Read The Life Beyond for Free Online

would lead us straight toward Las Vegas if there wasn’t the fence. But you’re sure it runs south of Vegas, right?” I asked.
    Tyler nodded. “I’m pretty sure.”
    “Good. So we’ll drive on the I-15 until we have no choice but to leave the road. Since we don’t know exactly where the fence is, we’ll probably have to stay offroad for a while,” I said.
    Joshua frowned. “Tyler, do you know how close we can get to the fence without being spotted by helicopters or other surveillance?”
    “I — I don’t know. A few miles maybe.”
    “But what if they monitor the whole region, not just the fence area?” Rachel asked.
    Nobody said anything. If we got caught, the military wouldn’t send us off with a simple warning.
    “We’ll just have to be careful,” Joshua said eventually. “We have to focus on finding the tunnel. Without it, this whole thing is doomed anyway.”
    The word ‘Doomed’ felt like it might become the theme of our mission. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath before I spoke again. “Once we’ve found the tunnel, we’ll crawl through it like Tyler did when he escaped from the labs. And from there we’ll have to follow you, Tyler.”
    Joshua and I crept back to the main building and into the room where everyone was sleeping. The electricity wasn’t working, so we had to feel our way around in the dark. Rhythmic breathing and snores echoed around us as we crossed the room to a free spot. We lay down on the sleeping bag on the old wooden floor. The summer’s heat wasn’t as oppressive inside at night, but it was still warm enough that we didn’t need anything to cover ourselves. I rested my head on Joshua’s chest. He tangled his fingers in my hair and started stroking my head. My eyelids drooped as I relaxed against him. But even his closeness couldn’t make me forget what was to come.
    Three hours, lots of twisting and turning and little sleep later, I scribbled a hasty note. Nobody stirred, though Mia kept muttering in her sleep. Bobby had pulled his sleeping bag over his head so I could only make out a lump in the form of his body. I wished I could see his blonde mop of hair. I wanted to go over to hug him and Mia goodbye but I couldn’t risk it. Even though I knew I might never hug them again.
    We met the others in the inner courtyard. It was still dark outside. Rachel and Tyler had been on guard duty all night. Their faces were drawn and their eyelids drooping.
    “Did you pack everything?” Joshua asked as we stopped in front of them.
    Tyler nodded, yawning. “Water and food are in the trunk. Weapons are on the backseat.”
    “Nobody noticed anything?” I asked, looking up at the dark windows of the mission.
    “No. Being on guard has its perks,” Rachel said with a small smile.
    The first rays illuminated the horizon as we crammed into the car and drove off. I couldn’t help wondering if Mom would be worried when she found the letter. Or would she be in too much of a state to care at all?
    I let down the window. Cool morning air whirled my hair around. Fog cloaked the surrounding streets and colored the sky a dull grey. Joshua drummed a rhythm on the steering wheel and I let it pull me into drowsiness.
    Thump. Thump. Thump thump. Thump.
    My thoughts turned as foggy as our surroundings. I wished the sun would finally show and dispell the mist.
    Thump. Thump. Thump Thump. Thump.
    Highway 101 stretched before us. Weeds peeked through the cracks and the occasional deer dashed into the bushes when we drew close.
    After hours, lush green hills cloaked by fog turned to vast nothingness - desertlike plains beaten by the sun. The air blowing into the car felt like it was coming out of a hairdryer. Interstate 15 led through the Mojave desert. Carcasses – the flesh burned off by the sun – littered the road and beyond. Now and then we had to veer past a broken car or a traffic sign.
    We passed a street sign promoting Calico, a ghosttown in California. I smiled grimly.