Part 18 (1/2)

'No. They are sick. Real sick. I think I got too close. What do I do? This is real.'

'Are you hurt?'

'No. What do I do? I don't want to get sick. But if I got it, I can't go near mom or Cody.'

Richie knew when there was a long pause between texts that Andy was coming up with a plan, and he did. He told Richie that he had heard from his pap that people exposed got sick in a day. Andy a.s.sured Richie he probably wasn't sick or exposed, but if he wanted to be careful, he had to leave the car and walk back a couple miles.

Bailey's RV. It was parked on the edge of Bailey's property, far enough away from Hartworth to be safe. It was the place Del had planned to meet Tanya and her son, Tad.

Andy told him to go there and he would drop off supplies and food. He also instructed Richie to turn off his phone once he let Andy know he arrived at the RV to conserve battery power. If after two days Richie showed no signs of the illness, Andy would come and get him.

But what if he did? What if he got sick?

Andy a.s.sured him that he would come.

Richie shut down his phone as he walked the distance to Bailey's property. Four miles was a long haul, especially in the dead of winter. The temperatures had dropped, and snow fell. His fingers grew numb, and his feet were wet. By the time he arrived at Bailey's property, Richie could barely feel any of his body. He was numb, but the cold didn't numb his fear. Richie was scared.

The RV looked barren; no footprints were around it at all. It was a nice RV, big and modern. Richie reached for the side screen door. It was open, but as he reached for the handle, he realized that it was locked.

He stepped back, figuring he'd try a window when the door creaked open and the barrel of a shotgun appeared.

Did someone speak? As usual, he heard something, a m.u.f.fled noise similar to a tone. All Richie could do was cover his ears and call out, ”I'm deaf. I'm not sick. Please. I'm cold.”

After a few moments, the door opened slowly, and Richie stepped inside. An older man immediately shut the door behind Richie. He visually examined Richie then lowered the gun. He waved his hand for him to come in further.

The older man wasn't alone. The RV had at least eight people huddled together. None of them looked sick, but then again, what did Richie know.

He was either walking into a safe haven or into a viral time bomb.

Lincoln, Montana

”No, Andy, listen. These are just Hazmat coveralls; they won't work keeping out a virus. They won't,” Emma told him. ”These are designed for dust. I got these for when Yellowstone blew, for the dust and debris.”

In her kitchen, Andy handed her a roll of duct tape. ”Seal me over the ... g-gloves.”

Nose running from crying, Emma did as instructed. She packed a box of supplies for Andy to take along with a five gallon container of disinfectant.

After she sealed his boots and gloves, Andy stepped into a second suit. ”It ... it will work.”

”Keep your eyes covered with the goggles. Use the mini tank for breathing,” she instructed. ”Park the truck a good distance away, take only the disinfectant and supplies. Got that?”

He grabbed her hand. ”I'll b ... be fine. I don't th ... think Richie will get s ... sick. Bailey's is f... four miles out.”

”Be careful, and please, do not go into Hartworth.”

Andy shook his head as his answer, leaned forward and kissed Emma, and then he kissed Cody. He grabbed the box of supplies and headed out. Everything else was in his truck.

After he left, Emma settled at the kitchen table with Cody. The little girl ate her lunch, oblivious to everything going on.

”You're so lucky,” Emma told her. ”Gam loves you so much, and I am so sorry that you are going through this.”

”Gam sad?”

”Gam very sad.” Emma reached out and ran her fingers down Cody's cheek. She was grateful that the child wasn't sick and that she was so young that she wouldn't remember anything. That was, if they survived whatever it was that was wiping out a town so close by.

Hartworth, Montana

The roads were desolate; Andy expected as much. Traffic on the road was mainly between Lincoln and Hartworth, and he imagined that most in Lincoln were aware of the shut down and stayed away.

He moved pretty well despite the fact that the roads were getting slick with snow. He parked off the road where he knew he could get out, left the truck, trotted a bit, set down the sealed bag of clothes and disinfectant, and then with the supplies made his way to Bailey's RV. It was cold; the double suits did little to s.h.i.+eld the temperature. He dreaded the thought of undressing, but it had to be done.

He set the items by the door, knocked, and took off.

Once he arrived back at the disinfectant, he undressed completely and doused his naked body with the cleaner. He s.h.i.+vered out of control, was barely able to breathe, and knew he faced hypothermia. Grabbing the clothes from the bag was a struggle; it was even harder putting them on since his damp body started to freeze. Once he dressed, he took off for the truck. He wore only socks, which he took off once he returned to his vehicle, and pulled on shoes.

Andy was freezing; he didn't think he'd ever warm up. He was glad to see the message from Richie, stating, :Thank you. Phone going off. If you don't hear from me, I did not get sick. Text on the 20th.”

Andy was confident Richie wouldn't get sick. How could he? He really wasn't exposed. Not that Andy knew.

He blasted the heat in the truck as high and hard as he could and made the fatal mistake of driving through Lincoln on the way back.

He just wanted to get back.

The second he drove into town, Andy reached for the heat, shut it off, and closed the vents.