Apocalypsis 03 - Exodus

love with that girl, Jade, and don’t try to say you weren’t.”
    “Ronnie, you must be smokin’ something if you think that’s the case.”
    Ronald looked at me and Peter, dropping his voice. “Jade would’ve happily beat his behind as soon as look at him, and he would have thanked her for it. Trust me. The boy was sick with it.”
    “What happened to her?” asked Peter, whispering.
    I glared at him. “Must you, Peter?”
    “What?” he asked innocently.
    “Ask the question that always comes with the difficult answers?”
    “Oh,” he said, looking like he hadn’t considered that. “I guess you can strike that question. Forget I asked.”
    “No, that’s alright. We have to be able to talk about our pasts. It’ll help us move towards a better future, right? She just disappeared one day with a group of kids. They went off to start up a life somewhere, away from our town.”
    “And she didn’t take Jamal?”
    “She already had a boyfriend. Big dummy named Frisco, so she didn’t even look back. Girl was oblivious to Jamal’s crush. He was too afraid to ever tell her how he felt.”
    “I can hear you back there,” said Jamal. “And I’m not sure I appreciate you sharing my business like that.”
    “Ignore him. He’s bitter,” said Ronald. “Mostly because I told him about a thousand times to get off his seat cushion and tell her. Next time, maybe he’ll listen.”
    “What he calls telling , I call nagging . Don’t count on me ever listening to that noise. And beware, y’all. The boy can nag like nobody’s business.”
    I smiled at their easy banter. “You guys make me wish I had a brother.”
    “You have one,” said Ronald. “His name is Peter, right?” He grinned at us and rode ahead to join his brother, reaching over to punch him lightly in the shoulder.
    I glanced at Peter who was already looking at me. “I think I would have liked to have you as a real brother,” I said softly. “Your sister was a lucky girl.”
    Peter smiled sadly. “I was the lucky one. But if you want, you can consider me your adopted brother. I’d like that.”
    I reached my hand out and he took it. We rode down the street holding hands for a few seconds until we were interrupted by a swerving, drunk Bodo. He’d been doing so well and keeping to himself, I’d forgotten that he wasn’t feeling well; but when he kept on riding diagonally right into the guard rail on the side of the road and fell off his bike, I knew it was more serious than I had realized.
    We all stopped and circled back to help him.
    “Can we stop for a little while?” he asked from his back on the ground. “I think I need just a bit of a rest.”
    “Whatever gave you that impression?” asked Jamal, straddling his bike.
    “I don’t know,” said Bodo, totally serious. “But something tellss me dat I should not be seeing da sky right now.”
    “Get up, goofball,” I said, holding out my hand. “We’ll stop for some water and food, but then we need to keep going. We have only a few more hours of travel time before we have to hide and rest for the night.
    A couple of cars were nearby, both of them looking like they had been in one of those smash-up derbies. The others stood around, looking up and down the street nervously. I knew exactly what they were thinking. How long can we stand out here and hope to not get challenged by some lunatic?
    Peter got off his bike and hunted through the bags to get us all some water and something to munch on. I waved him away, not yet hungry enough to justify taking part of our meager supplies. Winky also declined the food but gladly took the water.
    “We need to try and catch some water tonight,” said Peter, looking up at the sky. It was blue as could be right now, but that meant nothing in south Florida. Rain clouds could move in within minutes. Seconds, even.
    “I’ll get on that,” I said, looking over at Bodo, disturbed by how pale his face was and the skinned elbow he’d suffered in his last fall. I went over and sat down next to him on the gravelly shoulder of the road, nudging him in the uninjured arm. “How’s it goin’?” I asked. “You feeling okay?”
    He shook his head and said nothing.
    I hated to see him looking so pitiful. “It is your stomach or Nina?”
    “Both,” he said, looking off into the distance.
    “Why don’t you call her again?”
    “No. I haff no food for her. Da first time she comes back, I have to reward her.”
    “Can’t you just pet her