The End of the World Series | Book 2 | Survive The Onslaught

by McDonald, Clyde

  “Aby, hurry!” Jake said, trying again to reverse out of the ditch, but he was still stuck.

  “Maybe we should run,” Megan cried out. Jake was about to agree, but then, as he reversed once again, he shot backward onto the road.

  “Yes!” he cried out. Megan and Aby tumbled back into the car and Jake wasted no time in driving off once again, breathing out all of the air he’d been holding in his lungs for far too long.

  The pickup truck was fast, but Jake’s desperation had him going at a hundred miles per hour. The foot he had on the gas was sunk all the way to the floor and he had his eyes firmly on the road. One more mistake and they’d be dead.

  But he didn’t make another mistake. Soon enough, he’d managed to leave the pickup truck in his dust. Megan sighed with relief and Aby let out a surprising whoop that made Jake laugh with uncertainty.

  “Hell, I thought we were dead then,” Aby said. Jake shook his head.

  “Don’t get too confident. We’re not out of this yet.”

  “We need to figure out where we’re going,” Aby agreed. Megan leaned forward in her seat and pointed out of the front window.

  “It’s them again!”

  Jake narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, the men from Dent were just about to round a corner at the crossroads. Jake skillfully slammed his brakes before he could change his mind, skidding to a halt in the fork between the four prongs of the road.

  The men stared at the car in surprise. Jake guessed they weren’t expecting to see them again. He reached for the door handle and Aby frowned at him.

  “What’s your plan here? You’re going to talk to them?”

  Jake nodded solemnly. “Yes. I think they might be our last hope.”

  Six

  Megan

  Megan followed Aby and Jake out of the car, falling behind them as they approached the two men. She had a hand on her knife instinctively. She knew she trusted the men more than Aby and Jake did, but she also knew she had a tendency to be too trusting and gullible. She wanted to be prepared, for once, in case things went wrong.

  “Back again, are we?” one of them said with a light tone. Jake folded his arms.

  “I wanted to ask your advice,” he said. “We ran into trouble back there. What’s the best way out of here?”

  “There is no way out. One direction is where you came from. The other is where you’ve just come from. And after that...well, you can either drive for miles of nothing, or you can come to Dent,” the other man said. He stepped forward. “My name is Steve. This is my friend, John. We’ve known one another all of our lives. We’ve always lived in Dent. And I’m telling you this nicely...we don’t usually like strangers in our town. But we could use some streetwise people like you. People with guns, too. You seem like a better bet than the rest of those folk up ahead.”

  Megan turned her head toward the commotion still unfolding further down the road. She didn’t want to go back there. She wanted to go to Dent. But she knew Jake was the one who tended to make the decisions. He was the sensible one and she trusted his decisions...even if his latest ideas had driven them head first into troubled waters.

  “How do we know we can trust you?” Aby asked. “We don’t know you.”

  “And we don’t know you either,” John said pointedly. “But use your gut. Would you rather drive us back to Dent, or head back to where those others are causing trouble?”

  Megan knew which idea she preferred. Plus, they were running out of time. It was only a matter of time before the other pickup truck caught up to them. Jake glanced at Megan.

  “What do you think?”

  “I want to go with them,” Megan blurted. “I want to get off the road.”

  Jake glanced at his fiance, waiting for an answer. She stared at the two men a little suspiciously before eventually giving in and nodding.

  “Okay, get in the car,” Jake told the men. “Direct us to Dent.”

  The car was cramped enough with three of them in it, but it was an extra squeeze with the two men joining them. Megan found herself pressed up against John uncomfortably, but she didn’t want to complain. These men were their only hope.

  John began to direct them and Jake set off at speed. It didn’t take them long at all to reach the town, and Megan stared out of the window at the small town. She could see people milling around, holding guns.

  “Are they...on patrol?”

  Steve nodded. “We’re pretty well prepared for if someone attacks. We don’t want any unwelcome visitors messing up what we’ve got here. We know we’re going to be the ones who stick this out.”

  “You’re pretty confident,” Aby said with a judgemental sniff. “And people here agree to this way you live, do they? It’s like a commune.”

  “Not everyone loves it...but they’ll appreciate it as things go along,” Steve said. “Things are only going to get harder...and this way of life will keep us alive.”

  Two women tried to stop Jake as he drove toward the town, but Steve stuck his head out of the window to show them that they weren’t strangers. They were let in immediately after that. Megan couldn’t help being impressed by their set up. It seemed like they knew how to keep their community safe if nothing else. It filled her with hope that maybe this place could be good for them.

  “Park up anywhere. If you stay with us, we’ll need the car,” John said. “You understand what I mean, right? It’ll become public property for us all. The same with your supplies...you can consider that as part of your contribution to society.”

  “We may not stay,” Aby said stubbornly. “We’re not giving up our stuff until we’re sure.”

  “That’s okay,” Steve said pleasantly. “We’re not trying to force your hand...it’s just the way we do things here. If you decide to become one of us...well, I guess it’s just a compulsory part of our lifestyle.”

  Megan think it seemed like such a bad idea to share and look after one another, but Aby looked uncertain. Megan hoped that she’d come around to the idea. She was already enticed by the idea of staying there, even though they were only a few miles away from the trouble they’d run into. She felt safe with the patrols walking around and the community looking out for one another.

  Jake parked up and they all got out of the stuffy car. Steve and John stood together proudly, looking like very enthusiastic tour guides.

  “Let us show you around...we think you’ll be impressed by what you see.”

  Megan was the first to follow them this time. Steve led the way through a residential street full of neat, quiet houses.

  “We’ll need to tell people about the trouble up ahead...but if you stay here, we’ll set you up in one of the houses. We’ve had a few people leave the community lately. It’s not for everyone. But it means we have space for you.”

  Megan thought it looked delightful. As they followed them through the streets, she found herself more and more impressed. They showed them how they’d blocked off the other roads leading into the town with mini barricades, which were manned by several villagers. John and Steve ran up to meet the others at the barricade to tell them about what was happening so Megan hung back with Aby and Jake. She leaned in close to them with a smile.

  “What do you think?”

  “It’s impressive...it seems like they work well here as a community,” Jake said. “I just don’t know if we fit in here…”

  “We can’t afford to be fussy,” Megan said, though she personally thought she’d feel right at home there. “If they can keep us safe here then maybe we just have to take a chance on it…”

  John and Steve reappeared at their sides, a little breathless from running.

  “Look, guys...we won’t hold it against you if you want to leave. We can let you out at the other end of town and you won’t even come across those pickup thugs...but we could use your help, if you’re willing. Will you help build up the barricades?”

  “I will,” Megan said automatically. After a moment, Jake and Aby agreed too. John patted Megan’s s
houlder.

  “We really appreciate it. Use whatever you can find...no sense in being pretty about. So long as we can keep people out, that’s what matters.”

  Megan got stuck into the task right away. She jogged off to find things to make the barricade, not waiting to see what her friends would do. She found a couple of shopping trolleys from the local supermarket and slotted them into the barricade that was being built. There was a whole load of junk on the pile; barrels, cardboard boxes, one battered parked car and an old table. The more they built up the barricade, the more intimidating it became.

  As she was working, Megan saw a sedan show up on the other end of town where they’d entered from. She watched as some people got out, putting up their hands to prove they weren’t armed, but within a few minutes, they’d been turned away. Megan felt it was harsh, but she guessed she didn’t know what the scenario had been. It only made her more glad that she was on the right side of the walls.

  Jake and Aby rejoined her at the barricade as John and Steve spoke to their fellow townspeople, redirecting them to the main entrance to town. It seemed like they were preparing for a fight. Jake watched with suspicious eyes.

  “We’re blocked in now. Looks like we’re stuck whether we like it or not…”

  “Steve and John said we could leave if we wanted,” Megan pointed out. Aby sighed.

  “I think they want to seem like they’re being accommodating...but I don’t know. Maybe they don’t want us getting away. Seems like we have stuff they need. They were pretty keen on keeping the car…”

  “And they had their eye on our supplies,” Jake agreed. “But I think we’re going to have to face that we’re stuck here, at least for now…maybe this whole thing will give us a better sense of what these people are like. Then we’ll know if we can trust them.”

  John returned then, smiling uncomfortably. “Sorry about all the rushing around...we haven’t seen any signs of attack yet, but we want to be prepared. We’ve got the barricades built up now though, thanks to you guys! Do you want to see a bit more of the town? We have a little time…”

  Megan glanced at Aby and Jake. They looked like they wanted nothing more than to collapse and fall asleep. But after a moment, they nodded and their tour continued. They walked past the small row of shops and community amenities before approaching what seemed to be a large petting zoo. Steve smiled.

  “The kids love it here…they help out with the chickens and make sure to collect their eggs each day. We have a few cows too for milk...we’re trying to rear some animals here for meat, but it’s harder than we anticipated, keeping animals. We’ve had the animals for a few years now and keeping them fed and cared for is the biggest obstacle. But it’s a start.”

  Megan imagined herself tending to the chickens each morning at dawn and smiled. It seemed like a good pastime for her. The community was seeming more and more appealing by the minute.

  And there was more. There was a large communal garden that appeared to be thriving, plus what seemed to be a community center with a communal kitchen. There were picnic benches outside for people to sit and eat. It sort of reminded Megan of a holiday park where people escaped to to spend more time with nature. And other people too, she guessed. She’d noticed that many of the houses had adjoining gardens, but there were no fences separating them. It was like all of the space belonged to everyone.

  But it appeared that they weren’t very popular with the locals. They gave Megan and her friends funny looks as they walked through the town. John nudged her arm.

  “Don’t worry...they’re just wary of new people, especially now. We don’t get a lot of newcomers. But you’re very welcome here. You can count on that.”

  Megan wanted to be a part of it all. She wanted to walk past the same people every day and get to know them. She wanted to have the kind of neighbors who waved to her in the street or joined her for breakfast on the patio.

  Even with all the chaos around her, Megan already felt at home.

  “If you plan to stay, we’ll get you set up with somewhere to stay. You might have to split off though,” Steve said. He nodded to Aby and Jake. “We’ll be able to find you a double room, I imagine...Megan, you can go with a friend of ours. Come on, I’ll show you where to go.”

  Megan felt anxious for a moment as she glanced at her friends. She didn’t want to be split off from them. But she reminded herself that this place gave her a good feeling. If she followed her gut, she couldn’t go too far wrong..

  She let Steve lead her away.

  Seven

  Jake

  “I hope you folks will feel at home here,” John told Jake and Aby as they approached his house. “If you decide to stay with us we’ll get you a place of your own eventually. But for now maybe it’s best that we stay close...get to know one another better.”

  You mean you want to keep us where you can see us? Jake thought to himself. He knew John and Steve had no reason to trust them. Hell, why should they? They’d only just met. Jake told himself he should feel grateful that they’d been allowed to stay in the first place. With the crowds of cityfolk gathering outside the town, Jake felt lucky that he was on the inside and not the outside.

  But it didn’t stop him from feeling uneasy.

  “I’m sure we will. Thank you for letting us stay with you,” Aby said in a painfully polite voice. Jake knew she was feeling just as wary as he was. Only Megan seemed fully committed to the idea of staying, but she was so damn trusting. Jake felt a little frustrated for his friend’s behaviour, but there wasn’t a lot he could do about it for now.

  John opened up his house and stepped aside to invite his new guests in. Jake followed Aby’s lead cautiously into the house.

  It was a house like no other, until it wasn’t. At first glance, it was just a quaint home with old-fashioned decor and a carpet that had seen better days. At second glance, it was a fully equipped apocalypse home.

  The house opened up to a staircase, but right underneath it, there were at least twenty plastic boxes stacked up. Inside was a whole selection of foods stored, clearly prepared for a long period of time without food coming in and out of the town. Hell, the food in those tubs was enough to survive a siege. Jake wondered if the city folk would try to starve them out of their town. If they did, at least Jake knew he wouldn’t starve.

  That wasn’t the only unusual thing about the house. The stairway was lined with weapons hooked to the wall where most people would have family photos or pieces of art. Jake stared at it all in horror. He thought he had been relatively prepared for what they’d been faced with, but it was like the people of Dent had been waiting for this moment with bated breath. Like they wanted it to happen.

  Jake felt the urge to back his way out of the house, but John closed the door behind him and smiled at him and Aby.

  “I know it must look a little strange to you...we’re under no illusions that we’re a little different from most folk. But hey, this is going to be our saving grace. You three have guns too...you’re more prepared than most. If you can help us defend this place then you’re welcome to our share of the food.”

  Jake had to admit that it was a tempting offer. They would quickly run out of their supplies if they left Dent, and then what would they do? They’d have to settle somewhere and try to grow crops or rear animals, but they didn’t know much about that. The people of Dent could teach them to live like that. That had to be worth taking a chance on.

  Jake caught Aby’s eye and saw that she was impressed, though still wary. John cleared his throat.

  “Well...since things are likely about to get a little crazy around town, I should introduce you to the rest of the household...follow me.”

  Jake let John lead the way through to the kitchen. There, an older man with broad shoulders was sitting, drinking a cup of black coffee. Jake’s mouth watered. He hadn’t had coffee in days and he felt a sudden craving for it. He wondered how they’d boiled the water for the drinks, but then the side door opened and a woman wal
ked in. Behind her in the garden, a pot was boiling over a traditional campfire.

  The two strangers glanced at Aby and Jake. Instinctively, Aby seemed to move closer to Jake.

  “John? Do you know these people?” the woman said anxiously. She was a thin woman with limp brown hair and worry lines on her face as though she was used to feeling anxious. The older man stood up and stood in front of her protectively.

  “It’s okay, they’re good people,” John said soothingly. “Meet Jake and Aby. They were out travelling on the road when they ran into some trouble with the city folk...we brought them in to give them shelter. They’ve got their own weapons and they’re happy to help out.”

  Jake knew he hadn’t expressed once that he was ‘happy to help out’ but he said nothing. He wanted to remain in the good books of the citizens of Dent. He held out his hand for the older man to shake.

  “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

  The man was still frowning, but he took Jake’s hand after a moment of hesitation. His grip was strong. “I’m Perry. This here is my daughter, Abigail. And you’ve already met my son-in-law, evidently.” Perry turned back to John and pointed a finger at him. “If this goes wrong, I’ll have your head. Understood?”

  John didn’t seem to feel threatened. In fact, he let out a raucous laugh. “Sure thing, old man.” He winked at Aby and Jake. “In-laws, huh? Their bark is worse than their bite. Listen, Abigail, why don’t you show these two to the spare room? They’ll be staying with us for a while. Let’s ensure they’re comfortable.”

  “Alright,” Abigail said, nodding to Aby and Jake. “Follow me. It’s not a big room, but it’s comfortable.”

  Jake and Aby followed her upstairs and looked around them as they went. The house seemed to be pretty full of various supplies. They’d even stocked up on things like toilet paper and toiletries. There was a whole plastic tub dedicated to toothpaste, another to bars of soap, another to baby wipes. As Jake glanced inside each room, he saw that there were plastic tubs hanging out of the window.