinner. One thing that was missing, though, was Joseph’s car. They looked all around the yard, and it was nowhere in sight. The smell of rotting flesh turned Kailie’s face completely white.

Stephen looked over at her. “You all right?”

It was the first time she heard him speak since Bethesda. Confused momentarily, she nodded in his direction.

“Let’s go find your grandfather.”

Buzzards circled their faces as they tripped over carcasses. The screeches made gooseflesh go up Kailie’s spine. The three of them held each other’s hands, forming a chain to get to the door. All the while, Kailie did her best not to inhale. Looking around, she saw that some of the grass was stained with red, while the rest was just brown. Not hibernation brown, but dead. No life seemed to exist at this place. As she kept looking, Kailie barely heard Stephen knock on the door.

When Joseph answered, his eyes lit up immediately. It was the same look he had when he’d invite friends over for an evening. Rushing them in, he took one last look outside, like he was still looking for something.

“Kailie, darling,” he greeted. “Thank God you’re home!” His arms were wide, his tone was enthusiastic, but his smile was little. He looked like he hadn’t slept since the night before she left.

Hugging him, Kailie felt the warmness she nearly forgot while on Bethesda. Time really got away from her on that road. That’s one thing she was sure of. His hug was warm and very deep. A bear hug, like the old days. She was angry with him, but during that hug, she didn’t care. He smelled of peppermint and smoke, the smells she always knew him by. When her parents died, and he came to her, she knew before he spoke. It was never his voice, but his smell.

When he saw James, his hug was equally welcoming. James’s arms felt trapped, though. No one ever gave him hugs that deep. He looked like a bear’s prey being strangled. Patting him on the back, it was also cue for “Let me go.”

“Good to see you, Joseph,” James said, exhaling deeply.

Joseph sighed, looking ashamed. “I’m so sorry for the mess outside… Oh my god! As I live and breathe!”

He stared into Stephen’s eyes, jaw wide open. His eyes were wide and he wouldn’t move an inch, even if Kailie had wanted him to. They stared at each other for the longest time. Even with Hell outside, they didn’t seem to care at the moment.

“Hello, Joseph,” Stephen replied. “It’s been a while. We have a lot to discuss.”