Slow Burn by Justin Bell & Mike Kraus

Author:Justin Bell & Mike Kraus [Bell, Justin & Kraus, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | Survival
Publisher: Muonic Press Inc
Published: 2019-11-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“Just what we were afraid of,” Colonel Price said as he stepped from the Humvee, looking out over the Washington, DC skyline ahead. A thick cloud of persistent dark smoke lingered within the tops of the buildings, merging and blending with the gray sky beyond, creating a monochrome canvas of blacks and dull gray.

“It’s getting too late,” he said, looking back at Atwood, who was pulling himself free of the back seat. “The slicks will be out in force. We’ll have to find a place to sleep and continue in the morning.”

“You fear what you don’t understand,” Atwood replied.

“It’s not about fear,” Price said. “It’s about respect and understanding. We’ve spent the better part of the past month fighting these things head-to-head. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not exactly on the right side of victory here.”

“Your first mistake is assuming they’re the enemy,” Atwood replied.

Price raised his eyebrows.

“Are you insinuating that they’re somehow— not the enemy? I’ve got a fair share of dead men and women who might argue that point.”

“It’s more complicated than that,” Atwood replied, then turned to face the colonel. “Trust me, I saw my fair share of men die at the claws of those things. I witnessed it first hand.” He brushed his fingers across the ragged and puckered scars along his face. “They did this to me.”

“And yet you stand there and tell me they’re not the enemy.”

Atwood crossed his arms, lowering his chin slightly in thought.

“Are sharks our enemy?” he asked. “Are bears?”

“Difference is, we’re the top of the food chain,” Price argued. “We go toe-to-toe with a bear, we shoot, we win. These things are not bears, and if you keep comparing them you’re setting us all up for a long, painful road, Atwood. You call them animals. Call them wildlife. That’s not what they are, they’re something else.”

“You’re right,” Atwood agreed. “They’re smarter than bears. They have an advanced society. A way of communicating. Coordinating.”

“So they’re pack animals. Big deal. So are wolves.”

“It goes beyond that,” Atwood said, sighing slightly.

“Look,” Price said, shaking his head, “I’m not real comfortable with how this communication is going. I get the impression you’re trying to tell me these bugs could be our friends.”

“We need to learn to co-exist with them,” Atwood said. “We’re never going to kill them all, and if we want to be able to use their fuel, we’re just going to have to live alongside them.”

Price shook his head, barking out a short burst of laughter.

“Give me a freaking break,” he murmured.

“I understand where you’re coming from,” Atwood replied, taking a few steps away from the Humvee. He glanced over his shoulder. “Perhaps showing will be better than telling.”

“What are you talking about?” Price asked as Atwood walked away.

“I’ll see you in the morning.”

Price furrowed his brow as Atwood lowered to a crouch, then charged forward, running headlong into the ruined city, swiftly disappearing into the rolling, gray smoke. The colonel stood there, looking at the empty space where he’d been, shaking his head softly.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.