The Road Read online

The Road

  Prologue:

  The sun has risen and set many years over the large farm that sat in the middle of a vast wooded area. The farm was like any other farm you would think about; there were cows and horses, pigs snorted from their fences as they bathed in the mud. It seemed to be a picture perfect surrounding, like something out of a movie. However, it wasn’t out of the movies. It was real life for two young men who were raised on this particular farm. “The Family” as it was called, was compiled of roughly one hundred men, women and children. They lived on a farm that covered about a hundred acres of land and forest area. Most of it had been cultivated for food and grazing areas for the animals. Small farm houses littered the rest of it. Surrounding this farm was a large stone wall, on the top of the wall there was a thick prison like barbed wire, and the only entrance to this land was a large door that was long since rusted shut.

  This ‘civilization’ was ruled by laws most like any other civilization. They based their teachings and laws from a book that only the Leader had. The Leader, Reverend James was called the Mayor; he was also their religious leader, taught from the book that he called the “Word of God”. They also had doctors and police, teachers and farmers. The police were a small group, who took orders from Reverend James. There were guards who policed the wall. They stood diligent at the corners, and at four watch towers that stood shadowing each corner of the compound.

  In this large Family group, every individual family is ruled to only two children, unless they are both girls, then they were allowed to have a third. If it came to be that the third was born a girl, then that child was either given to a childless couple, or it was killed to preserve the numbers. Every family is given a ration of food that is grown in the gardens, or taken from the animals. To balance life out, when the children become adults and move out on their own to make their own family, the eldest or sickest of the community is to be sacrificed. This is done in a humane way, usually poisoned with hemlock.

  There is no waste, everything is reused, even the human waste. That is because unlike most cities and cultures we all know today, this one is separated by a large prison like wall; fenced in from the outside world, by barbed wire and stone bricks. “The Family” who live on this farm have been told for generations that they are the last surviving humans that are left on the planet. They are taught about the end of the world, where almost ninety-five percent of the human race was destroyed, the only thing left was a vast wilderness full of sickness and death.

  Chapter 1

  Abel and Charlie weren't brothers, but they should have been. They were best friends since birth; their parents were neighbors and the two boys were inseparable. In fact, Able and Charlies parents were always having to bail them out of trouble; ever since they were able to sneak out of their rooms at night, the Reverend was threatening to give them each a lashing.

  It just so happened that this particular day was their eighteenth birthday. Tradition spoke that on a male's eighteenth birthday that he was to leave his parent's house and start their own family. The year before this day occurred the fathers and uncles of the two boys started to build them their own three bedroom home. Each home was small and humble. Seeing that there is no electricity in this society, the homes only consisted of the three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a living room/family room area. Bathrooms were communal and consisted of two large bath areas, one for the women and one for the men.

  The eve of the birthday Abel and Charlies' fathers along with their extended friends and family shared in taking them to their new homes. Soon it would be time for them to take a bride, which was usually assigned by the Reverend. The thing was, though, Abel and Charlie had different plans. Although they loved their family and friends. The fact that they were now adults and could live outside of their parent's homes excited them. That is because for many years they have questioned their life style and the land that they lived on, which was something that you wouldn't dare talk about. It was taboo to question anything that the Reverend taught, let alone desire to leave the compound.

  Once the festivities were over, Charlie and Abel sat in the living room of Abel's new home. A small fire was lit in the fireplace as they talked about their dreams and fantasies of what laid outside the large stone wall that imprisoned them.

  Charlie stared at the fire as it danced across the log, it gave a warm glow that matched the glow in his eyes as his listened to his life long friend Abel talk about the plan for escape. Abel had recently been hired as a herds man for the sheep that grazed the north eastern most wall. He has been working for the past year with lambs, getting them ready to be his own herd.

  “So, Charlie, as I was watching my sheep graze I really got the shift change down; and also found a part of the wall that is kind of hidden from view from the watch tower.” Abel said as he stared at the same fire Charlie was.

  Charlie smiled at the thought. “I have been saving part of my rations for months, I think I have enough to last us a few days.”

  Abel turned to his friend, a few days wouldn't cut it. They had to do something more. Then again, if the Reverend was lying and there was more people out in the world; then they might only need a few days worth of food.

  “You know, when I take the sheep to graze tomorrow, I could try to steal a few apples from the feed barn.” Abel suggested.

  Charlie sighed, it wasn't that he was getting cold feet at the thought, in fact he was excited about it. It was just he was still skeptical that it would be pulled off. The community does have a curfew, and the night watchmen will be riding around making sure no one breaks the rule.

  “When do you think we should plan our break?” Charlie asked.

  Abel thought about it for a while, the silence seemed to be forever until he took a breath and replied. “Maybe next week, the fall festivities will have them canceling curfew for the night. With all the partying we would be able to sneak out of the crowd and make our way.

  It was set; the following week, the night of the fall festival, Charlie and Abel will make their escape. They will gather their bags that they have been saving and make their way to the north-eastern most wall. There the guard isn't as secure, and they will be able to climb the wall with ease due to a tree that started to shadow the top of the fence.

  The next week seemed to go by so slowly for Charlie and Abel. Abel continued his work herding his sheep and Charlie was working in the bath house. The night before their planned escape the two boys meet again, this time at Charlies' house. They packed their bags and hid them under a floor board located in Charlies' bedroom. After they were done, they sat in his living room; talking about their day.

  “Reverend James came to me today, he said that next week is Katie's birthday and that we are to be wed by the end of the month.” Charlie smiled. He always liked Katie, and this kind of put a fork in his wheel. He was now getting second thoughts.

  “Do you think they know? Charlie?” Abel asked.

  Abel was worried that his friend will bail out on him, he knew that Charlie always liked Katie and that this was his dream...just as much as him wanting to travel.

  “Nah, this is routine; I am sure that he would come to you pretty soon with your 'bride to be' Abel...that is...if we are staying.” Charlie replied with a slight chuckle at the end.

  This calmed Abel's thoughts, with that comment he knew that Charlie was in for the long run...and tomorrow they will make their escape. And see for themselves what this world has to offer them.

  The next night large bon-fires lit the hills surrounding the village. Music played from a band and there was dancing and giggling. One of the large hogs was put on a pit getting ready to be devoured by the party goers. Soon it will be fall, and soon this community will be two less individuals.

  Charlie laughed wit
h his future wife as they all had one last meal together. Abel ate quietly, getting ready to send the secret nod for them to start. After they ate their small meal, Abel nodded to Charlie. Charlie excused himself from Katie's presence and followed his friend. They walked towards Charlies' home and gathered their bags. Before they could leave there was a knock on the door.

  “Charlie, are you home?” Katie called out.

  Abel whispered to his friend. “Don't answer her....”

  Charlie glared at his friend, you know that glare that resembles a 'what I am suppose to do now?' Abel shrugged before there was another knock.

  “Charlie, I know you said that you and Abel had things to do, however my mother wants to know why I couldn't come with you? She insisted I find you. Are you in there?” She repeated.

  Abel grumbled under his breath. “Why won't she leave already?”

  Charlie shrugged and they remained quiet for what seemed to be forever until Katie finally gave up.

  "Where can those boys be?" She mumbled to herself as she walked back to the party.

  The boys sighed in unison as they stood up; hanging their bags on their backs they left through the back door. The laughter and merry making could be heard in the distance as they quietly made their way on the planned escape route. Hiding behind a tree Abel watched the gaurds, normally there would be four: two in the tower and two on the ground, however due to the festival they knocked down the watch to only two, one each.

  Charlie whispered to Abel. "If there was nothing to hide from, whey do they have so many guards watching the walls?"

  Abel shrugged as they waited for the ground guard to turn his back; then they made their way to the tall tree that was left to grow looming over towards the fence. Quickly they started climbing up the tree limbs. When Charlie got to the edge, to the point he could make it to the barbed wire he turned to Abel and motioned for the heavy wool blanket. Tossing it over the barbed wire he was able to successfully hold onto the wire and climb over. Within a few minutes he was on the other side, leaving Abel by himself for his turn. Abel took one more look back, and then took his turn; the only thing they couldn't do to hide their escape...the wool blanket was stuck on the wire. A small reminder to the rest of the Family, that they decided to take their life into their own hands.