Decimated - Shock Point Book 7: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series by DC Layton & Mike Kraus

Author:DC Layton & Mike Kraus [Layton, DC & Kraus, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muonic Press Inc
Published: 2023-02-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Evelyn Parker. Arizona

Evelyn and Floyd sat side-by-side on a chestnut-colored leather couch in Cat Murphy’s living quarters. The spacious apartment was part of a complex attached to the barn that acted as the hub of the ranch. Evelyn hadn’t sat on anything that comfortable in weeks; she melted against the buttery leather. She savored the scrambled eggs Tom had stirred up, holding each bite in her mouth to extend the pleasure of eating fresh, seasoned food. Hints of paprika and cayenne warmed her tongue. Distant, purple mountains were visible from large windows; Cat said it was old Mexico, just a few miles away. Dana, ever wary, was planted by the window, her body angled to watch both the yard and the room, her hand on the butt of her pistol.

Cat Murphy’s place was decorated in an eclectic kind of mid-century modern meets western chic. Brightly colored oriental rugs were scattered on a concrete floor stained a deep cognac and textured to look like old leather. Native American blankets draped over the backs of the sofa and matching armchair. Dev and Sandy sat cross-legged on the floor next to a simple tapered-leg oval coffee table centered in the living area. If Evelyn softened her focus, she could almost forget they were in the midst of an apocalypse, but one glance outside revealed the charred and cratered grounds directly in front of the windows. Cat sat in an Eames chair, her amputated leg resting on a footstool, further reminding Evelyn of their dire circumstances. Tom had said she’d lost it to an infection and would have died if he hadn’t taken it off.

Tom stood by the pantry door, sipping tea; his blue merle dog, Belle, curled at his feet. “I can’t tell you what a wonderful surprise it is to see you again, Evelyn, and to meet you, Sandy.”

Evelyn swallowed the last of her eggs, setting her plate on the coffee table. “It was Sandy who insisted we come, especially after I told her you were a medic in the army.”

Tom crossed one long leg over the other and leaned against the wall. “The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing. How’d the place hold up from all the explosions?”

Evelyn shook her head. “It’s gone but it wasn’t just the explosions.” Her voice cracked as memories of fire consuming her sculpture studio flooded back. “Mostly, it was the neighbors.”

“We’ve had some of that ourselves.” He smoothed his thick salt and pepper moustache. “We’ve lost a lot, as I’m sure you have, too.”

A break in the chatter left the room quiet, and Sandy cleared her throat. “We didn’t just come to say hi, Tom.” She glanced around the room. “I’m not sure how much any of you know about the initial events, since communications went down almost immediately afterward.” She laced her fingers through Dev’s. “Dev and I were at School of Mines in Golden when the initial explosions occurred. Like most places, a lot of people fled.

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