The car's an all-electric Hyundai Harmony, state of the art at the time. From a full charge, the car gets 250 miles from the main batteries alone. Its mirrored surface is crammed with photovoltaic cells that help keep the batteries charged while in use. The car generates electricity from the motion of the axles and wheels to further recharge the batteries. The Harmony also senses when you're going downhill and it will reduce power consumption in the engine making this one of the most energy efficient production vehicles ever made. The mayor of Rhinelander before Thaddeus had ordered a fleet of them when they were first being made, but almost every single one of them were traded away for goods. I was remarkably fortunate that this one was kept. It allowed me to make it to Terre Haute in one day.
When I got there, though, it was already dark. I didn't want to use the headlights because I was no longer getting solar energy and the batteries were nearly dead. Using the headlights would only speed that process up. Unfortunately, it was getting so dark, I had to use them,but I limited it to a few seconds here and there. I finally found the road that led to their house. It looked just like I remembered. There didn't seem to be any signs of distress or disturbance, so I parked the car in the driveway and got out.
Upon hearing my door slam, I was met with a shout of, "WHO'S OUT THERE?" It was Wallace. I couldn't see him well, but I was sure he had his rifle aimed at me. I answered back that it was me, and he cussed up a storm out of happiness to see me. He eagerly invited me in, and shook my hand so hard, I thought my arm was going to fall off after my hand was crushed. He yelled up to Temperance to come down, and he brought me into the den where Hector was reading. Hector looked up, and he almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. I made it! I made it to Rhinelander, and came back for them!
When Temperance was down, we gathered in the kitchen. They had just ate and offered me some left over stew and biscuits. I took a bowl of stew (those biscuits...so easy to pass on them). I had so much to tell them. All the good. All the bad. All the extremely ugly. I saw the horrified look on their faces when I described the gargoyles and the nest they came from. I also told them there was no cure, and when I bring them back to Rhinelander, they'll have to keep that front going. After a moment, they decided they could handle that. Hector noticed Kat wasn't with me, and I told them she's back in Rhinelander helping the children with the grieving process. She's doing just fine.
They asked what happened to Johnathan, and I simply failed at concealing a reaction. My face went to anger, then quickly to sorrow. I didn't know whether or I should tell them exactly what happened, but I decided this was something I shouldn't talk to them about without Kat being present. I just said Johnathan didn't make it. They asked what happened, and I told what little truth I could. He was eaten by a cannibal. Their faces went aghast, and Hector looked like he was ready to tear off someone's head with his one remaining arm.
Speaking of Hector, he looks good. He actually seems to have packed on a few pounds (obviously not picky about the biscuits). They've been treating him rather well, and Wallace has been doing a lot of hunting to keep everyone fed. Wallace also told me he noticed the zombie population thinning out recently, like they had some other place where they had to be, and my face went pale. He asked if I was alright, and I just told him I had a bad feeling about that, but I didn't know exactly why. I thought I'd wait and get them in Rhinelander before I talked to them about it.
Temperance is getting bigger, nearing seven months. Carrying triplets, she looks even bigger than she should be for how far along she is. I'm so glad they're all alive, especially Hector. He's the last remaining survivor of Lock Haven aside from Kat and me. Temperance would be a great help not just for Kat when it's her time to deliver our child, but to the community as well with her medical knowledge. Having Wallace there to help with hunting would only further cement his need in the community, and well, it would just be nice to have more friends there.
I told everyone to grab all their essentials and pack them in the car. We're heading back to Rhinelander tomorrow as early in the morning as early can be. I'm not going to get caught out in the dark again. Temperance gave me an extra set of blankets to make a bed out of the lounger in the den, and I just realized this is the first time in a while that I'm going to bed without being next to Kat. I know it's only one night, but I feel like I'm missing her so much as if I'm never going to see her again. Why am I even thinking like that? I'll be next to her in bed tomorrow.
Yes, there's always until tomorrow.
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