Home: A Stranded Novel by Theresa Shaver Read Free Book Online Page B

get out on the pathways if we need too.” He looked to Dara who was nodding. They had both spent many years walking the town as they didn’t have parents who were interested in driving them around. They would make the best team to scout it out.
    Alex looked at Quinn and frowned. “Quinn, I think you are going to have to do the resort. Your leg is much better but it’s not up to running and crouching. You should take Lisa and get the supplies. Hopefully you guys won’t have any trouble but the resort looked pretty deserted. You should be ok ay in there with just the two of you.
    “ Josh, David, Emily and I will scout the farms. I think David and I should be a team and Josh and Emily should pair up.”
    David frowned and started to shake his head as he put his arm around Emily. Before he could protest, Alex explained.
    “David, Josh and I have more experience with the assault rifles and we’ve been in a few shootouts now. I know you guys had just as hard of a time getting back here but this morning was the first time you have had to deal with these types of people and I can’t stand the thought of losing you guys. Both you and Emily can handle a rifle but if something goes wrong it would be better if there was a gun with more stopping power with you. I also think that Josh and I have a better handle on what needs to be done if we do get caught,” she said the last softly.
    David looked at her in disbelief. “ So what, you guys are hard core killers now? Give me a break!”
    Alex felt her cheeks grow hot at his words. She loved David like a brother , but he had no idea what he was talking about. After hearing about their journey home, she knew he hadn’t had to handle very much violence. Emily and Lisa had. She stared him down until he had to look away.
    “David, I know what happened this morning was hard on you and I’m sorry we are now in a world that is filled with violence. None of us are 'hard core killers'; we are survivors. Here is the reality that you need to face. Those men holding our family are using them as slaves and probably doing evil things to them. I know those types of men because I have already killed many of them. They are not going to sit down and have a chat with us and then let us go. We will have to fight them and likely kill some or all of them to free our families. If you can’t handle that then you need to stay here and let us get the job done.”
    David’s face was pale at her words and Emily turned and cupped her hand alongside of his face. When his eyes met hers , they were filled with sorrow.
    “Listen to me , David. I have killed three men in the last month and every one of them wanted to hurt me. A piece of my soul will always carry a scar from it but I can live with that. We didn’t do anything wrong and we are good people. These men aren’t. They prey on the weak and innocent and they need to be stopped. There’s no one coming to help us, so it’s up to us to do it. If I have to, I will kill every single one of them to free and protect my family and friends. Alex is right. You don’t have to go with us but you also need to remember that your mother and sister are in that town and if you get caught by those men because you couldn’t bring yourself to kill them, then they will have one less person fighting to free them.”
    David leaned in and kissed Emily on the forehead before turning to his friends.
    “My father was a soldier. He told me once that he joined the military because he wanted to do the right thing and help others. What he saw and what he did…it broke him. He couldn’t handle what came after. The memories never left him and they destroyed him. I, I don’t want that to happen to me or to any of us. I don’t want us to be broken.”
    No one in the group could reply to that. They already felt the effects of their actions and knew it would only get worse as they fought and killed to free the town. The silence was heavy until Josh lifted his head and