Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
I’m walking beside the highway, and people are everywhere; they look lost and confused.
I hear some groups of people talking and saying they can’t get the radio on in their car.
I hear others saying their cell phones aren’t working and that they haven’t heard any news.
I can hear people screaming over the wind smacking against my face.
The ash is still falling hard, and I wrap my scarf around my face to stop the ash from getting into my nose and mouth.
I don’t know where the ash is coming from, but it can’t be good.
I pull my coat sleeve back to check my watch; it’s almost one o’clock in the afternoon, and I’ve only made it to the outskirts of the nearest big city.
I need to get out of major cities, but I’m not sure where to go.
I sit down on the hard ground to rest. My feet aren’t used to this much walking and running in one day.
I remove a bottle of water from my backpack and take a drink.
I know the bottled water I have with me is safe but once I run out, I’ll have to figure out where to find water and use the pills my mother left me.
I think about what to do next. I’m racking my brain, thinking of any clues my parents may have mentioned in the last few weeks during our phone and video chats.
I don’t get why they didn’t warn me this could happen.
I take out the note and carefully reread it.
They sent me here to be safer, but they knew this was going to happen.
Is it worse on the east coast? What is happening?
I have more questions than answers. I stuff the letter and water into my bag and pick myself up off the ground.
I start walking north and off to the freeway side.
I need to get away from the crowds before they turn violent or start looting.
I haven’t seen any police this entire day, which is odd.
The Dome would already have police on every corner assuring citizens that everything will return to order shortly.
Once I’m off the freeway side, I find a concrete side road to walk down.
The wind is at my back now, giving my face a rest. I can hear a car coming so I move to the side.
The car gets closer and slows. It’s a young woman with a baby in the backseat.
She slows down to pass me but doesn’t stop.
This road must connect to the surrounding farms and houses because it isn’t polluted with abandoned cars or people.
I stay on it for as long as I can. I can see up ahead the road meets another road.
It has a green mile marker sign at the end.
I search my mind for any hint of today that my parents might have given me, and then it hits me.
My mom kept mentioning it would be wonderful to go skiing this winter in Salt Lake City.
I remember the conversation exactly. I thought it was so odd for my mother to say.
In my whole life, I’ve never known her to ski or have any interest in it.
She hates the cold. I remember her exact words.
“Asmita, I just love skiing, and Salt Lake City is the perfect place! You should go since you’re closer.
We could stop by and see Antelope Island.
I’ve heard amazing things about it and that it's life changing!” I laughed at her and, when I pointed out the fact that she never skis, she stopped talking and changed the subject.
I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now that I’m replaying all of our conversations in my head, that’s the one that sticks out.
My mother hasn’t left the Dome in years. This conversation was my clue.
I know where to go now… Utah and specifically, Antelope Island.