Contagion
Old Tam Harker gripped the wheel as the rusty pickup clattered and banged along the rutted gravel road, leaving a trail of billowing dust and blue smoke as it jounced toward Oakville. Beside him on the ripped vinyl seat of the '94 Chevy, his son Zed stared moodily out at the passing scrub oak and salal brush. It was a fine morning on the Oregon coast, with just enough time between rain storms to let the sun shine down from a bright blue sky. Zed told himself that he should be doing the...