The Road Home by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 31

The RV was luxurious to a fault and as the small group climbed in it was Aurora who gasped in amazement.

“Guys,” she began. “Look at this. This is, like, celebrity style.”

With Maya at the wheel, they pulled out of the parking lot and drove out to the highway. Stopping along the side, Maya turned back and made an uncomfortable request.

“I hate to say this,” she began. “But we’re going to need someone to go into that store and look for a map.”

No one said a word. The last thing any of them wanted was to see what was left of Nathan’s body. It was certainly not going to be a sight for the weak of heart, but everyone knew that having a map was essential to their travels. The continued silence flooded the RV as everyone knew the horror that waited in front of the store. It wasn’t just the sight of Nathan’s body they feared but its condition. If the wolves were hungry enough to try forcing their way into the cabin, then they certainly wouldn’t hesitate to consume the body of their closest friend. Finally, it was Jackson who volunteered. Eli had a slight tendency for foolishness, but was also with an obvious lack of courage. No one knew this more than Maya. One of the things she was learning in law school was human behavior and had quickly developed a keen sense of observation—reading facial, verbal, and physical cues. She could read a person’s character or spot a lie as easily as breathing and unbeknownst to the rest of the group, she was always watching.

Getting out of the RV, Jackson paused and, turning back, asked if anyone wanted to go with him. Without hesitation, Maya volunteered, knowing that having seen Nathan’s body already, Jackson should not go alone.

“Are you sure?” Jackson asked. “I’m guessing this is going to be really ugly, so if you don’t think you can handle it, then you don’t have to go.”

Maya hesitated with the understanding that what lay near the store was something she would likely have great difficulty with. But taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and, stepping off the RV, asked Jackson where the store was. “Over here,” he said. “Are you sure about this? You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“Let’s just get this over with,” she replied.

The store wasn’t far from where they parked and took only a few minutes to get there, but as soon as they were within sight, Maya, again, hesitated, turning her back to the gruesome scene lying ahead. Fear forced them to slow their pace as they walked closer until they could see several postmortem gashes where the wolves had their fill.

“Oh my God,” Maya said. “I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

Although Nathan’s body still lay splayed out on the steps, its arms and legs had been moved, likely due to the violent actions of wolves as they ripped their way into the abdominal cavity. Half-eaten organs were strewn everywhere, with bloody paw prints scattered around the steps and onto the small porch. Nathan’s brain, previously containing everything he had been, was gone, with only small bits left behind. Jackson and Maya tried not to look at Nathan’s eviscerated body, but carefully making their way up the store's few steps, they were forced to watch where they placed their feet. The idea of stepping in what was left of Nathan curdled their stomachs and frayed their nerves.

With only a minimum of blood clinging to the bottoms of their shoes, Maya and Jackson walked into the store and immediately noticed the frozen coating of blood and brain matter covering the wall near the counter.

“Wait a minute.” Maya began. “Is there somebody else in here?”

Stopping short of the woman’s body, Jackson realized he had forgotten there was, indeed, a second body. He remembered hearing the gunshot but had become too caught up in Nathan’s suicide to realize that the woman who forced himself on him was also dead. However, unable to open a door, the wolves left her body untouched. Even with her head blown into a bloody paste that now graced the wall of the store, her naked remains were left intact.

“Shit,” Jackson said. “I’m sorry. I guess I forgot. Things got really messed up.”

As disturbing as it was, Maya understood, but that did nothing for her stomach as it prepared to launch what little breakfast she had consumed. “Can we just find a map and get the fuck out of here?” she said. “I’m not feeling so good.”

Knowing the speed at which the stomach can empty itself, hurried his search and, ducking behind the counter, rummaged through the shelves until they found what they were looking for.

Rising quickly, Jackson struck the back of his head on the underside of the counter's surface, enough to instill a short spell of dizziness. Getting to his feet, he held up the map as though he had taken a war trophy, but by the time he got to his feet, Maya was gone.

“Maya!” he called.

There was no response, but walking around from the counter and stepping over the woman’s headless body, he went to the door and called out to her again. Now he heard something. It was distant yet familiar. With map in hand, Jackson opened the door and again, carefully stepping around Nathan’s body, walked out into the mid-morning sun. There, off to the right, was Maya bent over with her back to the RV. She had never seen death before, and the sight of it sickened her. A funeral was one thing—a well-prepared body seemed almost life-like—but what was left of Nathan was too much, even for someone as strong as Maya.

The contents of her stomach lay in a thin puddle on the rough surface of the parking lot as Maya choked up the last mouthful of bile. Jackson stood by with a hand on her back, rubbing slightly, but being a bit too proud, she waved him off.

“I’m okay,” she said.

Standing up, she felt her stomach muscles clench and bent over with arms folded as if to lessen the pain. Jackson leaned down and spoke to her softly, trying to be supportive.

“Maybe I should drive for a while,” he said. “We’ll stop at the first place we get to.” In pain and too sick to speak, Maya simply nodded. She often found it difficult to ask for help, but Jackson gave her no choice. She stood up again as he put an arm around her waist and began walking her back to the RV. At least, they had the map.