Annihilation (The Seamus Chronicles Book 1) by K. D. McAdams Read Free Book Online Page B

isn’t whiny, just factual.
    “Well tomorrow we’re packing up to leave. We hit the road at daybreak on Friday.”
    The expression and tone make it clear to me that this is a timeline that won’t budge. It’s not the parking lot at Wal-Mart. I’m desperately hoping he doesn’t say that he’s leaving with or without me. I don’t need an ultimatum and I can’t imagine being left alone.
    “Do whatever you can to make progress and have your work as portable as possible. We won’t have a lot of space, but we’ll pack as much of your lab as we can.” Dad is making exceptions for me. I’ve never felt this kind of support for my work before.
    “The shopping spree at Wal-Mart was nice, but it didn’t actually help that much. What I really need is to go to Stellos Electric and BAE to find some things that will really help,” I say, not sure if I’m sounding optimistic or just hopeful.
    “Fine. When Liam wakes up, take him and the van and go get what you need. But stay together.” Dad’s made a decision and we’re moving on. A brave new Dad, I think to myself as I recall a literature assignment that was given but never completed.
    “According to Google Maps, it’s about 50 hours from here to San Mateo, where Mom’s hotel is.” Dad is referencing his sheet of legal paper with the heading Plan .
    “I don’t want to do too much driving at night, so I’m guessing the best we can do is 12-to 14-hour days. That puts us in there sometime Monday.”
    I’m not sure if he wrote all this down or if he has a bullet point to spur his memory.
    “Do we have to follow the speed limit?” Realizing I should ask a better question about halfway through my verbalization of the lame one, I try again: “I mean, I think we can make it in three days. Google Maps assumes that we’re going sixty-five or maybe even fifty-five. We can probably average 100 to 110 with no other cars on the road.”
    “Good point. The sooner we get there, the better. If we get there Sunday, I’ll be happy. But we should probably factor in some time for the unexpected. Being late is a lot worse than being early for worrying your mother. Let’s communicate the plan for arriving Monday and we here can know that Sunday is doable.”
    I can tell Dad hadn’t thought of this since he wasn’t looking at his paper when he said it. He’s adapting to my input on the fly and we aren’t fighting about it. I hope this dynamic can continue.
    “What are Liam and Grace going to do while I am working on my reactor?” If Dad is going to let me in on the plan, I want to know as much as I can.
    “I’m going to have Grace and Sofie go to the Historic Society and some of the neighbors’ houses. I want them to build a small history chest of this area. There may not be humans here again for hundreds of years. When they arrive I want them to know about the people that inhabited this space.”
    It’s somber and eerie but my dad is right to leave some sort of reminder.
    “Make sure you leave a note that makes it clear this wasn’t a war or anything man-made that wiped out the population. I don’t want the future to think that we were animals.” I can’t believe how emotional and sensitive this feels. It really matters to me. Only after the silence do I realize that we should also comment on the virus in case they need to find a cure for it themselves.
    The silence is awkward and long. I wonder if this is how it is going to be every time we talk about the virus.
    “What about Liam?” I ask, ready to move on before my father.
    “Liam is going to be muscle today,” Dad says, knowing it sounds mean but comfortable with his decision.
    “You know he is smarter than you give him credit for,” I say, not sure if Dad and I are at the point where I get to give the lectures.
    “Well, you know better than anyone what happens between you two when he gets going and spins his energy up. Both of you spiral out of control fast, and the last thing I need right now is a