Evan stared at him for several seconds before walking away. “His death won’t go unpunished,” he shouted before disappearing into the trees.
There was a moment of complete silence before everyone started talking at once.
Wyatt leaned into Megan who had her arm around his waist. “Megan?”
She looked up at him, “Yeah?”
He wished he could say something sweet and endearing, but it wasn’t going to happen. “I’m going to pass out,” he barely got the words out before he felt his knees start to weaken. His brother was there before he hit the ground. The last thing he remembered was Megan telling him it would be okay.
29
The group managed to get Wyatt back to the cabin. He had only been out for a few minutes, but it had them all very concerned. He was clearly not in too bad of shape. He complained the whole way back about how embarrassed he was, how he had suffered worse and never passed out before.
At first, everyone did what they could to reassure him he was still tough and it wasn’t a big deal. By the time, they got him into the bed that had only recently been vacated by Megan and Caitlin, they told him to shut up and let Rosie take care of him. His mom chided him and told him he had always made the worst patient.
Megan waited until Rosie was finished tending Wyatt’s wound. Fortunately, the bullet only grazed him, and didn’t nick an artery, but there was still quite a bit of blood loss. Despite the wound being relatively minor, Rosie had ordered him to stay in bed while she fixed him something to eat to help restore his strength after losing so much blood.
“Hey,” she said not looking directly at him.
She hated how pale he looked. Although Rosie assured her, the wound was superficial and he would be just fine, she felt horrible. Wyatt had nearly lost his life trying to protect her.
“Hey, yourself,” he replied.
She looked around the room with its bare walls. She thought back to a few short hours ago when she had been cold, wet and a little scared. This room blocked all of that out. It was warm and cozy even if it was a little on the plain side. The people in the home made it feel safe. No, she corrected herself. The man lying in the bed is what made it feel safe.
“Megan,” he started.
She held up a hand to stop him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken off in the middle of the night.”
“It’s okay. I’ll admit I was a little mad, but mostly worried.”
Megan looked up and met his eyes, “It was stupid. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was letting the past cloud my judgment and it nearly got me, my daughter, you, and your entire family killed.”
“No, Kyle almost killed us. That had nothing to do with you. That is just a snake doing what snakes do.”
Megan realized she hadn't had the chance to explain the whole situation.
When she finished her story about what Caitlin witnessed and Kyle’s attempt to kill her, he looked furious. Megan realized that she didn’t want him to kick them out. She wanted to stay and now he was ready to send her packing because she almost got his family killed. Good going, Megan. Another smooth move.
“I can’t believe he tried to kill a little girl. That is one sick man and I am so glad he is dead. Imagine all of the people that have been following him. The other little girls and boys he would have killed if they saw something that threatened his plans.”
He shook his head, “Unbelievable. I’m so glad you guys came here. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened.”
Megan was surprised by his declaration. He wasn’t mad that death was delivered to his doorstep because of her?
She stared at him. “You’re amazing. All of you are.”
She wasn’t one to cry, but his generosity and complete acceptance of her and her daughter was so incredibly giving it brought tears to her eyes. She looked away not wanting him to see her cry.
His arms were wrapped tightly around her before she knew he was there. “You’re not leaving me again, Megan. Don’t even think about it. We will fight together. Me, you, all of us. We really are better off together.”
“Got it. Thank you. Just, thank you so much.” He pulled her back down onto the pillows with him and held her tight. She relished the feel of his bare chest under her cheek. The steady heartbeat soothed her soul. She wanted to stay right where she was.
Megan jerked awake. She had fallen asleep on his chest. The sleepless night and the activity of the day had caught up to her. She raised her head and looked up at him. He was smiling.
“Have a good nap?”
“Oops. I guess I was a little more tired than I thought.”
“You had a pretty rough day. You deserved a nap.”
EPILOGUE
That night they all sat around the dinner table, talking, laughing, and making plans for the future. Megan was still tired from her ordeal, but exhilarated at the same time. It had been a crazy twenty-four hours.
Chase and Jack had yet to stop teasing Wyatt for passing out. “The big bad Navy SEAL,” Chase chanted laughing.
“Hey now, I’d just run up that hill, tackled the man, and had been physically fighting with him after he shot me,” Wyatt defended.
Jack patted him on the back. “Whatever you say, bro. We still respect you. Mostly.”
Megan watched the guys tease Wyatt and he had happily dished it back. Every so often, he’d look at her and when he caught her eye, he’d smile. The kind of smile that told her everything really would be okay.
Rosie had managed to redirect the conversation toward the list of projects she was hoping the guys would tackle tomorrow and Megan quickly offered to help dig the trenches for the garden. Megan was now looking at a future where she could make plans and stick to them.
Next to her, Wyatt had bumped his leg against hers and when he didn’t move it, she leaned against his side.
When things had gone dark with no real idea of if or when the world would ever return to normal, Megan had been resigned to a life of hardship. She had hoped she could find somewhere safe for her daughter, but wasn’t sure, if anything like that even existed. It did. She had found it.
In such a short time, these people had become her friends and her family.
Once dinner was over, Megan helped Rosie and Willow with the cleanup. Ryland and Caitlin were upstairs playing Battleship. Each of the men had gone out to take care of the various chores. Rosie had told Wyatt to take it easy, but he scoffed at the idea going outside to help bring in more wood for the stove.
Although Megan hated Kyle for what he did to Caitlin, she was so thankful his actions led her right to Wyatt. It was kismet. Before dinner, Rosie had taken Megan aside and given her blessing to have a relationship with Wyatt.
Megan was a little hesitant and thought Rosie would be angry or disappointed after Megan had put them through so much, but she wasn’t. She was thrilled to have Caitlin in the home and said she could use another daughter-in-law.
The EMP was the worst and best thing that could have ever happened to her. While the world had been turned upside down, it had also made Megan realize that depending on others didn’t mean the end of the world. Under the right circumstances, it was only the beginning.
WYATT WALKED in the back door to find Megan leaning against one of the massive wooden posts at the foot of the stairs. She looked exhausted. There were dark, heavy bags under her eyes and her shoulders were slouched forward. She was beautiful. And she was here. Twelve hours ago, he had thought he would never see her again and here she was.
He walked closer to her, blowing out the candles that were still flickering on the long dining table.
“You look tired. You should probably get to bed,” he told her holding a hand out.
She smiled, “I am absolutely beat.” She took his hand, “You should get to bed, too. Your mom says you need to rest after that whole fainting bit.” He jabbed a finger in her side, causing her to laugh. “I’m teasing. It was kind of funny, though.”
“Ha. Ha. Make fun o
f the guy who saved the day.”
She giggled again, “If I remember right, I saved you.”
He pulled her close. She had clearly gotten over her initial reaction to shooting and killing a man. He was afraid it would destroy her, but he was wrong. This woman was made of some strong stuff and when it came to defending her daughter, she would walk through fire. Or kill a man. What was even better, she was his. She may not know it yet, but it was going to happen.
“So, uh, Caitlin and Ryland are having a little slumber party upstairs. Ryland is going to point out the stars. Your mom made them some hot chocolate and busted into her Oreo stash.”
Wyatt’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t say a word afraid he would either say something stupid and ruin the moment or offend her. Not saying anything was his best choice.
She started walking towards what used to be his room, but was now considered her room. She tugged on his hand. It was an invitation to follow. He grinned, but quickly stopped when she looked back at him.
“I saw that.”
This time he grinned and didn’t care who saw. “Good.”
He had to stop himself from running to the bedroom. This woman had fallen into his lap and, from this moment on, she was going to be at his side. They were going to kick this apocalypse’s ass!
END OF ‘DARK RETREAT’
EMP Lodge Series Book One
THANK YOU!
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Grace Hamilton is the prepper pen-name for a bad-ass, survivalist momma-bear of four kids, and wife to a wonderful husband. After being stuck in a mountain cabin for six days following a flash flood, she decided she never wanted to feel so powerless or have to send her kids to bed hungry again. Now she lives the prepper lifestyle and knows that if SHTF or TEOTWAWKI happens, she’ll be ready to help protect and provide for her family.
Combine this survivalist mentality with a vivid imagination (as well as a slightly unhealthy day dreaming habit) and you get a prepper fiction author. Grace spends her days thinking about the worst possible survival situations that a person could be thrown into, then throwing her characters into these nightmares while trying to figure out "What SHOULD you do in this situation?"
It’s her wish that through her characters, you will get to experience what life will be like and essentially learn from their mistakes and experiences, so that you too can survive!
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Table of Contents
EMP Lodge
Copyright
EMP Retreat
Blurb
Thank you
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Epilogue
End of ‘Dark Retreat’
Thank you!
EMP Lodge Series (Book 1): Dark Retreat Page 20
