Unnatural Disasters by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Horror, Anthology
Publisher: Blood Brothers Publishing
Published: 2011-10-30T15:00:00+00:00

WHITEOUT

* * *

DANIELLE BOURDON

“…whiteout conditions continue for the twenty-fourth straight day…”

Jeremy Buckle fiddled with the knob on his shortwave radio, trying to get better reception. The hiss of static made it difficult to hear any news.

“Any luck?” Jo asked from the office doorway. She had changed into pajamas and pulled her hair back for the night.

“Not really. It’s the same thing they’ve been reporting for a week.” He sat back in his chair and raked a hand through his hair. Tension made his shoulders tight.

“Well there has to be something—”

“Jo, there’s not. No news about any deliveries. No news about how they’re going to clear the god-forsaken roads. No news, period.”

“They can’t expect us to starve to death,” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder to the living room where the kids were playing.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” he said, spreading his hands in the air for emphasis. “I’m sure they didn’t expect some freak series of storms to obliterate the entire country, either.”

“This is Los Angeles. Surely they’re better prepared—”

“Anaheim Hills, baby, if you want to get technical. And how the hell are they supposed to be prepared for this? It barely rains here, much less snows.” Even to his own ears, the caustic words sounded harsh. When she pinched the bridge of her nose—a clear indication a rant was forthcoming—Jeremy got up and crossed the room. He squeezed her shoulder, trying to head off another argument.

“We only have enough food for maybe three more days, Jeremy.”

To hear it put in plain words drove the pressure to provide for his family to new heights. “I know, I know—”

“I mean, you and I haven’t had a decent meal in more than a week. All the stores have been cleaned out, and no trucks can get through with supplies. What the hell are we going to do? Ask the neighbors to give us supplies we’ve already shared and divided between us?”

“They have kids to feed, too. If we’re running low, so are the rest of them.”

“Maybe we should have kept what we had to ourselves.” Jo seemed torn between fear and bitterness.

“You wouldn’t be able to see the other kids go hungry anymore than you would let ours go hungry,” he said, kneading her shoulders with gentle pressure. “I’ll tell you what. Since it’s already so late, I’ll go see Ed in the morning. We’ll figure out what to do.”

“Are you sure it’s safe? We couldn’t even see the end of our driveway this morning.”

“I’ll use the rope. If I have something to follow back to our porch, I’ll be fine. Ed only lives right next door.”

Relenting, Jo said, “All right.”

“At least we still have power. Things would be a lot worse if we—”

As if Fate were listening, the lights blinked out.

“…shit.” Jeremy released her. “I’ll get the flashlights.”

“And a few candles,” she said, turning to cross into the living room.

Jeremy felt his way like a blind man over to a cabinet in the office that held their supplies. He fished out a pair of flashlights, stuck one in his pocket, and thumbed the button on the other.

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