Curtain Fall: Second Edition, Disaster, Preparedness, Survival, Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 1) by Kenneth Cary Read Free Book Online

you keep checking your watch. That’s the third time since the meeting started. Do you have another appointment?” she added, with what seemed like barely contained verbal annoyance. But John could tell from her body language that she was irritated with him, and his lack of attention.
    John realized he should probably spin his distraction off into another direction, but the staff meeting was not the time, or the place. “No, I’m fine,” he replied. “But I’d like to discuss a personal matter with you after the meeting . . . if you’re available?”
    She shook her head slightly, surprised at John’s request, and said, “Sure, of course.” John never had to make an appointments to see Rebecca, her door was always open to him because of his position and responsibilities, but she played along with his request and carried on with the meeting.
    As the meeting continued, John’s mind was continuously occupied by thoughts of the Caldera. Perhaps that’s what bothered him most, thefact that he couldn’t take his mind off it. “What is it about the Caldera that’s holding me captive?” he wondered to himself. Every free moment was obsessively consumed with thoughts of the Caldera.
    He somehow managed to remain engaged through all the pertinent discussions, but a nagging feeling that something about the Caldera related specifically to him was growing. With an increasing level of frustration, John almost excused himself from the meeting. But if he did that, he knew it would raise questions, questions he couldn’t answer for himself, let alone someone else.
    Everyone could tell he was distracted. It was as if he was on another planet, and several of his co-workers noticed. When the meeting broke up, Tony approached John and asked him if he was OK. At that point, John knew he had to say something to alleviate everyone’s concerns about his mental health, but he didn’t know what to say.
    He certainly didn’t want to openly admit to having concerns about news of the Yellowstone Caldera. Discussions of apocalyptic disasters, no matter how probable they might be, had a way of darkly coloring most conversations. He knew, from experience, that most people just didn’t like hearing or talking about world changing disasters.
    Few people had any real interest in disaster preparedness and survival. To discuss such a topic, without first adequately testing the waters, would make him sound crazy and paranoid. And the last thing he needed to do was sound crazy and paranoid, especially at work.
    All eyes were on John as they waited for a reply. Tony had asked the one question they were all thinking, “What’s up with John?”
    The look in their eyes told him everything he needed to know. One minute they were connected with him, aligned and supportive, even admiring. And the next, they were staring at him as if he had a horn growing from his forehead. He was familiar with that response when he raised the subject of disaster preparedness, but he hadn’t said anything. He wondered if he was that easy to read.
    Truth was not an option for John. Regardless of how well he argued in favor of emergency preparedness, or how likely it was that a majordisaster was sure to happen, he couldn’t just blurt out that he was concerned about a volcano that had yet to threaten human civilization. The threat was real enough for him, and it served to justify his preparedness efforts to date, but he knew he stood very much alone in his fears.
    He also knew that some people considered talking about disasters as an invitation for them to happen. If he came out and said, “I think the Yellowstone Caldera is about to erupt,” his co-workers would know he lost his mind. Fear of his reputation, and of ridicule and scorn, prevented him from speaking the truth.
    He wanted to yell, “Go home and prepare! Right now!” But who was he to prompt them? He wasn’t a geologist, a volcanologist, or any other “oligist.” He wasn’t even a subject-matter