Getting Out

30

They were back on the trail after having eaten.

Despite having sat down and rested, despite being well fed, they were all still tired. And there was a lot of grumbling and groaning as they got back on the trail, walking ahead.

Mandy figured that they had just about four more hours before they got to the farmhouse. Max and Georgia had announced the plan of Georgia and her kids coming to the farmhouse with them, and Mandy felt nothing but relief upon hearing the news.

She would have another woman to talk to. She would have more people there. In numbers, there was security, at times. Max had focused so much on getting away from everyone else, Mandy had been worried that he would reject Georgia and her kids after a time. But it was clear that they weren’t only not a threat, but actually an asset.

“Hey,” whispered Max, sidling up next to her. They were at the front of the pack, Chad taking up the rear, his groans and explosive grunts audible all the way up there. “I don’t want you to freak out, but there’s someone following us. Georgia and I saw a red shirt when we were discussing the situation earlier.”

“Shit,” said Mandy. “I thought we were in the clear for now.”

“We’re never going to be totally in the clear,” said Max, keeping his voice low. “From now until we die, we’re never going to be able to stop looking over our shoulders.”

“Great,” muttered Mandy. “Just what I need. Have you told everyone else, so that they can keep an eye out for whoever it is?”

“Yeah,” said Max. “I just didn’t want to tell everyone at once, in case whoever’s following us is in earshot.”

“Makes sense,” said Mandy. “So what do we do?”

“I don’t know,” said Max. “For now, we’re just going to have to keep our eyes peeled and not do anything stupid. Make sure to keep your gun ready at all times.”

“I don’t even know how to use this thing,” said Mandy.

“Point and pull the trigger,” said Max. “Or if worst comes to worst, just point and threaten. Pretend you know what you’re doing. That might work.”

“That’s comforting,” said Mandy sarcastically.

Max would have shrugged if he could have, but it seemed as if his pack was simply too heavy for a motion like that.

“I don’t think we’re going to be attacked,” said Max. “We’re a large group, and I think it’s just one person following us.”

“How do you know?”

“I guess I don’t,” said Max. “But I think we would have heard them if there were more people, although it’s possible one person is following us and then leading a group towards us.”

“What do you think they want?” said Mandy.

“Probably food,” said Max. “Or our guns, our supplies. Anything, really.”

“You don’t think it’s just some lost poor kid in the forest?”

Max shook his head. “No,” he said. “Because if that was the case, if it was someone who needed help, wouldn’t they just approach us?”

Mandy realized that he had a point. She felt a dark pit of terror in her stomach. She didn’t like the idea of walking through the woods being followed by some unknown quantity of unknown people. It terrified her, chilled her to the bone. This was the stuff of horror movies.

“My main worry,” said Max, “is that we’re going to lead whoever it is right to the farmhouse.”

Shit. He was right.

“That could be bad,” said Mandy. “Then we’re going to have to worry about being attacked there.”

“Yup,” said Max. “I was hoping we’d get there without anyone else knowing about the place. At least for a while, that is.”

“So what are we going to do?”

“You’re not going to do anything,” said Max. “Except keep alert. I want the group to keep moving.”

“You’re planning something yourself?”

“I’m going to hang back a little,” said Max. “And see if I can catch whoever it is.”

“That sounds dangerous,” said Mandy. “Striking out on your own like that. What if the person’s armed? What if there’s a group of them?”

“It’s a risk I’m going to have to take,” said Max. “We can’t afford to hang back as a group. We need to get to the farmhouse as soon as possible. And I don’t think we’ll be able to catch him with more than just one person… I’ll be able to move more quietly, and use the group as a distraction.”

“I don’t know,” said Mandy. “I really don’t like the idea.”

“It’ll be fine,” said Max. “Can you let everyone else know what I’m doing? But tell them quietly, so that we’re not overheard. One by one.”

Mandy swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

“If I don’t make it back,” said Max, “just keep going. Get to the farmhouse, learn how to shoot properly. Georgia can teach you. And… just keep going. Don’t give up. And be on the lookout in case whoever it is reaches the farmhouse. At the very least, whoever it is won’t be able to follow you guys directly there. It’ll buy you some more time.”

Mandy was too choked up to speak. She suddenly realized that she cared for Max. She didn’t want to see him go, but she knew that there was no way she could convince him otherwise. He was a headstrong individual. Once he made up his mind, he was going to follow through with his plan. She had to believe in him. She had to have confidence in him. She had to have faith that it would work out. But she couldn’t rely on something as nebulous as faith. She had to make things happen. There was no fate at work out here in the woods, after the fall of civilization. Things were what you made of them, not what was handed to you.