Preppers of the Apocalypse - Part 1: Post Apocalyptic EMP Survival by Godsby Jim Read Free Book Online

sarcastically.  “I’m
Chad by the way. In the barracks they used to call me the beast.”
     
    “Why?”
said Ash.
     
    “You
don’t wanna know. Buckle up.”
     
    As
they joined formation with the other army vehicles and then drove toward
Pasture Down, Chad excitedly told them what he knew of the current situation.
     
    “Fort
Knowles lost juice at the same time as everywhere else, but we had hand-crank
radios that let us stay in contact with other barracks. My unit were going to
drive east to Fort Allion, but General Powell died when his pacemaker blew.
Things turned to shit after that, and people decided they wanted to go see
their families. “
     
    “Know
how that feels,” said Ash.
     
    “A
guy called Beele took charge,” said Chad. “He’s a real asshole. Said we should
raid the towns around us and take everything they’ve got.”
     
    “How
far does this whole thing go?”
     
    “We
haven’t had much contact from anyone.”
     
    “So
what’s your plan?” said Ash.
     
    “I
got family south of here. An uncle and an aunt. Think they were glad to get rid
of me when I enlisted, but maybe they’ll be happy to see me with the way things
are now.”
     
    “I
need to go the same direction,” said Ash.
     
    The
vehicle hit a rock and then jolted, and Tony broke their conversation by
shouting out in pain.
     
    “Sorry
pal,” said Chad.
     
    “We
need to get him to his family,” said Ash. “They were going to his ranch in
Greenock. You know the way?”
     
    “Nope.”
     
    “I
need to go get there no matter what,” grunted Tony. He turned and looked at
Ash.  “And you’re going to make sure I do.”
     
    “I
can’t,” said Ash. “Georgia needs me.”
     
    “Screw
that. You owe me, you bastard. You owe me this.”
     
    Ash
knew that Tony was right. After everything he had done wrong, and after all the
things Tony had done to help him, he couldn’t leave without doing the same. As
they came within minutes of Pasture Down, he knew that he had to get Tony back
to his family before he could go and help Georgia.
     

 
    Chapter 6
     
    They
parked the jeep on the edge of town so that they didn’t attract too much
attention. Chad pulled his door handle, kicked open his door and leaped out. He
took a big stride and started doing warm-up lunges as though he were about to
go on a run. Ash looked at Tony. His forehead was covered in sweat.
     
    “Can
you walk?”
     
    “I
told you. I can hop.”
     
    Ash
left the jeep and held out a hand out for Tony. The man didn’t take it, and
instead grabbed the doorframe and heaved himself out. The colour rushed back to
his face, but Ash could tell it was because of how much he was straining to get
out.
     
    They
could hear raised voices and banging noises coming from somewhere in town, so
they decided to walk quietly through the streets. When they reached the corner
of the main street they stopped. The voices were louder now, and Ash saw what
was happening.
     
    There
was a green military truck parked lengthways across the road. Soldiers walked
to it with arms full of supplies, put them in the back of the truck and then
went to collect more. Ash watched as they raided the pharmacy, grocery store,
outdoor clothing shop and even the utility emporium. A group of Pasture Down
citizens stood across from the lorry, with Kenny at the front. They had their
arms folded and most looked angry, though they were subdued by the M16’s
pointed at them.
     
    One
man sat on the bonnet of the army truck, a metre off the ground, and peeled an
apple with a knife. He let the skin drop to the floor and once the flesh was
bare, he bit into it. He stared at the Pasture Down folk as he chewed.
     
    “That’s
Beele,” said Chad. “He used to use that knife to kill the rats we caught in the
barracks. He’s never cleaned it, to my knowledge.”
     
    A
man broke free from the Pasture group and stood below Beele. Ash recognised the
man as Frank Tealman, the owner of the Food O’