Tammy and Ringo (3 page)

“Fort Bragg,” Tammy smiled. “My daddy’s in the Army.”

“Is that right?” the trooper smiled. He was looking at both of them closely while his partner was looking at the car through the rear window. “Just the two of you on this trip?”

“Uh, yeah,” Tammy looked puzzled. “Why?”

“Oh, we’re just doin’ vehicle checks,” he smiled again. “It’s a pain, but the brass expect us to do it every month or so. Personally, I think they just want us to have to be out here in the heat.”

“Well, that’s not very nice of 'em,” Tammy shook her head. “I bet they’re all in the air conditioned office, right now!”

“Wouldn’t doubt it,” the trooper nodded. “Well, you folks drive safe, hear? And don’t let your boyfriend get too anxious. He might pass out on ya.”

“Thanks officer,” Tammy smiled again and eased away as the trooper motioned her on.

“He’s lying,” Ringo spoke finally as they sped up, leaving the impromptu roadblock behind.

“Well, duh,” Tammy replied sarcastically. “Ya think?”

“They weren’t looking for us,” he clarified. “They’re looking for infected.”

“How do you know that?” Tammy demanded.

“They’re all wearing gloves and they have masks around their necks, hidden inside their shirts. The guy on my side, his mask was showing.”

“Really?” He had Tammy’s full attention now. “I didn’t even notice.”

“You were too busy playing ‘daddy’s girl’,” Ringo snorted. “Good job, by the way,” he added.

“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?”

“I just said ‘good job’, didn’t I?”

“Well, yeah,” Tammy shot back a little lamely.

“You did good,” he nodded. “This might not be our only roadblock, though.” He thought about it for a minute.

“I think you’re right about staying on the freeway, though. We’re less likely to draw any real interest, as long as we aren’t looking sick or bloody. If they’re looking for infected, that’s probably all they’ll be focusing on.”

“Well, I’m glad you approve,” Tammy snorted. Ringo sighed deeply and leaned back.

“This is going to be a long trip,” he murmured.

“What’s that?” Tammy demanded. “You say something?”

“Not a thing.”

CHAPTER THREE

Tammy got off the interstate in Jackson to fuel up again. She added another case of water to their stores and four bags of beef jerky, along with a half-dozen cans of Beanie Weenies and some corn chips. She also purchased a soda for each of them and another sandwich.

“Don’t drink many sodas,” Ringo said once they were back on the road.             

“I don’t either but this might be the last time we get one for a while, so drink up,” Tammy grinned.  

Ringo lifted his bottle in salute and took a drink.

“Traffic’s picking up,” Tammy noted. “Usually not so bad through here, once you’re clear of town.”

“Word’s spreading, I guess,” Ringo observed.

Tammy hit the scan button on her radio, looking for news. She stopped it when a station sounded like it was giving a report.

“. . .and to repeat, the virus that’s supposed to have originated in Africa is now reported to be present in at least forty-three countries. WHO and CDC officials have issued epidemic warnings worldwide and are circulating information on how to recognize the infected, warning people to stay indoors when and wherever possible.”

“This morning’s CDC briefing was interrupted by Federal Agents, and Doctor Baxter taken into temporary custody, but outrage over that incident, fueled by multiple reports from the attending news agents have forced the White House to backtrack on those actions and reports are that Baxter is now back in charge of the CDC, and that she and a team of epidemiologists are working on a vaccine to slow the spread of the disease.”

“In other news, disturbances that were initially reported as riots earlier this morning are now being confirmed as partial outbreaks in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, and Washington DC. Other nations experiencing these disturbances include Germany, England, France, China, and isolated cities in Russia and the Ukraine. Additionally, cities in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Venezuela are reported to be experiencing similar issues.”

“The stock market has not fared well today with these report of--” Tammy switched the radio off. She didn’t give a shit about the stock market at this point.

“Well, it sounds like we got out of Memphis just in time,” she sighed. Ringo nodded but said nothing.

“Still have to circle around Nashville and Knoxville, though,” she added, thinking out loud. Again Ringo nodded, but said nothing.

“Lot of rural areas to travel through, too,” Tammy said after another minute.

Nothing.

“Have to be on our guard. These small towns probably won’t want a lot of strangers coming through.”              

Nothing.

“Are you listening to me?” Tammy demanded suddenly.

“Have to circle around Nashville and Knoxville, lots of rural areas on our route, expect small towns to be hostile,” Ringo repeated it back.

“Getting words out of you is like getting water from a rock,” she fumed.

“Already told you that if I ain’t got nothing to say, I don’t say nothing,” Ringo shrugged. “You got things covered, sounds like to me. Anyway, I’m the rider. I go where you say we go.”

“I might welcome your opinion,” Tammy replied.

“I get one, I’ll share it,” Ringo nodded.

“I give up,” Tammy shrugged. “I just. . .give up.” Ringo shook his head slightly, but said nothing else.

The two fell silent as the car kept moving them along the interstate. Traffic was increasing, getting heavier by the minute it seemed. Some of the drivers appeared to be in full blown panic mode too, which surprised her.

“Where do they think they’re going?” Tammy wondered aloud.

“Somewhere safe,” Ringo replied, startling her. “They think anywhere is safer than where they are. Those in the cities want to be in the country where there’s fewer people. Those in the country want to be in the city where there’s safety in numbers.”

“Which ones do you think are right?” Tammy asked, interested in his sudden philosophical insight.

“Neither,” Ringo’s answer surprised her. “There is no ‘safe’. Not from something like this. No one’s immune and no group will risk infection for any one of its members. Herd mentality is to escape and the slow guy get’s eaten.”

“'Herd mentality', huh?” Tammy mused. “So where’s that leave us?”

“We aren’t part of the herd,” Ringo shrugged. “You’re trying to get home, which in your case just might be a place of safety. Me, I’m just traveling. I don’t expect anywhere to be safe, so I’m not looking.”

“What will you do when we get to Bragg?” Tammy wanted to know. Ringo shrugged.

“Don’t know. Probably take a look at a map and see what looks interesting. I’ve never been there, so there’s bound to be something worth seeing.”

“So you’ll be a tourist?”

“Well, I won’t be spending any money on ‘all I got was this lousy shirt’ shirts,” he chuckled. “But why not look around? I might never be that way again, especially considering what’s happening right now.”

“I don’t see how you’re taking all this so calmly,” Tammy admitted. “I’m a nervous wreck.”

“No, you’re not,” Ringo shook his head. “And I’m calm 'cause there’s no reason not to be. I can’t stop this stuff, can’t do anything about it. All I can do is survive and that’s not a given. I only worry about the stuff I can have an effect on.”

“And if you were a nervous wreck we wouldn’t be here,” he went on. “You would have panicked somewhere back down the line and still be sitting there waiting for someone to do something. Instead, you’re doing something.”

She hadn’t thought about it like that, Tammy admitted to herself. Hearing him say it made her feel better. Not just about herself but about the decisions she’d made today.

“Well, thanks for that,” she finally said, grinning. “I admit, that makes me feel a little better.”

“Just the truth,” Ringo shrugged. “Hey, I’m glad you’re capable. I could’ve hooked up with a spazzy drama queen. Or king,” he laughed. “Instead, I got lucky. Not everyone will.”

“Well, I’m no drama queen, that’s for sure,” Tammy let loose with a genuine laugh for the first time that day. “I’m more of a tomboy than anything.”

“I figured,” Ringo nodded.

“What? Why?” Tammy demanded, wondering if she should be hurt or insulted.

“No offense, but you do swing a mean bat,” Ringo grinned at her. “No Deb is gonna be able to do that. And you were swinging for the bleachers, too.”

“Yeah, I guess I was,” Tammy sighed,. “Force of habit.”

“Serve you pretty well these days.”

“Never even thought about it,” Tammy admitted. She suddenly had to swerve to avoid an RV that was all over the road.

“Asshole!” she shouted, laying on the horn.

“Ease up a bit,” Ringo suggested, watching the RV.

“What’s that mean?” she bit out. “He--”

“I meant get some space between us and them,” he clarified. “Something’s not right, there,” he pointed to the swerving RV. Tammy looked back to the careening motor home, and eased off the gas.

“I. . .I wonder if. . . .” Ringo mused.

“Wonder what?” Tammy asked.

“Well, there might be someone infected on that motor home,” he told her, his voice thoughtful. “The driver maybe, or someone who’s trying to attack the dri-- watch it!” he cut off. Tammy was already hitting the brakes as the motor home swerved off the right side of the road, caught the high shoulder trying to get back onto the highway and suddenly jerked to the left.

The large RV teetered on its right-side tires for a few seconds and then tipped over, seemingly in slow motion. Hitting the road still traveling at a high rate of speed the large vehicle continued to slide down the roadway, sparks flying. An eighteen-wheeler traveling in the left-hand lane was clipped by the RV's front end, causing a jackknife as the wheel was wrenched from the driver’s hand, the big truck’s front tires cutting left, adding its weight and bulk to the still crashing RV.

“Hit the gas and use the tore-up lane!” Ringo ordered, but Tammy hesitated.

“The what?”

“The side lane!” Ringo pointed. “Where you pull over when your car breaks down! If you floor it, we can go ‘round!”

Finally realizing what Ringo meant, Tammy looked at the maintenance lane. Sure enough, it was empty, at least this very second anyway. She hesitated less than a second before stomping her foot to the floor.

The small but powerful engine in her car wound up in a flash and the car was accelerating into the ‘tore-up’ lane. Before Tammy had time to second-guess the decision they were past the slowing jumble of RV and semi and accelerating away from the accident.

“Shouldn’t we--” Tammy began.

“No,” Ringo cut her off. “There’s nothing we can do.”

“We should at least warn the authorities,” Tammy insisted. Ringo took her cell phone from the console between them and looked at it.

“No service,” he told her, holding it out for her to see.

“I usually have service through here,” she objected.

“Not today apparently,” Ringo shrugged, and set the phone back down. “That was good driving, by the way,” he added.

“Thanks,” Tammy smiled. “It’s a good car. My dad got it for me when I graduated high school.”

“Nice.”

“He’s a good man,” Tammy said. “He’s always felt guilty that I was alone so much. He does everything he can to make it up to me.”

“Sounds like a good father,” Ringo said softly and Tammy cringed a bit.

“He really is,” she nodded. “How many cars followed us around the wreck?” she asked, changing the subject. He turned in his seat, looking.

“Maybe a half-dozen, so far,” he reported, settling back into his seat. “Probably most are sitting there waiting for the police.”

“Well, like you said, there’s nothing we can do.”

They continued down the interstate as the world fell apart around them.

*****

The duo encountered their first problem when they reached the Tennessee River bridge. Or rather, when they didn’t reach it but were forced to stop two hundred yards short by a massive traffic jam.

“Now what?” Tammy sighed, leaning on the steering wheel.

“If I had to guess, there’s a wreck on the bridge,” Ringo sighed back, shaking his head at their luck. “Either that or someone on the bridge is infected and that’s got traffic stopped.”

“I wouldn’t stop for infected,” Tammy snorted. “I’d floor it and run over 'em.”

“Car like this, that won’t get you far,” Ringo replied.

“Tear your car up pretty quick. Anyway, I’d say whatever it is, it’s just happened.”

“How you figure?” Tammy demanded.

“Not enough traffic for the bridge to have been closed long,” Ringo answered, pointing to the cars in front of them. “And the other lane is still going,” he added, nodding to the west bound lane.

“If it weren’t for these stupid concrete things, we could at least turn around,” Tammy grumped.

“We can anyway if you want to go that route,” Ringo shrugged.

“How?”

“We can use the break down lane and go back,” he pointed again. “It’s not far. From there, we can find a way across the median, and into the other lane. Looks like some are already doing just that.”

Tammy looked, and could see he was right. There were cars crossing the median. Some were taking what looked like an old cut through the trees while others were going further back using the side lane.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“I wish we knew what the hold-up on the bridge is,” he replied, looking back that way. “If it’s something that might be fixed, we need this bridge. If it looks permanent, then our best bet would be to backtrack.”

“I’ve got some binoculars,” Tammy offered.

“Get them,” he nodded. The two exited the car. Ringo crawled on top while Tammy got her binoculars from the trunk, passing them up to him.

“See anything?” she asked at once.

“Gimme a sec,” he managed not to huff back. He focused the glasses on the bridge, looking over the scene. He could see several people milling about and a small bit of smoke drifting toward them from a source he couldn’t see.

“I’d say it’s a wreck, maybe with a fire judging from the smoke,” Ringo relayed what he could see. “If it is, then we’re pretty much. . . .” He paused, adjusting the glasses.

“What is it?” Tammy demanded.

“Get in the car,” he ordered calmly, sliding down from the roof onto the hood.

“What? Why, what’s happening?”

“Get in the car!” he shouted across the hood, moving to do the same. Tammy jumped in beside him, huffing.

“Get us out of here,” he told her. “There’s a swarm of infected on the bridge. People are already running this way to get away from them. In about thirty seconds this whole stretch of road will go berserk.”

Tammy put her car into gear and cut the wheel sharply, angling for the side lane. She just scraped the bumper of the car in front of her, causing no real damage but annoying the already irate driver who exploded out of his car.