Eastern Adventures

Watching as an open top vehicle pulled its way into the parking lot and shut off its engine Haley motioned with her hand telling Sophia to cautiously make her way towards the back door of the building. With a nod Sophia took some old and stale crackers from the counter and broken them apart on the floor to attract the dog she had seen sitting in the back seat of the car as it pulled in. Making sure to spread the crumbs around evenly she then headed to the back office and passed through the back door into a rear alleyway, across her shoulder rested a dufflebag full of supplies she had managed to find in the gas station, Thankfully it seemed that the rural location of the gas station kept it a nearly pristine place.

Making her way around the corner Sophia waved towards Haley from the wall nearest their vehicle, seeing that she had made it out of the building before their new arrival had entered Haley kept her weapon drawn on the woman as she watched her step out of the car and let a small dog run off towards the inside of the station. Luckily it seemed that the crackers had done their job as he ran straight past her and Katey paying them little mind. Her rifle never leaving the woman's figure as she crossed the distance to the building Haley waited for her to step through the door and address her now barking dog before making their presence known. Getting to her feet she motioned for Kat to stay put before motioning for Sophia to follow her. Waiting for the young girl to close the distance before taking a deliberate step into the station.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Haley spoke quick and to the point, Motioning Sophia to take her side she glanced over to make sure she did so before looking the woman over, a long black hoodie of sorts draped her figure and she was dressed nearly completely in black. A look that wouldn't have looked out of place on herself, but fashion was the least of their concerns at the moment. Looking the girl over as she waited for her response Haley kept herself in a defensive stance, her rifle not leaving her form.

Taking a steady breath as she brought her rifles sights to rest on the woman's head Haley kept her eyes bouncing between her hands and feet watching for any sign of her making a move. Feeling a small hand tug on her shirt from behind Haley motioned for Katey to step back to the car where their gas canister was before looking to Sophia before nodding at her telling her to stay the course and watch the woman in front of them as she spoke. Shortly Haley listened as the woman began to speak about how they had just stopped for gas and that they would be on their way after that, There was a problem there though, They had just siphoned the gas that was available around the station and there was only enough for one car. Looking to the car the woman had driven in on as she listened to her speak further, looking to the car she could see the small tuft of hair of a child sticking over the dash, a fact that was only cemented when the door popped open and a girl no more than eight or nine asked if everything was okay.

Judging by the way the woman spoke and the fact that her daughter was not a fabrication Haley looked between the woman and Sophia for a moment before nodding to Sophia telling her to lower her weapon, waiting for her to do so Haley mouthed to her. 'Watch her closely though.' Looking at the girl before seeing her nod in acknowledgment Haley then lowered her own rifle with the barrel pointed to the ground, Her finger adjusting to rest at a position directly above the trigger.

"We won't hurt you unless you attack us." Haley responded to the woman's pleas. It wasn't like they had any ill intentions, they were just being cautious. The woman went on and seemed extremely adiment that she wasn't giving them her car. "We don't want your car." Haley said again before motioning Sophia to fetch her bag that she had left behind the counter.

"We don't want anything you have, We were just getting gas ourselves and you rolled up. I got these two to look after, Can't be too cautious." Haley said as she let her rifle drape from her short strap causing it to dangle directly in front of her. Moving towards the car with their gear as well as her younger sister Haley grabbed the gas can as she saw Sophia shuffle her way back around the counter fetching her dufflebag of loot.

"We actually had just finished Siphoning what gas we could out of here, there's only enough for one car." Haley explained as she looked to the car the woman had been driving as well as the girl that rested in it. If the girl wasn't there then there would have been no question in her mind that the gas was theres and the stranger was just shit out of luck, But she was and that fact alone caused Haley to reconsider her approach.

"You said you were heading north right? What's up north?" She asked before approaching Sophia as she came out of the door. Taking the bag from her she heard as the girl spoke. "I expect three snickers and a bag of reeces." She said before leaning against the car next to Katey.

Staying silent as she let the girl explain what was in the north Haley looked to the two girls before back to their new guest. "I'm Haley by the way, This here is Katey and the redhead is.." She explined before being cut off by a stomp from Sophia. "That hurt you know."  Haley said looking to the redhead who just shrugged and shot her a gaze saying 'don't you dare tell her.'

"We call the loud mouth here Red, She hates her name." Haley teased before going serious again.

"So we have a hickup it seems, we both need the gas but there's only enough for one vehicle. We have an SUV ourselves, we can fit a few more if you want, although with how nice that car is I'm gonna assume you don't want to part with it either."

Looking to girl for how she would respond she waited for her to respond before going further.

Watching the woman closely as she bent down to grab her makeshift weapon Haley reactivity tensed up for a moment as she got to her feet and began to approach her, Moving her finger slightly closer to her trigger she relaxed again after seeing that she did little more than walk straight passed her and back to her car. Letting the dufflebag of supplies slide off her shoulder Haley tapped Sophia and held it out to her. "Go take it to the truck, put it in the back." She said in a low tone before looking back to the woman as she began to answer her question.

Moving closer to her as she spoke Haley listened as she began explaining that her fiance was hopefully up in Maine and that she hadn't seen him in some time. 'So you're in the same boat as us eh?' Haley thought as she listened to her speak further about how she thought it would be good for not only her but her daughter as well. Nodding to the woman's words Haley waved her hand telling Katey to come to her, a sign that was quickly obeyed by her younger sister who got to her feet and came to stand slightly behind her. Looking back towards the SUV she saw that Sophia had just finished placing their supplies in the back of the vehicle and saw that she was now pointing towards the gas can. Nodding to the girl as she knew what she was wanting to know Haley watched the redhead for a moment longer as she fetched the gas can from the last car as well as the hose they used to siphon fuel from the cars.

Turning back to the woman as she heard her speak further Haley returned her hand to rest at the end of her weapon as she listened to the girl introduce herself and her daughter, as well as their puppy who was currently at her feet trying in vein to dig his teeth into her steel toed boots. Barely noticing the sensation due to the build of her shoe Haley shook her foot to get the dog off before hearing the young girl Rosa tell her that the dog belonged to her, Having a soft spoke for children just like her brother Haley looked down to the girl with a genuine smile. Letting her right hand fall from her weapon Haley crouched down to be at the girls level and pet Droopy a couple of times. "Is he now? Well, He's a very pretty dog isn't he?" She said to the young girl in the same tone she used with her own. Speaking of her own it seemed that Katey was feeling a great amount of envy as she looked on.

"Yes Katey?" Haley asked her sister with a small smile in her direction, she knew what she wanted but she wanted her to say it.

"Um.. Can I pet him?" She asked her, But that's not what Haley wanted.

"Kat. Is it my dog?" Haley asked with a look to her sister.

"Oh.. Uh.. No, I guess not." Kat responded before briefly looking to the ground. Looking back up to the woman and young girl before them she looked them both in their eyes. "Ma'am, May I pet your dog?" She asked with a respectful tone in her voice. Justin had made a point early on to teach Katey as well as their other sister Kelly how to respect their elders, a teaching that Haley had made a point to continue once she found herself alone with her in the post apocalypse, if only she could instill it in Sophia.

Getting her answer Kat dropped to her knees with a cheer before petting the dog gently a few times. Smiling down at her Haley watched for a few seconds with a smile, it was always nice seeing Kat act like a kid with things like these, she hated that she had to force her to grow up over certain things instead of enjoying her youth, but maybe wherever Ysabel had in mind of going would be safe? It was worth a shot in any case.

Returning to the car Haley helped Kat into the back right seat before popping the back portion of the SUV open for their two new companions to place their belongings in. Getting into the drivers seat she looked to her right to see Sophia had decided she was going to be sitting in the passengers seat after she finished refilling the gas tank and storing the canister. "What are you doing?" Haley asked her.

"Um, Well, At the moment I'm sitting in a seat in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. What about yourself?" Sophia responded.

Pinching her nose Haley took a deep breath and looked at the girl again. "No. I mean, What are you doing in the front?"

"What you mean? This is my seat."

"Was your seat." Haley corrected. "But someone out ages you now. Back seat young lady."

Looking to the back seat where Katey sat Sophia frowned and opened her mouth to retort but was quickly hushed by a finger pressed against her lips shushing her.

"Fine, I get it. You guys have gwonup time then." She said visibly eritiated as she climbed her way through the center dash and sat herself in the center directly beside Katey.

Sorting that out for the time Haley looked to the back of the SUV to the two girls packing their stuff. "Ready when you are." She said in a quick sentence. Looking back towards the road she wondered what awaited them in Maine, as she thought further on it her thoughts fell to her siblings, Justin and Kelly, as well as Justin's Girlfriend Alexandra. 'Where are you guys?' She asked herself before looking to the left of their vehicle. Thanks to the rural location of the gas station it seemed that there were next to no undead around and so she didn't feel rushed at all. Looking back to the two girls in the back Haley watched them and waited for them to join them in the passenger area.

Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel while she waited for their new members to store there gear and get in the vehicle with them Haley watched them through the rearview mirror, While she had slightly more trust in the two than she would with others due to the fact there was a small child she stayed weary and cautious. Waiting for them to come around Haley watched as Ysabel began to climb in the back with her daughter before seeing Sophia climb in. "Up here Ysabel." She said as she drew the woman's attentions to the fact Sophia was climbing into the back allowing her to sit up front with her.

Smiling as she saw her take notice of this fact and move to sit in the passenger's seat Haley waited until she saw all the kids buckled up and Rosa holding on to her dog before she started the car and watched the gas gauge slowly spike back up to fool. Nodding at the sight Haley pulled back out onto the road and got to a moderate speed before she heard Rosa begin to tell Sophia and Katey about how they stumbled upon Droopy. To no surprise Katey was hanging on every word with baited breath while Sophia only glared at her, needless to say she was still upset that she had to give up her seat but she'd get over it.

Turning to face the road ahead again Haley used her free hand to shift her rifle out of the way of her feet in the floorboards of the car as she heard Ysabel ask about the two girls she had with her, Keeping her eyes on the road Haley adjusted the rear view so she could see the two girls talking with their new friend in the back seat and smiled at the sight before glancing at Ysabel as she began to answer.

"How long have I had them?" She repeated the question back to her before looking up at the rear view. "Kat's my little sister, she's been with me since the beginning." Haley said before looking back to the road, Making sure they were heading east Haley looked at her compass that rested on the dash before answering the second part of the question. "Red on the other hand we met in Colorado. We were looking for supplies and before I knew what was going on she was behind us." She said shooting a sly smile towards the back seat, she knew Sophia was listening, any time anyone mentioned her name or nickname she was after all.

"You made it so easy to be honest though H." Sophia retorted to hearing what Haley had to say. "I'd totally of had you too if you weren't some Navy super soldier badass or something." Sophia said before looking to Katey who was getting her attention for something.

Shaking her head Haley chuckled before eyeing Ysabel as she shed her jacket revealing a tattoo of a fox on her arm. "What's that?" She asked as she looked to Ysabel for her answer.

Hearing that it was a way for her to remember her fiance and that he was in a motorcycle club Haley raised an eyebrow, taking note of how she said that trouble liked to find her Haley nodded, she knew she was going to have to keep an eye on her, at least for a time or until she proved herself further than just the good faith and kind words she had said so far but she wasn't one to not give someone a chance.

"It's nice." She said before pulling up her left sleeve to reveal her own.



"I served in the Navy before all this, That's where Firebird back there got her nickname or whatever she calls it for me." Haley explained, taking a right back onto the main highway heading east Haley picked up a case of CD's from the floor and handed it over to Ysabel, "You got passenger seat. Mind being DJ?"

Looking back to the road as she heard Ysabel respond to her tattoo Haley chuckled as she heard her response, While she wasn't rude enough to outright tell people that she didn't like being thanked it still erked her whenever people did it. Offering Ysabel a short smile in response Haley tapped her fingers on the steering wheel in beat with the music that had been put on, to her happy surprise it was Elvis, Beginning to nod her head to the beat of the song Haley smiled, at least now she knew her new companion and herself had at least one thing in common.

Looking back to Ysabel as she heard her ask if she missed the Navy Haley stifled a laugh. "Ya know? If you were asking me before all this I would have told you 'Hell, to the No.'" She answered honestly before looking back to Katey and the other girls. "But now? Yea, I do." Her tone going quiet and somber as she looked to the three young girls that now occupied her back seat. A cute scene of Katey and Ysabel's daughter Rosa petting their dog met her. Haley's half hearted smile turning genuine at the sight Haley chuckled. 'Heh, And to think I was the chick that said she'd never have kids. Now look at me, I have three of them with me.' she thought to herself with a shake of her head as she looked back to the road ahead, They had just passed out of the city boarders and were back on the main highway.

"Hey Firebird. Where's the map?" She asked as she looked to Sophia in the backseat.

"How should I know? I'm not co-pilot anymore." Sophia responded, Haley could tell she was still annoyed about losing her spot in the front seat by the way she answered.

"Okay, Here. Let's make a deal. Ysabel is co-pilot but you'll be Navigation's Officer. Deal?" Haley asked trying to compromise.

"Navigation's Officer?" Sophia repeated back to her.

"Yea, I'll give you the map and you can tell us the quickest way to get to Maine. What you think?" Haley asked further before adjusted the rear mirror to look at the girl, she could tell that she was debating the offer which when it came to Sophia that was all you could really ask.

A few minutes of thinking later Haley heard the red head respond. "Okay. Fine. But I get candy when we take a break. Deal?" Sophia responded.

Laughing at the girls words Haley shook her head, rewarding her with candy sure had created a monster it seemed. "Alright, deal. But no stealing some before hand. I've got my eyes on you." Haley responded before leaning down to fetch the map from her pack. Handing it over her seat she waited for Sophia to take it from her "We just came out of Greenburge Tennessee heading east Firebird. Figure out the fastest way to Maine and let me know kay?" Haley ordered. Waiting for the sound of confirmation from the back seat Haley then looked back to Ysabel. "Before I ran into you she had the front seat and navigated for us, She's still a little annoyed about having to sit in the back." She explained to Ysabel before looking back to the road and listening to the music that was playing.

A few minutes later she heard Sophia speak up.

"We got a few options Blondie. We can either go around the great lakes staying in the states or we can pass through the land bridge crossing into Canada."

"Thank you soph-Red." Haley almost slipped her real name which earned a swift kick to the back of her seat. Looking to Ysabel in the passengers seat Haley smiled. "So what do you wanna do? Long way? Or a trip through Hockey Land?"

Adjusting the map that still rested in her lap after relaying her idea's to Haley Sophia looked to her right at Katey and the new girl Rosa as they continued to play pet the dog while talking about miscellaneous topics. Shaking her head at them Sophia looked back to the map and started tracing lines from the place Haley had told her they were at and outward trying to find the quickest way to Maine. Debating whether or not they should stay in the states and not risk running into another culture she first traced routes circling around the great lakes, but all of them seemed like they would take at least a couple of weeks to get through. Broadening herself she considered Canada and the land bridge that served to connect Michigan to New York or Vermont if they went further north. Deciding that Canada would be their best bet to get there fast Sophia let the map fall to her lap and relayed her thoughts to Haley who then bounced the idea off Ysabel.

Still disgruntled about losing her spot in the front Sophia ignored the woman's answer and quickly bounced her demands for her help off Haley, she knew she'd follow through with it as she had a "secret" stash in the back of the car underneath the third seat on the right, She had found it about a week ago and hadn't let on that she knew, a fact she abused here and there when she would swipe a few. She never took enough for Haley to notice though. Hearing Haley agree Sophia smiled, even though she knew where they were she always got a weird feeling in her chest when Haley gave it to her for a reward, The feeling, Unbeknownst to the young redhead was satisfaction for doing a good job.

Looking to the new girl in the front seat as she began to speak to her Red quickly shook her head and looked to her window. "Yea, I was. And before that I was pilot. Those days are over now though it seems." Sophia answered dismissively.

Listening to what was being said in the front part of the car as Haley asked for her seat thief's input on how they should go about getting to Maine Sophia kept her eyes glued to the outside world through the side window, she watched the trees and grass fields wiz by and thought about what might await them on the road ahead.

Having heard Sophia's idea's Haley nodded before looking to Ysabel for her input on the matter. Blowing air out of her nose in amusement as she heard her make a joke about Canadian health care she shook her head as she posed the thought that they may be doing better than they are. "Something tells me the answer to that is going to be a hard 'No.'." Haley answered with a shake of her head. "But that's the plan then. Canada. Here we come!" Haley said which earned her a cheer from her younger sister in the back seat. Looking to Sophia in the back seat Haley watched her through the rearview for a moment. "You good with that Red?" She asked.

"Yea, Whatever you think Blondie." Sophia answered as she returned the woman's gaze through the mirror, seeing her nod and smile Sophia shook her head. But inside she felt a good feeling, like she had done a good job.

---

That was a week ago now and the group now found themselves approaching the US/Canada border, Having crossed through one of the smaller border towns and replenished their fuel supplies once again at a small abandoned gas station Haley smiled as she looked at Sophia in the back seat who had thankfully gotten over the fact she had lost her Co-Pilot position and had also warmed up to their two new traveling companions.

"Alright, Ten minutes to the border, How you girls feel about taking a break and stretching your legs for a bit once we cross it and find a secluded area?" Haley asked as she looked to Ysabel and the girls for their answer. Chuckling lightly as she saw Sophia's eyes light up she nodded as she heard everyones response. Crossing the border in short order Haley made a point to search for a secluded piece of land nestled in the tree's. Parking the SUV in a grove of tree's a few minutes later Haley looked to the back seat as she turned the engine off.

"Alright girls, You know the drill. Katey, stay here while Red and I check it out, we'll come back for you once we know it's clear." Haley said before going quiet to let her sister answer. "Yes Ma'am."

Popping her door open Sophia brandished her pistol before shutting the door behind her and crossing to a nearby tree where she scanned the surroundings. Nothing was in sight but that didn't mean anything, Seeing as Haley did the same she watched to see if Ysabel would be joining them too before continuing her sweep.

A few minutes later the all clear was called and Sophia looked back to the car to see Katey instantly hop out and run to Haley. Shaking her head Sophia came to stand next to Ysabel.

"Hey... Umm, I guess you've been around long enough to know. Red's what I use with people I don't know, The names Sophia. You can call me Sophia, Soph, Sophie or anything like that."