Tally the Stars: Lights of the Collapse Book 3 (An Apocalyptic Survival Thriller) by Millie Copper

Author:Millie Copper [Copper, Millie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Kaelyn stood at her grandma’s grave, staring at the wooden cross. Grandma Joyce died on Thursday, and they buried her early Friday morning. Now it was Sunday, and Kaelyn had come here every day since, usually several times a day.

There wasn’t a real headstone but rather the rustic cross Grandpa Terry had made. He was at the grave with her, like he had been most times. Yesterday, he’d sung a song about an old wooden cross. He messed up some of the words, but Kaelyn remembered him saying Grandma Joyce had already traded her cross for a crown in heaven.

“Ready to head back?” her grandpa asked, his voice rough.

Kaelyn took one last look at the cross before turning away. As they walked down the hill toward the lodge, she noticed Grandpa was breathing hard and sweating.

“You okay?” she asked, concern tightening her chest.

He waved her off. “I’m fine, just hot.” He took off his baseball cap and wiped his forehead with a hankie.

She wasn’t sure she believed him but didn’t push it. As they neared the bottom of the slope, her foot caught on a loose rock. She stumbled, her arms flailing before she managed to catch herself against the side of a large bush.

“Careful,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

Kaelyn straightened up quickly, pretending she wasn’t a second away from face-planting into the dirt. “I’m fine,” she muttered, brushing her hands off.

When they got back to the lodge, Kaelyn said, “I need to go help in the kitchen.” She didn’t want to, but she knew she had to do her part.

“All right, sweetheart. I’ll see you later.”

Kaelyn watched him go, still worried. She knew he, Von, Daisy, and Chloe all had to do guard duty and other jobs around the lodge. Because of her broken arm, Kaelyn couldn’t do guard duty, but she tried to help out where she could. She didn’t think her grandpa should be taking guard duty either, not after being shot, but he seemed to be healing well enough and insisted on doing his part.

In the kitchen, Ruth was organizing lunch prep. “There you are,” she said when Kaelyn walked in. “Can you wash those vegetables?”

Kaelyn nodded and got to work. It wasn’t easy with her cast, but she managed. As she washed carrots, her mind drifted to her parents. She’d tried to reach them so many times. The Reynolds had the new low-orbit satellite internet system that seemed to work, and her emails showed as sent, but there were no replies. She’d tried calling and texting, too, but the phone never rang and the texts, while seeming to go through, got no response.

Were her parents okay? Was it some problem with electronics, or something worse? Kaelyn tried to push the worry away. She had to trust they were all right. That’s what her grandmother would do.

Grandma Joyce always seemed to know what to say. She’d probably tell Kaelyn today’s troubles were enough for today and remind her that God was in control.

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