Engage the Enemy: A Post Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Reign of Darkness Series, Book 4) by T. L. Payne

Author:T. L. Payne [Payne, T. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shaky Rock Publishing
Published: 2024-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

Serenity

Byers Mansion

Bowers Township

Washington County, Pennsylvania

Day 16

Most of the expansive twenty-acre property surrounding Byers Mansion was densely forested, a wild tangle of undergrowth composed of thorny bushes, climbing and trailing vines, and a thick understory that made navigation treacherous. This natural barrier, while difficult to traverse, provided a perfect canvas for defensive preparations.

Early that morning, Serenity and Cody had set out along the perimeter of the overgrown property and scouted potential lookout positions. They quickly realized that the terrain was both a blessing and a challenge—providing excellent cover but also requiring careful planning to exploit effectively.

They stood just inside the tree line, plotting out the placement of traps and defensive measures.

“It seems the front and south sides are the most vulnerable,” Cody said, consulting a hand-drawn map of the estate.

“If we can gather the materials and construct the HESCO-style barrier before any trouble arrives, we still need to be ready with booby traps for anyone who might get past it,” Serenity said.

“I agree. We’ll want to position them so that they’re not in the way of the folks putting up the barrier,” Cody said, gesturing to the underbrush along the road.

“Do you think twenty-five feet from the road is back far enough to start laying out the traps?” Serenity asked.

Cody nodded. “That should work. I’ll pace it out along the driveway, and we can stake it out as we go so your folks will know where to begin if we aren’t here.”

Serenity had a sobering thought. How would her mom, brother, and the others survive if they didn’t make it back from Clairton? Shaking off her fears, she refocused on their immediate task. “I’ll grab Jacob, and we’ll start gathering supplies,” she said, setting the plan into motion.

“I’ll round up everyone else, brief them on what we’re doing, and explain the setup.”

Serenity found her brother Jacob wrestling with the dense undergrowth near the old water well, a hundred feet from the back door of the mansion. “Ready for a break from that?” she called out, gesturing him over.

Jacob, sweating and covered in bits of foliage, looked relieved. “Mom wanted this cleared today, but it’s a big job.” He glanced up at the sky. “I’m not sure I’ll get it done by dark.”

Serenity followed his gaze. From the position of the sun in the sky, it looked like they had at least three or four more hours of daylight. There was so much to do before they left for Clairton the following day. “We have a more crucial task now. Dad and Joe need us to start working on the booby traps,” Serenity said.

Jacob’s eyes lit up. “Like the ones at Jane’s place?”

“Exactly! We’ll build a dirt-filled barrier when we return with more supplies, but for now, we need to set up some pits and lay some sharp defenses in the woods.”

“I know where we can find some really good stuff for that,” he said, leading the way to the barn.

Inside the aged, cavernous structure, there were plenty of useful materials to sort through for improvised booby traps, like rusty tools.

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