by Steven Bird
Even after all those years and all the changes each one of them had gone through, Jessie recognized Molly, and could see her as the young girl he remembered so fondly from his childhood.
Her eyes instantly locked onto his. Neither of them could believe it. After all these years, miles, wars, and turmoil, brother and sister were reunited in the most unlikely way, thousands of miles from where their journey had begun.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
One week later…
Sitting on the front porch of Evan and Molly’s homestead, Jessie rocked back and forth in an old antique rocking chair, with his bandaged leg propped up on the porch railing while he sipped a cup of coffee, watching as the fog burned off to reveal the beauty of the mountains surrounding Del Rio.
Seeing several men work their way up the road to the home on horseback, Jessie stood up and limped to the door, saying, “You’ve got company.”
Joining him on the porch, Evan looked at the riders through a riflescope and said, “That’s Pastor Wallace and Daryl. They also have another horse in trail.”
As Pastor Wallace and Daryl rode up to the house, Jessie was stunned. His ornery old lineback dun quarter horse, Hank, was with them, being led along tied off to Daryl’s saddle.
Waving them up, Evan quickly retrieved a cup of coffee for each and invited them to join them on the porch.
“Hey, Jessie!” Daryl said with a smile. “We thought you might know this handsome fellow.”
Letting go of the porch railing, Jessie limped off the porch and hobbled over to his beloved horse. “I don’t believe it,” he said. “How is this possible?”
Dismounting, Daryl explained, “My wife, Linda, has always been a lover of all things horse. She’s got herself a good little business going these days training and caring for horses, in exchange for barter and trade.
“A feller she deals with from the Newport area was out on a supply run when he ran across this fine specimen. Linda is always particular about where horses that come our way are obtained. We don’t want any part of the horse thievin’ business. Anyway, she trusted the guy, and his story added up to being in the general area of Chestnut Hill. The math just seemed to add up with what you had told us.”
Stroking Hank on the neck, Jessie asked, “What do I owe you? What did you pay for him?”
“Don’t you ever insult me with a question like that again,” Daryl declared, handing Jessie the lead rope tied to Hank’s halter.
Jessie tied Hank to the porch railing and joined the other men on the porch, once again taking his seat and propping his leg up on the railing. “Doctors orders,” he stated, trying not to seem rude.
“So, all things considered, how are you settling into things here in the great state of Tennessee?” Daryl asked.
“I’m loving every minute of it,” Jessie replied as he shook Daryl’s hand. “And now that I’ve got Hank back, well, I can’t complain at all.”
“Mr. Townsend,” Pastor Wallace greeted with a nod, shaking his hand as well. “We didn’t get a chance to make proper introductions back there in the woods.”
“Yeah, there was a lot going on, to say the least,” Jessie replied. “So, you were Gunny Wallace in a previous life, I hear?”
“Previous, and sometimes present life, when need be,” Wallace admitted. “The old me has had to show his face a few times as of late.”
Changing the subject, Pastor Wallace said, “In addition to bringing back the horse, I figured Jessie still had a lot of unanswered questions swirling around in his mind that I may be able to answer about what happened back there.”
Seeing Jessie’s interest pique, Pastor Wallace gestured to the chairs and suggested, “Please, gentlemen, let’s all take a seat.”
Once they were all settled, Pastor Wallace explained, “Well…” he began, unsure of where to start. “Our boys roamed the entire area, and based on the intelligence you gave, we found the cave system where the girl was taken. Since we had adequate men and supplies, we made entry into the cave. I must say, that was some setup. They could have remained hidden out there forever if they hadn’t given us a reason to come looking for them.
“Anyway, we engaged several more of… them… whatever they were supposed to be, killing the remaining few. We thoroughly cleared every chamber and passage of the entire system. You can trust me when I say, we got the last of them.”
“What about that UF officer who Yuri said was taken by them?” Jessie inquired.
“Oh, we found him, too,” Pastor Wallace asserted, raising an eyebrow. “Well, some of him, anyway.”
“So, he’s dead?” Jessie queried, desperate for confirmation.
“He’s very dead,” Pastor Wallace replied. “They seem to have eaten him.”
“What!?” Evan exclaimed.
“I’m afraid that’s the fate many others had met, as well. And I’m sure Yuri and the girl would have, too, if he hadn’t fought so hard for their escape.”
“Wow,” Jessie shuddered, leaning back in his chair, just trying to soak it all in.
“There was some truly sick, evil stuff going on in there,” Pastor Wallace added. “The crazy part is, we still don’t know who they were or where they were from. We combed through that place like a crime scene and couldn’t find one written word. To our knowledge, no one had heard them speak a word, either. Did you?”
“No, I didn’t,” Jessie confirmed. “And as a matter of fact, the only communications of any sort that I heard were those horn blasts.”
Continuing, Pastor Wallace explained, “We found one of the horns. It resembled a Viking war horn. I don’t think they’re related in any way, though. There was nothing else ‘Viking’ about them. If one dug deep enough into a library of the macabre, I’m sure a culture or belief system they were trying to emulate could be found. Or hell, some sick psycho may have just wanted to start his very own end of the world cult. Who the hell knows? All we can do now is be thankful that every last one of them has met his maker.”
“Did you see any other UF activity in the area?” Jessie asked.
“A few of our boys, bringing up the rear on our way out, saw a helicopter off in the distance. They believe it was a Mi34, but couldn’t be sure.”
Slapping his thigh, Daryl proclaimed, “This sure is one screwed-up world we live in.”
Smiling, Jessie agreed, “Yeah, but it’s got some exceptionally wonderful people left in it, so maybe there’s hope for it, after all.”
“So, what now?” Daryl asked.
“What do you mean?” Jessie asked, seeking clarification.
“Now that you found your sister, what’ll be your next adventure?”
“I’m staying right here. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve found my new home, and the only adventures I’ll ever partake in again will be whatever unfolds right here in these hills.”
~~~~ The End ~~~~
A Note from the Author
First and foremost, let me take a moment to thank you for buying and reading Them: Society Lost, Volume Four. This is my twelfth book, and I’m thankful beyond what words can express for each and every person who has bought and read my books along the way. Your support has been life-changing for my family and me, to say the least.
Your support over the past year or so has been especially important to me. As anyone who follows me on social media knows, my life is spread pretty thin. I’m the chief pilot/flight department manager of a corporate flight department for a nationwide electronics retailer, a farmer, a husband and father, a homeschooler, and a writer. I can’t remember the last time I woke up and wondered what I was going to do that day. The question in my mind is more like “of all the things I have to do, what will I be able to get done?” At least I can’t complain that I’m bored.
People often ask me how I find the time to write. Whew, that’s a good question, but it’s a passion that I just can’t let fall to the wayside, and again, your support keeps me going.
This book was very fun to write. It takes place
in my neck of the woods after Jessie’s long, cross-country journey, as well as blending with my first series, The New Homefront, bringing those beloved characters back for more adventures. I’ve had a lot of people asking for more from the folks from The New Homefront, though they may not have expected to see them here. From a timeline perspective, this book would take place after The Resolution, unofficially making it the sixth book in the series.
As you may have noticed, Jessie’s journey throughout the Society Lost series has run the entire gamut. It started out as a homesteading/prepper, post-apocalyptic story, followed by a vigilante justice western, and has somehow evolved into a horror, all with a little comedy sprinkled in (some of you may debate the comedy part). Maybe I’ve just got a dark sense of humor. It’s been quite the ride to say the least. When I think back to all of Jessie’s adventures, I just think, wow, what a journey it was.
What’s next for me? I’ve got several things in mind. Often times, a book just jumps into my head and refuses to get out until I put pen to paper…uh, I mean…key to electronic signal. Over the course of the next year, I really hope to address all of them and get at least four, and hopefully six new novels out. Don’t hesitate to let me know what you want to see next.
Thanks again for taking time out of your busy life to read this book and to let a piece of my imagination into your world. May God bless you and your family now, and in any future we may face.
Respectfully,
Steven C. Bird
About the Author
Steven Bird was born and raised in the Appalachian coal town of Harlan, Kentucky, where he grew up immersed in the outdoors. After graduating high school, he joined the Navy and moved to the Seattle area, where he served on active duty for eleven years, eventually retiring out of the reserves at just over twenty years of service.
Upon leaving active duty, Steven began working as a charter pilot and a flight instructor. Eventually finding his way into a turbo-prop airline, and then on to a jet airline, he acquired thousands of hours of flight experience before leaving the airline industry to fly for one of America’s largest cellular retailers.
Steven’s writing career didn’t start off with a degree in English and a background in literature. It was during his time with the airlines that inspired his writing with his first book The Last Layover, which was written mostly on an Android smartphone. Since then, Steven has published eleven additional books and has discovered writing as his true calling.
Steven and his wife, Monica, live on a farm/homestead in rural Tennessee on the Cumberland Plateau with their three children, Seth, Olivia, and Sophia. They raise cattle, horses, donkeys, sheep, chickens, ducks, and turkeys, in an effort to be as self-sufficient as possible, while exposing their children to the real world that surrounds them.
Steven’s passion for the concept of individual liberty shines through in all of his works, as it does in his daily life. Join him in the stories he weaves through the following books and series.
The New Homefront Series:
The Last Layover: The New Homefront, Volume One
The Guardians: The New Homefront, Volume Two
The Blue Ridge Resistance: The New Homefront, Volume Three
The Resolution: The New Homefront, Volume Four
Viking One: A New Homefront Novel
The Society Lost Series:
The Shepherd: Society Lost, Volume One
Betrayal: Society Lost, Volume Two
The Tree of Penance: Society Lost, Volume Three
Them: Society Lost, Volume Four
Erebus: An Apocalyptic Thriller
Jet: Dangerous Prey
The Edge of Civility
Free Preview of EREBUS: An Apocalyptic Thriller – Available Now!
***Winner of the 2018 Audiobook Listener Awards Thriller of the Year!***
Introduction
In 1841, when the British vessel H.M.S. Terror first charted Antarctica under the command of explorer James Clark Ross, the crew laid eyes on a volcano reaching 12,500 feet above the surface of the frozen ice of Antarctica. Ross and his men saw the huge white plume rising from its crater at the summit, and it has been erupting ever since. Mount Erebus, as it was later named by explorer Ernest Shackleton, was named after the Greek god Erebus, the god of primeval darkness. To anyone who has visited the mountain and its incredibly harsh environment, this name is found to be more than appropriate.
Today, on the steep and icy slopes of Mount Erebus, can be found a rugged team of scientists, researchers, and mountaineers carrying out their work in one of the harshest and most remote parts of the planet, at a facility known as the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory, or simply MEVO. These professionals, tough enough to brave the extreme climate of Mount Erebus, include experts in the fields of gravity and magnetotellurics, volcanology, geophysics, and even astrobiology. These doctorate-level professionals travel each year from several major universities such as Cambridge, Missouri State, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and the University of Washington in order to study Erebus, as well as the unique environment it has created for itself in one of the most remote places on Earth. They are assisted by a professional mountaineer, as well as graduate students from their respective institutions who study under them.
The researchers at MEVO, when not on the mountain at the research camp simply called the Lower Erebus Hut, are based out of McMurdo Station. Mac-Town, as McMurdo Station is fondly referred to by its residents, was founded by the U.S. Navy in 1956. What was initially called Naval Air Facility McMurdo is now simply McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station is currently run by the United States Antarctic Program and is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, signed by forty-five world governments. The Antarctic Treaty regulates daily life at McMurdo, as well as the research conducted there.
In many respects, the inhabitants of McMurdo Station are on their own on the vast and remote continent of Antarctica. This is especially true during the winter months, when most of the station’s one thousand residents return to warmer climates, leaving behind a skeleton crew of only two hundred to face the rigors and potential horrors of life at the bottom of the world—alone.
Chapter One
Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory (MEVO)
Holding on tightly to the core sample drill as it bored into the side of one of the massive ice towers that reach high into the sky, Dr. Hunter focused on his task at hand with relentless determination. Standing over him like giants from ancient-Greek mythology, the ice towers, formed by condensing air as it vents from one of the many fumaroles on Antarctica’s largest and most active volcano, Mount Erebus, reach as high as sixty-feet above the ground.
With the frigid arctic winds atop Mount Erebus pounding his body, his coat buffeted violently as he struggled to maintain his footing. His beard, nearly full of ice and snow, clung to his face like a rigid mask as he wiped his goggles, attempting to see the drill as it bored its way into the ice before him. The season’s expedition was about to come to an end, and he could not afford to leave without the core samples he desperately needed in order to complete his research.
“Doc, we’ve got to get moving,” Mason yelled through the howling winds, placing his hand on Dr. Hunter’s shoulder as if to urge him away from his work. “If the storm gets any worse, we won’t be able to see well enough to make it back to the hut! It’s already damn near zero visibility.”
Ignoring the plea, knowing his task was nearly complete, Dr. Hunter yelled, “Got it!” as he pulled the core sample gently from the tower of ice. Without saying a word, he patted Mason on the shoulder, and they began their hike through the pounding weather to their snowmobiles, to return to the Lower Erebus Hut before the mountain claimed them, as it had tried so many times before.
~~~~
Entering the Lower Erebus Hut, Mason slammed the door shut as quickly as he could to keep the fierce frigid winds at bay. Everyone in the room turned to look at the two ice-and-snow-covered men. Having just returned from the summit with D
r. Hunter’s core samples in hand, they placed them gently on the floor and began to dust off the fresh snow that covered them, in preparation for removing their heavy outer layers of protective clothing.
“I was starting to worry about you two,” said Dr. Linda Graves, a forty-four-year-old astrobiology researcher with the University of Washington.
“So was I,” replied Mason, as he began peeling off his balaclava and removing his many layers of clothing. Mason, or Derrick Mason to be exact, was a graduate student of geochemistry at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT).
As a student of Dr. Nathan Hunter, the Principle Investigator for the expedition and a professor of geochemistry at NMT, Mason had been hand-selected to come along on this year’s expedition to Mount Erebus. Dr. Hunter not only chose him for his academic prowess, but also for his abilities as a seasoned mountain climber and avid outdoor adventurer. Mason was an experienced hunter, long distance hiker, mountain climber, and most importantly of all, a survivalist at heart. There were plenty of students academically up to the task, perhaps even more so than Derrick Mason, but Dr. Hunter refused to let his research be slowed by having to babysit a graduate student who wasn’t physically up to the extreme conditions that Antarctica, and specifically, Mount Erebus, thrust upon those ill-suited for the challenge.
