Read Walkers (Book 1): The Beginning for Free Online Page B

back to this truck.
          "Well," I thought as I watched his fine backside disappear into the dark, and went back to the RV tell Lacy to batten down the hatches, we were leaving in half an hour.  We left with lights out and tail lights covered. Using the night goggles we drove another four hours that night. Criss crossing the interstate when we found the road blocked by pileups. Exhausted and cranky we finally found a ball field on the outskirts of a small town and parked behind the tall bleachers.
         I was afraid I would be too tense to go to sleep but exhaustion finally won out and I fell asleep to the sound of owls in the distance and a cool breeze from the north. I dreamed of Montana that night, making me more determined than ever to return.
     
     
     
                                                                          CHAPTER 4
     
     
     
         The smell of coffee dragged me out of bed.   I pulled on my jeans and tee shirt and stumbled into the kitchen. It was full. I stopped in my tracks and felt my eyebrows rise. Lacy turned at the counter and handed me a mug of coffee...cream and sugar please. I took a sip, sighed, then eyed the group.
          "What's up?" I asked and sat at the table. We were evidently having pancakes this morning as a platter was heaped high in the middle of the table and syrup of different flavors were lined up nearby. I smiled at Mandy who had syrup on her nose, and the biggest smile radiated from her face. She did love to eat. Bubba even got in on the fun as he had his own plate of cakes and was busy chowing down.
         "We were goin to ask if there was any way we could take a few days off. We're all a little wiped out, it's been a crazy few days and our butts are draggin." Howard said as he washed his plate.
          "Mine too, so I planned to take a couple of days to rest up when we get to Moab Utah. That’s where the Arches National Park is. I've been there; it's beautiful and quiet and has shade trees. I thought it would be a wonderful place to chill out a few days. The weather will still be hot but drier."   Everyone looked at each other and nodded.
         Mason wiped his mouth and said "I think we can wait a bit longer. We have some fuel but will have to stop soon. I looked at the map and saw a truck stop a few miles down the road in Utah. I think it might be a good place to get fuel.
          "Ok, by me, let’s plan to leave in half an hour?" Lacy put a plate in front of me and I put two pancakes on it. While I ate everyone went out to get their outfits ready to go. It was a beautiful, clear day and you could see for miles. In the distance was "Ship rock Formation". A rock formation over 1500 feet high and sacred to the Navajo Indians. The sky about it was the prettiest blue in sharp contrast to the multi colored sands of the high dessert. It was still early but the temps were in the mid 80's at least. I was getting antsy to head north.
         We headed west leaving New Mexico behind. Clipping the northeast corner of Arizona we soon arrived in Utah. The breathtaking canyons and majestic mountains we had just gotten used to seeing turned into narrow, chaotic canyons and steep, confining barrier reefs. Then we once again traversed land that was broad, open and windswept. We continued north and was almost to Blanding when we encountered a hitchhiker. This was new for us, so we were wary. Mason was driving the truck because of the heat, and radioed back that he was going to check things out while we waited on the hot highway. I wondered when we decided to let Mason lead the way. No one had seemed upset by it and I wasn't really either, but it did make me wonder. I'm not one to relinquish control like that but then I reasoned, if I was kept in the loop then I really didn't have a problem with it. I made a note to myself that I would have a discussion with the rest of the group to see