The Afterdom - part 2

I don't know how many times I have yelled at the darkness, demanding to know why this happened. 

"Not again!" Rave yells as drops of acid rain begin to burn beebee sized wholes in his leather jacket. 

We all take cover under the hollowed out shell of an old silverado. 

"This looks like grandpa's truck," Patty says - a tear trickling down her cheek. I hate it when she cries. Such a waste of the only good water left on the planet.

"That's ridiculous. Grandpa's been dead for almost ten years," I grumble back. "Even if it was his, he would have never left it parked on this side of town."

"Like you have a clue where we are!" she retorts.

"I know exactly where we are."

Rave tosses in his two cents. "Right.... We've been wandering around this wasteland for weeks because you know exactly where we are."

"I'm trying to keep us alive!... I would love to lie out on a beach just soaking up the radiation, but I'd rather not shrivel up and die from dehydration."

Every once in awhile, we do run across a can of soda or a bottle of beer that has managed to keep its seal. My favorite was the can of cold tomato soup. Mmmmmm good.

"What are we fighting for, Tommy?" Patty blubbers just above her breath. I know I should be more compassionate, but all I can think about is why she allows all that precious moisture to leak from her face.

"Stop crying already... just stop it!" Fussing at her only makes it worse, but I don't care anymore. She needs to grow up and stop acting like such a baby.

"What if we are not the only ones who survived?" 

"And what if the Easter bunny leaves us a basket full of delicious chocolates in the morning?" Rave says sarcastically.

"Why don't you shut up!"

"Why don't you shut up!" 

"Both of you shut up!" Finally, Patty's got a little fire back inside of her. "What if...." she demands.

"We haven't been wandering in circles for nothing," I answer. "I have been mapping every inch of the two square miles we've been scavenging - and the four before that. There's nothing left to eat or drink. We have to move east."

Rave straightens his spine. "East?" Unabashed fear crawls across his fury face. "That is the worst idea you have ever had." Patty silently agrees, but is too weak to put up another fight.

"Fine. Stay here and die, but I'm leaving as soon as the rain clears."

With the force of a grizzly, Rave grabs my shoulders and pulls me inches away from his face. If I hadn't known him since we were both five, I might be afraid.

"You know what's across the valley...."

"Yes... I do.... but there is no other way."

"There's got to be another way!" Rave shoves my shoulder into the steering wheel of the trucks, almost dislocating it. Then he practically punches his fist through the roof of the cab. I have never seen him so emotional, but I guess the thought of revisiting the place where his whole family disintegrate before his very eyes is more than he can take. 

Rave's lungs immediately start to enflame. We learned early on that we have to be careful not to over extend  ourselves, but Rave has to be extra careful - being asthmatic and all. He does have an inhaler, but tries not to use it. Both Walgreens and CVS took direct hits, so he is fully aware that the odds of us stumbling across lifesaving medicine out here are slim to none.

He collapses to the ground, gasping and wheezing uncontrollably. Patty puts her ear to his chest to see how bad it really is. When she looks up, I can tell it isn't good.