Read Roads Less Traveled for Free Online Page B

room.
    “I’m okay. Or I will be as soon as I know what’s going on there,” I said.
    He sighed again and I could hear him walking, moving away from the voices in the background.
    “That’s a loaded statement. I hope your coffee is ready, and it’s a full pot.” He was hesitating and there was grief in his voice. I once again sat down in my worn kitchen chair, coffee cup full and Gus at my feet.
    “Lay it on me.” I wanted to hear his story, if the McKinley’s were okay, and I knew if I could keep him talking, I wouldn’t have to tell him about the panic attack I’d suffered earlier.

Chapter Four
     
     
    Later that day: Ben’s side
     
    “Mike, I swear to God, if the next words outta your mouth are ‘I have to piss,’ or ‘Are we there yet,’ I’m gonna stop at the next zombie and put your ass out,” Jake said, his teeth clenched as he stared out the windshield. Zack snorted beside him and glanced back at Mike, who had just swallowed his next question. Ben smiled; he liked Mike, even though he was a little too high-strung for his own good. Ben reached over the sleeping Kyra and patted Mike’s shoulder, making a face in the direction of the driver’s seat. Mike covered his mouth, not wanting Jake to hear anything from him for fear he might make good on his threat.
    Ben relaxed back against the seat and watched the trees streak by. The only stop they had made was at a small gun shop on the farthest edge of town. Now they were on the last leg of a long and painfully slow trip, and Ben was refreshed to smell anything other than smoke and death. The driving had been tedious at first, Jake having to weave in and out of traffic, dodging not only cars but masses of zombies, but they were now clocking a fairly decent speed. This would put them at the farm early and about that there were no complaints.
    Jake slowed and turned left off the main road. Ben noticed the mailbox flag was up. Kyra woke, being jostled around by the bumpy gravel driveway.
    “Where are we?” she asked.
    “Almost there,” Ben whispered, patting her shoulder with one hand while moving his other behind her shoulders to pull her off of Mike. Jake slowed as they neared the house. The sun was almost down and the house was dark.
    “Shit,” Jake mumbled and eased to a stop just in front of the garage. He put the Jeep in park and shut it down. Everyone remained silent as they studied the house, looking for any sign of movement, listening for any sign of life. Zack was the first to speak.
    “We going in?”
    “Yeah,” Jake answered. He pulled a shotgun from between the seats and worked the pump. He looked back at Ben and nodded.
    “Are you comin?” he asked. Ben simply nodded and opened his door. Kyra grabbed his hand and squeezed.
    “Be careful,” she said before releasing his fingers.
    “I will. You two stay here. Mike, if there’s trouble, use that gun,” he said as he pointed to the pistol in Mike’s lap. Mike nodded, then shared a look with Kyra as Ben shut the door. He checked his revolver, made sure it was loaded, then joined Zack and Jake at the porch steps.
    “Should we knock first?” Ben asked. He had used guns before at the shooting range, but the pistol suddenly felt very alien in his hand. Jake was staring at the front door like he was expecting Ed McMahon.
    “Yeah I guess we should. If Granddad is home, he wouldn’t appreciate us just bargin’ in.” With the shotgun hanging at his side, he proceeded slowly up the steps. Zack winced as the old wood creaked and whined under their weight. He had a rifle propped over his shoulder, the butt of the stock in his palm. Jake opened the screen door, glanced at Ben one more time, and then rapped his knuckles against the wood. They listened intently for several minutes, but heard nothing. Ben walked over and tried to see through the mudroom window, but it was too dark inside. Jake knocked again, this time harder and longer. Still nothing. He pursed his lips and turned to