Affliction Z: Abandoned Hope (Post Apocalyptic Thriller) (26 page)
Read Affliction Z: Abandoned Hope (Post Apocalyptic Thriller) Online
Authors: L.T. Ryan
Tags: #Science Fiction
The bright sunlight knifed through Turk’s closed eyelids. He
brought his hand to his face, blinked a few times, and glanced around. The
events of the previous day raced through his mind. He became aware of where he
was, and why. An intense pain wracked his stomach and chest.
Sarah lay on the floor next to him. He reached out and
grabbed her shoulder, shaking it gently.
“Wake up,” he said.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“In a shed, near my compound.”
She sat up, stretched her arms and shifted so she faced him.
“You ready to go out there?”
“No,” he said. “But I’m going to. I don’t know what I’m
going to find. You can stay in here if you want.”
“I’m coming with you,” she said.
She opened the shed door. The cool morning air rushed in and
kicked up layers of dust and dirt. Turk watched the fallout float through the
penetrating rays of the sun. The wind carried the scent of a burned out camp
fire. He knew it was more than that, though.
He spotted a flashlight on a shelf. It could come in handy
later. He grabbed it and tested it. It worked. He pulled Sarah back and scanned
the area in front of them before stepping outside. “Okay, Sarah, it’s clear.
Come on out.”
They walked toward the patch of scorched earth. The rain had
put out the fire. Turk headed toward the primary hatch. He pulled back the
hidden door and saw that everything on this side of the hatch had been seared.
The panel next to the tunnel door had melted away. The controls were damaged.
He looked back at Sarah.
“I’m gonna see if I can open it.” He lowered himself into
the hole and tried the door. It cracked open. This was a bad sign. The only way
it would do that is if the fire had either originated from or reached inside the
bunker. It was a failsafe so that occupants could escape.
Sarah dropped down next to him.
He glanced back at her, but said nothing. They walked
through the tunnel in silence. Turk feared what he would find inside the
bunker. He wanted their trek underground to never end. It had to, though, and
it did when he reached the door. He found it unlocked as well. He pushed it
open. The living area and kitchen were scorched. A quick assessment told him
that the ventilation system and all the cabling had been damaged. The fire
traveled between the bunker and the field through the lines he had run to the
security cameras and the conduit that housed them.
They moved through the bunker, room by room. He found people
in their beds, on a couch, on the floor. They were all permanently asleep. In
five minutes, he accounted for everyone but his wife and daughter.
They returned to the central area. Turk stopped in front of
his bedroom door. He took a deep breath and pushed it open. He braced himself
in case he found his Elena and Layla dead in bed.
The room was empty.
“Where are they?” Sarah asked.
“Follow me.”
Turk led her through the room to the second tunnel. His wife
was the only other person that knew about it. She must have known about the
fire, seen the smoke, and used tunnel to get out. Only problem was, he didn’t
see any evidence that the ground hatch had been disturbed when they’d walked
past it.
Turk pulled the door open and jogged down the hall. The door
at the other end was open. He called out. “Elana. Layla.”
There was no response.
He kept running. Two figures became visible. Turk called out
again.
“Daddy!”
He ran faster. Sarah fell behind. He didn’t stop.
When he reached the door his heart leapt and fell at the
same time. Layla sat next to her mother’s body. Next to them was a single
rebreather. Elana had brought it along and left it for Layla to use. She
sacrificed her life for her daughter’s.
Turk dropped to his knees. He hugged Layla.
“She won’t wake up,” Layla said.
Turk moved the girl out of the way. He reached for his wife,
placing his hand on her neck. She felt warm. “Come on, Elana. Come on, let that
heart beat.” There was nothing to indicate it did. He repositioned his hand and
leaned forward until his cheek pressed against her nose. He felt a slight thump
against his finger. He adjusted his hand again to rule out his own pulse being
the source. He felt it again. Then he felt her warm breath hitting his face.
“Turk,” she whispered.
He leaned back, smiling.
“Here,” Sarah said, handing him the oxygen tank. “Give her
some of that.”
Turk administered the oxygen while cradling his wife in his
arms. The oxygen pumped into her lungs. Her color returned and soon she sat up
on her own.
“How’re you feeling?” he asked her.
“Bad,” she said. “They’re all gone, aren’t they?”
Turk nodded.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “What do we do now? Can we
stay here?”
Turk shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t care right now,
either. I thought I had lost you two.”
“I won’t let you lose us, Turk.” She looked toward Sarah.
“Who’s this?”
“Her name’s Sarah. She’s gonna join us now.”
Elana extended her hand toward the younger woman. “Welcome
to my home.”
Turk couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the
statement. He settled himself, and said, “You guys stay here while I go lock
that other hatch. That’ll keep us somewhat safe while we figure out whether or
not we can stay here any longer.”
He left the women, venturing back through the tunnel and the
compound. There was no way they could stay, he realized that. All systems were
gone, and without ventilation, they’d die of asphyxiation sooner or later. A
product of their own respiratory systems. That news could wait a few hours. For
now, a family would relish in being reunited, and a stranger would have a new
place to call home.
And Turk would rest for a bit before gathering them and
starting on their journey to the harbor.
Affliction Z continues in Book 3. Anticipated
release date: Winter, 2014.
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