Chapter 11

Pat woke up and raised his head. It took a few seconds for him to remember where he was. He looked at his watch and saw that it was a little after one o'clock in the morning. He looked around and saw nothing that would alarm him. He saw that the power was still on but the motel showed no signs of life. Pat was sure that the girls were asleep by now. The few hours sleep had refreshed him and he didn't want to wake anyone up if he went back in to the motel so he decided to stay on the bus for the night.

He decided to see if he could raise anyone on the radio. After trying several channels and just getting static he gave up and turned the radio off. He tried to call everyone that he could think of with his cell phone but he didn't get an answer at any of the numbers that he dialed. He knew that the cell phone systems would start going down soon and it would probably spook the girls. Teen-aged girls had come to view cell phones as necessary for life. As long as the phone connected to the number the girls were calling they would have some hope that their loved ones had survived. Once the cell phones stopped working the girls would lose all hope of ever contacting their loved ones.

A movement at the motel got his attention. The lights were off in the bus so he knew that he couldn't be seen from the motel. He watched the person as they walked away from the motel. As she walked under one of the parking lot lights he saw that it was Anna. She was heading toward one of the other motels.

Anna was dressed in a large terrycloth robe from the motel that almost came to her ankles. Pat watched her until she was out of sight. He wondered if she had her pistol with her. He had seen a small dog sniffing around the garbage when he got on the bus and he knew that it was only a matter of time before the larger animals got hungry and started checking out the garbage; trying to find their next meal. The garbage that humans left would be an easy meal for a hungry dog or even a bear or wolf for that matter. Soon everyone would have to be on their guard at all times.

Pat sat on the bus for a long time and Anna never came back from the motel that she had gone to. He began to worry about her. If she didn't have her pistol with her and she met a hungry dog she might be on the losing end of a confrontation.

Pat got off of the bus and closed the door; he didn't relish the thought of meeting an animal inside the bus the next time he got on the bus. He walked toward the motel that Anna had walked to.

He was about to walk into the motel to see if she was inside when he heard water splashing in the pool area. It was a very warm night and he figured that Anna had probably gone for a swim away from the others. As he walked to the pool he saw Anna's head as she came up from her dive. Although the water blurred her form he could tell that she was swimming nude.

Pat turned to sneak back the way that he came and he heard Anna snap, "You pervert! Have you seen enough? I half expected you to follow me. It doesn't surprise me that you had to spy on me."

Fire flew into Pat and he picked up Anna's robe and held it out for her, "Come on and get out of the pool. We're going to have a talk woman."

Her eyes showed the rage she felt at his action, "Get out of here. I'm not going to give you a show. Get out of here or I'll start screaming."

Pat held out the robe, "Go right ahead. Scream all you want. Would you want me to start hollering for you and wake everyone up? I'm sure the girls would be amused."

"You bastard, get out of here and let me out of this pool."

Pat made a motion with the robe, "I can stand here all night. Now get out of that pool and you and I are going to have a talk."

"At least turn your head you pervert," she snapped.

Pat turned his head and Anna got out of the pool and rushed to him and put the robe on.

She attempted to brush by him but Pat blocked her. He put his hand out and blocked her from getting past him. Anna swung at him and hit him on the side of his head with her open hand. Pat was stunned that she would do that and he put his arms around her and held her arms at her side so that she couldn't hit him again.

"What is wrong with you woman? Is it just me that you hate or is it all men?"

Anna tried to wiggle out of his arms, "Let me go. You men are all alike; you think women are your playthings."

Pat held her tightly with her arms pinned at her sides, "I told you that you and I are going to have a talk. Now answer me: is it just me or all men?"

"Let me go. You're not going to get what you want from me. I'll fight you until my last breath."