The Ashes of the Unknown: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Series (Sunset on America Book 2) by Ryan Schow

Author:Ryan Schow [Schow, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: River City Publishing
Published: 2022-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

nineteen

rowdy banks

The great chicken massacre had officially taken place. Feathers see-sawed through the air, heading to the ground to be reunited with their owners. The family held a moment of silence for the road-raged fowl, but then Ruth completely caved to the carnage.

“My babies,” she cried.

Rowdy stood near the destroyed cage and held his mother close. That she let him be there for her seemed to surprise everyone. And when she leaned on him for support, he wiped away her tears as any good son would.

Then he said, “Who knew you’d love your birds more than your kids?”

She pushed off of him and smacked his arm, prompting Cody to say, “Could you be more insensitive?”

“At least we got the eggs,” Everleigh announced.

“Silver linings,” Rowdy added.

His mother turned and came after him, but he kept out of hitting distance with the entire meadow around him. But then Rowdy saw Chloe going to Samuel’s body. Tears glistened in her eyes, but the rest of her looked stoic, maybe from shock or the realization that her family had never loved her and would never get the chance to right so many wrongs.

Rowdy waited for some kind of explosion, but she never blew up. Instead, she looked at him and said, “You keep killing my family.”

“We’re your family,” Ruth said, still frowning at Rowdy. “Those people never saw you the way we do.”

“We’re Rowdy’s family, too,” Evie said.

Rowdy winked at her, thinking it was good to have allies.

But then Ruth folded her arms and grimaced. “He’s barely family,” she said.

“Barely is still a yes,” Rowdy grinned.

“I’m going to see about my mother,” Chloe mumbled. “Who knows if she’s even alive?”

She had almost reached the property line when the Dodge Charger appeared. It rolled toward the old house like something mean returning to its lair, and then it pulled into the garage and out of sight.

Rowdy waited for someone to get out of the car and acknowledge them, but the driver pulled the garage door shut, leaving everyone to their curiosity.

He looked at Chloe one last time. Her shoulders were shaking, as if she was crying. Should he go to her? One look from Taylor told him that would be the wrong move. Then he looked at his mother. Ruth was upset about the fowl, as most of them had died, but she could just as easily be upset with him.

Weeping, she said, “I guess we’re having chicken dinner.”

“Finally, some good meat,” Cody said.

Ruth turned and fired him a look. “That’s the first time since you’ve been home that I hold you in the same regard as him,” she said, referring to Rowdy.

“Was I an orphan?” Rowdy asked. His mother scoffed. “What about the product of an affair?”

“I never cheated on your father,” she said, weary.

“Incest?”

“I was an only child!”

“Then did you find me on the roadside?”

“Stop it, Rowdy,” Taylor said.

His mother stomped up to him and slapped him across the face. He took the shot, even though he saw it coming from a mile away.

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