The Long Road

OCTOBER 15, 2066

Olympia, Washington, Republic of Cascadia

“That’s it? You’re ending there. What happened?” John exclaimed. Her stories were so dramatic and intriguing he didn’t want them to end.

Haley exhaled heavily, then said, “I’m tired, John. It’s been a long day. Remembering and talking about all of these things take a lot out of me. Let’s resume tomorrow.”

“But tomorrow is a holiday!” he barked out.

“So it is. Let’s resume Monday, then,” she said, standing up and walking toward the kitchen.

The other two men began to tear down the equipment and pack it away.

John wasn’t satisfied with that answer, so he followed her into the kitchen.

Haley stood at the sink. A window gave her a view of a large green park. She was bracing herself against the counter. Physical and emotional fatigue were weighing her down.

“Haley, I’m sorry, but I can’t wait to know. What happened? Did they make it to Idaho safely? You never mentioned what was in the letter from Gordon. What about Gordon, I’m sorry, your father? I’ve heard these stories before,” John said desperately.

She again exhaled deeply and turned to face him. “John, these aren’t stories like you read in a book. These things happened. People died. My brother died. So, please don’t treat them like stories.”

“I’m sorry, I meant no disrespect. I promise you. Please don’t take what I said in any way—”

“They made it to Idaho safely, without my father. But when they arrived, well, let’s just say that Lexi was right. First off, they couldn’t reach McCall. The mountain roads were snowed in. With no equipment operational, there was no way to clear the roads. They were stuck in Eagle for the rest of the winter.”

The two photographers walked past the kitchen, said their farewells, and left.

John was standing like a dog waiting for a treat.

“That’s it? They were stuck? What happened?”

“I can talk about that on Monday. Okay?”

“Did that girl Lexi go to Idaho with your group?”

“No, she left,” Haley said. She had moved away from the counter and was walking toward him.

“You never heard from her again?”

“No.” Haley paused, then continued. “Technically, yes, but I can tell you about her later.”

“What about your father?”

“Monday, John. That’s it. No more. I’m tired, and we will reconvene on Monday,” Haley said as she walked past him and opened the front door. Her eyes seemed weary, and her face looked almost gaunt.

“I’m sorry. So Monday it is. I’ll be here at nine a.m. sharp,” he said, walking through the open front door.

“Good, have a nice weekend,” she said, closing the door and walking back toward the den.

She opened the small box on the shelf where the compass was and took it out. She reached back in and removed a yellowed, crumpled, and dirty envelope.

She walked to her lounge chair and sat down. The compass again soothed her troubled thoughts as she rubbed it. She stared at the envelope. It had been years since she’d read the paper inside, but today seemed like an appropriate day. She placed the compass down on the small table and opened the back flap. Inside was a thin piece of paper. It too was now yellowed and stained.

As she read the words on the page, tears fell. She grabbed a tissue from the box next to the compass and dabbed her eyes.

The letter contained so much love but also pain for her mother, when she had read it.

All they were looking for as they traveled the long road was a safe place to call home. But that safe place, that sanctuary from the horrors of the world, would not be realized for some time. What was coming their way was something that none of them could ever imagine.

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