Final Collapse - Final Collapse Book 1: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series by KD Downs & Mike Kraus

Author:KD Downs & Mike Kraus [Downs, KD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muonic Press Inc
Published: 2021-09-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Glazier Hill, Maine

Ben came to his feet in a hurry and backed away from the desk as Chuck stalked a crooked path across the living room. His back bent, his feet dragging under him, his eyes fluttered at half-mast. Given his obvious impairment, Ben stopped backing away. “How are you on your feet after all those pills?”

“What’s this here?” Chuck reached the desk, but before he could pick up the letter from Bixler’s attorneys, Ben swiped it.

“Shouldn’t I be asking that? After all the grief you’ve given me… this whole time, you’ve been trashing me out one side of your mouth and making deals with Bixler out the other.”

“Wrong!” Chuck swayed on his feet, and the burning hubcap of pine pitch flickered as he grabbed the desk to keep from falling over. “I didn’t sell those people any land. I kept Dad’s empire whole.”

“That’s not what the letter says.” Ben held the torn pieces up. “Dad got an injunction against you?”

“Against Bixler!” He took a giant step forward to snatch the letter from Ben’s hand, but missed and staggered until he face-planted against the office wall. “Owww.”

The well of Ben’s sympathy ran dry. “To keep Bixler from doing business with you!”

“Dad was sick!” Stumbling back from the wall, Chuck rubbed his head. “He was old and crazy, and he wasn’t thinking right. That’s the whole reason he put me in charge.”

“What did they pay you?” Ben folded the letter and stuffed it in his pocket. “What did you need all that money for, anyhow? Booze and hookers?”

“Linda and Bonnie. You think it’s easy taking care of a family that expects the best of everything even in the worst of times? Dad didn’t even break-even last harvest. I was gonna lose the woman I love—”

“The woman you love so much you got a bucket of Oxys with her name on it?”

Chuck collapsed into their father’s desk chair. “Talk to me after you’ve spent half a century working a farm.”

“Should have put some of that time into school, Chuck.”

Elbow on the desktop, Chuck cradled his head in his hand. “Because I need to know about dead artists?”

Ben slapped his hands down on the desk across from Chuck. “Because you’re numb as a hake. Why would Bixler pay you to let him treat the barrens with Buzz?” He tapped his foot as he waited for an answer. “Huh?”

Chuck rubbed his droopy eyes. “You tell me, genius.”

Ben raised his arms palms-up. “I don’t know. But I know there was a reason, and I would have found out before I agreed to it.”

Tipping back in the chair with a squeak, Chuck closed his eyes. “You signed your contract, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I knew what I was selling—land.”

“Land he’s gonna spray with Buzz just like he sprayed mine… only I get to keep my land. You walk away from this with nothing.” He let out a drowsy laugh. “College boy.”

Bens arms fell to his side. As much as he would have liked to argue, there was nothing to say.

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