The Last Blade Of Grass by Robert Brown Read Free Book Online

here, and a little drip there. Each one of my kids comes in and grabs my hand and tells me they love me. I can’t turn my head to look at them though or let them know what I feel, I can only see the lights hovering over my eyes, blurring through my own tears.
    Greg, Jessica, and Lilly don’t come in, and I don’t blame them, I don’t think I would either. Simone kisses my forehead through the strap and lingers there so I can feel her breath in my hair. She grabs my hand, gives it a squeeze, and I hear her sit down next to me.
    “I love you Eddie. I’ll stay here with you until the end.”
    I can’t reply. My mind starts swimming as the fever takes hold.

Chapter Three
    The Beginning
     
    October/ 8 months earlier
    U.S. Outbreak Day 1
    Military Base U.S.
     
    “All right, listen up. You know the routine. We have a new set of shots for you guys that just came in. It’s supposed to turn you into some un-beatable soldier before you get re-deployed,” the sergeant shouts addressing a fifty-eight man platoon that just returned from overseas. “This stuff isn’t going to turn you ladies into a badass soldier like myself, but it will help prevent you from bleeding out when you get your dick ripped off, and handed to you by some ninety pound senior citizen.”
    The platoon’s company captain walks up and starts addressing the men. “As you know, the situation here at home is bad. Many of our families are struggling, and I know a lot of your wives and children have had to house together to make things work since the cutbacks.”
    A grumbling emerges from the lines of assembled soldiers. The military received another set of cuts to enlisted pay to try to make up for shortfalls with the interest payments on the national debt.
    The Captain continues, “You all knew when you enlisted that this wasn’t going to be a cakewalk or that you’d get rich joining up, but I am with you, and the General is with you too when you say you aren’t being treated fairly. We know your families are hurting, but we all have a job to do.
    “The good news is your deployment is right here in the good old U.S. of A.” Heads start turning to look at each other with questioning looks. “The bad news is your deployment is right here in the good old U.S. of A. The word coming from the top is that there will be massive unrest here unlike anything this nation has seen before. The bottom is about to fall out here at home, that is why most of our troops have been brought back. We will be dealing with our fellow citizens and most likely enforcing martial law.” That part gets everyone’s heads turning. “Yes you heard me right, I said martial law. The President is expecting he will have to declare martial law after the economic numbers come out in two days. Whether he does or doesn’t, our job is to be ready.”
    “Captain, I don’t want to go up against our own,” a soldier from the middle of the formation calls.
    The sergeant yells back as he steps toward the men, “Keep your hole shut, soldier!”
    The captain stops the sergeant and looks around at his men for a while before continuing. “I want you all to listen to me very carefully. I swore an oath to protect and defend the nation and the constitution of the United States. We all did, and I am here today as your captain, and have not received a promotion in five years because I hold true to that oath. Many of my commanding officers have been forced out or retired over their expressed rejection to engage the American public should it be deemed necessary. I will not ask you to betray our people or your oath. What I will ask you to do is to help save their lives.
    “Like I said before, the bottom is about to drop out. Our economy, as bad as it has been, is about to get worse—ten-fold—maybe more. We have an armed populace that will have few resources, and many will hit the streets to take what they need by force. Our job, should martial law be declared, will be to distribute food