Those Who Remain

Chapter 6

"Tell me again why you decided to get on the toll road?" I asked Ridge as we approach the money collection booth. I about cut his head off when I realized what he did. We don't want to come into contact with people because we can't be sure they aren't infected or violent.

"I didn't realize it was the toll road," he replied looking overly focused on the booth we're pulling into. I just roll my eyes as he lowers the window to ask how much we owe for the toll.

The man that I saw when I looked over was a big, creepy looking man with a yellow vest on. He had several piercings on his face: two on his eyebrows, one on his nose, and a few on the corner of his lip. He look intimidating and not at all like any toll worker I had see before. It made me question wether he was really a toll worker.

I heard Lily shift uncomfortably in the back as the man look Ridge up and down, sizing him up. "How much is the toll?" Ridge asked the man in a polite but clipped tone showing him we weren't in the mood to stay and chat.

"Fifty dollars, but I could lessen the amount if you allow me five minutes with the pretty lady in the passenger seat," he man replied looking more than pleased with himself for insinuating prostitution as a form of payment.

I could see Ridge tense up in his seat as he fished around for his wallet to pay the insane amount, and it, again, made something seem fishy about Kentucky. "I don't think my wife would be very happy with that," Ridge told the man pulling a fifty out of his wallet, "Why is the toll so high all of a sudden?"

"I don't see a ring on the finger," the man said winking at me, "Ask the governor about that. He raised the toll prices yesterday."

"Okay," Ridge said handing him the fifty, "Have a wonderful day." He put the car in drive and started to roll away, but before he did, I couldn't resist the urge to yell out the window, "Fuck you, asshole."

The man started to get out of the booth, but we were already too far away for him for him to catch up. "Step on it Ridge," I said seething in anger about the feeling of violation going through me, but I couldn't shake the thrill that went through me when Ridge called me his wife. It was shameful, but no one would know unless I told them.

After a few beats of silence, I said, "Something is really wrong in the state. We need to get out of here. Can we modify our route to get into the country side?"

"That shouldn't be too hard," Ridge replied as he sped down the interstate, "We also need to find a place to stop for the night."

After looking at the map on google maps for a bit, I said, "If we take exit 117 b and drive a few miles, we should come across some farming fields and a motel. They are pretty off the grid, and we shouldn't encounter too many issues."

We travel only with the sound of the radio after that, and I pull out my phone to see if I can get in contact with my mom again.

Gemma: Where are you guys now?

Mom: Getting closer to the boarder of Georgia. How are you guys doing?

Gemma: We're into Kentucky, but everything here is weird. We'll keep you posted, but something isn't right.

Mom: Be careful, it's only a matter of time before shit hit the fan there.

I put my phone down, laid my head back, and closed my eyes in exhaustion. The mix of stress and no sleep was really taking it's toll one me. With thoughts of everything that could go wrong in my head, I drifted off into a fitful sleep.

-----

"Gem, we're at the motel. Gem," Ridge said quietly as he gave my shoulder a gentle shake to wake me up. As I woke up, I noticed that we were at the motel in the middle of the country side, and it was starting to get humid in the mid to late afternoon sun.