The Rule of Three by Adrian J. Smith

Author:Adrian J. Smith
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: Apocalyptic, Horror, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
Publisher: Great Wave Ink Publishing
Published: 2017-04-09T09:00:00+00:00

— 16 —

Dee smiled at Alice as she walked over. “We need to have a meeting, guys.”

“Okay,” Alice said, smiling back. “Over by the books?”

Dee nodded and listened as Boss talked to Mike.

“Hey, we’re having a pow wow.”

Mike turned his head away from the ventilation grate. “Why?”

“Same old, same old. Food, guns. Lack thereof,” Boss whispered, tension creeping into his tone.

“Fine,” Mike said, sighing. “What about the watch?”

“I’m just doing as Dee asked,” Boss said, turning his back and shrugging his shoulders.

Grumbling and muttering, Mike went over to Vicki, and together they joined the others.

At a small table, Dee had spread out an old map of the city, and next to it, one of the surrounding countryside.

“What museum did you raid?” Boss smirked.

Dee gave Boss an over-the-glasses librarian look. She waited for a cheeky response, but he just looked at his feet and kept silent. Satisfied that Boss knew it was serious, Dee glanced at the others gathered round.

“So, we need to decide what to do. Do we continue scrounging through houses for food? Or do we make a run for it? Get somewhere more isolated? Fewer Variants?”

Dee pressed on. “If we stay, we just keep scavenging in ever-increasing circles, hoping for food. We could try a food wholesalers. And we need guns desperately. Or, and this is what I vote for, we take my car and try to reach this valley,” she said, pointing at the map. “Jack and I have a cabin there.”

“Well, I vote to stay. Surely the army is going to show up soon,” Mike said, “and take us to one of those evac centres.”

“What army?” Matt asked. “New Zealand doesn’t have an army.”

“Yeah, we do!” Mike replied, his voice rising.

“Guys! Seriously,” Alice said. “Matt, give it a rest. And Mike, he’s teasing you.”

Dee flicked her eyes between them. After ten days of hiding, everyone was getting on each other’s nerves. She knew they had to move on. It was time.

“Yes we do have an army,” Aston cut in, nodding. “It’s small, but it’s there. Regardless, they’re not worried about rescuing us mere mortals. We’re on our own.”

There were murmurs of agreement.

“I ran into a couple of soldiers out there,” Dee said. Boss looked at her, eyes wide. He had asked her about how she’d survived, but she’d skirted the subject, not wanting to dampen his spirits. “I don’t think they’re going to be much help.”

Alice turned to Matt and poked him. “We should tell them.”

“Tell us what?” asked Dee.

“Yeah, what?” mimicked Boss.

Matt, Alice and Aston exchanged a look between them. Matt sighed and looked down at the maps.

“Look, we want to head off on our own,” he said. “Alice’s family owns a sheep station on one of the islands in the Gulf. We’re going to head there. Plus, I want to find my family.”

“Dee, we’re really grateful, truly, but I need to know. Know if they’re alive,” Alice said, looking at Dee.

“I can’t argue with that, Alice. I only have Jack. That’s why I want to go to the cabin.

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.