Chapter 5: the checkpoint

The heat had culminated into a heavy thunderstorm that unleashed its endless stream of water with a fury, sending gallons of rain running down the front windshield. Maria watched the rain and thought about the weather, trying to distract herself from the fact that Hobbies was lying beside her, still unconscious, with a terrible cut across his face hidden by the bandages. Who in his right mind would do such a thing, she wondered? There had to be easier, non-violent ways for getting out of the city. But that's the type of guy he was. After all, he had made it his personal mission to end the world, so what could you expect? Maria sighed.

Her heart jumped when she carefully drove around a turn and could suddenly make out a group of distant lights ahead, reflected and blurred endless times by the thousands of raindrops in between. Not more than a minute and they would reach the checkpoint. Like many times before she went through the conversation in her head that she deemed the most likely one to actually happen. Of course, it was a pretty optimistic option, but Maria was afraid to even consider the alternatives. If they got in trouble, they might as well improvise. Or she alone, if Hobbies didn't wake up soon.

She stopped for a moment until the barrier was raised. The bus entered the tunnel-like passage and was surrounded by thick concrete. The other barrier in front of them stayed closed. Maria stared at it, hoping they might get out the easiest way, but she knew exactly that this wouldn't happen. Not in times like this, and especially not in a car like this.

On her left side, a window made of frosted glass lit up, revealing nothing of her conversational partner but a shadow. She lowered her side window when a voice, sounding mechanic through the loudspeaker, asked her a question. “Evening, where are you heading to?”

“I have to get my husband to a hospital, he hurt himself badly while doing repair work... Please!”

Maria was worried that she hadn't been convincing enough. Every passing moment seemed to confirm her suspicion. Then finally, the voice answered. “Calm down, lady. Before we let you through, could you tell me why you don't just get your husband hospitalized in the city?”

“Hobbies Kraft!” The panic Maria put into her words was genuine. “Haven't you heard? This madman is in one of the hospitals, nobody knows which one, but I can't take the risk - Wherever he is, there'll be death and destruction!” She realized now that there might be more truth in these words that she liked to admit.

Again her words were met with unpleasant silence, even longer than before. She was nervously drumming at her steering wheel until she noticed and stopped. Then finally the the crackle of static announced another message from her hidden observers.

“Lady, I have to ask you to step out of your vehicle.”