When time stood still (closed for BreezySnow)

He sighed and walked over to a patch of bare sand just outside her fence,

"Look at those foot prints."

He walked normally over the ground and pointed out the difference to her,

"Now if I do this."

He did a half-shamble, dragging his feet and it was an almost carbon copy of the prints he showed out to her,

"Now I am quite certain that if one person walked like this, he was injured, but all three sets looks like this. Now that means that there is something up. Now I am not certain what, but as far as I know, when people are suddenly without government they tend to go back to feudality as it is the basis of the human condition. When the basics of why we are as we are, are removed, most people would resort to what they believe is the survival of the fittest."

He motioned in the direction which the prints led,

"They could be there already and could have a need to kill us for the jeep, weapons, food and clothing. I'd rather make my way to DC and from there do my thinking and survival."

Jacy sighed. What Chris was saying made sense in the part that they shouldn't all have the same type of prints that looked injured. Maybe it was best to not investigate and to head to the DC area. They may find others like her and Chris that holed up somewhere and are now looking for survivors.

"Okay, I get what you are saying and I agree we should head towards DC. But I am still wondering why they would turn so quickly if what you are saying is true. Wouldn't it normally take people a while to change? I hate to admit this, but I am really worried and maybe even a little scared." Jacy said as she looked at Chris.

He patted her shoulder,

"I have no idea why they walk like that, to be honest, I have no idea what's going on at all. We were clearly in some sort of fight and it seems like the planet got demolished, that is about all I can say if I look at the carnage."

He motioned to the Jeep,

"Let's get going, the faster we get to DC, the quicker we can get answers."

He got into the seat, waited for the two to join him and swung the Jeep into the road leading away from town, maneuvering around holes and craters as he drove.

"So what kind of training do you offer your classes?"

When he patted her shoulder Jacy felt a jolt, she wasn't sure what is was since she had never felt it before. She got into the jeep as he suggested and made sure Charlie was sitting and secure in the back. She was listening to Chris talk but wasn't really hearing what he said. He looked at her expectently and she realized he asked her a question. She thought for a second and then realized he asked about her job.

"I mainly teach fitness classes, but have also done some personal training and a few self defense classes too. I also work part time at the local high school for some of the sports teams. I show them how to exercise safely. And what is it you do exactly?"

She turned her head to look at him. She noticed he had a nice ruggedness about him, a firm jaw, full lips. Jacy shook her head to clear these thoughts. She had to stop thinking this way, for now at least!

He gave her a sideways glance,

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you..."

He kept that threat hanging for a few moments before he favored her with a grin,

"Just kidding, as you have noticed before, I'm a marksman, I have been drafted to join the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta...also known as Delta Force. That means that what I know already, they'll use to make me even better."

He stared at the rutted road ahead of them,

"Seems like the only thing I ever aimed to do when I joined up and now even that might have been taken away from me as well."

"How do you figure it will be taken away? I mean if we are being attacked I would think you would be in high demand, right?"

Jacy reached back and scratched Charlies head.

"I know Charlie and I feel a bit safer knowing we have a markman here with us in case of danger. Not that I want danger, but it does make me feel a bit better." Jacy turned and smiled at Chris.

He returned her smile when he glanced at her, swerving around a pothole created by falling debris,

"If what I have seen so far holds true for the rest of the country...there will be no more military installations and with that...no more Delta Force."

He drove on the shoulder of the road, then drifted back on to the blacktop as the craters and potholes started to clear up. He kept a relatively low speed, conserving diesel, making it easier to dodge debris and holes and also gave him time to scan their surroundings,

"I am glad that I could make Charlie and yourself feel more secure, that is a small consolation."

They drove in silence for awhile, watching the road and their surroundings. Nothing happened and the day progressed on. It was about time for supper and Jacy suggested they pull over so she could walk Charlie and they could get some food and drink for all of them. She pointed to a spot off the right side with a tree they could use for shade but a lot of open area so they could not have anyone or anything sneak up on them. Chris pulled over and Jacy got out and let Charlie out also. Charlie wandered around a bit but never too far from Jacy. Jacy and Chris got out some stuff to make some sandwiches and a couple drinks. Jacy then grabbed Charlies bowls and put some dry dog food in one bowl and some water in the other one and put it in the shade of the tree also. When they sat down and had started eating Jacy asked Chris, "So, what are your plans for us to sleep? You do realize we all will need to sleep and stretch out eventually, right? I mean you aren't a machine and can't drive for a week straight with no sleep."

He smiled at her,

"Well who knows, maybe I'm a prototype soldier, genetically enhanced to go days without rest and stay as sharp as in the beginning."

He took a swallow of water,

"If we come to a reasonable shelter I'll get some rest, I have ways of securing an area and as long as you and Charlie stay in that area we'll be golden."

He finished his meal and helped her to pack away their stuff and after a brief bathroom break they got underway again.

Jacy rolled her eyes at the genetically enhanced comment. It was good to know he could make jokes at least, a sense of humor is good at times like these.

Jacy called Charlie and loaded him back in the jeep. As she was putting the seat back she stopped and looked, she thought she saw something in the tree line across the road.

"Chris, I am not sure, but I think we are being watched. I thought I saw something move in the trees over there when I was putting Charlie in the jeep." Jacy stated. "What should we do?"

"Cougar. Nothing much to do about them. The wildlife is quite...daring. We should be fine in the Jeep."

He slid in behind the wheel and waited for Jacy to get in, he glanced in the direction of the shadowy hunter and wondered if this was the same cat or a different one. It's the fourth one he'd seen in a week now and that could not me a coincidence...or maybe it was? He shook his head, started the engine and drove off, following the road leading North. He decided to tell her about the cat,

"Well to be honest, it's been the fourth time I've seen a cougar since I've set out. I am not certain if it's the same and if it's a different one every time."

"You mean a cougar could be stalking you? Don't they usually have a certain hunting area? Why would it stalk you? Wait, unless you are the only think for it to hunt! Shit, that means nothing has survived but us and that cougar so far! That is not a good sign! I will have to be extra careful with Charlie! I am not liking this, I am actually a little scared and that isn't normal for me", Jacy said.

Chris patted the butt of the M-4,

"I'll handle it when the time comes."

There wasn't more to say about it, he knew that if the cougar was the same and were intending on making a move on them, he would kill it. He glanced at Charlie,

"So Charlie, I think that your squirrel and rabbit chasing days are counted for now, I do believe that you will not starve without their nutrition though."

Of course the ears pricked up at the mention of his name, but the rest of the words washed over the dog as Chris knew it would. He was more trying to set Jacy at ease, he needed that because when somebody did decide to try and take them out, Chris had to know that he could count on her to keep her calm. He gave the dog a smile and a quick ruffle behind the ears,

"It could be different cougars as well, like I said, the wildlife doesn't appear as timid as one would think. It's been a week and I think they know that something is up."

"Yeah, that makes sense. They may just be looking for food like we are, only thing is they are thinking of us as food. Oh well, they will have to look elsewhere." Jacy stated. "Hey, I think there is a tree across the road up there. Wonder if there was a storm out here this past week also."

Jacy kept watching around looking for the cougar and anything else that didn't seem right. The tree being down put her senses on high alert. She didn't remember hearing any storms going over while her and Charlie were down in the storm cellar. Although a storm could have happened here and not come her way, it was highly unlikely since they weren't that far away from her home yet.

Chris looked at the tree, it looked more like a strong wind had pushed it over, there was space to squeeze past on the shoulder, he took that gap, "Looks much more like wind damage, though the roots does tend to give out only with rot and erosion. Or when a very strong wind upends it, but I can't recall a wind like that, but then again, it could have moved away and that is why I don't know about a wind."

He indicated the surrounding area, "Not enough water damage to have been a storm, I hope that we don't catch some rain though, we got warned that rain after a nuclear blast in the upper atmosphere are much more likely to induce illness and death than anything else."