Chapter 2

* * * *

Kel and Terry reached the next town over from theirs in the early hours of the morning. As there were people there who knew their father and might recognize them, they decided to go straight to the bus station before the townspeople were awake. They planned on taking the first bus that would get them as far away as possible on the little money they had with them. Terry had counted what their mother had given them, surprised to find it was just over a hundred dollars. He and Kel had managed to save a bit over seventy-five dollars between them. That, they decided, they would hang on to and just spend the hundred.

“I guess we were being na?ve, thinking we could afford the bus,” Terry said a while later when they were outside of the town again. “The cash we have wouldn’t even cover one of us going anywhere far enough away to feel safe.”

“So we hitchhike,” Kel replied.

“We have to be visible to do that and by now Dad has to know we’re gone. So we’ll hike-hike. At least until we’re well away from here.”

“We better figure out where we’re going.”

Terry chuckled. “Yeah, that would help. Somewhere large enough that we’ll just be two more people among thousands.”

“We need a map,” Kel stated. “I bet they’ve got them at that gas station.” He pointed down the road. “We didn’t really plan all this out too well, did we?”

“Nope,” Terry agreed as they headed to the gas station. A few minutes later they had a map spread out on a picnic table behind the station. “Denver, Chicago, Kansas City, or St Louis? Okay, not KC. Not with Mom’s family there. With our luck we’d run into one of them.”

“Chicago’s too…big.”

“That’s what we’re looking for.”

Kel nodded. “But it’s too…I don’t know. Dangerous from what I’ve seen on the news?”

“Then Denver or St Louis?”

“Denver has mountains.”

Terry grinned. “St Louis has the Arch.”

“A lot of good that’ll do us. We could hide in the mountains if…” Kel’s mouth tightened angrily. “If he does try to find us.”

“And he might, just to show us who’s the boss. Damned bastard!”

“Then Denver it is?”

“Yeah.” Terry folded the map after checking to see what road they needed to get out of town heading west. “Once we get to I70 we can think about hitching a ride. I’m sure there’s rest stops or truck stops.”

Four hours later they were on the outskirts of a small city—and exhausted since they hadn’t slept—or even eaten—since leaving home the previous evening. There was a creek ahead of them, surrounded by trees and they decided they could camp rough beside it.

“We have,” Terry said, taking a couple of cans from his backpack, “pork and beans or stew.”

“I have—” Kel checked his pack, “—ravioli and spaghetti. I opt for spaghetti.” He tossed the can to Terry to open and they took turns eating from it after Terry pointed out he’d forgotten bowls or plates.

Then they stretched out under some bushes by the creek, making certain they couldn’t be seen unless someone came close to them.

“This would be more fun if there were stars,” Kel said with a yawn.

Terry chuckled. “In the afternoon? I don’t think that happens.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Go to sleep, nut.” Terry realized Kel already had and soon he was as well.

* * * *

Three days later, they were standing at a truck stop on the edge of Aurora, Colorado. They thanked the driver of the semi, both for giving them a lift and telling them how to find the local bus that would take them into Denver proper.

“Food?” Terry said, looking at the diner connected to the truck stop.

“Hell yes!” Kel agreed. They’d eaten real food, not out of a can, just once. That was after the trucker had picked them up and then stopped at a truck stop for his own dinner.

Once inside, the first thing they did was spend a few minutes in the washroom cleaning up as much as possible. Terry’s hair, coppery-blond and—according to his father—too long, was snarled and it took him a while to comb it out. Kel’s reddish-brown hair was short enough he had no problem taming it.

Then they found an empty booth, shed their backpacks, and sat. Seconds later it seemed, a cheery young waitress came over, asking if they’d like coffee as she handed them menus. Her gaze was locked on Terry, causing Kel to grin as he replied, “I’d like a soda, please.”

“Coffee for me,” Terry told her, picking up the menu.