“So, thirty-five miles to go until we’re there,” said Stella.
“Do you think we can make it before dark?” asked Mercury.
Stella shrugged and swallowed another bite of sandwich. “I’m going to try like hell, but it really depends on whether we run into more creepy men. Also, we haven’t gone through a town yet, so we have no clue what we’re going to find when we reach Warm Springs.” She paused contemplatively before adding, “Karen, can you tell if we can take that little side road around Warm Springs to Madras?”
Karen squinted at the map. “It loops around and crosses the Warm Springs River, but then it looks like it feeds directly into the town.”
“And wasn’t that just a kinda crappy side road?” Imani said. “This weather and crappy roads do not seem to mix.”
Karen nodded. “From the glimpse I got as we drove past, I believe it looked pretty rough—like it was an old state highway in disrepair. We are on reservation land, which means poorly maintained roads and schools. The only thing well maintained would be poverty.” She shook her head in disgust. “As if pushing Indigenous people off their ancestral lands isn’t bad enough.”
“Karen, you sound awfully liberal,” quipped Mercury.
Karen didn’t even look up from the map. “That’s not being liberal. That’s just being a decent human being. And I agree with Imani. Taking a side road we don’t know in this weather isn’t a good idea.”
“Okay, then we stay on 26 to Warm Springs and hope for the best. We’ll revisit the side road thing if the highway gets dicey,” said Stella. “Y’all agree?”
The three women nodded, then Imani sighed. “I hope we’re done with the crazies. Those poor kids have been through enough.”
As if on cue, Gemma rapped hard against the rear window. The four women jumped and then turned quickly to see the teenager gesturing wildly at the open camper shell as she mouthed, “FOG!”
“Oh shit!” Imani said. “Fucking green fog!”
The breeze had picked up as they’d come off the mountain, until it’d become a pretty decent tailwind. And now in that wind they could clearly see emerald green. It hugged the ground, but was definitely being pushed forward toward them.
“Time to go!” said Stella.
“I’m going to stay up front.” Mercury opened the passenger door and braced herself against the stinging rain.
“I’ll get in the back with the kids,” said Karen. “Imani, you coming with me?”
“Yeah, coming!”
As Imani got out of the cab, Mercury snagged her arm. “I left the rifle back there. It’s loaded, but the safety is on.”
Imani nodded. “Want me to bring it to you?”
“Can you shoot it?”
Imani shook her head. “I could shoot the pistol, but I have no idea what to do with that long gun.”
“Rifle,” Mercury said. “Yeah, bring it up here.”
“Fast!” said Stella.
“Will do!” Imani sprinted to the back of the truck.
“Is that green crap going to chase us the whole way to Madras?” Mercury asked.
“No clue,” said Stella as she drummed her fingers impatiently against the wheel. “But the wind definitely isn’t blowing forty miles per hour, which is the pace I’m going to try to keep between here and there.”
Gemma appeared, carefully carrying the rifle. “Imani said to bring this to you. Is it okay if I take a turn up here?”
“Yeah, yeah, get in kid!” Stella grumped.
Mercury double-checked the safety on the rifle, put it carefully behind the seat, and then slid to the center of the bench so that Gemma got in beside her and closed the door. Stella immediately put the truck into gear and accelerated.
“Hey, you know this rain isn’t just rain, right?” Gemma looked around Mercury to Stella. “It’s ice rain. That means it’s slick.”