"Lady said to pop back whenever," Jamaal was already up and driving
"What?" John scrubbed a hand across his eyes and then down his face. He still didn't feel rested.
"Garage woman, you told me to drive as soon as I woke up, so I nipped in to see her and the big lad before we went, say thanks."
"Big lad?"
"Her grandson."
"Oh. She mentioned him but I got the impression she dinnae want us to meet him. Or maybe that was just me."
"I wish we had more space, an old lady and a lad with Downs, if we're not safe how the hell can they be?"
John straightened up in his seat. "Downs? I didn't know that." His brow creased. "Maybe we could go back for them if... How are our supplies?"
"Not enough, we have to get there, find Anna, and feed a pregnant woman all the way back."
John sighed and rested his head back. "That bloody virus."
"World's gone mate, being the man of the people is what got you here, concentrate on your family."
"I am," John said, trying to ignore the flash of guilt that shot through him. "How long have you been driving?"
"Couple of hours"
"Shit, really?" John hadn't thought he'd been out that long or deep. He certainly did feel like it. "Where abouts are we?"
Jammal nodded to the map. "About a hundred miles further along the route than our last stop mark, but the roads are getting bad."
"Abandoned cars?" John asked, glancing out the window.
"And the rest, there's people out there," Jammal replied grimly
"Alive?"
Jammal shook his head. "Looks like people abandoned them to die."
John pressed his lips together in a grim line. He had lost count of the number of dreams he'd had about finding the bodies of Anna or his mother or his sister and her family.
"They probably had no real choice," Jammal muttered
"Probably." John sighed and closed his eyes briefly.
"Sometimes you have to make horrible choices, right or wrong."
And live with them, John thought grimly. He twisted in his seat and dug the map out.
"How much further do you think?"
"I'm not sure," John muttered as he traced their path on the crumpled paper.
"John, we have to think about what we do if she's dead, or not there? You have to face it." Jammal said gently.
John stared at the map. "I know. But not yet. I can't."
"OK, don't talk to me, but think."
John shook his head. What the bloody hell did he think he had been doing? He couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities.
"You can get some more sleep if you want?"
John gave another shake of his head. "I'm OK." He didn't think he could sleep now anyway, not without any nightmares.
"Never thought I'd miss motorway services"
"We can swap if you need a break?"
"I'm all good, just even more boring than it used to be," Jammal replied
John huffed in faint amusement. "At least there's less traffic. Or at least, fewer drivers."