Part 11 (2/2)

Civilization.

They had to be close.

Forty yards farther on, Joey stepped out of the woods onto a paved road.

”Where are we?” Annja asked.

”Close,” Joey said. ”Very close. This is the main road that runs from town out to the trailhead.”

”I don't recognize it.”

”You wouldn't have traveled this stretch coming from town.”

Annja nodded. ”Your grandfather lives out here by himself?”

”He's got me with him when I'm not out running around on my own.”

Annja kept pace with Joey, determined not to let him wear her down entirely. ”You've got a lot of freedom for someone as young as you are.”

”You understand that, though, don't you? The importance of being free. Not a lot of people do. I look at some of the other guys I know and their parents are terrified that they'll get hurt so they keep them away from anything that might possibly harm them,” Joey said.

”We live in a different world now,” Annja replied.

”Problem is, we're cutting ourselves away from the very earth that sustains us. No one understands nature anymore. It's tragic.”

Joey stopped and pointed ahead of them. Annja could make out what looked like a small driveway.

”The house is up there,” Joey said.

”I don't see it.”

Joey smiled. ”Wait a second.”

Annja watched and then saw lights come on in one of the rooms, faintly illuminating the small home. ”How?”

”He knows we're coming,” Joey said. ”Let's go.”

Chapter 7.

As they approached the small house, Annja could see that the roof sagged in the middle and the gutters hung away from the roofline. The night's storm could not have been much help to the obviously aged exterior, with its gray paint flaking off in piles by the stone foundation.

A rough-hewn wooden rail led up to a planked porch. Two rain barrels set at either corner overflowed from the rainfall.

”Great place,” Annja said.

Joey smirked. ”You're kidding, right? It's falling apart.”

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