Faces you can see but what lays within their hearts is hidden.

My most favorite motto. It wasn't too long ago when this belief had saved our hides.

The rolling hills of silver sagebrush pass us in a blur. Once in a while a juniper or willow tree cuts the vast expanse of uninhabited land. The desert is an ally and a foe, one and the same. It saves us from most unsavory company but hinders us in surviving day to day.

Human settlements are fewer and fewer these days especially around the edges of this desert. I am glad that we have avoided the most populated areas in the early days. The ruins of our once great society must laugh at our fall from grace. The romans must have also mourned the loss of great progress when it happened to them but then again they must of been like us struggling to survive daily after the fall.

Now, creatures inhabit those ruins. Multiplying and hunting us down. I roll down my window. It makes a soft screeching sound as it does.

Sigh, I am going to have to take out the panel to see what the hell is making that noise and grease it up real good. We can't make almost any noise after night fall. I look out at the road, the hot super heated air creates mirages in the distance. The hot air whips around my hair, cooling somewhat my sweaty face.

The heat inside the small camper is atrocious. I can feel sweat dripping down every crevice possible. The kids must not be doing any better back there.
" Hey, Junior. Can you come up here with the map so we can get out of this hot sun!" I shout to the house part of the camper.

" I thought you would never ask Sis" Said a young boy on the cusp of adolescence smugly. He plops himself into the faded seat of the passenger side with a big map. Junior carefully unfolded it, it was rare to find such a thing.

Most places had been looted and their walls empty. Junior had searched the barest of buildings to find something like this. His perseverance makes me proud, even when we stop he never does. Though he is stubborn as the devil and as smart to boot.

He thumbs the corner while thinking absent mindly. "Right, here" he says pointing at a small x on the map. I quickly glance at it, though realistically we are about the only traffic this road has seen in a long while. So us having a car accident is in the single digits but you can never be too safe.

We go on for a long while in silence. The radio had stopped working a couple of years back. I sometimes miss hearing another adult voice that I can trust. I love my family but being responsible 24/7 wears on you.

My eyes gently close for what seems like a second, I struggle to keep focus. Come on sage, you can do this you are almost there. " Sis !!??" A nervous Junior looks at me then the road before looking at his map. "It's going to be around here" he paused
" there, there you can stop now!"

I gently cruise the camper underneath a group of willow trees. Their shade a piece of cold heaven. "I thought we were going to die!!" he said dramatically. I just rolled my eyes "whatever, squirt" As I open the door silently and step out to our resting spot. I stretch my hands to the sky, popping some bones.

Ahh that felt good, but my butt hurts. I gently massage my butt before Junior indignitly protests my comment. "Stop calling me that! I am for sure taller than you!" I responded with " k , is this you fighting for your own honor, hmm?" For some extra emphasis I crossed my arms and popped my hips. " It's not only about my honor, I am a man!" he exclaims puffing up his chest.

I tease him a bit more "ok, little man". Ignoring his subsequent outraged response I walk around the drivers side of the car inspecting the wear and tear of the vehicle. I smile and then slowly grow sad the smile slipping from my face. I knew he wasn't going to be a child forever, none of them were going to stay small forever. As I round to the back, a large round dent on the back bumper greeted me. It was inevitable, I murmured to myself as I looked at it.

I had noted as I made my way to the passenger side of the vehicle that the tires probably needed replacing pretty soon. We will have to scavenge outside our usual route to get these items.

I grow tense, Ruth is also becoming a young lady.  Twelve this year if I am not mistaken. She will have to disguise herself as a man for a while. I have been procrastinating this conversation with her for far too long. There is so much to do and only so much time to do it, but for now I need to rest. I jingle the door knob to the living space.