"I'll send a few nurses out to homes. Maybe get with the teachers at the high school who know students with known siblings," Mrs. Wise said. Truth to her personally, she's a smart and decisive woman.
"The hospital will have records of all newborn babies and any child under twelve months. For those not in daycare, local clinics can aid them," Officer Kristensen said.
Suddenly, at that moment, my radio buzzes to life.
"Thomas! They're gone! Those idiots left, despite your warning. I don't know what to do. They just got up and left. They took one Jeep and headed out-of-town going south," Farrah explained in a serious tone.
'Fucking idiots! Who in their right mind would storm off into a sea of dead trees?'
"Listen, stay put. I'm going after them. Officer Orkan will be there shortly," I shouted into the radio.
"Okay Thomas, hurry please," she said, sounding worried.
I didn't need to ask Rhonda. She's already moving. My eyes went to the Officer. She knew to stay here with no one saying it aloud.
"I'll go with her," Cynthia said.
"If anything happens, bring them here," I said as we piled in the elevator.
Rhonda glances at me. My hands gripped the shotgun in my hands. The white of my knuckles is what she's looking at. Those kids are going to get themselves killed. 'Who knows what lies beyond the town?' After about ten miles, maybe fifteen. Everything around the town turned into a dead forest. As soon as the doors opened, I ran out. Time is not on my side regarding driving time and distance. It might be possible for me to catch them if they follow that direction and drive at a reasonable speed. If they didn't, maybe I'm fucked, too. Rhonda hit the pavement fast, lighting her sirens up. She's a smart girl. Anyone alive would hear the wailing, high-to-low yelping sounds of her sirens. The downside is anything else will too.
"Thomas, you there, over?" Orkan asked.
"Don't bother with the over part," I said.
"Well, I linked up with the troopers and a few others."
"It's like we thought. All women," he revealed.
"We have a problem. Those boyfriends of my sisters made a beeline for the city limits. I think they've already gone over the bridge to the mainland towards the crater mountain ring. So I'm going after them," I said.
"Fool! I'll be there as soon as possible!" he said.
I gave him a rough estimate of where I thought they were. As I pull off, the Jeep spins out in a southward direction. Sam barks in excitement, yet anxiety is there. Any other time, Sam is all for a good chase, but this is different.
_____
The sight of the Ford bridge brought me to a rolling stop. Rhonda pulls her patrol car up beside mine, and all I can do is look at her. She has a look of confusion clearly on her face, as sure as it's on mine. It took a moment for my eyes to process what I'm seeing. The Ford bridge, although large, is only a two-lane bridge. What I see before me is a massive eight-lane suspension bridge with a lower section. It's dark gray steel and gray steel replaced the rudimentary reinforced concrete bridge meant for a span no longer than a few miles. The steel and truss suspension bridge went over a foggy Lake Ford. A bridge of this type can span dozens of miles over a waterway. It's something you might expect to find in a regional metro area, but not out here in a vast wilderness. Pineford is the exception to that rule, and its size only grew with its population. Outside, the mountain island was mostly rural land. It hadn't occurred to me that Pineford wasn't the only thing brought to this world. If that is the case, we'll need to check the rural neighborhoods across the lake. I pick up the walkie sitting on the seat beside Sam. He licks my hand as I take the walkie in my hands.
"Be careful…" I said over the walkie.
A few moments pass before I heard Rhonda's voice.
"That… That goes without saying. I'll… I'll radio the sheriff and let him know what we found. I think this changes a few things," she said in a quiet voice.
I couldn't blame her. The multiple suns high in the sky were one thing. Until now, nothing other than the sky and the dead forest outside the crater mountains were the only changes. I think it's time to let her know what I know. It is possible that they went past the crater mountain ring into the valley leading out of the region. The only way out of Pineforte Crater Valley is the valley passageway.
"Listen, we need to be careful. Outside the crater mountain ring is unknown territory. We can't take any chances. Be on guard. If the bridge has changed, other things may have as well!" I said with a serious tone into the walkie.
"You… You don't need to tell me. I pretty much knew that this morning when I woke up," she said into the walkie.
"Look… I'm scared too. Any person that isn't afraid at a time like this is insane or mad. You just need to keep your head on a swivel. Think of it as war not survival. We know how to deal with both but war… war is easier for people like us," I said.
A long moment passes before the radio comes to life again. "Yeah, you're right. Just need to stay cool. I don't want to let the rookie down," Rhonda said.
"Others are out there too. I know that for sure…" I whispered.
"Whoever's out there, dad will find them in short order," she said.
"We'll figure out what the hell is going on too," I said.
"I hope so…," she said.
We both hope so. The military taught us how to compartmentalize. A lot of townspeople don't have that advantage. Someones going to want answers and they'll look to people like Rhonda, her dad, and the Mayor. It's my job to get those answers.
"Right, I'll take the lead."
I put the jeep into drive and sped up onto the bridge. The reality of this bridge adds a complexity I did not want to think about. So I didn't, there was time for that late. I couldn't think about the different empty vehicles on the bridge as I didn't recognize or the signs in words that almost look familiar. No… I put that out of my mind and quickly sped across the bridge. I had to get to the guys before something sinister happened to them. But the faster I went, the longer the bridge seemed. What should have been a few minutes' drive had gone on for over ten minutes, and I began worrying. The fog around the bridge is getting thicker, more so than I can even remember. My field of view only went a few miles ahead, but I kept going faster and faster avoiding all obstacles. A feeling of dread slowly built up, but hope came as the end of the bridge came into sight.
But as quickly as it came, it vanished. Another impossible sight took its place. Gone was the shoreline I had known all my life. Instead, the bridge curved to the right. As Rhonda and I came off the bridge, we followed the highway. To our right, in the valley below, a massive river. So large, I can barely see the shore on the other side. The valley passage from which the Ford bridge went onto a highway on land is gone without a trace. A vast river flows outwards in its place with a sloping ridge going up Mount Pinesmore. In the distance, I can see the peak of Mount Pinewood on the left side of the highway we should have been on. The Ford Bridge and passageway change left me at a loss for words. It changed since I looked down at it from the observation platform. I can't begin to understand how to explain what kind of phenomenon is behind this. No amount of logic can explain what I have witnessed with my own eyes. My thoughts had to wait until later. Another bridge came into view ahead. It led across the river to the left. Across from the bridge is a large gas station with uncanny words that resembled my native language. Like everywhere else, it looks abandoned.
"Hey… Let's keep going. We can check this out later," Rhonda said over the walkie.
"Yeah… good idea. I mean… What if…," I said, but Rhonda cut me off.
"Worry about that later. Right now, we have to find your sisters' boyfriends,"
"Copy that…,"
I continue driving north on the highway for what felt like an hour until the lush green trees began thinning out. Like a transition, the green grass fades to dirt until that sun-bleached soil takes its place. The road itself began falling about as if it was decaying with every mile forward. After ten miles, the road became a broken oil top surface with dead grass growing between the cracks. I had to avoid bumps and the wreckages of vintage vehicles I'd never known existed. But I didn't slow down until I saw the jeep up ahead. The road had all but vanished. Only the white burnt soil and volcanic-like rock remained. Ahead, the deed trees were everywhere. I slow the throttle down to a rolling crawl before stopping beside the vacant jeep. I left the jeep running too and stepped out cautiously. With my rifle pointed down at the ground, I took careful steps toward the vehicle. Scanning my surroundings in every direction. As I got closer, I took a peek inside the back window. 'Empty, my initial estimate.' Peeling around, I move to the driver's side. Carefully, I reach in and turn off the engine. 'There's no sign of them.' They either abandoned the jeep or fled out of the blue.
I secured the vehicle, closing the doors and locking it up. Multiple tracks led into the deadness ahead. 'More than just three naïve men.' What's worse is they left the firearms they brought in the jeep. I didn't waste time collecting them and putting them in the back of my jeep. A little way off to the side of the road, a half-broken sign lay against a dead tree. 'Welcome to Pineford City.' If it were standing, the arrow beneath it would point towards Pineford. That was the name of our medium-sized town, not Pineford City. I hear Rhonda stopping her patrol car just behind my jeep. 'This was the edge of our town, or was it our reality? Was it our reality or could Pineford City be from somewhere else?' Behind me, anything left of our world ended here. This is the point at which an ocean of dead trees and white crack dirt. Beyond is that Forest of the Dead, as I didn't see signs of life anywhere. The crushing sound of rocks brought me back to the present moment.
"Should we keep going? Three of the four doors are ajar," Rhonda said, standing beside me.
"They left the engine going."
They had to have gone out there. For Christ's sake, why would they go into that forest?"
"I-I… I don't know. Look, you head back and check out that bridge. See if it ends like this one, but don't stop for anything or get out for anything."
"Right, you be careful. I don't care if you are a seal!"
I gave her a reassuring glance, and she went back to her patrol cruiser.
'These tracks just go straight ahead into whatever this place is…'
"Orkan? Are you there?" I asked into my walkie.
"I'm here. What's your status?" the burly man said into his walkie.
"I'll let Deputy Orkan fill you in. I found tracks. Your deputy is going to check something out. I'll stay in contact. Send some support units once you get the full rundown. I'm going in," I replied, plugging an earpiece in my ear.
Sudden radio chatter can be fatal. I quickly did a check of the magazine in my rifle and went into the forest. 'What would cause them to run away from a vehicle in good condition?'
These other tracks make little sense. Almost like someone was shuffling along at a rapid pace. Other than the tracks, I can't find any other trace of the three young men. I made my way well past the tree line into the dead forest. Every so often, I check my surroundings. I can see nothing but standing dead trees or fallen logs dotting the landscape. The scene is the perfect depiction of the absence of life. No insects, nor any animals. Not even a corpse or remains of any kind. The dry ground was devoid of moisture to where it might as well be a desert.
"Cursed Earth…," I whispered.