The Light we Lost : A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (Lost Light Book 1) by Kyla Stone

Author:Kyla Stone [Stone, Kyla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paper Moon Press
Published: 2022-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

33

LENA EASTON

DAY FIVE

The Tan Turd rumbled along I-75, headed toward Toledo. The green rolling hills had flattened out as Lena passed corn and soybean fields. Heavy traffic slowed them down.

In Ohio, they’d had to refuel outside of Columbus. Without generators, many gas stations were closed. The ones still operating were rationing. Ten -gallon limits, cash only.

She’d stopped at five stations at different exits to fill the tank and the jerrycans, wasting three hours. There were long lines. Vehicles were backed up along the roads, horns honking, people losing their tempers.

Everyone was edgy and agitated. No fights had broken out, but a few had come close.

Now, though, every gas station she passed was closed. They had no electricity to run the pumps, or they had run out of fuel.

With her jerrycan reserves, she should have just enough to get to Munising.

She scanned radio stations, chewing a glucose tablet and then sipping an apple juice to raise her blood sugar.

One station discussed rumors that the president, the vice president, the National Security Council, Congress and the Supreme court were being moved to undisclosed locations.

Photos had been released of two white 747s leaving Andrews Air Force Base. They were the “Night Watch” E-4Bs that provided an airborne command post for the president and could direct large-scale military operations or to respond to major disasters. They were also hardened against EMPs and CMEs.

Both Pacific and Atlantic submarine fleets had been spotted leaving ports. Large numbers of military aircraft were rumored to be headed to locations outside the affected areas. And state guard units were being ordered to report to their staging areas.

She shivered. She didn’t know what it all meant, only that it wasn’t good.

How long until the country descended into pure chaos? When people’s pantries ran dry in a day or two? She’d read that many families only kept three days’ worth of food on hand.

Paying attention to the early warnings could be the difference between making it and not, between reaching sanctuary and being stranded a thousand miles from safety with no vehicle, no gas, and millions of scared and desperate people standing between you and your destination.

She glanced in the rearview mirror. Bear sat happily in the back, head stuck out the window, floppy ears streaming against his skull, mouth open, jowls flapping in the wind.

Lena couldn’t help but smile. No matter how bad things might get, as long as she had Bear, she could endure it.

Bear barked.

“I know, I see it.”

Something was up ahead. Lena slowed, but she had no intention of stopping. They approached a caravan of three vehicles on the side of the road—a minivan, an SUV, and a Prius.

A kid of twelve or thirteen stood on the shoulder, thumb out to hitch a ride. Beside him sat three little kids in varying states of disarray, two of them crying. A little girl stared at Lena with wide and frightened eyes.

Next to the Prius, four adults stood in a huddled circle, heads down, gesticulating wildly as if deep in a serious conversation.

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