Ping - From the Apocalypse by Susan Lowry Read Free Book Online Page A

sense of security either. Things have changed, and pretending that they haven’t is just dangerous.”
    “And that’s also why we moved up here,” Kate insisted.
    Wendy’s eyes had widened. “That isn’t going to make a bit of difference girl! The shit has only begun to hit the fan.” She had turned, and was motioning Kate to follow her.
    “ Come on. I’ll give you some shooting lessons.”
    Now, as she stood over the dead woman, Kate couldn’t be more grateful for Wendy’s mentoring, and her advice on survival tactics — once headed out of town, with no idea what kind of threats she might be facing, a weapon to protect herself was a certain necessity; but, while still trapped in this frozen wasteland, having to wander about to get supplies all by herself, the potential for danger had her imagination spinning with all kinds of potential dangers. And she suddenly couldn’t rest until her hands were on that firearm.
    “ I wonder where you’ve hidden it.”
    But a fter a long and disappointing search, Kate was beginning to feel unwell again. Her brush with death the other night — due to her own stupidity — had taken a lot out of her. She went into Wendy’s den and sat on the couch. Then she stretched out flat with her feet up and her head on a cushion. Closing her eyes, thoughts of the boy immediately flooded into her mind. “God, I’ve lost it completely,” she muttered.
    As soon as she spoke there was a flutter of wings and before she could move, a bird had landed in the middle of her forehead. She tensed and stared up at it, as it peered down, into her eyes.
    “Snowy?”
    The cockatiel chirped.
    She put her finger out and Snowy hopped onto it.
    “Snowy! I thought you were dead!”
    His claws tightened around her.
    “How on earth did you—” she said, sitting up. The cockatiel lowered his head, spread his wings slightly, and almost tipped over.
    “I don’t know how you did it, but I’m really glad to see you.”
    She recalled glancing at Buddy still on the kitchen counter where she had left him, but it hadn’t occurred to her to check between the fridge and cupboard again.
    “It’s awfully cold in here. I’m surprised you haven’t frozen.”
    She had noticed a bunch of white fluff on the floor by the ottoman earlier, but it hadn’t really registered; now she realized it came from a hole Snowy had dug into the upholstery.
    “ Did you make a nest in there?”
    She took a closer look and indeed he had. “Well that was clever of you Snowy.”
    While he was still perched on her finger she began to scan the room, wondering where Wendy could have left her gun. After a moment Snowy flew to the opening he’d made and burrowed inside. Kate gazed over at his yellow crown poking through the cushion. She couldn't get over the fact that he had survived.
    “I’m so glad you found a warm place. Just give me a few minutes to find—”
    P eering down at him a moment longer, she finally sighed, “What am I thinking? It’s freezing in here, poor thing. I’ll come back for that stupid gun later.”

Chapter Eleven
    A n Amazing Lesson
    (February 6th, Year One, PA)
     
    Kate could put her guilt to rest — at least over that particular incident; it seemed that she hadn’t killed Buddy after all. Snowy had withstood the cold, therefore, she surmised, Buddy — within that timeframe — would probably have been able to do so as well. It was far more likely the plague had done him in — as it had the other pets she’d found. All the wild animals too, so far.
    Yet, to her great dismay, Snowy turned out to be in worse shape than she’d originally thought. When he wasn’t breathless and puffing for air, his head was tucked tight against his trembling chest, feathers piling up at the bottom of the cage. His food was left in the feeder untouched and water barely moistened his beak.
    B esides keeping him warm by the fire with her constant, encouraging company, there wasn’t much else she could do for him.