Arlo, as always, was the first to get up. He packed up what was left outside and checked to see that the batteries had a decent charge. To his surprise, Sparrow and Lane were already awake. They were cleaning up their own camp set up and organizing their camper for the trip.
"Looks like it's going to be another sunny day," said Lane as she saw Arlo. "We'll be able to get pretty far if the sun stays out to keep the batteries charged."
Arlo nodded. "Hopefully it stays like this for a few days."
"Sparrow told me about the idea of a convoy. I like it. How far were you planning on making it today?"
"At least through Wyoming. I'd like to make it to Colorado."
Lane nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
After cleaning up, Arlo started the engine and waited as Lane started up her own. Within the matter of minutes, the two RVs were on the road.
The sun rose, it's light shining in through the windows. Relle, Sage, and Cedar were all the next to wake up. Relle went to go join her siblings at the table.
"Where are we going?" Sage asked, still sleepy.
"We're headed towards Colorado," Relle said.
"Hey," said Cedar as he pressed his face against the window. "Sparrow and Lane are behind us. Are we traveling with them?"
"Maybe for a bit," Relle said, hoping that they would have another night of camping with the two women. "I suppose we are going the same route anyway."
"Can I sit up front with Arlo?" Cedar asked. "I'm a great navigator."
"Sure," Relle said.
Cedar sprung from his chair and ran up to the front of the RV.
Sage crossed her arms. "Why does he get to be a navigator?"
"Well, maybe next time you can," Relle answered.
Sage looked sourly out the window. "When will we see mom and dad?"
It was a question that Relle had been fearing.
"Listen, Sage," she said slowly. "I don't know where mom and dad are. I hope that they are safe someplace, but there's not a good way to find them." She tried and explained. "Someday, I hope, we can see them again, but for now...it's just going to be us."
"But I want mom and dad," Sage said stubbornly.
Relle had nothing to say to that. It was natural for Sage to want to see her parents, hell, Relle would have loved to see them again as well. However, the odds that either of them would ever see their parents again were very slim.
Sage stood up and glowered at Relle.
"I don't want it to be just you and Cedar, I want mom and dad." She stomped off, eventually sitting on the couch. She gave a loud sigh and refused to look in Relle's direction.
Awoken by Sage's surprisingly loud stomps, Madd sat up slowly from his sleeping spot on the floor. He glanced at Sage who only looked away from him with her face in a twisted expression.
Madd then looked at Relle. She sat at the table looking far too tired for someone who had just woken up.
Madd stood and began to brew a fresh pot of coffee in the percolator on the cook top. When it was made, he sat down across from Relle with two cups. He slid one of the coffee cups towards her.
"Thanks," Relle said, taking a sip.
"What happened?" He asked, gesturing to Sage.
"She's not all too happy to be stuck with me for all eternity," Relle said bitterly. "She wants to see our parents...I just think all this," she gestured to the camper. "Is a lot for her."
"It's a lot for everyone," Madd said. "If you told me a year ago that I would be traveling the country in an RV from the 1980's with my father and three random people from a farm...I'd never believe you."
Relle gave a small smile. "I just feel bad that she has to be going through all this...she's only eight."
"Do you think there's a chance that...in the long run, growing up like this might be better for her? Not that you didn't turn out...good, but maybe..."
"Maybe she'll get a better childhood?" Relle looked at Madd.
"It just seems like yours was full of a lot of work, hers won't have to be."
Relle thought for a long moment. She hadn't ever considered the idea that living after the end of the world could be a good thing. Surely Sage would have her own struggles, but they wouldn't be the same ones that Relle had to go through.
"Also, I have an idea of what might make her happy."
Madd got up and dug around the kitchenette. He walked back to Relle with a packet of instant cocoa mix. Relle smiled as she stood up to heat some water.
"Thank you, thank you," she said quietly to Madd.
He just gave sheepish smile and said, "I couldn't stay angry at someone who made me hot chocolate."
After a few minutes Relle had a warm cup of hot chocolate for Sage. She walked over to the couch and sat down beside her sister. Sage refused to look at her.
"Madd found some hot chocolate," Relle began, unsure of what to say. "I thought that maybe you'd like some."
Sage said nothing, but her eyes drifted to the mug in Relle's hands.
"I'm really sorry, you know," Relle continued. "If I knew where mom and dad were, I would go there. I would bring you and Cedar...and we could be a family again... I'm just as frustrated as you. I miss them. I wish they were here so they could tell me what I should do...but they aren't."
Sage finally looked up at Relle. "I miss them."
"Me too," Relle said she slowly handed the mug to her sister.
Sage grabbed the hot chocolate and took a sip. A small smile spread over her face. "Thanks," she took another sip.
As Arlo planned, they made it all the way through Wyoming without any problems. The roads were clean, for the most part, and the sun was strong and bright. Sparrow and Lane drove behind them for the entire drive.
Wyoming was a beautiful state, in Relle's opinion. As she sat in the back of the RV, she enjoyed the views. Rolling hills turned to mountains. Rivers flowed beside the road.
The sky was open and blue without a cloud to be seen. By the time they reached the border of Colorado, the severity of the cliffs and mountain sides had only intensified.
Arlo was determined not to stop; therefore, their lunch was a combination of leftover rabbit and canned beans. No one objected to this.
There was beautiful scenery all around them and the longer they drove, the more beautiful it seemed to become. For the first few hours of the drive, things went smoothly. Cedar and Arlo sat up front while Madd, Relle, and Sage sat in the back.
"So, what do you know about this place that Arlo's taking us in Arizona?" Relle asked.
Madd sat across from her, looking incredibly bored. "He hasn't really told me much. Apparently, the guy who started it is a friend of Arlo's, although I don't really know how. I think they met online."
Relle nodded. "What is this place?
"Some community. A lot of the people there are like Arlo, I think."
"Like Arlo?"
"You know, preppers...end times people...the people who think the world is gonna end," Madd shrugged.
"The world did end," Relle reminded him. It was no longer just a theory.
"Yeah, well, how do we know they predicted it? They could've just been lucky. Lots of people have predicted the end of the world and it's yet to happen until now," he said, almost annoyed with the conversation.
Relle nodded, she didn't disagree, but she still found it a crazy coincidence that Arlo's people happened to be right.
"How long did he think the world would end for?"
"Arlo? Probably his whole life. My mom said he got that idea when he was in his twenties and never really let it go. He thought the world would end at like three different times before it actually happened." It was impossible to ignore the clear irritation across Madd's face. He stared out the window at the passing scenery.
"Is that why he lived in the middle of nowhere?"
"Exactly," Madd said. "He used to live in California with my mom and I but...he just got really into the whole end-of-the-world thing."
"So, this community, they all knew the end was coming?" She asked.
"Supposedly, I think the guy who runs it has been living out there for years, waiting for the world to end. I guess he gave his coordinates to only select people whom he trusted." Madd said, he turned in his seat and pointed to the front of the RV. "See that piece of paper under the visor?"
Relle saw it and nodded.
"That's the coordinates." He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. Relle watching him with annoyance. He noticed her look and slowly put the cigarette back into the pack. "Sorry," he said, tucking the pack into his pocket once again. "I won't do it in here."
"Thanks," she said, genuinely thankful that he no longer wanted to fight her about it. "But why...why do you have to do it at all?"
"Because I just like them," he said simply.
The drive went by smoothly. Through Wyoming and into Colorado, Arlo drove. He drove for a decent distance within the rocky mountain state before pulling off onto a dirt road.
He found a pull off that overlooked a valley within the mountains. It was a beautiful place to camp for the night.