Bracing The Storm: An EMP Survival Story (Survival Series Book 3)

by Kip Nelson

  The forest that he believed had been his to claim had been ripped apart as easily as tissue paper. He realized then that he had been a fool ever to think he could have exerted dominion over the world. This forest wasn’t his at all, it was nature’s. If nature wanted to take it back, then she could.

  Darren was in awe of the power he was witnessing. The forces on display were ferocious. There was no hope of fighting against it. Nothing could fight against it. Errant leaves swirled in the air, sucked up by the wind. They whipped around in a chaotic dance until they found a resting place. Water was coming from everywhere. The puddles were turning into lakes, which quickly were becoming an ocean. The surface rippled as the wind skipped across the water. The stream evidently had overflowed to such an extent that the ground had become sodden, and everywhere was drenched.

  The air was fresh and earthy. The world smelled cleansed, and in a way it was beautiful. There was nothing Darren could do except be awestruck at the scene standing before him. His throat ran dry, however, for he soon realized exactly what was happening here. This wasn’t just any storm.

  It had the strength of a tornado.

  Nothing else would have had the power to wreak such havoc on the world and tear the trees up from the very ground. No mere wind could have had the strength to rip the world asunder and make all sentient creatures quake in their boots. There was nothing else that could have inflicted such destruction, and Darren was well aware of the odds against their survival now. There would be no rescue teams coming for them, no saviors coming to take them to safety.

  They were on their own, and there was nothing they could do about it.

  “I take it we’re not going out today either?” Brent asked, trying to sound light-hearted, but Darren could sense the emotion in his voice.

  “Not today, Brent. It’s going to be another lazy one. It seems as if the storm is dying down for the moment. It might move on, and we’ll be able to get back to work as usual, although it might take us a little longer to get used to the new landscape. It looks as though plenty has been changed out there,” Darren said, and invited them all to come and stand with him so they could look out at the world. Darren had to reassure them that it was safe, and he held out his hands.

  Michelle was the first one to move, and Tara soon followed, for where one of them went the other was sure to scurry behind. Betsy and Brent were a little more hesitant, but they both gasped when they saw what Darren had seen.

  “How could it have done this?” Betsy said.

  “Impressive, isn’t it?” Darren said.

  “How can you say that, Dad? It’s scary,” Brent said.

  “When it comes to moments like these there’s nothing you can do but stand back and admire the majesty of nature. What you’re seeing is the aftermath of a tornado,” Darren said.

  “You mean it’s gone?” Betsy asked.

  Darren stroked his beard.

  “Maybe, maybe not. What we’re seeing now could be the end of it, or it could just be the eye of the storm, and the rest is yet to come. That’s why we’ve got to stay here. I don’t want us taking any risks and being caught unaware. But if this is the eye, then I think the rest of it should pass quickly, and it only should be a day or so more that we have to stay here,” he said, glancing at the rising water.

  He debated with himself if he should tell them or not, because they already had enough to worry about. Then he remembered the conversation he’d had with Brent. They all were living in this world and it wasn’t fair to them to keep things from them, especially when they needed to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

  “There’s something else I need to tell you as well,” Darren began.

  “Look at the water. The stream has flooded, and the water is creeping along the ground. There’s a chance that if there’s more rain the water level could rise, and if that happens, it may well come into this cave. If that happens, we’ll have to be ready to leave. I’m not going to wait here and watch this place become a fish tank,” he said grimly.

  The kids all looked out at the water and suddenly were afraid.

  “I don’t like this, Daddy,” Michelle said.

  “I know, Sweetie, but remember that as long as we’re together we’re going to be okay. We’re all going to take care of each other, and that’s the most important thing. We know what’s happened, all we have to do now is wait to see if the rest of the storm is going to come here, okay?” he said. Michelle nodded but didn’t look convinced.

  “Are you sure it’s not worth one of us taking the bike out for a quick recon?” Brent said.

  “If we’re good enough about it, we should be able to be back here before the rest of the storm hits, and we might find something useful. Who knows what else the storm has turned up,” he said.

  Darren considered it for a moment, but quickly dismissed it.

  “No. I’m sorry, Brent, not right now. It’s too risky. I don’t want to chance any of us being out there when the storm returns. If you’re out there when those winds hit, you won’t stand a chance. And with the ground as slippery and muddy as it is, you might find yourself unable to move. The smart thing to do is to wait here and let nature take its course.”

  Brent was a little annoyed, but he didn’t argue with his father. Darren knew that that would come at some point, though, if he kept refusing Brent’s wish to get out there on his bike. He knew Brent wanted to prove himself, and right now it seemed as though Darren always was holding him back.

  “Imagine if we hadn’t been in here,” Betsy said in a hollow voice.

  “I know,” Darren said.

  “When I was out there in that storm I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to come back. I was soaked to the bone, and the rain was so thick I was sure I was getting turned around. Every step was dangerous, and my feet kept sinking into mud. But I had to keep moving because staying still was death.

  “At least we have shelter. That’s one of the biggest advantages to this place. I never thought it could be compromised like this, though. We haven’t seen a storm like this in this area for decades. It must be something to do with the whole thing that started this apocalypse. The world is crying out in pain. Perhaps it’s just as desperate as we are.”

  Darren was annoyed that he couldn’t figure out the root cause of these storms. Without access to news there was no telling what else was happening in the world. And if this was nationwide, then the entire population would be drastically affected.. He thought of the friends he had made and hoped they had found a place of safety.

  “So, we just sit here and wait?” Brent asked, a little petulantly.

  Darren told him that’s exactly what they had to do, but Brent didn’t welcome the news. The boy was eager to push the boundaries as a man, and there would come a time when he would not accept his father’s refusal. Darren would have to keep an eye on that situation as well before there was an unnecessary conflict.

  “We’ll just give it another couple of days, then we will re-evaluate our options. I don’t want you going out into the storm. For now we’re just going to have to put up with this, I’m afraid,” Darren said.

  They soon grew tired of looking out at the world and returned to their business. The day passed again, hours slipping away like grains of sand in an hourglass. Darren watched the world with anxiety, so afraid the storm would come in again. All he wanted was some respite, a chance to build a new home, but it seemed as if everything was against him.

  Now that the world had been torn up, he was afraid the bushes and trees were scattered and it would be more difficult to find nuts and berries. The bark would be wet as well at the moment, making it more difficult to use as firewood, and the leaves were basically mush. Even if the storm had ended, they would have to wait for the water to drain away, and that could take some time too. Darren didn’t much like the idea of wading through the water.

  Another night passed. This one was a little more restful. Brent was getting more and more annoyed at being cooped
up in the cave. When they awoke he came to Darren again.

  “Dad, please let me go out there. Look, it’s still calm. I can go and at the first sign of rain I’ll come back, I promise. I won’t put myself in danger. I’ll be on the bike. I’ll be quick, and at least in a storm like this it’s unlikely anyone is going to be out there ready to attack me. I’ll just make a quick scout of the area.”

  Darren studied him for a few moments, and then he looked outside. The world was so dangerous. Darren didn’t want to put his son in any danger, but at the same time he didn’t want to be overprotective. He had been telling himself that he needed to give Brent a little more freedom, but was this too much?

  Darren walked to the cave entrance and looked outside. The world was still, quiet. Sunlight had broken through the dark clouds, and the water shimmered. Darren turned back to Brent and gestured for his son to join him.

  “Where are you going to go, Brent? It’s hardly comfortable terrain. If you take a bike out there, the tires are going to get stuck in the mud, and if you walk, you’re going to find it hard going. I know you want to get out there and you will, I promise, but not right now.”

  “That’s what you always say! The storm has stopped. It’s not coming back. Dad, please, I know you want to keep us safe, but you don’t have to keep us prisoner,” Brent said, anguish lacing his words.

  “Is that what you think I’m doing?” Darren asked.

  “All the time! You want us to stay here, when there’s a whole world out there waiting for us. You only ever want us to go out there if it’s safe, but it’s never going to be safe, not completely. You have to trust me, Dad. I’ve proven myself to you. I’ve looked after Michelle, I’ve saved your life. What more do I have to do?” he asked, his voice almost cracking.

  Darren sighed heavily and hung his head.

  “You don’t have to prove anything, Brent. This isn’t about what you have to prove. It’s about keeping you safe. I’m happy to give you more freedom, but right now it’s important we stay here, where we all can be happy. The only thing I need from you is to listen to me. I know you’re upset. I know you’re frustrated. Believe me, I am as well. I’d love to be out there right now, taming nature like I want, but there’s always a bigger fish.

  “And in the case of a tornado, we just have to hold up our hands and accept that nature has beaten us this time. But only for the moment. We’re still here. We can still fight back. We’re going to survive this, and we’re going to be out there. We’re going to do everything I told you we’re going to do, but for right now we’re just going to have to wait it out.”

  For a moment Darren thought Brent was going to challenge him, but he turned away, even though Darren could tell he still was seething.

  Darren continued watching outside and it got to the point where he actually started to believe the storm had passed. He stood up and got ready to call the kids, for there still was some daylight they could make use of. But when he stood up something caught his eye. He peered outside and then suddenly there was a loud rush of air that whooshed through the woods. The sound of splintering wood ripped through the air and before his eyes he saw a tree being pulled from its roots. Then all of a sudden, the horrible wind began again.

  The eye of the storm had passed, and now it was time for them to brace themselves against the rest of the storm.

  Chapter Nine

  Darren panicked. He’d seen the effects of the tornado’s first half, and now as the rest of it began moving across the land, he knew it would cause the same amount of devastation. But there was no way they could survive more water flooding in. The rain already was beginning to fall. It began in a light spray, but soon would become worse.

  “It’s time to go,” he said aloud.

  “What?” Betsy asked.

  “With the way the storm is, this cave is going to be filled with water. We have to get our stuff and leave,” Darren said urgently.

  “Where are we going to go, Dad?” Brent asked.

  Darren looked from side to side and started gathering their equipment. His mind was racing, but he still hadn’t answered Brent’s question. Brent had to pull him away.

  “Dad, what’s the plan?” Brent asked again.

  “The plan… the plan… I don’t know, but we have to get out of here. We have to find somewhere else,” Darren said, his thoughts frantic. He was so eager to get out of the cave before they were submerged in water, he wasn’t thinking straight.

  “Dad, where are we going to go?” Brent said, pointing outside.

  The rain was coming down in sheets now, the drops scattering against the surface of the wide and deep puddles, creating wide ripples and making the water rise even more.

  “You said it yourself,” Brent continued. “The water is rising. It’s dangerous to be out in the storm. We can’t carry our bags. And Tara and Michelle never are going to be able to make the journey. And where are we even going to go? The storm is everywhere. It’s not like we can just go to another cave somewhere. Where are we going?”

  Darren didn’t have an answer for him. He’d been so concerned with making sure they all were safe that he hadn’t actually thought about where they were going to go, only that they needed to get out of the cave if necessary. But Brent was right. They weren’t ready to leave the cave. This was their home anyway. They already had abandoned their house, but that was because Darren knew a safer place. If they left now, they would be venturing into the wilderness without any direction or plan, and that was a sure way to die.

  Brent was right about another thing too. The storm was all around. There was no escaping it, and Tara and Michelle were vulnerable. The only safe direction was to get to higher ground, but that would mean climbing the mountains, and the temperature could drop dramatically.

  “You’re right. We have to stay,” Darren said.

  “But how do we stop the water from coming into the cave?” Betsy asked. Darren strode to the entrance of the cave and looked out as the rain began to get even heavier.

  “I’ve tried teaching you to look at the world around us with new eyes. Everything we need is out there,” Darren said. Brent and Betsy looked at him quizzically. Darren smiled, filled with vigor as an idea began forming in his head. He tapped his finger against his chin as he looked out at the world and tried seeing what he could use.

  “There’s only one way to stop the rising water from coming in, and that’s to make sure it never reaches the cave. We have to build a dam,” he said.

  “A dam?” Brent asked.

  “Yes, a dam! Look at what’s out there. The storm has done all the hard work for us. It’s already uprooted the trees and broken down the wood into manageable chunks. All we need to do is get out there and build a barrier to redirect the water and make sure it can’t reach here, but we’re going to have to work fast. Are you up for it?” Darren asked, a gleam in his eye.

  He saw the same gleam in Brent’s, and it was a pleasure for him to see that his son had inherited some of his characteristics, for physically he looked a lot like Stacie.

  “I am,” Brent said.

  “I’ll watch over Tara and Michelle,” Betsy volunteered.

  Darren nodded at her and then got a couple of knives for himself and Brent, in case they needed them. Going out in the storm wasn’t his first choice, but it was necessary.

  As soon as they left the cave they were hit with the rain. It wasn’t yet as bad as it had been before, but both Darren and Brent knew it only was a matter of time. They had to work quickly. They tucked their pants into their boots, hoping to stop the water from flowing into their feet, but they could do nothing about the cold. It crept into all the small openings of their clothes and reached deep into their bodies, finding all the uncomfortable, most sensitive, hidden places.

  Darren looked at Brent and exhaled slowly.

  “If you need any help, just give me a shout. Go carefully, and don’t make any sudden movements,” Darren said.

  “You do the same. I’m her
e for you, Dad,” Brent said.

  Both of them nodded at each other and then waded out into the forest. The water at this point reached their ankles, and quickly was approaching the cave. They looked back and saw the girls anxiously looking at them in anticipation. Betsy led them into the deeper parts of the cave, making sure to keep them away from the rain.

  The rain stung Darren’s skin as he walked and tried gathering as much wood as possible. It was amazing how much rain was pouring down. The wind made it worse, for the rain blew in every direction. Darren closed his eyes, and then felt something wet and slimy against his lips. He spat and looked as a leaf was carried away on one of the air currents. His coat flapped in the wind and the spray from the rain blew in his face, making it difficult to see.

  “This is hell!” he yelled, trying to make his voice audible over the howling wind. Brent nodded at him.

  Darren’s son was focusing all his energy on trying to remain standing rather than speaking. Darren enjoyed a wry smile, for he bet that Brent wasn’t so eager to go out by himself now.

  Darren saw a tree nearby and gestured to it. The two men made their way across the water. It slowly crept up their legs, and despite their efforts to keep the water out, it somehow made its way in and squelched with their every step. Brent cursed, and Darren reminded him to stay focused and keep calm. There was no sense getting upset with something they couldn’t do anything about.

  The wind was so fierce whipping repeatedly and violently against them, but the tree was getting ever closer. When they were almost within touching distance Brent reached out to grab the root, ready to pull himself in the last few feet, but he overextended his reach and lost his balance. There was a swift gust of wind that took him off his feet and the water pulled him down. Darren barely had time to react before he saw his son swallowed by the water.

  Darren thrashed against the water as he changed direction and made his way to Brent’s last position. If he wasn’t quick, Brent could be taken away by the ever growing pool of water to where Darren couldn’t find him. There was a small chance that the worst had happened, and Brent had banged his head. If that was the case, then he very well could die.