like real people do | c.g [#wattys2019]

N E X T

A FEW HOURS PASS and all that they've consisted of was chitchatting and listening to dumb country music. Rosita starts talking about how Abraham should let her cut his hair and I sigh as they talk. I knew I was gonna be sad but I didn't think I'd be this bored. I'm everything but inspired to write, I don't wanna doodle or else I'll just take up space on my notebook, and I don't feel like talking.

"Hey, maybe Rosita can give you a trim while she's at it. Party's getting a little long in the back... Or is it your source of power?" Tara jokes from beside me, looking at Eugene. He turns to her completely shocked and somewhat scared.

"I ain't slaying a lion anytime soon, and I wouldn't be putting any wagers on me despatching 1,000 philistines with the jawbone of an ass." He mutters back, making me crack a very small smile at their banter.

"So, you just settle on saving the world?" I ask, making Tara turn to me somewhat shocked. I haven't said a word since we left the church, so I understand the wide eyes, but I still ignore her.

She smiles at me softly before turning back to Eugene. "What's up? ...Last night?" She asks, noticing his concentrated gaze. I left my head off of the window to look at him, slightly interested in their conversation.

"No... Yes, that and tomorrow. And I'm thinking about that preacher, what he did." He answers back.

No one says anything for a while, and I go to rest my head on the window again, when Maggie's voice stops me. "Maybe they're just behind us. Maybe Daryl and Carol came back. Maybe they took the map, found some cars, and they're just down the road." She says, shooting me a slight smile.

"They'll catch up. We're clearing the way for them." Glenn says, looking at his wife.

She turns around to face Eugene. "How long will it be? After you get on that terminal and do what you have to do?" Maggie asks.

"Depends on a number of factors including the density of the infected around the target sites worldwide." He explains, making Glenn turn around as well.

"Target sites? You talking about missiles?" He asks.

"That's classified." Is the only answer they get back. I roll my eyes, sighing. Glenn's eyes narrow slightly as he looks at the scientist, wanting answers.

"I thought we were over that." He asks.

"What if we all live?" Eugene fires back.

"The secrets will matter then?" Glenn asks again.

"They might. Anyway the speed of which things will normalize depends on a number of factors including worldwide weather patterns, which were modeled without the assumption that cars, planes, boats, and trains wouldn't be pouring hydrocarbons into the atmosphere this long. Change the game quite a bit when it comes to air-transmitable pathogens." Eugene says, blurting out some words that are way too complex for everyone in the bus besides himself.