Mike and Marie sat in the cab of the truck watching the camp as the engine ticked the seconds off. It seemed normal and safe. Mike again began slowly driving down the rutted road. Turning into the entrance, he pulled off onto a short, expanse of shoulder just past the gates. He set the parking brake and left the engine running. They looked around. A column of grey smoke rose from beyond the nearest row of campers, but they saw no people about.
“Kind of quiet,” said Marie.
“Yeah. Probably most of them have been driving all night and half the day, just like us. What do you say we just stay here on the outskirts? We’re only staying the night anyway. If we get up and get moving early we can make the border by tomorrow night.”
“All right,” she said.
Mike turned the engine off. He sat for a moment, his hand resting on the hard outline of the .38 in his pocket. Marie didn’t know he carried it all the time now, and he’d decided to keep it that way. The thug in the garage had brought reality home. If you owned a gun, but didn’t have it on you when you needed it, it was worthless and you were prey. That’s all there was to it.
He and Marie got out of the truck. He decided not to set the stabilizers in case they had to leave in a hurry. Going around to the back of the camper, he called, “Elly, time to come out.”
“But I’m not finished.”
Mike opened the back door. Elly was reaching into her little, portable doll house, which sat on the dinette table.
“You have to help your mom, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Mike left the door open. Marie began untying the folding camp chairs and table from the rack on the back of the camper.
“I’m going to take a look around the camp,” he said. “I’ll be back in about ten minutes or so.”
Marie nodded. “Okay. I’ll be getting things ready for dinner.”
Mike walked off. Between the first and second rows of campers he saw only one old couple sitting out in lawn chairs. They waved as he went past. He found more life further in, one big clan of travelers, probably extended family and neighbors, sitting around a big fire that was sending up the plume of smoke he’d spotted earlier. An old man was strumming a guitar and singing an old folk song in a weak voice as Mike walked past.
“Where you from?” someone called to him.
Mike turned to see a man about his own age. “Near La Crosse,” he said, “headed up to Canada.”
“What’s happening down there?”
“Shortages, food and fuel, lots of transients coming through.”
The man nodded. “Yeah, I know, thieves and criminals. We’re going to our place up near the border, off in the woods. A big spread. About five families will be settling there.”
“Any news?” said Mike.
The man shook his head slightly. “Just what we hear on the AM radio ... skirmishes, peace feelers, more skirmishes. The main event ain’t started yet.”
Mike nodded and moved off. He walked the equivalent of two blocks to the end of the camp, turned and started back on the other side. He was almost to the end when he saw Elly and a boy about her age leaving the camp and walking along a foot-path that led into the woods. He hurried up to them.
“Elly? Where are you going?”
She and the boy turned. The boy’s face was composed, innocent, but Mike wasn’t buying it.
Elly’s face was devoid of guilt or concern. “We’re going to see some kittens, Daddy. Josh knows where they are.”
“Did you ask Mommy?”
“No-oh,” Elly said slowly with childlike, mock coyness. “We’re not going far, Daddy.”
“I don’t care. You’re not supposed to go off by yourself. C’mon. We’re going back.”
The boy’s face darkened in annoyance, but he said nothing.
“Sorry,” Elly said to him. “I can’t go.”
The boy frowned and said nothing. He walked off.
After they were out of earshot of the boy Mike said, “You know you’re supposed to ask before you go off like that.”
“Sorry, Daddy. He’s a nice boy.”
“It doesn’t matter.” They came into view of their camper. “Those are the rules.”
“Okay.” Elly said nothing further, not wanting her mother to know.
Marie had set up the aluminum table and chairs and was going through the picnic cooler as they walked up.
“What’s for dinner?” said Mike.
Marie didn’t look up. Mike could tell by the look on her face that she knew something had happened, and would bring it up with him later. “Well,” she said, “hamburgers, some beans out of the can.”
“Hamburgers again?” said Elly.
“Who in the world doesn’t like hamburgers,” said Mike with a forced laugh. “I’ll get some firewood and get a fire going.”
Mike and Marie made small talk, enjoying the pink sunset clouds of early evening as they sat close to the campfire. Elly had her earphones on, listening to one of her CDs. The people camped across from them were quiet, with only an occasional laugh or coughing spell reaching them.
Later Mike and Marie lay quietly in the double bed. Neither slept. Starlight glowed through the overhead light tube. When Elly’s rhythmic breathing signaled she was sleeping, Marie said, “What happened with you and her before dinner?”
“I saw her walking off into the woods with some kid.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Marie, “that’s my fault. I didn’t see her leave.”
“It was probably innocent,” said Mike. “They said they were going to see some feral cats… kittens. But I told her she couldn’t go, that she was supposed to ask one of us first.”
Marie didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Then, “She’s lonely.”
“I know.”
“At least at home we could have Lily and Lucy over.”
“Yeah,” said Mike. Lily and Lucy were neighbor girls a block down from them. Six and eight years of age, they were an odd set of friends for Elly, as she was seven or so years older than them and towered over them. Still, they had been happy playing together.
“How much longer do you think it will take to get to the border?” said Marie.
“I think we can get there by tomorrow night. Or, if we get tired of driving, by the next day.”
Marie ran her hand along his arm. “Good. You’re a good driver. How hard do you think it’s going to be to cross over the border?”
Mike closed his eyes. “I don’t know.” He tried to sound just the right balance of hope and realism. “There’ll be an application process, a wait.”
Marie snuggled against him. Mike raised his head to look over at Elly. She was asleep. He pulled Marie closer.