"Look, it's snowing!"
"Wow, it's so early this year."
"Beautiful!"
"Hope it doesn't mess up our trip to Atlanta."
The snowfall quickly drew everyone's attention in the assembly area. Some marveled at the early snow, while others worried it might complicate their journey.
"Snow!" Sarah watched the snowflakes, catching some on her hand and smiling as they melted. Brian tousled her hair, but his eyes showed concern. This snow wasn't a good sign.
Three hours later, after confirming everyone's identities, the military let the bus drivers park at the designated spots and started boarding the civilians.
"Come on, be careful," Brian said, helping Sarah up the steps. They found empty seats in the middle of the bus.
Through the window, Brian saw soldiers boarding military trucks.
There were at least two thousand of them!
Was that necessary to escort five thousand civilians? He figured the soldiers were also clearing the way for more convoys and securing the area.
After the bus was full, a young female soldier with an assault rifle boarded and asked everyone to stay seated and come to her with any issues.
Back at the temporary room, three tall, uniformed men studied a detailed map of the US. Harry, the scarred commander, sighed, "This trip was already risky, and now it's snowing. Just our luck."
"Relax," said his advisor, "if everything goes smoothly, we'll be in Atlanta by tomorrow noon."
"Let's hope," Harry replied, focusing on the map. "We don't know what's out there. I just hope nothing goes wrong."
The third man, Justin, chuckled, "Don't worry so much. We've got two thousand troops. We can handle anything."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Infections are dangerous in numbers and spread easily. And we're escorting civilians. Use your brain, not just brawn."
There was a knock on the door. A stern soldier entered and saluted. "Sir, everything's ready. What's next?"
"Good," Harry said, checking the time. "Make sure the fuel trucks are ready."
"Yes, sir."
The soldier left, and the three men packed up and left the room, getting into a military truck to join the convoy.
Ten minutes later, the convoy, led by military trucks and including dozens of buses, left Dallas under the watchful eyes of the remaining residents. The control center opened the quarantine gate, and the soldiers saluted as the convoy departed.
The convoy headed onto I-20, but the snow and large vehicles limited their speed. Inside one of the buses, Brian was lost in thought until Sarah's yawn brought him back to reality.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, noticing her bored expression.
"Just bored," she replied.
"Here," Brian said, handing her some comic books. "I thought you might like these."
Sarah's eyes lit up. "When did you get these?"
Brian smiled. "I know what kids your age like."
Sarah got absorbed in the comics, and Brian observed the bus. Some people chatted, some watched the snow, and some rested, conserving energy for whatever might come.
After a while, the bus fell silent as people dozed off. Then, the bus slowed and jolted, waking everyone up. Panic set in as everyone looked outside, thinking something had gone wrong.