Chapter 4: Traveling North

In the morning, I woke with her next to me in my bed. I gently moved out of the bed and went into the bathroom. I finished in there and emerged clothed for I had taken fresh clothing in with me.

She was looking at me from my bed. She said, “I was lonely and needed you next to me last night.”

“That’s okay. I didn’t mind but you need to wear more if you’re going to sleep with me again.” She had slipped into my bed naked. Age difference or not, she was too good looking and sexy for me not to be highly tempted. She blushed when she realized why I said what I said.

We went back to Denny’s for breakfast and ate a fine meal. Taylor was a decent cook though her skills were limited by her lack of experience. When we finished, I taped a sign to the door. I called Bert who was with Ed. We put both phones on speaker and I introduced Taylor. They greeted her politely and were sympathetic about her losing her family. Neither she nor I mentioned her family situation. We hung up so both groups of us could get on with our day.

We drove around Dalton a bit flashing the lights and honking the horn before getting on I-75. There was no response. We rode up to Chattanooga. I wanted to do two things.

I wanted to tour the Tennessee Aquarium and to go up Lookout Mountain. We went through the aquarium and found it wonderful. I told Taylor that this was a sight that wouldn’t last. I didn’t know how to take care of it. With no care, sooner or later, the system would fail and the fish would die because the habitat would fail. Taylor was sad but seemed to understand.

She loved Lookout Mountain. We saw all the sights and left signs in many places. The views were and are fantastic. I looked out to enjoy the view but to also to determine if there were any signs of people that I could see. I saw nothing that gave me hope. We finished touring and were ready to have lunch and leave Chattanooga. We found a restaurant and cooked a meal after breaking in. It had been a week since people vanished and I could see signs that food wasn’t going to last much longer. In the cooler were packages of salad that were wilting. The bread was stale. After eating and setting out a sign, we left.

My memory was two hours to Nashville. It took longer because I wasn’t going fast and we stopped for anything even remotely interesting. Taylor had never traveled so everything was new to her. She was fascinated by much of the signage and advertising. She was well-spoken which said much for her intelligence but she lacked experience in so many things that most people take for granted.

We were close to Nashville and driving through Murfreesboro on the Interstate when the shot rang out. It hit the middle of the windshield and went through the middle of the car. I hit the brakes hard and skidded to a halt beside a big rig that was on its side.

Taylor said, “What do we do?” We were both low in the car.

“I’m concerned. We were shot at before they could determine if we were good guys or not. That’s not promising. I think that we should get out shielding our bodies and go to the back of the car. We can then retreat further and enter the Nashville area. We’ll need a different set of wheels.”

Taylor nodded and we opened our doors and slid out We moved to the back of our car and stopped for a moment. Taylor looked around. She was scared, almost in a panic. I said, “Taylor, take it easy. We can get out of here safely if we’re careful.” She nodded but her eyes were frightened. Another shot rang out pinging off the truck.

She gave a scream and, before I could do or say anything, she began to run away along the road. She hadn’t gone twenty feet when another shot rang out and she fell limply and rolled. I could see her face as the life left it. I sat at the car looking in her direction and cried for a second. So few people and now there was one less. I didn’t know if I would survive this but I wanted vengeance for this young, troubled girl.

Another shot rang out. I threw my hands into the air and fell back limply like this shot got me. I lay on the road behind the Buick but could see in front of me. It was a while but, eventually, I saw booted feet with long jeans extending up. I waited. As the person came around the car, I attacked. It was the hardest tackle I had ever made. The rifle went falling away and I landed on top. I slammed a fist into the midsection and heard a pained grunt that made me feel better. I hit again as hard as I could. Another grunt as the person went slack.

I frisked her. Her! I found no weapons. I went for the rifle and sat against the Buick after confirming that Taylor was dead. I held the rifle on the other person. She was a woman a little older than I. After a while, she came to and lifted her body to her knees. I said, “Sit down. If you try anything, I will shoot you, bitch.”

She twisted, staring. She moved to sit with her arms holding her upper body up as she looked at the rifle and me. She said, “What happened?”

I said, “You shot at us and then killed my friend, a seventeen year-old girl who had never harmed a soul. She was running in panic when you shot her. I’m now trying to figure out why I shouldn’t shoot you like the rabid dog you are.”

She stammered, “I thought you were coming after me. I-I didn’t mean to kill her. I just wanted to stop her so we could all talk. It’s all so stupid.”

“I agree and the worst was your wanton killing of that young girl, Taylor Reese. You should know the name of the person you murdered.”

“What are you going to do to me?”

“I’m thinking about that. Your statements don’t hold water. However, there are no police, judges, or juries. I will make the decision and carry out whatever sentence I deem appropriate. Tell me your history up until you started shooting at a car traveling on the Interstate.”

She looked worried but said, “My name is Felicia Tucker. I woke last Sunday afternoon to find no one and realized I was in a strange place. My clothes were gone and I had a terrible hangover. I had been at a party Saturday night that got out of hand. I had been screwed by more than one person and even beaten. There was no one in the house but me. I couldn’t find my clothes but found some man’s clothing which I put on. I had to walk to my apartment to clean up and put on clothes. I had seen no one. I left to go next door and got in. I had a key to feed Steve’s cat. The cat was there but Steve was gone. He had guns and I grabbed the rifle and bullets. He had taken me out to practice a few times. I thought your car was the same as the guys who picked me up Saturday and took a shot. When you pulled over, I saw the smaller person run and took a shot to stop her so we could talk.”

I shook my head. “That’s an interesting tale. Even if what you said was true through Sunday.

The rest doesn’t fit.

“I think you liked to screw around and probably did drugs. I see the tracks on your arm from needles. I think you’re going into withdrawal. You were hoping we might have drugs or know where they could be found. You would have killed us both if you could. You did kill Taylor and you did it on purpose. Your life is forfeit. However, you should suffer.” I stood and shot her in each leg and then each arm. Then, I gut shot her. I said, “I didn’t enjoy that but you shouldn’t continue to live and infect others with your lies and life. Good bye, Felicia. I hope what is left of your life is painful as you look at a young girl from who you stole life without reason.”

I walked away carrying the rifle and my case to the bridge and up the ramp. I found a car lot and replaced my ride with a junky car. I drove to my apartment. During my walking, I heard Felicia curse me using every word she could think of. I just ignored her. Without fast, expert medical help, she would die but it would take a while. I wasn’t proud of what I did but felt I could live with it.

At my apartment, I found signs that my sister had slept there and never left. Her phone was on her nightstand charging. I looked and mine was the only call. I carried all the clothing and keepsakes that I wanted and put it all in my car. I cooked a supper and went to sleep exhausted physically and emotionally.