The Survivor Chronicles: Book 1, The Upheaval by Erica Stevens Read Free Book Online
Authors: Erica Stevens
Tags: Suspense, Death, adventure, Horror, Mystery, Action, SciFi, Chaos, Animals, Apocalyptic, natural disaster, Unexplained Phenomena, survivors, lava, tsunami, earthquake
drivable, but the going would be much more time-consuming on the mainland than it was on the Cape side.
He didn’t care, if this structure supported them he was getting off the Cape while the getting was good. He briefly contemplated just leaving the truck behind, but it was a good vehicle – solid, new, and full of gas. It was big enough to drive over or crash through certain obstacles if it became necessary, and there were no guarantees they would be able to find another automobile that was as convenient as the truck.
An ambulance screamed down the highway, its siren blared as it swerved around the potholes with the expertise of someone accustomed to dodging and avoiding obstacles. It was reassuring to see the vehicle, it was something normal and familiar in a world that no longer was.
He released a pent up breath as they finally made it to the other side of the bridge. Surprisingly, there were no cars there waiting to drive over. For once people weren’t trying to cram themselves onto the Cape on a hot summer day.
As one, they turned around and moved steadily back across the bridge.
“I saw nothing obvious,” the older man informed the waiting people when they returned. More people gathered, as well as more vehicles. John had rejoined the growing group. “I think it’ll be okay if we go across one vehicle at a time, at least in the beginning.”
“Who is going to go first?” another man inquired.
Silence descended over everyone as they stared expectantly at each other. When no one spoke, Carl volunteered. “We will.”
“Jesus,” John muttered.
CHAPTER 5
Albert (Al) Shandling
Newport, RI
7:45 a.m.
Al held the towel full of ice to his head as he watched Mary Ellen fiddle with the radio. It was still making the same awful sound that had been coming out of it for the past five minutes, but she seemed determined to try and find something on the airwaves. He quietly longed for her to turn the thing off; the noise was unnerving. She was obviously frightened and searching for some answer, some kind of communication with the outside world. The television had already proven useless; there was no power to run it.
“I have a handheld CB downstairs; perhaps it will be of more use.”
Mary Ellen’s dark brown eyes were wide as she stared at him with blossoming hope. “Do you think?”
“It can’t hurt.”
He pulled the towel away from the gash in his forehead. His wife would have been upset that he had used the good towels for such a thing, but Nellie wasn’t here to be upset anymore, she’d been gone for five years now. There were times when it seemed like it was only yesterday that she had passed, and other days when it seemed as if lifetimes had slid by. Mainly his. He missed her every day. He still sensed her displeasure when he did something she wouldn’t have approved of, such as ruining one of the good hand towels by bleeding all over it.
He tossed the bloody towel aside as Mary Ellen rose to her feet. Though he thought she was going to go running to his basement, she came toward him instead. “That’s really deep. I think it might require a stitch or two.”
“You have medical training?”
A faint red arose on the freckled cheeks of her broad boned face. “I planned to be a nurse or doctor when I was younger, but I’m afraid the only training I have is the school of motherhood.”
“Well, that’s just as brutal as medical school, sometimes,” he said, smiling.
Her eyebrows rose and then she let out a loud bark of laughter that briefly lit her face, causing the lines around her eyes to crinkle. She’d been tense, aggravated, and desperate ever since she’d entered the house. It was good to see her relax, if only just for an instant as her smile and laughter slipped away again. Al didn’t kid himself into thinking she was upset because of the loss of her husband. He was very aware
He didn’t care, if this structure supported them he was getting off the Cape while the getting was good. He briefly contemplated just leaving the truck behind, but it was a good vehicle – solid, new, and full of gas. It was big enough to drive over or crash through certain obstacles if it became necessary, and there were no guarantees they would be able to find another automobile that was as convenient as the truck.
An ambulance screamed down the highway, its siren blared as it swerved around the potholes with the expertise of someone accustomed to dodging and avoiding obstacles. It was reassuring to see the vehicle, it was something normal and familiar in a world that no longer was.
He released a pent up breath as they finally made it to the other side of the bridge. Surprisingly, there were no cars there waiting to drive over. For once people weren’t trying to cram themselves onto the Cape on a hot summer day.
As one, they turned around and moved steadily back across the bridge.
“I saw nothing obvious,” the older man informed the waiting people when they returned. More people gathered, as well as more vehicles. John had rejoined the growing group. “I think it’ll be okay if we go across one vehicle at a time, at least in the beginning.”
“Who is going to go first?” another man inquired.
Silence descended over everyone as they stared expectantly at each other. When no one spoke, Carl volunteered. “We will.”
“Jesus,” John muttered.
CHAPTER 5
Albert (Al) Shandling
Newport, RI
7:45 a.m.
Al held the towel full of ice to his head as he watched Mary Ellen fiddle with the radio. It was still making the same awful sound that had been coming out of it for the past five minutes, but she seemed determined to try and find something on the airwaves. He quietly longed for her to turn the thing off; the noise was unnerving. She was obviously frightened and searching for some answer, some kind of communication with the outside world. The television had already proven useless; there was no power to run it.
“I have a handheld CB downstairs; perhaps it will be of more use.”
Mary Ellen’s dark brown eyes were wide as she stared at him with blossoming hope. “Do you think?”
“It can’t hurt.”
He pulled the towel away from the gash in his forehead. His wife would have been upset that he had used the good towels for such a thing, but Nellie wasn’t here to be upset anymore, she’d been gone for five years now. There were times when it seemed like it was only yesterday that she had passed, and other days when it seemed as if lifetimes had slid by. Mainly his. He missed her every day. He still sensed her displeasure when he did something she wouldn’t have approved of, such as ruining one of the good hand towels by bleeding all over it.
He tossed the bloody towel aside as Mary Ellen rose to her feet. Though he thought she was going to go running to his basement, she came toward him instead. “That’s really deep. I think it might require a stitch or two.”
“You have medical training?”
A faint red arose on the freckled cheeks of her broad boned face. “I planned to be a nurse or doctor when I was younger, but I’m afraid the only training I have is the school of motherhood.”
“Well, that’s just as brutal as medical school, sometimes,” he said, smiling.
Her eyebrows rose and then she let out a loud bark of laughter that briefly lit her face, causing the lines around her eyes to crinkle. She’d been tense, aggravated, and desperate ever since she’d entered the house. It was good to see her relax, if only just for an instant as her smile and laughter slipped away again. Al didn’t kid himself into thinking she was upset because of the loss of her husband. He was very aware
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