Total Dark: Final Collapse Book 3: A Thrilling Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series by KD Downs & Mike Kraus

Author:KD Downs & Mike Kraus [Downs, KD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Muonic Press Inc
Published: 2022-01-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Cornwall, Vermont

When the sun rose in the morning, the little colonial against the woods was still standing, and the silver Honda was still waiting for them in the driveway. Izzy was the first one up and promptly alerted her baby sister to the fact that a new day had started. Anne sat up in bed, the baby already fussing to nurse, and hung her head. “It’s your last day on Earth. Make it great.”

Before she could even throw the covers back, Izzy was out in the living room. “Mumma, come see!”

“Just a minute!” Scrubbing her fingers through her filthy, stringy hair, Anne decided the first thing on her to-do list would be to get the three of them cleaned up. If she was leaving the world, she was doing it with a fresh head of hair, looking at her two girls at their best. They didn’t have any clean clothes, but a shower would be enough.

Climbing out of bed in the jeans that had become her second skin, Anne grabbed the baby seat and echoed Abby’s cooing back to her. “Mummummummumma.”

“Mummammammamumma.” Abby kicked her feet and repeated her demands in case Anne hadn’t heard her right.

“I hear you. Mummummummumma.”

“Mumma! Come see!”

“I’m coming, Isobel! Keep your pants on!”

“Okay. I will!”

As Anne carried the baby down the hallway, the scent of Abby’s loaded diaper filled her with guilt. God only knew how long that baby had been sitting in her own filth. To make up for it, Anne would let her soak in a warm tub. If Scott had oatmeal, she’d throw a little of that in, too.

“See, Mumma?” Izzy stood at the open front door and pointed up to the blue sky. “It’s a rainbow!”

Anne joined her at the screen door and gazed up at one of the boldest, brightest, biggest rainbows she’d ever seen. It rose from the green treetops on one side of the horizon and disappeared into the mountains on the other. It was almost like the rainbows one saw drawn over illustrations of Noah’s ark, but it didn’t come bearing hope. The world was still scarred and mangled. Society was still fallen in pieces. Xavier was still dead. Despite all that, she crouched down beside Izzy, wrapped her arms around her daughter, and kissed her. “It’s so beautiful.”

Izzy patted her chest. “It makes me feel happy.”

“That’s great, baby!” It did nothing to cheer Anne up, but she was glad to see the blood from the night before had been scrubbed from the front steps. When she ran into Scott, she’d have to apologize for the mess she’d made. In the meantime, she had a baby to change.

By the time Scott showed up, Abby was done eating, and Izzy was patiently sitting with her on the floor, attempting to teach her baby sister how to make the gears turn on a big activity cube. He came through the door all smiles with bags in both hands, stopped a step into the door, and his smile sank just a bit as he watched them playing.

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