The Silver Death

chapter twelve - driving lessons

He throws Vale's limp body over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. I do not care that he is unconscious, pointing my gun at Vale's swinging leg. "What was that?"

"Get him a change of clothes," he says gruffly, avoiding my question. "And put that gun down."

I reluctantly slide the pistol into my holster. Fox has retrieved a spare shirt from the back. Edward lays him against the van, stripping off his now crimson with blood shirt. "Get a water and wash his hands off. Make sure his hands are uninjured; the plague might have gotten into his bloodstream if his knuckles are split." Fox nods, pouring a bottle of water over his bloody arms with shaking hands.

Alli has started to cry. Patrick puts an arm around her shoulders and leads her to a rock, where they sit down. Matthew looks like he would like to cry as well, but I know I'm not going to comfort him if he does. Instead, I stop Edward on his way to the front of the truck.

"What was that?" I hiss. "What happened to him? I'm sick of you people being so vague about everything!"

"You'll find out soon enough." He turns to face me, but his reserved brown eyes look anywhere but my face. "Wouldn't believe me if I told you now."

In response, I sneer at him. "What if that Foamer - that, that lady - had been one of our people?"

"No one is stupid enough to provoke him, especially not after this." He rolls his eyes at me, which makes me even angrier. "We aren't leaving yet, but Vale won't be able to drive tomorrow. You want to take the wheel?"
"Not necessarily." I'm hoping he'll drop it, feeling embarrassed for not knowing how to drive, but he does anything but that, continuing on nonchalantly.
"Alli and Patrick don't know how to drive. Fox needs to calm Vale down, so that's another two out. I'm driving all the way back. You and Matt could take the front seat, if you'd like."
My cheeks redden as I finally admit the truth. "I don't know how to drive."
"Does Matt?"
"I think so." I turn around. "Hey! Matthew!"
He looks up from where he's sitting by the truck. His face is pallid and his fists are clenched. "Y-Yeah?"
"You know how to drive?"
"W-Well, yeah, but..."
"Good. You'll have to teach me." We start towards the front of the truck. Edward taps me on the shoulder and looks at both of us. "Only drive about a mile and then come back. We're setting up camp here, it's only about thirty miles from Denver." We both nod and pile into the front, me in the driver's seat.

Matthew looks at me expectantly. "Keys are in the ignition."

I find them and turn them nervously. The truck fires on. I look at him, helpless and confused, an eighteen-year-old who doesn't know how to drive.

"Alright. Look up there." He points to the little space behind the steering wheel. "See that P? It stands for park. Now, you're going to take the shifter -" he continues, pointing to a lever sticking out from behind the wheel, "And shift it until it says R. While you're shifting it, ease onto the brake pedal." I know the brake pedal, and hesitantly slide my foot onto it and grab the shifter thingy with a sweaty hand. I've shifted it, but am afraid to let go. When I do, the truck starts a gentle climb backwards. In a panic, I slam onto the brake and both of us lurch forward.

"Well, uh...that was okay. Now, take your foot off the brake and look in your mirror. There's nothing there." Except for a few dead humans, I almost say. He continues. "I want you to slowly press on the gas until we're past the car that Edward is at. When you do, I want you to rapidly turn the steering wheel towards me, and ease off the gas." He emphasizes ease, especially after our fiasco earlier.

I nod and move my foot to rest on the gas. I very gently press down, craning my neck to make sure I don't hit anyone or anything. Soon enough, I can see the periwinkle Honda CRV that Vale is laying in, Fox stroking his hair from my windshield. Edward has moved from helping Vale into said car to kicking Foamers away from our campsite, looking particularly angry. I look away from him, Matthew smiling at me. "Turn it towards me."