Light After Darkness: A Post Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Survive the Darkness Book 6)

by Ryan Casey

  But she felt a slight tension in her chest. “That’s… that’s really great.”

  “I sense there’s something still bothering you, Aoife?”

  Aoife didn’t even realise something was bothering her. But hearing Harvey say it out loud… it made her realise that perhaps something was getting to her.

  “It’s nothing,” Aoife said. “Really.”

  “Nonsense. If you can’t speak freely, then what’s the point in free speech? Tell me what’s on your mind. It’s the least I can do. And besides. You lot have listened to me gab on enough over the year.”

  Aoife smiled, lowered her head. “It’s just… it’s just something one of the insurgents said.”

  She looked up, saw Harvey watching her. Waiting.

  “What did he say?”

  “He said…”

  She remembered his words.

  You’re on the wrong side of history.

  And then she shook her head, smiled back at Harvey. “It’s nothing. Really. I’m serious. I’ll… I’d best get going.”

  Harvey stared at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled. Nodded. Wordless.

  Aoife turned around and headed for the door.

  “I really value your loyalty, Aoife. We all do.”

  She stopped. Smiled. Nodded.

  “Thanks, Harvey. We all… we all value everything you’ve done for us too. Everything you are doing for us.”

  She walked over to the door and stepped out.

  When she looked back, she swore she saw Harvey looking at her a little too closely.

  But she shook her head.

  Because life was good.

  Everything was good here.

  Wasn’t it?

  CHAPTER SIX

  Yuri looked out at the place they called Sanctuary, and he felt a knot in his stomach.

  It was dark. Late at night. He liked coming out here at night and watching this community, watching the people go about their lives inside. Happy people. Laughter. Joy.

  And really, every now and then, as he stood here and watched, Yuri couldn’t deny there was something remarkably alluring about it all. The promise of a life of joy. The promise of a life as close to the way things used to be as possible… yes, it was alluring. Tempting.

  And seeing the light. The electricity. The power.

  The reminders of what everyone used to have.

  And the reminders of what everyone had lost.

  The reminders of what a lucky few had restored. To enjoy, all to themselves.

  The lucky and privileged few.

  Bastards.

  He stood there on the hill, looking down at Sanctuary. Looking at those walls. Those supposedly impenetrable walls. That’s what they thought. That’s what they all believed there. Their misguided faith. Their misguided confidence that the lives they lived now were so normal and so ordinary and so perfect and with nothing to worry about.

  They were going to get a wake-up call. A huge wake-up call.

  And it was going to be momentous.

  He took a deep breath of the cool night air. He felt groggy as hell. He didn’t sleep much these days. How could anyone sleep well when they were in his position? When they had the kind of weight of responsibility on their shoulders that he had?

  Nobody could sleep well when they were in his position.

  He looked down at that community. He had to be careful. They were always out here, scouting, watching. Just earlier today, his people had a run-in with theirs. Two of them barely escaped with their lives. Marco wasn’t quite so lucky.

  Which was what had intensified the anger amongst his people. The urgency to do something. The urgency to act.

  Well, they were going to be in luck soon. They were going to be in lots of luck.

  They just had to be patient for a little while longer.

  They just had to wait for that one momentous day.

  The big day Yuri had heard about. That he’d overheard being discussed.

  He had ears everywhere.

  He looked down at that generator on the south in progress. Saw the tests they were doing on it. Saw how clearly they were getting closer to switching it on. To providing more power to more of the community. To mark their beautiful little celebration with some kind of grand announcement.

  And then he looked up, right at the block of apartments that towered over the whole place, and he saw him.

  The man in black. Just a silhouette from this distance. Standing there and staring out of his window. Looking out over his community. Over his town. Over his perfect little fantasy.

  And Yuri felt hate.

  He felt total hate.

  He gritted his teeth, his heart racing, when he heard footsteps approaching from behind, crunching across the ground.

  When he looked back, he saw his people.

  Wayne leading the way.

  “You shouldn’t be this far out here,” Yuri said. “It’s not safe.”

  “Neither should you,” Wayne said. “But people are getting tetchy. How much longer do we have to wait?”

  “Not long.”

  “So you keep saying. But the last time you said that we had fifteen more people alive. Fifteen lives that’ve been lost because—”

  “Tomorrow night,” Yuri said.

  His voice echoed through the silence of night. He didn’t snap. Not often. But when he wanted to be assertive, he really could be.

  “Tomorrow night,” Yuri said, looking out over the rest of his people. All of them gathered there amidst the trees. All of them looking at him for answers. Looking at him with hope.

  All of them looking at him with trust.

  “Tomorrow night,” Yuri said. “Everything we’ve waited for. Everything we’ve been building towards. Everything we’ve travelled so, so far for. It’s almost time. Time for the fireworks.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  It was the night of the speech, and Aoife was running late.

  It was windy outside. Just typical, wasn’t it? Perfect weather all summer, and on the one night they wanted it to be ideal again, the wind was up. Felt like a storm was on the horizon. Just bloody typical.

  She looked into the mirror at herself as she applied her lipstick. Saw those dark circles under her eyes, all baggy and puffy. She’d always suffered from dark circles, especially when she was tired, especially when she was stressed, and especially when she was trying to make an impression.

  Shit. Did she just admit that to herself?

  Was she trying to make an impression?

  And why couldn’t she get Gregg out of her mind?

  “Aoife, seriously,” Kayleigh shouted. “Hurry the hell up. You’re taking as long as I used to back in the day. And I know I used to take frigging ages.”

  Aoife rolled her eyes. She knew she was running late. She didn’t want to be late for Harvey’s speech or the party that followed. For the reveal of the south generator and the celebration of the eighteen months this place had been open. She didn’t want to be late for any of it.

  But tonight was her night off. A rare night off that she got just to let her hair down. To enjoy it. She usually worked as a guard, but she went out on hunting and scouting missions, too, as did Kayleigh. Something of a jack of all trades. Their skills in the wild were greatly valued by this place. But things were fair here, too. Time off was encouraged. Another nice perk.

  “God,” Kayleigh said. “Almost look like you’re trying to impress someone or something.”

  Aoife shook her head. “Who the hell would I be trying to impress?”

  “Oh, I dunno. Who could you possibly be trying to impress?”

  Bitch. Aoife wanted to tell her to shut the hell up. But probably best to just ignore her.

  “Wow. You’re even blushing.”

  “I’m not blushing.”

  “You’re definitely blushing.”

  Looking in the mirror, Aoife realised she was most definitely blushing. Hell, she didn’t even have to look in the mirror to know that; she could tell
from the burning sensation across her face. And the more Kayleigh banged on about it, the more she felt her cheeks getting hot. Her hand shook as she tried to apply the last of the lipstick. Her pulse became more detectable, in her chest and her neck. She felt hot. Really hot.

  “Okay,” Aoife said. “Maybe I am blushing.”

  Kayleigh rolled her eyes, shook her head. “What’s the big deal, anyway?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean… you and Gregg. Like, you’re both adults. And you’re acting like kids.”

  “Why are you so obsessed with me and Gregg?”

  “I’m not obsessed with you and Gregg. Don’t start your deflecting thing.”

  “My ‘deflecting thing’?”

  “That thing where when someone criticises you, you deflect the problem onto them.”

  “I do that? Really?”

  “Yeah, Aoife. Yeah, you do. And you always have.”

  Wow. Rude. But then Aoife figured that’s why she got on with Kayleigh so well. She didn’t sugar-coat things, especially not anymore. She was honest. Sometimes brutally so. And in this world, that was a quality Aoife had to value.

  “I mean,” Aoife said. “Would it really be so wrong?”

  Kayleigh lowered her head. Now she was blushing. “I… I mean, no, I guess.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Nothing’s up.”

  “Before, you were all cheerleading and obsessing about Gregg and me. Now I’ve asked you if you think it’d be a good idea, and suddenly you’re acting all weird.”

  “I’m not acting weird. You’re acting weird.”

  “Who’s deflecting now?” Aoife said.

  Kayleigh smirked. “Touché.”

  She lowered her head. Walked over to Aoife.

  “Look. I just… I just want you to be happy. I know how much this place means to you. But I want you to have fun, too. I just… I don’t know. Gregg? Really?”

  “What’s wrong with Gregg?”

  “What’s wrong with him? Nothing’s wrong with him. But that’s kind of it, isn’t it? He’s just sort of… alright? And you’re… well, you’re kind of gorgeous.”

  Aoife looked back in the mirror. She never saw herself as gorgeous. And she seemed to be ageing more by the day.

  “Maybe I’m at that time of my life where ‘alright’ is what I want. Especially after Jason. I’m done with drama.”

  She looked around at Kayleigh, still in disbelief that she’d actually said what she’d said, admitted what she’d admitted, and been willing even to entertain a relationship with another person.

  Someone who wasn’t Max…

  She swore she saw a hint of sadness in Kayleigh’s eyes.

  “Now come on,” Aoife said. “I’m ready.”

  Kayleigh opened her mouth as if she was going to say something else. Then she just nodded and smiled. “Come on, Cinderella. Let’s get you to the ball.”

  They walked out of Aoife’s house and onto the streets, where the happy masses of Sanctuary flooded towards the podium where Harvey was due to give his speech.

  As Aoife looked over at the hills in the distance, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just like that New Year’s Eve when the power went out.

  She shook her head. Smiled.

  That was the past.

  This was now.

  Everything was going to work out just fine.

  Right?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Aoife stood right at the back of the crowd in front of the podium and wished she’d been a bit quicker getting ready.

  Especially ’cause she was miles away from Gregg.

  It was dark. The wind had picked up even more, but the rain seemed to be holding off. If this was a storm, then it looked like they might be in luck. Or at least that’s how it seemed, anyway. It could turn at any minute, at a moment’s notice. Aoife knew that was inevitable. Not just with the weather, but in life in this world.

  Well. Life before Sanctuary, anyway. Sanctuary had brought a permanence. Sanctuary had changed everything. Things felt safer now. More secure now.

  And that’s the way things were going to stay.

  She looked around at all the people gathered. This large crowd, hundreds of them here. It was all very tight-knit and close quarters. The smell of aftershave and perfume filled the air. The sound of laughter, of happiness. A slight stickiness to the ground where booze had been spilled. But the good thing with boozy piss-ups these days? Nobody ever seemed to get mad or angry anymore. Everyone was just… content. Even when they were pissed, scuffles didn’t go on for long. It’s like being saved by this place had changed everyone. Rewired everyone to be more grateful rather than… well, rather than being dicks, frankly.

  People weren’t suffering anymore. Things were good here.

  And things were about to get a whole lot better.

  She looked around for the front of the crowd, tried to find Gregg. She knew he was up top somewhere, but she couldn’t see him anymore.

  “Getting worried about your boyfriend?” Kayleigh asked.

  Aoife felt her cheeks heating up again. “I’m just seeing if there’s any way we can get closer to the front.”

  “There was a way of getting closer to the front. It’s called having your makeup done earlier than the last frigging minute.”

  “Not a lot I can do about that now,” Aoife said.

  “Well, it’s your loss. I’m not the one trying to seduce someone.”

  Aoife tutted, getting a bit sick of Kayleigh’s bullshit now. She liked Gregg. Time to actually face it. She didn’t know why, and she didn’t know what drew her to him, but she liked him, and she couldn’t deny that.

  But right now, tonight, it was about hearing what Harvey had to say. What he had to announce. Celebrating.

  And then she could worry about Gregg later. What was she worried about anyway? That he was going to just ditch her for some other woman in the space of a night?

  She had to pull herself together. She wasn’t a teenager anymore. She was in her frigging thirties. Didn’t feel like it. Did anyone ever feel older than their early twenties? Did anyone feel like time was moving at an appropriate speed? Shit. Guess that’s how mid-life crises happen.

  She took a deep breath and focused on Harvey. Watched him step onto the podium. Heard the claps, heard the cheers.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, the microphone screeching a bit, making everyone wince. “Seriously,” he said. “Be grateful. If someone told you you’d hear a microphone screeching a year ago, you’d snap their hands off.”

  Laughter. More applause. More whooping. He had a way, Harvey. A way of getting everyone to feel motivated. To feel optimistic. To feel positive.

  He was the perfect leader.

  “We gather here today to celebrate eighteen months. Eighteen months since we opened our doors. Eighteen months since this new world well and truly began. A perfect eighteen months. And I want to thank each and every one of you for making it so perfect. I know it’s not been easy for everyone. I know it’s an adjustment period. And I know there are still those on the outside who wish us harm.”

  A chorus of boos, then. A chorus Harvey allowed to ring out for a few moments.

  “But,” he said. “We have one thing those outsiders don’t have. We have power. And because we have power… we have strength.”

  A series of claps. Of applause. More cheering.

  “Now, I had a speech written. But I don’t want to bore you to death. Actions speak louder than words, right? So, it’s on that note that I bring you some very, very special news.”

  A few mutters. Whispering. People wondering what the hell he was talking about.

  He looked right at Aoife, and he smiled. Right into her eyes, just for a second.

  “I’m delighted to announce we’re switching on the south generator. Tonight.”

  An eruption of cheers. People throwing their drinks in the air. Jumping around manically.

  “Shit,�
� Kayleigh said. “That’s what he told you? That’s what he’s been hiding from you?”

  She saw the elation in Kayleigh’s eyes. She saw the happiness on all the faces of all the people.

  Harvey was beaming. “And with power to the south, we can begin to expand. We can begin welcoming more people into our home. We are leaving the trial stages and stepping into a brave new world. Together.”

  People clapped and roared with delight and hope.

  Aoife saw her perfect, happy community, and she couldn’t help feeling the joy.

  She looked at the front of the crowd, right by the podium, and she saw Gregg standing there, looking right back at her.

  He looked into her eyes, and he nodded. Smiled.

  And she looked back at him and nodded and smiled, too.

  She’d go over to him soon.

  She’d go over, and she’d celebrate with him.

  Because she had to admit it. She couldn’t run from it. Couldn’t hide from it anymore.

  She liked him.

  She really quite liked him.

  “So, join me,” Harvey shouted. “Join me over at the south district. Join me to witness the switch on. Join me to—”

  It all happened so fast.

  Aoife heard a bang.

  A huge bang up ahead.

  Or behind her.

  Or all around her.

  Or…

  She looked up ahead. Heard a few screams. A few giggles. Sounded like fireworks.

  Only…

  The way Harvey looked back from the podium.

  The way he looked back, towards the wall.

  Over at the smoke.

  “The south. We’re under attack. We’re under—”

  Nobody had a chance to do anything.

  Nobody had a chance to scream.

  Because at that moment, the podium exploded, and Aoife went flying back into the darkness.

  CHAPTER NINE

  One second, Aoife was on her feet.

  The next, she was flying through the air.

  She landed against the solid ground. Smacked her head against it. Hard.

  Ringing in her ears.