Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

side of the road or you can take off. It’s up to you.”
    “Are you really the ball-biter?” she asked, a blank expression on her face.
    I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes. “I really wish you guys would stop saying that.”
    “No one knows the ball-biter’s name. Just that she’s vicious and took the nuts off one of the most notorious criminals our world knows. At least in Florida.”
    “Fine. My name’s Bryn, and yes, I’m the ball-biter, okay? Jesus .” I shook my head while my face flamed tomato-red.
    “She didn’t have a choice,” said Bodo, coming up to stand next to me. “I was dare. He was goingk to kill her.”
    Chantal held up her hands in surrender. “Hey, it’s no skin of my back. I’m glad she did it. Calmed him down a little.”
    “How do you know?”
    She shrugged. “I’ve been around. I’ve heard things.”
    “Me too,” said Jackson. “Congrats by the way.” He grinned at me.
    “For what?” I didn’t know why I asked.
    “For being the most well-known person in the whole state. You’re like a post-apocalyptic celebrity.”
    “Great.” I sighed. “I’m walking around with a target on my face. What wonderful news. Thanks for letting me know. My nightmares weren’t bad enough already.”
    “Word is you’ve got friends, though. You ain’t no easy target. Good people are headed your way. You’re down south, right? In a prison or something?”
    I frowned at Jackson. “How could you possibly know that?”
    “You’ll see.” He was grinning ear to ear.
    Now I really wanted to check out this ranch of his. I looked at my friends. “You go to the swamp. Get all the able-bodied kids you can find to meet us at the canoe rental place. Bring whatever trucks you have and anything that’ll move that is on this paper.
    I pulled Peter’s list out of my pocket and handed it to Rob. “Take it all. The swamp’s been compromised too much. We’ll go back to it later.”
    “What if they won’t come?” asked Winky.
    “Then leave them one of everything so they can get along without us. Don’t force anyone.”
    “They’ll come,” said Rob. “The place was getting torn apart when we were there. They moved to the ranches.”
    I nodded. Turning back to Jackson, I asked, “So how do we get to your place from here?”
    “It’ll be faster if we drive the truck.”
    “Will it still work? I think I broke the brakes or something.”
    “I’ll go check,” he said, looking pointedly at my gun. “If you’ll let me, that is.”
    I waved the carelessly. “Go ahead.” I handed the weapon to Bodo. “Watch him, would you?”
    Bodo took it from me and nodded once before disappearing around the side of the trailer with our prisoner.
    Rob, Paci, and Winky had already left to retrieve their bikes, leaving me alone with the trailer’s occupants.
    “I think we’d like to stick with you, if that’s okay,” said Chantal.
    The other kids standing around nodded.
    “Sissy and Jimmy said you’re good people. Their words.”
    I couldn’t believe it. The Cracker Barrel kids again. “How do you know them?”
    “They have contacts everywhere. I met them about a week ago, before I got snagged by the jerks who were going to trade us.”
    “But how? How are they talking to so many people?”
    She shrugged. “You’ll have to ask them.”
    “No thanks.” I knew I’d never go back there. I didn’t want to get shot for breaking their back door, and that Jimmy kid didn’t seem all that mentally well-balanced to me. He might be calling me good people now, but that didn’t mean he’d feel the same way seeing me face-to-face.
    I walked over and looked into the trailer. “Are those kids okay?” I asked, pretty sure they weren’t.
    “I think two of them aren’t going to make it,” Chantal whispered. “But we can’t just leave them here.”
    “Of course not,” I said, backing away. Then speaking to the group, I raised my voice. “Okay, if you want to go with us to check out this ranch - which I’m not even sure exists - you’re welcome to ride in the trailer. I’m going to be in the cab. If you’d rather wait by the side of the road for us to come back, feel free.”
    All but one of the kids got back into the trailer with help from Chantal, who appeared to be the most physically fit of the group. She trembled from the effort of assisting the kids in, but she didn’t quit. It made me think she’d be a great addition to Haven. Probably any of these kids would. Everyone had