Free Infinity's Reach by Glen Robinson

repeated.
    “You do realize that stealing horses is a capital offense,” he said. “In years past, they have hanged people for stealing horses.”
    “Oh, come on,” Damien said. “This is the 21 st Century.”
    “Be that as it may, yesterday changed a lot of things. I suspect that people are going to need every horse and every bicycle they can find. And they can’t be wasted on some fools errand by a bunch of teenagers.”
    “What…what are going to do with us?” Ellie asked.
    “Well, marshal law’s been declared,” he said. “I would be within my rights to shoot the lot of you right here.”
    “Shoot us! No!” Kimmy said, standing on the rise above the creek, her wet sleeping bag draped over one arm.
    “Your Honor, please don’t shoot us,” Marcie said.
    “I ain’t no honor, but you’ll probably be seeing one soon,” he said, and I saw a twinkle in his eye. “I’ll have my boys here round up your horses and take them back to town. They’ve been confiscated by the authorities for emergency transportation use. And as for you five, I’ll give you three minutes to gather up your things and come with me. People have been looking for you.”
    We jumped out of our sleeping bags, pulled our jeans on quickly and grabbed everything and shoved it into our backpacks. Five minutes later, we followed the officer up steps beside the overpass to the top of the freeway. On the top, we saw a continuous line of cars laid out as if they had been stopped in mid journey, just as they had been. On the shoulder of the road stood a large wagon with big rubber tires, attached to two very large horses. The back of the wagon was surrounded by chicken wire on a metal frame, and a gate had been added to the back.
    “Get in,” the officer said. We followed his orders and climbed into the back of the wagon. After we did, I was surprised to see him put a padlock on the back gate.
    “Why the lock?” I asked meekly.
    “Because I have more important things to do than chase after a bunch of teenagers who think they can take whatever they want. Now sit down and shut up.”
    I did as he said. The officer climbed into the seat behind the horses as if he did it every day, shook the reins and the horses started moving.
    “You think the principal’s going to be pissed?” I asked Damien.
    “What do you think?” he said, staring back at me seriously.    Back to ToC
     
     

11 . separate ways
     
     
    ELLIE: EASTERN TENNESSEE: DAY 715
    Infinity paused, and I didn’t interrupt her. We stared at each other for a long moment, both of us realizing that the world we had known was gone. The fog still lay thick around us, and our mood became like the fog: heavy, dense, depressing.
    “That’s all I remember, Ellie,” Infinity said finally, her voice not directed at me, but more at herself.
    “I know. I don’t remember any more either.” I stared back at her and struggled to find something positive, something comforting, to say.
    “Well, my clothes are finally dry,” I said as brightly as I could. “That’s something at least.”
    Infinity took a deep breath. “Yup. It could be a lot worse. They could have caught us.” I shuddered when I thought of the men who had chased us last night.
    “I…don’t hear their voices anymore,” I said quietly. “That’s a good sign.”
    “I think they’re as lost in this fog as we are.”
    Suddenly I had an idea. “Then let’s retrace our steps. Let’s go back.”
    “Back?”
    “Yeah. We might be able to find our backpacks and our gear. We could even go back to Harmony and maybe that old woman would take care of us.”
    Infinity shook her head. “I got the idea that the only person she took care of was herself. Did you see how fat she was and how skinny everyone else was?”
    But I wasn’t that easily discouraged. “Look, do you have a better idea?”
    “Yeah. We do what Evangelist said and head west. He’s bound to catch up to us sooner or later.”
    “How, Finn?” I asked,