Into the Light: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Thriller (Into the Dark Book 10)

by Ryan Casey

And then just like that, she heard the footsteps move through the woods, and disappear.

  She stayed still. Quiet. All of them did, at least for a while.

  When she moved her hand from baby Holly’s mouth, she’d stopped crying. Dozed off. Still breathing, thank God. Still here.

  She stepped around the trees. Saw Tate. Manuel. Gina’s two other old companions.

  And then when she saw them, they all looked at one another. Shell-shocked like they couldn’t quite believe what they’d each just witnessed.

  “Don’t tell me I wasn’t the only one who heard what they just said on that radio,” Manuel said.

  Tate looked at Kelsie, and he half-smiled.

  And Kelsie half-smiled, too.

  “The Empress Ballroom,” Kelsie said. “That’s where the extraction’s happening. That’s our ticket out of here. That’s exactly where we need to go.”

  Chapter Nine

  Forty-One Hours to Go…

  It was dark, and Kelsie knew that time was flying by far quicker than she could ever have imagined.

  The night had crept up on them out of nowhere. It wasn’t a cold night, however. Quite the opposite. Mild. Stuffy. A clamminess clinging to Kelsie’s skin, making her shiver in a contradictory way. It didn’t help that it had absolutely lashed it down over the last hour or so. A flash-storm out of nowhere.

  But as much as she knew she should be taking the time to sit back and process things, especially with everything that was going on, everything that had happened to her, she knew there was no time to wait around. No time to just sit back. Not anymore.

  There was barely time to process a thing.

  Only focus on making sure she reached the Empress Ballroom before it was too late.

  She looked over her shoulder. Saw Manuel not far behind. Tate was alongside him, Arya Jr clearly taking a liking to him. She smiled. She had to, even in all the sadness. She liked Tate. She felt like she’d known him a lot longer than she had. He was something of a rock to her already. Something of a support. She knew that when they got to the extraction point, she wanted him there with her.

  She wanted him there with her in whatever new world lay ahead. Whatever new world waited.

  Then she saw Gina’s other two people, Gregg and Rachel. She hadn’t felt as much of a bond with them. She hadn’t felt as much of a connection.

  She got the sense they weren’t totally on board with what was happening here. As if they thought there was another way of going about all this. Something that involved Gina.

  Unfortunately for them, Gina was gone. Their home was gone.

  They had to put all their differences to one side. This was their future now.

  “If I remember correctly,” Manuel said, “there’s a bridge up ahead. Should take us on the most direct route to Blackpool.”

  Kelsie nodded. She had a vague memory of a long bridge when they used to go to Blackpool when she was a kid. She was a bit tense about it, though. The last time she’d seen it, when it was still active, it had been filled with cars. Busy.

  She hoped there weren’t people looming around it like ghosts.

  She knew it was unlikely. After all, the bulk of the survivors weren’t out there in little groups anymore. They were in larger groups. Larger communities.

  And Kelsie knew of the bulk of them in this area. So really, her fear was irrational. It was based on memories of a past that was long gone.

  But then there were plenty of horrors in this world. Plenty of unknowns.

  She couldn’t discount the possibility that something was out there, waiting for her, biding its time, waiting to strike…

  “How’s your baby?”

  Kelsie looked around. Saw Manuel walking up towards her. He looked concerned. Which was natural, Kelsie supposed. But she couldn’t help a flicker of defensiveness when she saw that look on his face.

  She looked down at baby Holly. Saw she was sleeping. Thanked her blessings that she was such a quiet, well-behaved kid, and hoped it was a sign of things to come—even if that seemed unlikely considering she was apparently a terror. “Looks like she’s alright,” she said.

  “And what about you?”

  Kelsie frowned. “Me?”

  “I… I couldn’t help noticing you’re a bit pale. You’re a bit unsteady on your feet. Are you sure you’re fine?”

  Kelsie wanted to tell Manuel straight up. No. She wasn’t fine. She’d just been thrust with the responsibility of being a single parent. She’d just lost the love of her life. And she’d lost her mentor. Her idol. Her father figure. No. She was bound to be a bit wobbly on her feet. Bound to be a bit unsteady.

  But there was something else, and Kelsie knew it. The diabetes. It was something she had to keep in mind, something she had to consider. She’d been out of sync with her insulin lately. Real world responsibilities had made her complacent.

  And she knew the signs that she was low. She knew about the paleness. The nausea. The wobbliness on her feet. And sure, as much as they could very much be psychosomatic symptoms related to her current stress and loss… there was also a chance they were part of something much more sinister.

  Which was yet another reason to get to Blackpool as soon as she possibly could.

  “Just so you know,” Manuel said. “We can take a rest. If it’s what you really need.”

  Kelsie stopped. “A rest? Really? You’re still going on about me taking a rest?”

  “I’ve lost, like you have. I lost a wife. A child. Illness. The flu. Something that could’ve been dealt with just like that in the old world. But it’s different now. You know how it is. And anyway. One of them fell and then the other fell and before I knew it, I was alone. Until Gina, anyway. Gina helped me back on my feet. She gave me purpose. But I still had to process. I still had to absorb everything that happened to me. Even though I wanted to push on, even though I wanted to keep on going with whatever task fell into my lap… I still needed to take a breather. I still needed to rest. I still needed to grieve.”

  Kelsie felt a lump bobbling in her throat. A waterfall of emotions threatening to burst on out. “I’m sorry for what happened to her.”

  Manuel shook his head, though. Dismissed her apology right away. “Not your apology to make. Whatever happened with Gina… she was a loose cannon towards the end. Even I could see that. As much as I don’t want to believe you.

  “We’ve got a whole two days, pretty much,” Manuel said. “And the journey we have to make, it won’t take that long. Not anywhere near that long. So I’ll ask you again. Do you want to take a moment? An hour? Just… just some time to offload?”

  And Kelsie found herself trapped, then. Because everything was telling her that no, she didn’t. She didn’t want to offload. She didn’t want to get anything off her chest. And for God’s sake, she didn’t want to process.

  But nature was taking a hold.

  It was running its course.

  And she couldn’t resist its pull.

  “Come on,” Manuel said. “Let it out. Just let it out.”

  She went to let the emotions flow out.

  That’s when she heard Rachel’s voice.

  “About that bridge,” she said. “And about taking that time. I’m sorry to say this but… but I think we’re going to have to reassess that.”

  Kelsie looked ahead. Looked at what Rachel was referring to.

  And when she saw it, her stomach sank, and she understood.

  Chapter Ten

  Forty Hours to Go…

  Kelsie looked at the bridge ahead, and she knew immediately that things weren’t going to be quite as straightforward as initially planned.

  It was dark for one thing, but it didn’t require much light to see the state the bridge was in. What had once carried tons of cars on a daily basis was now tattered. It had collapsed under the weight of the cars that had sat on it for many years. Its unchecked foundations had grown weak, and it had given way completely. There were just a few areas where a crossing could be attempt
ed. But it was just too dangerous. Just too risky.

  “Well that’s that,” Tate said. “We’ll have to take another route.”

  “Which route?” Manuel said. “Underneath?”

  “If we have to.”

  “And have you seen it down there?”

  Kelsie looked down with the rest of the group. The water was free flowing, the banks bursting after that sudden flash storm earlier. The speed of the water was intimidating; something she didn’t want to consider taking on any time soon.

  “There has to be another way.”

  “Oh, there’s plenty of other ways,” Manuel said. “But we’ve got to think logistically. There are groups situated on the crossings. And as Kelsie well knows, not all of those groups are the most cooperative types.”

  Tate sighed. “I’m sure if they realise the stakes of what’s coming, they might be tempted to reconsider their frostiness.”

  “And is that a gamble you want to take?” Manuel said. “When we know these people better than you do? Is that a challenge you’re okay with? Really?”

  Tate rubbed his fingers through his hair. “I really don’t see another choice.”

  “This route is the most direct. It’ll get us to Blackpool with time to spare. Any other route… well, it’s not exactly going to be running down the clock. But I dunno about you, but I’d rather be there with plenty of time to spare. Especially when we don’t know for certain that there really is as much time left as we heard. These are still just rumours, at the end of the day.”

  “Then what do you suggest?”

  Manuel opened his mouth. Then he turned, looked at Kelsie. “What do you think?”

  Kelsie didn’t want to be burdened with the responsibility of this kind of decision right now. But she knew her input was important. Valued. She swallowed a lump in her throat, looked at the bridge ahead of her. And she wasn’t sure whether it was the conflicted emotions, whether it was the combination of things that had happened to her. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she found herself plotting a route across this bridge.

  And as much as there were some tough spots… she saw that it was possible.

  “I think we should attempt to cross,” she said.

  Tate’s jaw dropped. Rachel let out a whine. “What?”

  “There’s a route,” Kelsie said. “I can see it from here. It’s not going to be easy. There’s going to be some tricky sections. Some god-damned terrifying moments. But if we take our time, keep our cool… we can do this.”

  “You’ve got a baby,” Rachel said. “You’ve—you’ve got a baby and a dog, and you’re willing to risk this? Really?”

  Kelsie looked at Arya Jr. Saw how unconcerned she was. She’d seen enough, after all. Danger was just normality to her now.

  And then she looked at baby Holly. Looked at her eyes, which were open now. Curious. Taking in these colours and sounds all around her.

  Then she looked ahead, and she took a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah, I think we can do it.”

  “And if you’re wrong?”

  “Then I’m wrong,” she said.

  Rachel lowered her head. She could tell Tate wasn’t sure about this either. That he was just as caught in two minds as Rachel.

  But despite expecting a wave of protest and disapproval… Kelsie was surprised to see Manuel step forward. Gregg, Gina’s other old ally, by his side.

  “I made you a promise,” Manuel said. “We lost Gina. And I believe you. I don’t know how it went down, but I believe you, and I have faith in you. I think you’re making the right decision. So I’ll be by your side. Just as long as you lead the way.”

  He smiled at that last part. And Kelsie found herself smiling back, appreciating the humour.

  She turned around, then. Arya Jr creeping up to her side. She took a deep breath. Looked at the bridge ahead.

  And then she looked at the small section of it, right in front of her.

  She had to focus one step at a time.

  And she had to avoid looking down.

  “Then we walk,” she said.

  The first few steps were easy. The bridge felt solid. Much of the concrete was still there. And it was still propped up, for the most part.

  But then the further she got, the more she felt the bridge creaking underfoot. The more she saw bits of debris tumbling below.

  The more she had to resist looking down.

  She kept going. One breath, one step. And before she knew it, she was far out. Far further out than she wanted to imagine. She hadn’t heard any shouts from behind. Hadn’t heard any cries. So she could only assume everyone was okay. That nothing had happened.

  Then she went to take her next step when she stopped.

  There was a gap.

  A gap right in front of her.

  A gap between the bridge pillars.

  She went still. The gap wasn’t large, but she couldn’t help looking down. And when she saw the drop below, she felt dizzy and sick.

  She steadied herself. Cuddled baby Holly close. “There’s a gap coming up,” she called back. “A—a drop.”

  “A what?” Gregg called.

  “A drop. But it’s not impossible to get over. It’s jumpable.”

  “You sure about that?” Rachel shouted.

  Kelsie took a deep breath. “I hope so,” she said, to herself more than anyone.

  She looked up at the moon. Looked up and thought she saw Siobhan and Mike up there. Looking down. Telling her she was mad for doing what she was doing. But that she was also doing the right thing.

  She closed her eyes, held baby Holly close, and then whispered to Arya Jr. “Come on, pup. We can make this.”

  She took a leap, and she felt herself in mid-air.

  For a split second, she thought she hadn’t made it. That she was pummelling below.

  But then she felt her feet hit the ground, and she felt herself land on the concrete.

  Then she heard a yelp, and she felt her nightmares building up.

  She spun around. Expected the worst. Expected to see Arya Jr clinging on by her paws.

  But as she turned, she saw Arya Jr’s body halfway onto the bridge.

  Halfway, but slipping.

  She didn’t even think. Just reached out. Grabbed Arya Jr. And then she bit her lip, and she pulled with all the force she had as her weight slipped away…

  And then she pulled her again, and Arya Jr landed on the right side of the bridge.

  She gasped, then. Her breathing shaky. Adrenaline surging. That was close. Too close.

  She looked up at the rest of the people. Stuck a thumb in the air. “We’re okay,” she said. “We’re…”

  But then she stopped again.

  Because something was happening.

  Her people were running away.

  “What…”

  She heard it, then. The rumbling.

  Then she saw it.

  The debris falling.

  “It’s collapsing,” she said. “It’s…”

  Then she felt the side of the bridge she was on wobbling, rumbling, too.

  She looked down, then she looked back up, and she saw Manuel. She saw Tate. She saw the looks on their faces. The fear in their eyes.

  “Go!” Manuel shouted.

  And Kelsie didn’t even have to think.

  She didn’t even have to consider her next move.

  She just got back to her feet and raced across the bridge as it crumbled around her.

  Debris fell alongside her. Dust picked up. One step became thirty steps, twenty steps, ten steps, the end getting nearer but seeming so far away.

  She saw Arya Jr running alongside her. Barking. Panting.

  And then she saw the final stretch of the bridge fall right before her.

  There was no time to think anymore.

  No time to plan.

  She just held her crying baby close and closed her eyes.

  Then she made the leap.

  She landed. Landed the other side of the bridge.


  Arya Jr mercifully by her side.

  Baby Holly crying in her arms.

  She looked around. Looked back. Looked at where the bridge had once been.

  Looked at the dust, coughing it up, wheezing.

  She looked at the bridge’s remains, and she didn’t see a soul.

  Tears built in her eyes.

  Because it was just her now.

  Just her, all over again.

  She took a deep breath. Hushed and rocked her baby.

  And then she stood up.

  Looked at Arya Jr.

  “Come on,” she said. “Let’s… let’s go.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Gina felt numbness in her arms and wondered if this was how Romesh felt all those years ago.

  It was dark in here, but she had no idea whether it was night or not. She’d lost all sense of time, all sense of place. And she knew deep down that it was hilarious, in an ironic way. Because there was no point to all of this anymore. There was no point to anything they did.

  The end was coming for all of them. Gina didn’t have a choice anymore.

  She just hoped she was put out of her misery so she didn’t have to spend her final moments suffering deeply.

  She knew damn well that was an ambitious and unlikely set of wishes.

  She was cold to the bone. Felt like she was outside without a coat in the thick of winter. Her wrists were tied above her head, and she was hanging from something. Her chest was sore, blood still oozing out of it a little, but not as much. Not now they’d stitched her up.

  And sure, they hadn’t shown much consideration to cleaning the wound or anything like that. But then she figured they weren’t planning on keeping her around for all that long anyway. Just long enough to put her through hell.

  And could she blame them, really? Could she hold it against them, after everything she’d taken away from these people?

  She tried to squint into the distance. She’d been in bad situations like this in the past and come out the other side of them. But this was different. It felt different. It felt like there was no getting out of this. Like there was a finality that differentiated it from the times she’d been in this kind of position in the past.