Voyage (Powerless Nation #2) (22 page)

The gruff EMP cautioned them about keeping Claire's wound clean and watching for infection. Sena hurried to the bag of medications and pulled out a bottle Jodie was supposed to take for a UTI which had cleared up on its own.

“Will this work?” she asked Doc, handing him the bottle. His craggy face brightened when he read the name. “Cipro. Yes, this is perfect.” He looked inside and counted the capsules. “There’s even a full dose here. If you didn’t save her life with your midnight hike, you just saved it now.”

Sena was a minor celebrity. Sassy came up with the nickname ‘Nightwalker’ for her. She’d covered seven miles in the dark, not including the steep climb from the wreck to the road. 

Not only that, but she’d discovered the only patch of huckleberries still on the bush this late in the season. After Angel had seen the telltale stains on Sena’s hands, she’d taken Sassy berry picking and they brought back a big bucket of the fresh fruit.

Angel made the berries into huckleberry crisp in an old Dutch oven they found in the rangers’ supplies. Even though she cooked a lot, there was barely enough to go around. 

Kade had a bite on his fork and was raising it to his mouth when they heard Ted shout. “Kade! Stop right there!”

Kade’s fork froze in midair.

From the bed, Ted said more calmly, “I believe you owe me that dessert.”

Sena giggled, while Kade groaned and put the fork down. “You know I can outrun you, right?” But he surrendered the treat good-naturedly. 

The bikers had offered to bring the group’s bicycles and supplies up from the wreckage for a share of the food. Ted and Claire quickly agreed, and by the time the bikers left for good, they were settled into the cabin with enough food and supplies for several months.

Before they left, Angel offered to come back and check on the family in the spring. Ted said, “Come see us in Lookout Falls. We’ll be at Milt Kerns’ farm.”

Sena heard this news with surprise. She’d thought they would have to spend the winter in the ranger cabin.

“We’re leaving?” she asked.

Ted nodded. “Although it seems like we have a lot of food now, it’s not enough to get us through the winter. As soon as we’re feeling a bit better, we’re going to push on.”

“Don’t stay too long then,” advised Angel. “They close this road every winter for a reason. I wish we could tell your family you’re here, but we’re turning south. We’ve got people here anxious to get home.”

“We understand, Angel,” said Claire. “You’ve already done far more for us than we can ever thank you for.”

“God bless you, and we’ll see you next spring.”

The family waved goodbye to the gang, and began the slow, tedious process of recovery.

On the morning they were to leave, Sena stood outside the door of the cabin and looked out over the majesty of the mountains. It was hard to believe they were finally leaving. They were still a little tender, but everyone was anxious to get back on the road. Ted explained that if they took it carefully and didn’t exert themselves, they’d be okay.

He and Kade joked around while they loaded the bicycles with the special saddlebags Kade had been working on. It still amazed Sena to see them getting along. Kade had changed a lot in the past few months. She knew he still mourned for Charity, but he’d matured, and he was over his bitter anger at her loss. 

Lately he’d started teasing Sena and flirting gently with her. She wasn’t sure she wanted it to go anywhere. Now and then she thought about their almost-kiss on the cruise ship and decided to wait and see what happened.

Claire came out of the cabin and closed the door firmly behind her. She put an arm around Sena, and the two stood in companionable silence enjoying the mountain morning.

“What are you thinking about?” Claire asked after a long, peaceful moment.

“Oh, nothing. Just the trip. Are you going to be up to it? Do you think it’s too soon?”

“I’m more worried that it’s too late. Hopefully the weather will hold.”

There was silence again, and then Claire said, “I remember you said once you might not fit in with our family, or that Dee might not like you. Are you still worried about that?”

Sena thought about it before answering. Finally she said, “Not anymore. I mean, it might be kind of weird at first, but we’ll figure it out.”

Claire pulled her closer in a one-armed hug. “That’s exactly right. We’re family now, and that means we stick together.” 

Ted got on his bike, and motioned for them to join him.

“Come on, Sena,” said Claire, taking her hand. “It’s time to go home.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

EPILOGUE

D
EE
SAT
IN
front of the fire in her grandpa’s house, watching Angela, a neighbor and close family friend, fill the Christmas stockings. Unlike Dee’s previous Christmases, the stockings weren’t stuffed to overflowing, and the pile of presents under the tree was small, but it was going to be a wonderful morning, maybe her best Christmas ever.

Dee looked around the room and felt so blessed. Her grandpa sat in his chair, tapping his crystal ball cane on his leg and humming along with Angela’s teenage son Hyrum as he played, “Silent Night,” on the guitar. Her boyfriend Mason sang the bass line, and Angela joined in with the alto. Dee looked into each face, knowing they were lucky to be together.

She wished her parents were here to enjoy the peace and safety she and the others had fought so hard to protect.

They finished the song and Mason suggested, “How about some Jingle Bells?”

“How about something less likely to wake the kids up?” Angela countered.

Mason’s little brother Sammy had been in and out of his room all night, coming downstairs to remind them not to eat the cookies they’d left out for Santa, and asking, yet again, whether Santa could fit down the pipe of the wood burning stove.

Hyrum began to sing a Christmas song Dee didn’t recognize. It had simple lyrics about Santa and toys and children. Hyrum’s voice soared on the chorus, and she closed her eyes like the words suggested, listening to the skies, hoping, for one fanciful moment, she’d hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bell.

Instead, she heard… voices. Outside.
Wait.
Voices outside?

Dee’s eyes snapped open and she saw the dog jump to his feet and trot to the door.

“Want me to get the shotgun?” she asked Grandpa in a low voice.

Grandpa shook his head. “I don’t think so. Look at Jasper.”

Jasper stood at the door, ears pricked and tail wagging broadly. His mouth was open in a wide doggy grin.

“Take the lantern and see who it is, Maddie. I reckon whoever’s out there is chilled to the bone.”

Dee stood and nudged Jasper out of the way so she could open the door. It was dark outside, and the warm glow of the lantern illuminated the front porch.

“Hello?” called Dee.

“Dee?” came a voice from the yard. “Is that you?”

Dee’s heart began to pound and tears formed instantly in her eyes. She’d waited so long to hear that voice.

“Mom?” she said, already halfway down the stairs.

Dee found herself sandwiched between her mom and her dad. They were all laughing and crying at the same time, while Jasper ran around them in circles, barking.

Grandpa stood in the doorway, holding up the lantern Dee had set down. “Is that my girl?” he asked.

“Dad! You’re okay!” Claire hurried up the stairs to her father, and Dee noticed how her own dad and another young man supported her. They were so thin it made Dee’s heart ache.

There was still one more person in the yard. A small Asian girl with glasses and long black braids stood uncertainly at the edge of the light.

“Come on in,” invited Dee.

“Are you sure? I won’t be intruding?”

Dee’s heart warmed to the girl and she studied her for a moment. “We’re going to be friends, I think, aren’t we? I’ve really needed a friend.” 

She reached out a hand to the girl and brought her into the circle of light.

Thank You

Thank you for reading
Voyage
! I am so grateful for your support, and appreciate everyone that has taken a chance on a new and unknown author. 

I hope you enjoyed
Voyage
and will consider recommending it on Amazon and to your friends. I read every single review (usually within hours of it being posted), and I’m thankful for everyone that helps spread the word about my books.  Every sale, review and mailing list sign-up is exciting, and motivates me to keep writing more. 

If you’d like to know the instant I have a new book out, sign up for my announcements at the link below. Don’t worry, I’ll only email you when I have a new release.

http://www.ellisabarr.com/newbooks

Book 3 of the
Powerless Nation
Series

Coming Early 2015

About the Author

Ellisa grew up in a one-stoplight town in Idaho. In the summer, almost entirely cut off from friends and other entertainment, she became a voracious reader. 

When she misbehaved as a tween, her parents despaired of finding a suitable punishment, because the only thing she wanted to do was read. Finally they resorted to grounding her from books. Her friends thought she had the best parents ever — Ellisa agrees.

She lives with her husband, two children, a dog and a cat in southern California, where she knows just enough about prepping to prolong her agony in the event of the apocalypse.  She homeschools her kids and is still trying to figure out how to cook banana bread in her DIY solar oven.

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www.ellisabarr.com

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Copyright © Ellisa Barr, 2014

All rights reserved. You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the author. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Editing by Felicia A. Sullivan

Cover Art by Cormar Covers