Fear

She approached nervously. The first to see her was a little girl, who nudged the older girl beside her. Astrid instantly recognized Diana.

Diana looked at her without showing the least surprise and said, “Well, hello, Astrid. Where have you been?”

Conversation and laughter died, and thirty or more faces, each lit orange and gold, turned to look.

“I’ve been … away,” Astrid said.

Diana stood up and Astrid realized with a shock that she was pregnant.

Diana saw the look on Astrid’s face, smirked, and said, “Yes, all kinds of interesting things have happened while you were away.”

“I need to see Sam,” Astrid said.

That drew a laugh from Diana. “No doubt,” Diana said. “I’ll take you.”

Diana led the way to the houseboat. She still moved with unself-conscious grace despite the bulge. Astrid wished she moved like that.

“By the way, you didn’t happen to see a kid, a girl, on your way here, did you? Her name is Bonnie. About seven, I think.”

“No. Is someone missing?”

Edilio was sitting in a folding chair on the top deck, keeping watch over the scattered tents, trailers, Winnebagos, and boats. He had an automatic rifle on his lap.

“Hi, Edilio,” Astrid said.

Edilio jumped up and clambered down to the dock. He swung his rifle out of the way and threw his arms around Astrid. “Thank God. It’s about time.”

Astrid felt tears forming. “Missed you,” she admitted.

“I guess you’re here to see Sam.”

“Yes.”

Edilio nodded to Diana, dismissing her. He drew Astrid up onto the boat and then into the empty cabin. “There’s a little problem with that,” Edilio said in a whisper.

“He doesn’t want to see me?”

“He’s, um… He’s out.”

Astrid laughed. “I assume from your conspiratorial look you mean he’s up to something dangerous?”

Edilio grinned and shrugged. “He’s still Sam. He should be back by morning. Come on; let’s get you something to eat and drink. You can sleep here tonight.”

The pickup truck crept down the road. Crept for many reasons: First, it saved gas. Second, they were driving with the lights out because headlights would be visible a long way off.

Third, the road from the lake down to the highway was narrow and only sketchily paved.

And fourth: Sam had never really learned to drive.

Sam was behind the wheel. Dekka was beside him. Computer Jack was in the cramped space behind the front seat, wedged in and not happy.

“No offense, Sam, but you’re going off the road. Off the road! Sam! You’re going off the road!”

“No, I’m not; shut up,” Sam snapped as he guided the huge truck back onto the road, narrowly avoiding overturning in the ditch.

“This is how I’m going to die,” Jack said. “Crammed in like this in a ditch.”

“Oh, please,” Sam said. “You’re strong enough to tear your way out even if we did crash.”

“Do me a favor and rescue me, too,” Dekka said.

“We’re fine. I have this down now,” Sam said.

“Coyotes will totally eat us,” Jack said. “Tear our guts open and…” He fell silent.

Sam glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Jack mouth the word “sorry.”

Dekka sighed. “I hate when you guys do that. Stop treating me like I’m going to fall apart. Not helpful.”

Saving Dekka’s life from the infestation of bugs had meant cutting her open. Lana had been there to heal her, but Dekka had not come through unscathed. She put on a good act, but Dekka was no longer the fearless, indestructible girl she had once seemed to be.

That and Brianna’s obvious rejection of her had left her withdrawn, defeated. Hopeless.

“I hope Brianna’s okay,” Jack said. “She shouldn’t be running around in the dark.”

“As long as she sticks to the road and takes it slow she’ll be all right,” Sam said, hoping to forestall any further conversation about Brianna. Jack was extremely intelligent in areas having to do with technology. But he could be completely, steadfastly clueless when it came to humans.

Sure enough, he stepped right in it.

“Brianna’s been weird lately,” Jack said. “Ever since we came up to the lake. She’s like, all…”

Sam refused to ask him to continue.

Dekka shot a sidelong look at Sam and said, “She’s like all what, Jack?”

“Like all… I don’t know. Like she wants to … you know…”

“No, I don’t know,” Dekka growled. “So if you’ve got something to say, spit it out.”

“I don’t know. Like, be friendly with me. Like, she made out with me the other day.”

“Poor you,” Dekka said in a voice that would have frozen a more sensitive person into a block of ice.

Jack spread his hands. “I was busy. She could see I was busy.”

At that point Sam decided it might be a good idea to weave off the road and knock into a fence post.

“Sam! Sam, Sam, Sam!” Jack yelled. He jerked in fear, which, because of his ridiculous strength, pushed the seat so hard Sam was smacked into the wheel.

“Ow!” Sam stepped on the brake. “Okay, that’s enough. Do either of you two want to drive? No? Then shut up. Jeez, my head is bleeding.”