Hell Week Part 2 Audio

part two we hit the road 11 although we dressed as warmly as we could we didn't end up taking a lot of food with us when we left waltz diner we had decided that traveling light was preferable to lugging overladen bags besides sara was suddenly reluctant to leave the comfort of the diner even though it was her who initially encouraged us to head for new hampshire carrying a heavy pack would only make the journey worse for her i remember the hard practical side of me thinking it might be better to leave her behind to just slip away while she slept but I could never suggest that course of action it wasn't right and I knew it only crossed my mind because I was annoyed at the delay Luke played the Barbara card and managed to convince Sara that it was for the best it's what barb would want we will go look for her right Sara asked as we got set to leave sure Luke said before meeting my eye I'm pretty sure I know which trailer-park it is we hadn't discussed it but I knew it was the right thing to do besides I wanted to make up for the horrible thought I'd had about leaving Sara behind the walk to Walmart took us past the shredded remains of the rent pickup we steered Sara to the far side of the street and luke and i walked between her and the wreckage to obstruct her view it was hard not to look at the remains of the truck which had been literally shredded by the high-caliber rounds I think I see something keep going Luke said before darting across the road to the wreck watch it there's a ton of glass and sharp metal I called wondering what he had spied as I gently propelled Sara onward yep he said I watched over my shoulder as he ran to the other sidewalk in the far reaches of the debris and bent over to my surprise he stood up and held up one of the looters shotguns triumphantly miraculously it appeared undamaged it's a pump-action 20 gauge he said as he caught up with us and handed it to me must have been thrown clear it barely has a scratch on it my dad and I used the gun just like this for duck hunting last year I'm not going to dig through that mess for extra ammo though hopefully we can find some at Walmart I wouldn't mind an extra box of bullets for my 38 - I said handing it back before looking up and down the street come on let's get going am I going to get a gun - Sarah asked looking frightened by the prospect no guns are dangerous I replied thinking back to the first time I had fired one hitting the SiC looter in the leg Luke and I will be able to protect you just fine you don't need a weapon we continued down Main Street toward Walmart it was a walk of about four blocks from the wreck to pick up the wind picked up it's cutting shield piercing right through my coat and the sweat shirt I wore underneath I hoped that I could find a more heavy-duty jacket at Walmart perhaps one designed for ski trips or arctic conditions by the time we reached the end of Maine I was starting to second-guess my decision to not take the car would it be worse dying in a shriek of twisting metal and hot raining lead her freezing to death in a ditch on the way to New Hampshire one look at highway 102 validated the decision while in town the streets have been relatively clear of vehicles but the highway was absolutely littered with them it looked like anybody that could drive had tried to escape town and been caught up in the largest traffic jam in history there was no way we could find a clear path for a vehicle of our own damn Luke said shaking his head I waited for him to continue his thought but he lapsed into silence I wondered if like me he was pondering how many had succumbed to the illness and died in their cars as they tried to escape I guess there's no need to look both ways before crossing I said starting across the highway toward Walmart's parking lot I meant to be funny but it just came out weak what if there are more bad people like Bradley the guy who had us in the truck Sara asked grabbing my arm from behind they could be waiting for us in Walmart it's a perfect place to trap people there could be bad people anyplace I said trying to sound reassuring I could tell that the poor girl was on the edge of breaking into tears again we need to get supplies from this place or we can't head to the safe haven it's a risk we're going to have to take besides if anybody tries to hurt you they've got another thing coming Luke said holding up his shotgun I felt the ping of dismay as I recalled how useless the kid shotgun had proven to be against the helicopter the glass of the large front door had been smashed in we stopped at the threshold and I kept my hand on the gun in my pocket as we surveyed the scene we could tell at once that some looting had been done here items were scattered all over the floor and in places the shelves had been pushed over still it seemed to be well stocked I was creeped out that day and even now I still haven't gotten used to empty stores they are like haunted houses places that once bustle dwith people on errands and day-to-day tasks remnants of the world that was I stepped through the smashed opening careful not to cut myself on the glass around the edges and waved the others through once inside we stopped to listen for anything that might indicate we weren't alone in the dark store I think it's safe want to split up or stick together I whispered that's the other thing even though you know these places are empty you always feel the impulse to stay quiet together for now Luke said looking as spooked as I felt it might take us a bit longer but I don't think Sara should be out of sight we're not in a hurry and I don't know about you but I'm happy to be out of the wind for a while yep okay where should we start girls clothing he said nodding towards Sara she's by far the most underdressed of us for this weather girls clothing it is I said after that some warmer clothes for us and a trip to the camping section might be in order it didn't take us long to get Sara bundled up with some good winter clothing including a pair of galoshes some extra pants and thermal shirts we put them in a new backpack for her she was mostly quiet nodding her head or shaking it as we suggested various items of clothing to her looking back it's easy to see that she was still in shock from what she had seen heck from everything that had happened to her in reality we were probably all in shock but I guess my history was helping me to adapt more readily than would otherwise be the case as for Luke well apart from the slight crack in his voice when he mentioned his parents he seemed to have weathered the storm remarkably well I figured he was just made of sterner stuff than most I know better now Luke wasn't unaffected it's just that he did a good job of hiding it and the things I've seen him do since convinced me he has the heart of a hero it sounds corny but I'm grateful we found each other after the flu I'm not sure that either of us would still be here if we hadn't I grabbed a couple extra pairs of wool socks and a quilted parka for myself other than that I didn't take too long gathering extra clothing as I already had some good warm clothing in my pack Luke grabbed a few pairs of long johns as he liked to call thermal underwear and in his insistence I packed a pair for myself as well you never know he said these long johns could save your life someday after gathering our clothing we headed to the back of the store to look at camping gear this part of the store had been more thoroughly picked over but I still hope to find a tent that was light enough for one of us to carry I didn't relish the idea of sleeping exposed to the elements in the New England winter if we couldn't find a house while I look for a tent Luke went over to Sporting Goods the next section over to look for ammunition I sent Sara into the next aisle to look for sleeping bags her scream caught me completely off guard 12 tearing around the corner with my revolver in my hand I almost collided with Sara as she backed up still shrieking a boy and a girl about my age were standing at the far end of the aisle each holding a bow with an arrow knocked to the string both were aiming at me I shoved Sara behind me and stepped forward trying to appear much braver than I felt with the 38 raised I was just trying to ask her name the boy said in a clipped accent as he eyed my handgun wearily perhaps we should ask yours Luke's question from behind them was punctuated by the sound of the shotguns pump racking dropped the bows and we'll have a friendly chat a look of frustration crossed the boy's face he was clearly upset at having been outmaneuvered but his arrow stayed unwaveringly trained on me it was the girl who shared the same proud features and blonde hair as him who lowered her weapon he glanced at her and she nodded we don't have a choice the boy slowly lowered his bow good move said Luke now unlock the arrows and put your bows on the floor they followed the order the boy looking more and more uncomfortable at the turn of events I couldn't blame him if the situation had been reversed and I had the guns of strangers trained on me I would have been terrified the boy itis defiantly as Luke skirted them and joined Sara and I the girl simply smiled and says well this is awkward isn't it that's how we met Ben and Brooke Brooker twins both tall good-looking and blonde although they aren't identical I guess that's obvious how could they be when one's a guy and the others a girl they do look alike they also tend to think alike not only that they're English having come to the United States to spend Christmas with their maternal grandparents they sure picked the wrong year to take that holiday tension was thick there in the Walmart at that first meeting and things could have ended up very differently had the twins especially Brooke not been so level-headed you chaps look a little tense can we offer you something to eat sent Brooke sure why not said Luke immediately and lowered his gun smiling goofily at the pretty English girl I looked at him incredulously what he said defensively they're obviously decent people I shook my head with a grin and pocketed my own weapon the twins been still looking a little leery of us took us back to their lair the employee break room they did their best to make us feel welcome and we shared a cold meal and spoke of our experiences their grandparents had succumbed to the flu quickly and the twins had stayed in their home as long as they could before hunger had forced them to leave while they were realists they were still hopeful that the rest of the world wouldn't just let the bloody Chinese get away with it and that at some point they would be reunited with their parents as soon as we mentioned traveling to the safe haven we had heard about they wanted in Ben even had a solution to the walking problem bicycles Walmart had a huge range of bicycles do we have any idea where this place is located asked Ben after we finished picking our bikes not really have you remembered anything else about the message Sarah I asked turning to her not really she replied Barbara just kept talking about the dragon clue she said we would look for it when we got to New Hampshire that's all I can remember wait there was something about the dragon being on a White Mountain dragon on a White Mountain sounds like something from The Hobbit said Brooke there's a White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire Luke said and grabbed the atlas he had found in the book section of the store we all stood up and hovered over the table as he leapt through the pages until he found New Hampshire see it's huge though it almost cuts the state in half unless we have more details it'll be like trying to find a needle in a haystack well done Luke that's a start I said unless someone has a better idea where to go or what to do I vote that we should head there maybe there will be other travelers surely we can't be the only ones that heard that message neither of you happen to be good at Morse code do you Luke asked glancing back at the twins they shook their heads all right then I said let's find some baskets for these bikes that way we can carry more supplies I think we should leave in the morning and head north agreed no one dissented we should avoid the big cities if we want to avoid the Chinese army said Brooke and we all agreed it looks like we can avoid woonsocket Luke said after turning the Atlas back to a map of Rhode Island Woonsocket was the nearest city it was much bigger than Fort Carter but would barely rate as a city in some of the other states he flipped to the Massachusetts page it doesn't look like we'll be able to skirt around Worcester as easily though with a little over 200,000 people Worcester was a real city the second largest in New England after Boston if we have to go through it we will I said but maybe something else will come up before we get there sounds like a plan man Luke said closing the atlas I think I'll hold on to this could come in handy we should grab another one too Brooke said a backup never hurts great idea said Luke a little too enthusiastically boy he had it bad tene the Sun rose the next morning to find us preparing to leave Walmart we were all packed each of us had a full backpack and the bike baskets loaded with supplies I loaded the shotgun ammo I found into my backpack as Luke wasn't around where's Luke Ben asked I think he went to the bathroom Sarah replied here he is Luke II merged from one of the aisles holding up a box proudly crossbow he said and knelt on the floor he began to rip open the cardboard packaging at first I thought it was a toy but when he pulled out the camouflage patterned weapon I saw that it was indeed real as were the short arrows or bolts or whatever they called them he slung the crossbow over his shoulder and secure the velcro belt of eight holstered arrows to his thigh where did you find that Ben asked I could do with one of those two the bows are too big and clumsy to take with us sorry this was the last one it was tucked behind a counter all the shelves were cleaned out probably in the panic after the outbreak here he can have this though he handed Ben the shotgun the English boy took it gingerly don't worry the safety is on Luke said I wasn't sure about giving up a firearm for what was essentially a medieval weapon but I could tell from the loving way he handled it that Luke wouldn't be persuaded to give the crossbow up we got started not long after a mile down highway 102 it crossed the Quaker Highway which would lead us after another half mile or so to the Providence Worcester Turnpike this would give us a fairly straight shot across the semi rugged and forested southern Massachusetts countryside it was cold and overcast as we left Walmart's parking lot weaving our bikes between the silent cars that littered the highway it started to snow even before we reached the Turnpike this could be some tough sledding boss Luke said pedaling up beside me bicycles can be hard to ride in the snow nothing we can do about it now I replied if it gets too bad we'll find someplace to stop until it lets up what doesn't let up till spring he asked it's still January after all heck I don't know maybe we'll come across a place with snowmobiles the snow did let up before it started sticking to the road but that conversation with Luke kept playing on my mind somehow I was beginning to feel responsible not only for myself but for our entire ragtag little group what if I led them astray the thought nagged at me as we rode it was 19 miles from where we got on the Turnpike to the edge of Worcester and we planned on staying on at the entire way we had only been on the Turnpike for three or so miles when Brooks keen eyesight caught something coming toward us we had just passed an off-ramp so we turned our bikes around and hightailed it back before speeding down the ramp and hiding in the bushes near the underpass we watched the turnpike from our hideout the others looking as apprehensive as I felt five minutes later a bulldozer and two trucks came into view they were moving slowly the dozer making sure the breakdown lane was clear pushing the occasional abandoned vehicle out of the way behind them rumbled four tanks American tanks I could see the flags and with a surge of joy I started up from our hiding position ready to wave them down Luke grabbed me by the sleeve and pulled me roughly to the ground dude he whispered harshly look at the Sentry one of the tanks had his hatch open and the soldier leaning out of it was clearly Asian that didn't mean a whole lot but the flag on the shoulder of his bluish camouflage uniform was an unmistakable blotch of red a glance into the truck cabins confirmed it Chinese soldiers I nodded sheepishly aware of just how close I had come to getting us all captured or worse killed I bet they're taking any American military hardware they find Luke said we watched us the tanks continued past followed by a few more trucks and finally a single Jeep a man with a pair of binoculars stood up in the back of the Jeep looking around at the edges of the road my breath caught as his gaze swept over us and in my mind at least seemed to linger just a bit too long I held my breath finally the man turned his attention to the other side of the Turnpike as the jeep rolled on I exhaled sharply I wasn't the only one holy crap that was close Luke said I wonder if there will be more of them using that motorway Ben wondered aloud Luke does your map show a way to get to Worcester from here without taking the Turnpike I asked keeping my eyes on the road we waited while he rummaged around for the Atlas in his pack yeah he said after opening it to the page he wanted but it's going to be longer and take us through a lot of farmland and some small towns longer I can deal with if it helps us avoid patrols said Brooke I'm hungry can we stop and eat something Sarah asked typical kid I thought ignoring the fact that my own stomach was rumbling let's get a bit further down this road away from the Turnpike and we'll stop I said looks like we follow this road about a half mile and then turn left Luke said that looks like a good spot to stop for a rest and some grub okay let's go I said it was just after and we were leaving the small town of North Oxbridge when we noticed we were being followed by dogs it was of course Brooke who spotted them first we have company she said pulling up they followed at a distance a pack of mangy dogs of different breeds but all of them had a lean and hungry look I could make out at least one Alsatian and there were two other big dogs whose breeds I couldn't identify they didn't come close to us that afternoon just followed behind sniffing at our trail they have a terrible sarah said when we stopped to rest a couple hours after we first noticed them who's been taking care of them you know since the flu killed all the grown-ups probably no one Luke responded that's probably why they're so skinny maybe we should feed them sarah said sadness creeping into her voice we've barely got enough for ourselves love Brooke said putting a comforting hand on Sarah's shoulder besides if you feed a stray it'll follow you around forever Luke said at least that's what my dad always said I hope they bugger off I think they're creepy Ben said marrying my own feelings feeding them was the last thing I wanted to do the thought of them being close enough to hand-feed terrified me in an irrational way I had been bitten by my grandmother's collie when I was six and still had the scar from a puncture wound on my wrist we aren't going near them I said and tonight we're going to find a place with doors we can lock to sleep in when we stop for the night a couple of hours later he was just starting to get dark we found a farmhouse with a large detached garage behind it the house was locked up tight and I don't think any of us fancied breaking in besides the garage door was wide open so we wheeled our bicycles inside and pulled the big roller door down behind us a couple of windows above a workbench on one wall allow the dying sunlight to filter in as we set up our bedding we ate a meal of beef jerky and potato chips as the Sun went down and by the time we finished it was pitch black in the garage both Ben and Brooke had thought to bring flashlights but to save on our limited supply of batteries we had decided not to use them unless there was an emergency the dogs began howling and barking sometime in the middle of the night we could hear them growling and scratching at the garage door before what sounded like a vicious fight broke out and ended in high-pitched yelping no one slept much after that a whimpering Sara curled up next to Brooke the English girl doing her best to comfort her while Luke and I sat upright with our weapons close by Ben was ready with his flashlight should the sound of breaking glass or splintering wood be heard the sound of the dogs finally died down just as dawn was breaking everybody but Luke and I fell into a fitful sleep we should let them sleep a while Luke said we can get started again in a few hours okay everybody's exhausted from yesterday's ride and last night's excitement I replied stifling a yawn you should sleep too he said I can keep watch are you sure no sweat man I picked up a few energy drinks before we left Walmart if I feel myself crashing I'll just slam one of them alright if you're sure I got into my sleeping bag and shuffled till I was comfortable well as comfortable as one could be lying on a concrete floor my eyes closed for what seemed like just a second and suddenly I was being shaken awake I glanced around in bewilderment everybody else was up and had their sleeping bags repacked what it's about noon Luke said time to rise and shine sleepyhead okay okay I muttered shaking my head to clear the cobwebs from my mind sometimes I think a little sleep is worse than none I got up and stretched I wasn't quite as exhausted as I had been but still felt like I'd been worked over by a burly man with a baseball bat muscled that I never knew I had were aching I rolled up my sleeping bag and tied it before returning it to the basket on the front of my bike any sign of the dogs I asked nope Luke replied when Ben woke up I got him to watch my back while I went outside to take a whiz and have a look around they must have found something better to do well then we should probably be heading out we've already wasted too much daylight as it is I figure we've got maybe five hours of light left Luke said we might be able to make it to Worcester by nightfall Luke was getting ready to pull up the door when we heard the first thrum of a helicopter in the distance I motioned for him to leave it closed and he nodded the chopper flew low over the house and garage we were in and in truth I was waiting for huge bullets to begin tearing the garage apart at any moment but after what seemed like an eternity it moved off into the distance are they going to come back Sara asked I don't know but maybe we should wait a while before leaving I don't want them to catch us riding down the road if they fly back this way if we wait too long we won't make it very far before dark man Luke said maybe we shouldn't try I responded conscious of my aching muscles we could wait out the day here spend another night and leave early in the morning as you Yanks would say I'm down with that Ben said massaging the back of his leg please can we Sara asked her eyes brightening slightly for the first time since I admit her wouldn't bother me Brooke chimed in you're the boss Luke said shrugging he pulled the sleeping bag off of his bicycle basket if we're staying here though I'm going to get some shut-eye I'm bushed I'm not the boss I said just a figure of speech man Luke said shrugging before unrolling his sleeping bag onto the floor I'll take the watch tonight you do kind of take charge and act bossy said Sara smiling with a nod of her head the way she said it and made it sound like it wasn't a bad thing thirteen it was cold in the garage and we spent most of the day cocooned in our sleeping bags and talking quietly we were out of the wind which was a blessing but a fire was out of the question Luke slept most of the afternoon and toured late afternoon I also nodded off I awoke just before nightfall when the dogs returned we could hear them growling and snarling as they scratched at the garage door that night we were more secure in the safety of our shelter and the rest of my group including Luke even managed to get to sleep despite the dogs hammering at the door I couldn't however and was awake until well after midnight with the 38 in my hand listening to the pack Luke awoke in those early hours and took my gun telling me to sleep I didn't protest I was pretty exhausted by then once again the dogs were gone before first light we had a quick breakfast of cold beans and were ready to go within a half-hour of the Sun cresting the horizon we hit the road riding carefully to avoid patches of black ice sometime before midday it began snowing again this time harder when we stopped to have lunch in a clear spot under some trees I worried that we wouldn't be able to make it too much further on our bikes where are we I asked Luke who'd spent most of our lunch stop studying the map of Massachusetts in his atlas based on that last big crossroad I'm guessing it were someplace right about here he said jabbing at a spot on the map with his finger were probably five or six miles from Worcester should make it there in another hour a half maybe a bit longer if the weather keeps being a dick now might be a good time to discuss what we do when we get there Brooke said whilst is a city and they're bound to be Chinese military there it's probably where that chopper was headed yesterday I know I prefer to go around it but that might not be possible given the weather I said going around would take us too far out of the way Luke chimed in a stealth run through it has to be the best way it would save us time and distance both paths are risky and said but given the weather especially I think we should try to get through Worcester as soon as possible if that means dodging Chinese patrols then so be it but we should wait and make a go of it after dark Luke nodded and would be easier to avoid the patrols that way let's go to the outskirts of town and make our decision then I replied getting through seemed like the best course of action to me too and I could see the reasoning behind making the crossing at night the problem was I found the thought of traveling through the cold dark night unsettling I looked around at the snow falling beyond the trees we were lunching under we should get back to it the dogs are back and they're closer said Sara tugging on my sleeve and pointing back the way we had come I looked over my shoulder and felt the hair on the back of my neck rise they were closer all right everybody on their bikes let's go now I said my bicycle tire slipped in the slushy covering that was beginning to form over the road for the first few turns of my pedals but then it caught on the bike shot forward I tucked in as a back marker behind the others Luke in front followed by Sara and then the twins I didn't need to look over my shoulders to tell the dogs were coming the sound of their bang told me all I needed to know they weren't keeping their distance this time they were chasing us down we rode as fast as we could under the circumstances our bike slipping and skidding on the icy road but it was clear that we weren't going to outrun them we would run out of steam long before the desperate canines did either that or one of us would end up skidding off the road and be at the mercy of the pack I desperately looked around for some way out and spotted a large house ahead about 50 yards away it wasn't said as far back from the road as most of the houses around it and the short gravel driveway was mostly clear of snow and slush please don't be locked the thought shot through my head so fast that I hardly had time to register it I sped forward there I shot it through the others and pointed to the house dump the bikes in the yard and get up on the porch i angled dangerously off onto the driveway and jumped from the bike before it stopped I hit the ground running slipping in a patch of snow I felt a sharp twang in my inner thigh as I did the splits before catching my balance the adrenaline running through me masked the pain and I scrambled up onto the porch relieved to see that the others were all right there with me adrenaline powering them all even Sara been rushed to the door and I turned scrambling to pull my gun from my pocket as the dogs charged across the icy lawn it was Luke that saved us from what may have been a disaster with a guttural roar he jumped off the porch grabbed the shotgun from Ben's basket and charged at the oncoming pack screaming like a maniac a sight of the crazy human was enough to cause some of the dogs to pull up and comically slide to a stop on the slippery grass three kept coming Luke fired his shotgun at the pitbull that was leading the charge and it was flipped violently backwards by the blast the rest of the dogs scattered frightened by the loud blast and the yelping of their pack mate luke paused and watched as the dogs ran off and then wrecked the slide of the shotgun to load another round he stepped up to the pitbull it was still thrashing on the ground and yelping look away everybody he yelled I know the warning was mainly for the girls but I also looked away too and watched his Ben tried to Jimmy the door open we all jumped as a second blast rang out and the agonized yips were abruptly silenced when it was done I turned around with my revolver in hand as Luke pulled a blanket from one of the packs and covered the dead dog before joining us on the porch Luke and I both watched the rest the dogs with our guns ready they had retreated to the road and had formed into a pack once again watching us as warily as we watched them behind us Ben finally gave up trying to Jimmy the door and attempted to ram it open with his shoulder Sarah began tugging at the elbow of his parka he shrugged her off and gave the door another ineffectual charge with his shoulder Sarah didn't give up though frustrated Ben looked down at her what she held up the shiny key she had pulled from under the corner of the welcome mat been rubbed his shoulder sheepishly thanks he mumbled and took the key with my adrenaline running high I had to suppress a crazy inappropriate given what had just happened to the dog giggle Luke and I stood guard as the rest piled inside the dogs still milled aimlessly sniffing the air in our direction but hadn't worked up the courage to come back for more I motioned Luke inside and without taking my eyes off the pack I stepped in behind him the house was cold and there was no electricity or running water or any sign that anybody had been there recently Brooke made the mistake of opening the refrigerator door discovering the moldering remains of a Christmas meal before slamming it closed again not before the smell escaped though Brooke barked Ben like a disappointed parent oops sorry said Brooke and pulled a face behind his back drawing a laugh from Sara Luke started up the stairs but about halfway up and counter to smell that made the rotting food in the fridge smell like potpourri we didn't talk about what might be causing the stench just agreed we would stay on the ground floor we all traipsed into the living room one thing the place did have going for it was a big fireplace with a dozen or so logs sitting in the box next to it can we have a fire Issac please Sara asked tonight maybe when the smoke won't be as noticeable I said that's if no one else objects sounds good to me man Luke said I feel like it's been ages since I've been really warm I'm going to see if there is anything edible in this place and said moving toward the doorway to the kitchen I'll help you his sister said following him should we get this stuff from our bikes Luke asked the dogs are still out there I said peering through the aluminum venetian blinds they had finally gotten the gumption to come close to the house and were sniffing around their fallen pack mate one of them the big bristling au sation sniffed at the dead pit pool then bit into its leg a mud approached and the Alsatian released the leg long enough to snap it and before chowing down again realizing there was food on offer the rest of the dogs closed in and proceeded to scramble and fight over their former pack mate feeling sick I let the slats and the blind snap back into place we'll have to wait I said not telling them what I just witnessed hopefully they don't get into our stuff yeah in the kitchen cupboards the twins found lots of canned food including Irish stew and baked beans and Campbell's soups we all agreed that a few cans of Irish stew would make an excellent supper that night frankly we were all sick of baked beans in our supplies stack and knew they would be better cold than other foods while travelling we spent the remainder of the afternoon searching the ground floor of the big house for anything that would prove useful on our trip very little of what we found was actually suitable although Sarah did uncover a box of small candy canes that we eagerly tore into been discovered an old boom box style radio with working batteries in the kitchen and we turned it on running it through the FM dial we expected to hear only static we were shocked when we found a couple of the station's broadcasting our rising hopes crashed when we realized that the stations were broadcasting in Chinese Brook who had taken mandarin in school for a year said one was broadcasting in Mandarin and she wasn't sure about the other although we figured it had to be Cantonese she was able to make out some of the words in the Mandarin brought enough to tell that it was repeating the same few sentences over and over but couldn't tell us what the message was sorry I only took the subject because my mates did we flicked two am stations and after some frustration we were able to find the coded message about the safe haven again although now it was on a different frequency smarten it renewed my hope that if we did find this place it would be well organized and offer real safety to my untrained ears the series of beeps sounded the same as before so after a while we shut it off we should take the batteries when we leave who can say when we'll come across more with juice in them Luke said by then it was getting dark so we decided to go ahead and light the fire I wanted to wait until it was fully dark but the others were impatient and the look of longing on Sarah's face melted my resistance we lit the fire just as dusk fell as the stew simmered over the fire sarah pulled out some old board games she had found under the sofa in the living room we should play one she said what have you got there Luke asked let's see backgammon monopoly trouble and Chinese checkers she said reading off the boxes we were all thinking it but as usual it was Luke who made the move he picked up the Chinese checkers box and tossed it into the fire screw the Chinese we watched silently as the flames licked the edge of the worn box before it caught a light and burned it was a child its gesture of defiance but somehow it made me feel better and I could tell from the faces of the others that they felt the same so I guess it'll have to be monopoly or trouble if one of us sits out Brooke said if you guys want to play trouble go ahead I said I can watch this do no Sarah shook her head we all have to play let's play Monopoly so that's what we did it was like there was an unspoken agreement to give her everything she wanted that night we played and talked and laughed and had fun truly enjoying ourselves for the first time since we all come together for that few hours we managed to forget the horrors of the previous few weeks and simply be kids the stew was delicious after days of cold food and we all slept well that night warm and comfortable in front of the fire I wished we could have stayed there a few more days or even permanently that I knew that was not going to be possible Luke and I decided that we were going to have to move on the next morning and travel hard before we found a place to hole up for a few hours before making a nighttime dash across Worcester as I nodded off I hoped that the dead pit bull had provided the pack with enough food to lose interest in us otherwise our passage out of here into the city would be even more dangerous after what happened the next morning I stopped putting so much faith in hope 15 I was in the kitchen gathering cans to take with us when it happened a single piercing scream that transformed into shrieks of pain I rushed into the living room pulling my revolver from my pocket as I ran the front door was open and I burst through to find Sara surrounded by dogs on the lawn about near where we'd left the bikes Luke was already on the porch with the shotgun in his hands but I could tell he was hesitant to shoot for fear of hitting Sara I brought the 38 up and pulled the trigger it jumped in my hand as the report rang out my aim was purposefully over the heads of the dogs and Sara to scare them away it didn't work some of the dogs shrank away but others continued tearing at her her blood-curdling screams were muffled as she had been pushed faced down into the snow by their assault at the sound of my shot Luke's hesitation broke and he too leveled his gun aiming at one of the dogs furthest away from Sara he squeezed the trigger in the shotgun boomed the Alsatian pitched over and laid twitching in the snow the pack took more notice of us then with all but one a heavy American Bulldog forgetting Sara and watching us wearily torn between food and self-preservation the Bulldog continued ripping at Sara's shoulder and she screamed in agony I had a clean shot at a cadaver asleep in Doberman and hit it in the head from behind me there was a shout in Ben rush past us charging at the dogs he had the poker from the fireplace and swung it like a madman bloody boss let's leave her alone the remaining dogs yelped and gave ground before him but not quickly enough Ben brought the bar of the poker down hard upon the muscled back of the Bulldog and it squealed turning the snarl at its attacker Ben swung again striking it on the side of its thick skull it yelped before stumbling off in a weird drunken manner the last three dogs watched him just out of reach their hackles raised but not backing off then picked Sara up hoisting her small bleeding form over his shoulder he ran to the porch with her and it almost made it when an emaciated mutt sank its teeth into the backside of his ski pants and screamed in agony and dropped Sara onto the steps while swinging behind him with the poker and a desperate attempt to dislodge the dog's jaw Luke and I stepped forward at the same time I grabbed Sara under the arms and heaved her up onto the porch before picking her up just before I turned I saw Luke placed the shotgun against the mutts chest and pulled the trigger the last of the dogs scattered and I heard Luke firing off more shots as I took Sara inside placing Sara gently in front of the fireplace I looked her over as the others gathered around she was unconscious for which I was thankful her wounds were horrific her right arm and shoulder were mangled and she had multiple bites on the other arm and on both legs she was bleeding profusely from the shoulder and even as a 15 year old with no medical training I knew that was not a good thing Luke came in helping Ben over to us Ben was limping a little white fluff protruding from the rips in his ski pants he seemed to be angry rather than hurt Brooke stood frozen in the kitchen her face pale with shock is she okay Luke asked does she look okay I snapped what the hell was she doing out there she went out to get something from her bike basket I told her not to go but she snuck out we I I said that we'd protect her I said as rage and anguish fought for control of my emotions only realizing later that it was the first time I had felt those things since the death of my parents and sister Brooke go to the bathroom see if there are some clean towels we need to try to stop the bleeding I'm sorry I couldn't get to a foster Issac Ben said sitting awkwardly on the living room chair with his wounded backside half off the chair if I'd been fast - maybe no blame is going to be passed around here today I said my voice cracking we need to look out for each other but we also need to be responsible for ourselves it was the first time I had ever heard Luke use an obscenity stronger than crap and I heard anguish anger and perhaps regretting it we did what we could to staunch the bleeding and I made the call to build a fire in the fireplace to keep her warm while it was dangerous to light a fire in the day it seemed important to keep her comfortable Brooke sat with Sarah's head in her lap in front of the fire while I pressed towels to the wounds Brooke had also found some peroxide in which I used as a disinfectant Luke disappeared and came back with an old power cord which he tried without much success to use as a tourniquet on her mangled shoulder we sat like that for an hour changing the towels as they became soaked eventually Sara stopped bleeding I was relieved at first until I realized that her chest wasn't moving her pale face was as peaceful and calm as I'd ever seen it hey she stopped bleeding Brooke said using her finger to wipe a strand of hair from Sara's brow maybe now she can stop getting better Luke his face serious looked at me and shook his head I remembered a line from a book I'd read a long time ago the dead don't bleed Brook continued to hold Sarah's head while I stood up and went to her brother Ben was standing at the front window leaning against the sill and looking out at the bloody snow and dead dogs scattered over the ground how are you doing I asked I must say I've been better ben said with a grimace but after looking it over in the bathroom mirror the bite on my bum isn't nearly as bad as it feels I might be limping for a couple of days but I'll live lucky I had jeans on under my snow pants his teeth didn't break the skin but it's pretty bruised he looked at me perhaps sensing him that I wasn't only there to check up on him Sarah she's gone I said quietly Brooke doesn't realize it yet but she went a few minutes ago dammit Ben said shaking his head sepia shouldn't we try it would have been no use we couldn't stop the bleeding from her shoulder it must have been an artery he looked like he wanted to cry Paul Sarah do you want me to talk to Brooke if you could I just don't know what to say he nodded and pushed himself back from the wall can't say I know what to say either he said and started limping to where his sister sat by the fireplace still holding Sarah and smoothing down her hair I walked out onto the front porch hand on the revolver in my pocket in case the dogs had returned they were nowhere to be seen I didn't know what to do should we try to bury Sarah just leave her body behind I walked down the porch steps and gave the stiffening body of the Doberman a kick to the side tears spilled from my eyes but this time rage went out and I began kicking the data animal over and over again and again as I let out a muttered string of obscenities finally I sat down on the steps breathing heavily the tears now cold on my cheeks Issac Luke said from the doorway Isaac I think we need to get out of here I wiped the tears from my face and stood up to look at him he pointed into the sky without looking up and it was then I heard the faint rumble of a helicopter in the distance I looked up the smoke from our chimney was rising stark white against the slate gray sky quick let's grab what we can and go I said springing into action I'll have to go on foot and try to stay in the trees luckily much of the land on either side of the road we'd follow to this point had been lightly forested what about Sarah he asked as I rushed to the bikes and started pulling out anything useful when light enough to carry on foot we'll have to leave her here I said although the very thought of it pained me we can't take her with us and we don't have any time to bury her no we can't leave her like that he said defiantly I paused and looked at him how about we set the house alight and cremate her so she isn't eaten by animals or left rotting like the people upstairs he suggested it might also distract the helicopter yes yes all right do it quick while I get the others out Ben stood helplessly over Brooke as she held Sarah close crying silently we have to go quickly I shouted the Chinese will be here soon Ben attempted to pull Brookes hand but she resisted and went back to stroking Sarah's hair I ran to Ben and handed him the pack ID hurriedly loaded go I note besides Brooke and grasped her chin gently tilting her face to meet my gaze Brooke Sarah's going I said looking in her eyes if we don't go now right now we'll be killed too the message seemed to get through and still weeping she slowly slid her legs out from under Sarah and used her head onto the blanket hurry they're getting closer Ben Brooke and I ran around like maniacs gathering what belongings we could as quickly as possible as Luke began splashing kerosene over the sitting room floor and furniture enough go I yelled stopping the twins after a minute the choppers were too close Luke Ben over Sarah and placed the sheet over her before kissing her shrouded forehead that small heartfelt gesture was what amounted to her funeral and as the noise of the chopper blades got louder he poured kerosene over her before placing the tin to the side and striking a match what the fuel ignited and we ran out into the cold we hid in the cover of the trees a quarter-mile away and watched the oily smoke rise into the sky as two helicopters circled like vultures over a carcass Brookes wracking sobs were the only sound that interrupted the heavy chop-chop-chop of the rotor blades sixteen the bear dead branches of the deciduous trees the most common in that area didn't provide much cover but luckily we had found a cop's of spruce trees to crouch under as we watched thankfully the helicopters didn't land and after 10 or so minutes they finished circling and departed great idea to set the house of light Luke said Ben I think it maybe worked as a decoy I'm pretty sure if we'd only left the chimney burning they would have landed and searched the area we'd have been toast yeah good thinking on your feet Luke I said and patted his shoulder awkwardly well it wasn't really about creating a decoy I just didn't want to leave Sara like that he said Ben and I nodded sombrely but brooke still upset at the loss of the little girl went to Luke and kissed him on the cheek I heard her whisper thank you Luke's eyes widened and I'm sure I saw a tinge of pink in his cheeks that hadn't been there a few minutes ago shame about the supplies he said awkwardly bending over and picking up a backpack to distract us or himself from the moment we had been forced to leave most of the supplies that we brought from Walmart basically all we had now was what we were wearing and what we had in our backpacks I had gathered what I could from the baskets that the dogs had scattered but it amounted to no more than some canned food and two sleeping bags we should keep moving I said when the sound of the choppers had faded completely should we go back and gather up more supplies then asked I don't think so I replied they've scanned the area from the air but we have to assume they might send a patrol to search the area I'll bet they do Luke said and they'll probably be here sooner rather than later on what it is then Brooke said looking sadly back in the direction of the house we should stay off the road for a while I said Luke do you think you can guide us with the Atlas and the compass you grabbed from Walmart does a bear in the woods his smile faded as his attempt to be light-hearted tanked the death of Sarah was still too raw for all of us let's go maybe we can find someplace closer to Worcester to hold up I said quickly to cover the awkward silence after consulting his compass Luke pointed us in a direction and we started our hike the terrain rose slightly in that direction and the forest got thicker as we went on despite the bare trees providing less cover than we would have liked the going was slow and not just because of the terrain both Ben and I were somewhat hobbled by our recent injuries he the dog bite to the buttock and me the pulled muscle in my groin from my dismount in the slushy snow it had been ok while I was warm but this morning it was quite tender and the snow on the ground certainly didn't help nor the unevenness of the forest floor as a result we traveled much slower through the woods than we would have along the road we've been walking about 20 minutes when Luke stopped and looked worriedly behind us what is it I asked the snow he said if somebody finds our trail in it leading away from the house they can follow it right to us crap I got a sinking feeling in my belly well let's push on maybe we'll find a way ahead that'll confuse the trail besides we don't know that they actually will send a ground team we just couldn't take the risk by hanging around there should be a road on the top of this Ridge it runs the same direction as the one we were on Luke said maybe we can walk on it for a while before heading off into the woods again at least it might slow them down if they're searching for our trail we walked on in silence for a good twenty more minutes before we came to the edge of the trees we found ourselves looking into the backyard of a large house with a small barn like building off to one side we scoped it for a few minutes but detected no signs of movement should we risk a quick pop inside to check the supplies do you think Ben asked if they do find our trail I think it's too soon to stop even for a short time Luke said Luke's right we keep moving for now I said massaging my inner thigh as I crouched in the snow there will be other houses to search once we're further away it started snowing again as we crossed the homes back yard aiming for a gap between it and the barn the snow was heavier than it had been before and if we still had them riding the bicycles would have been a nightmare or impossible on foot though it wouldn't slow us down much more than what was already on the ground this time I was glad to see the snow falling it was a light fall but if it fell long enough it would cover our tracks at the corner of the house we found a large paved driveway that stretched off between the trees a snow-covered SUV sat on the icy tarmac with its driver's side door open I approached it warily it was abandoned and the snow had begun to collect on the driver's seat follow the driveway Luke said it'll be harder for somebody to follow our trail there because it's more slush and ice and snow the driveway was a couple hundred feet long and we followed it until we came out on another Road at the rear of the property standing in the shadow of a large evergreen tree we looked left and right in both directions driveways led back to houses on either side of the street most of them closer to the road than the one we had negotiated I say we hang a left Luke said it'll confuse followers because it sort of cuts back against the direction we've been going and if I remember the map right not too much further on there's a road we can take to put us back on course for Wooster I've got a bad feeling about this road I said I'm not sure what it was the quiet seclusion of it maybe he was probably just spooked but either way it just felt wrong whether I was right or not I had no intention of testing the theory I think we should head straight across through the backyard of the house across the way back into the trees it looks like there might be more evergreens over that way so maybe that will make us harder to track if there's more snow in the branches and less on the ground I agree with Isaac Brooke said I don't like the idea of cutting back I know it sounds clever but it might just be too clever if you take my meaning in any case let's do something Ben said it's coda just standing around that it is walking I guess I'm overruled Luke said with a smile across him back into the woods it is we shot across the road as best we could and then I'm a driveway on the far side the snow was really starting to come down and thick wet flakes and we hurried past the house and through the backyard veering slightly to put the house between us in the road we came to a halt in front of a 6-foot high chain-link fence that separated the backyard from the woods beyond up and over Luke cast I'm not sure I can make it I said with a wince as I thought of my aching inner thigh don't be a woodsman he said we'll help you scrambling over the fence turned out to be far easier than I had feared it would be no doubt because I had two other guys to help lift me and we were soon back under the trees there were more evergreens in this section of the forest which meant the ground was clearer and that less snow was falling on us from above Luke used his compass to keep our course running northeast the direction he figured that we needed to go the going was still slow but we were making steady progress and I was even beginning to lose my fear that we might be tracked 20 minutes later we reached the road running roughly east to west and stopped so Luke could check his atlas I checked my watch it was a quarter after one which meant that sunset would be in just over three hours I know you want to avoid the roads Luke said but we'd really make better time by following them yeah I know I replied we can follow this road for a while if you want but we have to keep a good lookout last thing we want is a patrol catching us unaware thank the almighty Ben muttered in reality I was nearly as relieved as him the uneven ground of the forest floor not to mention scrambling to step over fallen logs and forcing my way through bushes and brambles had really upped the pain level and the muscle I had pulled I think this road is this one here Luke said pointing at his map it goes from North Bridge back to the Wooster Providence Turnpike if we follow it to the left a bit we should come to a road that branches off northeast following that is a straight shot well straight ish at least up to Millbury which is just outside of Wooster here his finger traced a line on the map how far are we from Millbury I asked while two miles as the crow flies but probably closer to four following the roads with their twists and turns about two hours of hard walking then said Brooke tossing a glance at both her brother and I assuming that you two don't collapse on us I think I got another couple of hours in me Ben said me too I said with my conviction that I felt the snow was still falling but at least there wasn't much wind as we began our trek to Millbury following the roads we saw no signs of others no adult survivors no kids trying to survive on their own no Chinese patrols looking for anybody nothing the world seemed so empty and peaceful no planes in the sky no cars on the roads no sounds of construction or television I could almost imagine what it must have been like for the pilgrims when they first landed on this vast new continent mr. Dresden in American history had told us that just a short while before the Europeans arrived there had been a large and thriving native culture not only on the east coast of North America but stretching nearly to the Rocky Mountains the only reason that the continent had seemed so empty to the Europeans and that they encountered so few Native Americans was because a plague had swept through killing off the majority while Nature had conspired to give the Europeans a continent ripe for conquering and colonisation it seemed that the Chinese had taken matters into their own hands where do you suppose all of the kids are a slew quietly I mean we've seen hardly any there's no way the Chinese could have rounded up more than a fraction I shrugged I had been wondering that myself but hadn't like the answers that had sprung to mind well it's winter there's no power or water no adult supervision no fresh food I lowered my voice so Brooke wouldn't hear I think a lot would be dead already in this region at least it might be different in some of the warmer states but then there are probably more Chinese there for that reason they had to know that the cold would kill a lot of us maybe the dead are the lucky ones Luke muttered kicking at the snow 70 the snow coupled with Ben's injury in my own meant that we still hadn't made it to Millbury when the Sun started to descend beneath the horizon we're about to pass by a town called Wilkerson Ville Luc informed us as we walked past a cemetery with the name st. John's above the gate we're still at least a mile from Millbury though we should find some place for the night I said there's no way we'll be able to make it to Millbury before it gets dark yes I agree Ben said his limp had grown more pronounced in the last half hour or so five minutes after we passed the cemetery we approached a house sitting well back from the road on a half acre of land it was big and well-kept and I have to say looked inviting in the bright Twilight that looks as good a place as any don't you think ask man we all agreed it would be a good place to bed down for the night so we turned to trudge up the long driveway we are about thirty feet from the front porch when the door opened revealing a warm yellow light within shocked we all froze in place my hand crept toward my pocket and I only relaxed slightly when I saw it was a blond-haired boy about our age or possibly a year or two younger he looked around quickly and urgently gestured for us to come inside whether it was the cold or the pain or the fatigue I'm not sure but we rushed as one toward the door without thinking about it the boy stepped aside quickly allowing us to pile in and slam the door behind us shooting three large bolts home to secure the heavy door we came to a standstill panting and catching our breath as we found ourselves face-to-face with three more teenagers these ones armed I felt my heart sink as Luke and the others put their hands up I nearly pulled my 38 but thought better of it when I saw one of them was pointing a crossbow at Brookes chest the other two had a baseball bat and a machete respectively I took my hand out of my pocket and raised my hands praying that none of the others would do anything rash Hey sorry to rush you in like that but we couldn't take the chance of you drawing attention to us said the boy who had beckoned us into the house or trap the blond boy came around and gestured to his mates who lowered their weapons he looked sure of himself now and I really did my first impression of him close up I could see that he was probably my age not only that he appeared self-confident and he was clearly the leader of their group I'm will this is Bo Ryan and Rodney who's in charge of your little group Luke gestured toward me Issac is on Luke and this is Ben and Brooke the twins nodded still looking wery well smiled at them almost dismissively his stare honing in on me he appeared to be sizing me up I stared back not dropping my own gaze I don't know quite what it was about him the blonde good looks or his crooked smile but I felt an instant mistrust finally he nodded and held out his hand and after a moment I shook it Hey formalities over he pointed to a corner of the room please make yourselves at home you can put your stuff in that corner if you want and you must be hungry we were just about to eat I could eat a horse and chase the jockey said Luke drawing a laugh from everyone except me Ben and Brooke also seemed to relax and join Luke off loading their gear in the corner Ben's backpack with the handle of the shotgun protruding in plain sight if William and his friends noticed they didn't let on Luke took his crossbow from his shoulder and placed it with his pack not quite convinced we were in no danger I kept my jacket on and placed my backpack in the corner on top of Luke's weapon now I had time to look around we stood in a richly furnished parlor the yellow light was coming from gasps learners located at various points around the room and the toasty warmth immediately evident when we had come in was coming from a gas radiator the windows were blacked out by black plastic that hung behind the white lace curtains effectively hiding the light and the lanterns to the outside Ben and Brooke followed well out of the room Luke looked at me I half expected him to tell me he was also where he had the occupants of the house but a steady clapped me on the shoulder cheer up Isaac it smells like hot food he was smiling ear to ear as he propelled me toward the door of what I could see was a dining room I didn't like the way the other three boys hung back and waited for us to go through I especially didn't like that they hadn't put their weapons down I looked back at them and saw the stock yes to the boys the one carrying the cross buh buh I think stay behind and settle into a chair by the window he pulled the dark plastic that was over the window to the side and peered out into the rapidly darkening afternoon boughs our lookout for tonight said William from directly behind me the large dining room opened into a kitchen that was also well-lit an inviting ly warm my mouth dropped open all the available floor and bench space in the kitchen was taken up by canned and packaged food and against one wall stood a stack of gallon containers of fresh water on the gas stove a large probably industrial kitchen sized stockpot steamed happily I knew instantly it was the source of the wonderful meaty smell that made my stomach Rumble despite my uneasiness will informed us it was beef stew and invited us to sit at the huge table that dominated the space Ryan said our guest the place please Rodney you can start to serve Rodney and Ryan put their weapons on the kitchen counter and got busy within a few minutes we were at the table is Rodney a big sullen boy went from place to place ladling stew into our bowls I took in the empty chair next to Brooke and an image of Sara flashed across my mind it was hard to believe that just 24 hours before we had been laughing and enjoying our game of Monopoly with her she should have been here too Rodney was just serving Ben the last of us to have his bowl filled with the delicious smelling stew when we'll clapped his hands suddenly entranced by the aroma and ready to dig in as we were we all jumped I almost forgot we watched him scoot around the counter to the oven a second later he returned carrying a wooden board with two huge loaves of freshly baked bread Luke and the twins greeted this unexpected sleigh with shouts of pleasure I was silent but my mouth watered in anticipation after surviving so long on canned mostly cold food the feast laid before us seemed to be Heaven Sent it's excited at the prospect of a warm meal as I was the oddness of these boys picked at the edges of my consciousness will seem content almost happy for us to make pigs of ourselves there was plenty to go around and they clearly weren't wanting we broke the bread off in chunks and dipped it into the generous bowls of the tasty stew I relaxed slowly as we hate the hearty food and the buoyant mood of my group gradually chipped away at my disquiet will was quite the host and I didn't fail to notice that Brooke appeared to be quite smitten with him laughing enthusiastically at his jokes and stories this didn't seem to bother Luke or Ben who are as engaged as she by our charismatic host it turned out that wills group had made several raids into Millbury one time managing to start an old truck and load it with all the supplies they could fit I told them the story of the pickup in the dreadful aerial response from the Chinese will shrugged luckily there was only a short journey for us my disquiet again reared its ugly head not only because of the lack of detail he provided to explain their good fortune but also at the lack of conversation from the other boys it was almost as if they had been ordered not to speak after dinner will showed us where we could clean up a small bathroom down the hall from the kitchen and then invited us back into the parlor we fell to the carpet around the radiator our full bellies bulging Bo still sat at the window barely acknowledging the rest of us as we came in he clearly took his job as a sentry very seriously have you had much trouble I asked addressing him he just looked at me like I'd spoken in a foreign tongue I saw Rodney who was standing in the doorway to the dining room give will a strange look but none of the others saw honestly we've been really lucky we'll answered for him like you we've had some looters come through but each time we've been able to scare them off there was also a group of about twelve kids we put them up for a couple of nights before they moved on this last comment piqued my interest where did they move on to they were heading to the city he said Wooster neugast yes he said quickly what about you all what are your plans before I could say anything Brooke had blurted about New Hampshire and the Morse code signal I felt a flash of anger but held my tongue william was silent for a moment digesting this information I think he was about to ask more questions when she followed up with an enthusiastic you should come with us thanks for the offer but we're happy here well for the winner at least you're welcome to stay tonight though for as long as you want he replied graciously I breathed an inward sigh of relief both at his refusal and the offer of a nights accommodation Oh marvelous thank you will you're very kind said Brooke she turned to me can we stay Isaak yes it sounds like a great idea to get our strength back I vote for staying a few days said Ben me to boss said Luke thanks for the offer I said outnumbered but resolute will take you up on tonight but only one night we'll leave in the morning it makes sense to stay at least another night Isaac Wilson almost too quickly to gather your strength and to be honest he smiled at Brooke we could really do with the company Ben and Brooke enthusiastically backed him up but Luke for the first time wasn't quite as keen and I'm pretty sure it had something to do with that look he'd seen will give Brooke put on the spot I couldn't come up with a reason to say no outright so I did the next best thing all right we'll stay tonight make our decision about tomorrow night after breakfast sounds good said Luke offering me a knuckle bump Ben and Brooke weren't quite satisfied with that decision but didn't argue yet we didn't chat much longer our group was bushed after our flight from the last refuge we'll ordered Rodney to bring mattresses and pillows to the parlor it seemed odd this smaller boy ordering the bigger one about like that but Rodney took it with no complaint well bit us good night and went to his own bedroom which was apparently one of the perks of being in charge ten minutes later the twins were asleep on a double mattress and Luke had taken a comfortable-looking sofa and was snoring softly I was on a single mattress watching the comings and goings of wills group and attempting to ward off sleep Ryan had relieved beau at the window and beau was also now quietly snoring in an armchair Rodney had disappeared with Will a tide of weariness lapped at the beach of my consciousness and I closed my eyes telling myself it would just be for a second my sleep was fitful at first and I remember jumping a few times one of those times I saw Ryan at the window cradling the crossbow as he regarded me with his expressionless pale face he looked away immediately and I slowly relaxed soon I fell into a deep dreamless sleep I awoke late the next morning alone in the room except for Rodney who at some point had relieved Ryan at the window a chest eyes myself I had slept in after everyone again not even stirring when they had gotten up I'd read about soldiers being able to sleep at any time and waking up at the slightest noise I wondered how long I had to live in this new world of almost constant danger before I would be able to do that where are the others I asked Rodney not back he said without looking at me I stood up picked up the jacket I had curled into a ball and used as a pillow I felt the comforting shape of the 38 and then put the jacket on carefully so as not to drop it there were plates on the table in the kitchen with the remains of the pancake breakfast um that's not what caught my attention though it was the laughing and squeals of delight from outside I went to the sliding door it's glass had been taped and blacked out - I peeked through a crack and was surprised to see benbrook Luke and the rest of our host running around like lunatics throwing snowballs at each other they were in a private courtyard bordered by a tall hedge as I watched Luke failed to duck a fastball from will and fell on his butt his face covered in ice I couldn't help but smile and slid open the door hello sleepyhead yelled Brooke running up to me and giving me a hug as I stepped out her cheeks were pink in her eyes watery and she looked just about the happiest I had ever seen her whether my presence was a dampener or the game had come to a natural conclusion I don't know but we headed back inside almost immediately and we'll made us mugs of hot chocolate using powdered milk and cocoa I accepted the last two pancakes and even though they were cold they were delicious will fell into a conversation with the others about the before times and I excused myself I needed to whiz badly and walk down the hall to the bathroom will had pointed out the night before I had my hand on the door handle when I decided to have a quick peek in one of the other rooms this was the first time I'd been alone without one of their group within sight the door swung open on silent hinges and I found myself looking into what used to be a child's bedroom i whistled softly the rooms pink walls were stacked high with cardboard boxes of food powdered milk flour dehydrated eggs canned vegetables and more water suddenly wills explanation of raids on the local supermarket seemed weak at best this stuff looked like it had been taken from a warehouse fair enough had they'd found a gold mine that didn't want to share but I didn't like being aligned to I closed the door as i relieved myself i was even more convinced that we should leave first thing in the morning tomorrow i knew there was zero chance of persuading the others to go today i had left my run too late the rest of the day passed uneventfully with board games and some cards and after another hearty meal we discussed our plans for the morning Rodney who would be on watch that night was to awaken us just before daybreak so we could resume our journey Brooke and Ben tried to persuade me that we should stay longer but with Luke support I won out wil didn't try talking us into staying longer this time we soon found out why 18 the crash of the front door being kicked open ripped me from sleep and I set up fast red beams of light cut through the darkness of the parlor as a handful of figures rushed through the front door shouting in Chinese instantly alert I dug through my jacket for my handgun it was gone in the glow of the weapons a figure loomed over me and I looked up to see wills smiling face what the hell I began to scramble to my feet and immediately found myself back on the floor with my cheeks stinging the little weasel had slapped me across the face confused and enraged I tried to rise to my feet again only to feel a cold hard ring of metal pressed against my neck i frozen in the wildly changing backdrop of shadows and light I saw the gangly silhouette of Luke tackle another stocky form probably Rodney and shoot back to his feet and with the baseball bat in his hand Luke's back was to me and I saw him wind up preparing to Club the nearest interloper he didn't finish his swing a series of three loud banks each accompanied by a bright flash sounded from the direction of the door I saw Luke jerk as each of the bullets hit him no I screamed helplessly as he fell with a heavy thud there was a voice yelling in Chinese near the door to the dining room stay the bloody hell away from sistah yelled been before groaning in pain I pulled myself up ignoring the weapon pressed against my neck and ran to the prone figure of Luke I hadn't made it three feet when there was a loud pop and something that felt like a speeding bus hit my right arm and shoulder sending me spinning to the floor I've been shot the thought reverberating through my mind as I lay winded trying to get my breath back I reached over and ran my left hand up my right arm to the shoulder I didn't feel any blood but my entire upper arm and shoulder were numb what the hell then the answer came to me rubber bullets like the ones police used in riots relief washed over me Luke wasn't dead someone shouted in Chinese again closer this time and I was pulled roughly to my feet one of the lanterns was lit and I turned to look my eyes swimming with tears of pain and frustration will approached one of the Chinese soldiers by the light of a lantern I saw the soldiers were all clad in black and carrying strange large barreled guns the treacherous bastard handed my pistol and Luke's crossbow to one of them then turned and approached me smiling he won't be needing those anymore Yuri engulfed me and I broke free of the soldier holding my arm and hammered we'll square on the nose with a beautiful right hook his nose crunched under my fist and gushed Technicolor red as he fell backwards with a groan I stood over him waiting almost praying for him to get back up a hand turned me on a Chinese rifle but caught me dead center in the forehead the world went dark this is Scott med Bri author of the America fall series I hope you enjoyed this audible preview over the first book hell week if you'd like to know what happens next you can find the entire series on audible by clicking the link below where you'll find value for money box sets and also the individual titles listed separately thanks again for listening

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Views: 32,359

Rating: 4.7421603 out of 5

Keywords: audio books, audible, post-apocalyptic books, best dystopian books, end of the world, scott medbury audio, scott medbury books, America Falls

Id: KU9FdHjbti0

Length: 83min 23sec (5003 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 18 2020