Freezing Point (After the Shift Book 1) by Grace Hamilton

Author:Grace Hamilton [Hamilton, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-09-13T04:00:00+00:00

12

“Who left you guys in charge of optimism?”

Everyone looked at Freeson, who had lifted his head off the bed and was comforting the gently sobbing Lucy, their roles reversed. The irony of the behavior wasn’t lost on Nathan, who clamped his mouth shut.

Steven gave a bitter smile. “We’re only telling you what the government isn’t, guys. We’re telling as many people as we meet. We’re heading south. Once we get out of the U.S., and across Mexico, we’re thinking Brazil might give us a few years’ grace. But we just don’t know.”

“We’re heading to Detroit, on the word of a friend who’s there,” Nathan said, hoping for some affirmation from Steven.

“We don’t know anything about Detroit. We’ve been avoiding cities since leaving Toronto. Most of them are burning and empty now. We’re staying away from the obvious routes, too. Especially after our run-in with the Seven-Ones.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Nathan saw Syd stiffen and her eyes bulge.

She’d be a terrible poker player.

“The who?” asked Cyndi.

“A gang,” Beryl said. “We only just made it through Niagara. They ride fast and hard on Ski-Doos. They catch you, they…”

She broke off, eyeing Tony, who was still on Nathan’s lap. Nathan caught the idea that she was about to say some stuff that might not be good for him. Nathan lifted the boy back onto his feet, and said, “Hey, why don’t you and Mom go take Saber out to do her business, and I can fill Mom in on all this boring adult stuff when you get back?”

Tony nodded vigorously. “Okay, Dad.”

Cyndi started putting on her jacket and passed Tony his coat and scarf to wrap around his throat and mouth. “Good plan, Nate,” she said, and smiled. “I’ll give you fifteen minutes for the adult stuff, and then we’ll be back, okay?”

Beryl nodded and gave a half-smile.

Cyndi, Tony, and Saber jumped down from the Airstream’s open door and Beryl continued as it was pushed closed. “The Seven-Ones. They catch you, they… kill you, take your stuff, and…” the words died in her throat again. Now it seemed they’d trailed off because of the distressing thoughts Nathan saw backing up behind her eyes. It wasn’t just Tony’s sensitive ears that had obstructed her recounting the things they’d been through.

“They carve Seven-One in the foreheads of those they’ve killed; it’s a kind of sick calling card,” Mary said, disgust running through her words like infected veins of sickness. “We’ve found three burned out settlements already, and a road train like yours attacked, looted, with everyone murdered. That’s why we’re staying off the roads, traveling light on skis cross-country. It’s why we didn’t come out on you straight away from the woods. Wanted to make sure you weren’t a honey trap.”

Nathan took this in and it opened up a well of fear in him. The news they were more vulnerable to attack on the road was a hard notion to fit into his head. “We’ve had three run-ins with Ski-Doo gangs already. Managed to get away.

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