Zero Hour: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Fiction Series (The Blackout Series Book 2)

by Bobby Akart

  “Easy now!” she shouted from the window, causing Holder to freeze immediately and spread his arms away from his body.

  Wren looked at Colton and then turned back to his entourage. He nodded and mumbled, “Let’s go.” The group backed away slowly, and Colton took a couple of steps toward them to ensure their compliance.

  “This isn’t over, Ryman,” hissed Wren

  Colton stared him down and never broke eye contact. He suspected Wren was right.

  The confrontation forced the Rymans into a decision they hadn’t discussed in depth. They had the option of becoming actively involved with the HPA. Colton knew organizing the community with like-minded people was a good thing, and it would save lives. But he didn’t share the same values and outlook as Wren and his friends.

  Granted, the Ryman family wasn’t as prepared as they could’ve been before this catastrophic event, but they were better off than most. Colton’s job was to safeguard his family’s safety and well-being. The day the solar storm was coming, Alex and Madison weren’t fooling around, riding bicycles on the sidewalk like Christie Wren and her kids. They had hustled to prepare.

  Why should he risk running out of food or give up vital supplies to those who didn’t try to help themselves?

  Chapter 18

  DAY FIVE

  6:00 p.m., September 13

  Young Residence

  Belle Meade, Tennessee

  Madison hesitated to leave Alex at home alone, but Colton assured her they wouldn’t be long. He wanted to touch base with the Youngs regarding the confrontation on the front lawn that morning and check on Mrs. Abercrombie once again.

  It had been nearly two weeks since it had rained, and temperatures felt like they were in the nineties, if not a hundred plus. The unusual heat wave continued even after the sun had dealt its crushing blow, which exacerbated the water shortage and the potential for dehydration. After one to two days, weakness overtook the body. As people became dehydrated, they became irritable and confused. They would experience headaches, and their eyes would begin to appear sunken.

  “Wren and the rest of that bunch at the HPA realize the weak will not survive,” said Colton as they walked through the trees. “With each day, the other residents will coalesce around his leadership. Wren, Andrews, and Holder will convince our neighbors that binding together and staying in a group provides them strength in numbers.”

  “We don’t have any numbers,” added Madison.

  “I know, which is part of the reason for this social call,” said Colton.

  As they stepped onto the Youngs’ brick doorstep, the door opened and Diane Young appeared.

  “Hey, neighbors,” she greeted them. “I was just coming out to check the mail.” The three laughed.

  “We are creatures of habit,” said Colton.

  “More than you realize, if you’ll indulge me for a moment,” said Diane. “We are creatures and we have needs. We need to eat, so we eat. As intelligent and social animals, we like to chat with one another, so we do. We have dozens and dozens of other behaviors that are just as complicated.”

  “You and Bill would know,” said Madison, referring to their profession as psychologists.

  “Habits are one of those behaviors,” said Diane. Her husband emerged from the foyer, wearing his customary khaki pants and blue button-down shirt. They were hanging on him. Madison wondered how much weight he’d lost. She continued. “Customs and practices help us make it through the day. This disaster has upset our normal lives, but our habits are still a part of our psyche.”

  “Which is why you’re on your way to check the mail?” asked Madison, trying to psychoanalyze the psychologist.

  “No.” She laughed. “I was coming out here because I saw you coming through the trees. My goal is to provide you a reason to be careful. Every human deals with change differently. When a calamity strikes, turning one’s habits, routines and life inside out, people react differently. Some become afraid. Others become angry at the rude intrusion upon their otherwise orderly lives. Those who are both fearful and angry will become dangerous due to their unpredictability.”

  “The human reaction we’re describing was on full display today on your front lawn,” added Bill. “Diane and I watched the confrontation from under the oaks. Colton, I don’t wish to frighten you, but my observations of Wren and the HPA raise genuine concern for the safety of anyone who might oppose them.”

  “Physical harm?” asked Madison.

  “Maybe,” replied Bill. “Following a tragedy, and after reality sets in, an individual may exhibit anger at their condition. A person undergoing this phase might say—why me or it’s not fair!”

  “Others will be looking for someone to blame,” added Diane. “When a logical target for their fear-induced anger is unavailable, they will seek out others. They’ll lash out in frustration at those around them.”

  Madison became very nervous. She’d just pointed a gun at a group of neighbors who were exhibiting signs of a major depressive disorder. She unconsciously looked around her to see if anyone was coming.

  “Well, I don’t intend to have anything else to do with Wren or his band of do-gooders at the HPA,” said Colton.

  “Actually, that’s the exact opposite of what you should do,” said Bill. “You can’t prevent others from talking behind your back. But by avoiding the group dynamic of the HPA, you’re exhibiting guilt and weakness. Face your accusers and find a way to contribute without compromising your family’s safety and well-being.”

  “I’ll be outnumbered.”

  “We’re your friends, Colton,” said Diane. “We’ll go with you if for no other reason than to be a character reference. Along with the Kaplans, we know you two better than anyone. I’m sure they would join us.”

  “They’re right, Colton,” said Madison. “I should go too. It will remind them we’re a loving couple. Plus, I want to shut those nosy neighbor hens up once and for all.”

  Colton reached forward to shake Bill’s hand, which turned into a hug. All of them embraced, which caused Madison to erupt with emotion.

  “Thank you both so much,” she sobbed. “This has been a difficult time for all of us. My daughter has seen things that I hoped she’d never be exposed to. Now, the whole neighborhood is rallying against us. It’s hard to take, you know?”

  Diane hugged Madison again and whispered to her, “You’re not alone, dear. We’ll help you as long as we can.”

  An approaching vehicle caught their attention. At first, it appeared to be a military truck, but upon closer inspection, Madison realized it was a GMC pickup painted in several shades of green, brown, and black to produce a camouflage effect.

  “Those are the guys from the HPA meeting,” said Colton.

  “Indeed,” added Bill. “They were supposedly National Guardsmen. Diane and I didn’t buy it.”

  The truck slowed as the driver turned his attention to the O’Malley residence and then sped to the east. The back of the pickup was overfilled with clothing, tools, and some furniture pieces.

  “They looked like they were moving rather than patrolling the neighborhood, looking for bad guys,” said Madison. It was nearing dusk, and she wanted to check on Mrs. Abercrombie. She also had an odd feeling about those men. She wanted to get home to Alex. “Maybe we should get going, honey.”

  Once again the four neighbors exchanged hugs. The Youngs closed their door accompanied by the sounds of a bolt lock being engaged and a heavy piece of furniture being slid into place to block the door. Diane’s words replayed in Madison’s mind—We’ll help you as long as we can. What did she mean by that?

  Chapter 19

  DAY FIVE

  6:45 p.m., September 13

  Abercrombie Residence

  Belle Meade, Tennessee

  Colton took a chair from Mrs. Abercrombie’s patio set and placed it under the utility room window. He unclipped the small LED flashlight that accompanied him everywhere now, as did the Taurus tucked safely in the paddle h
olster. After today’s confrontation, Colton vowed to remain armed at all times.

  He flashed the light through the room, revealing a basket of neatly folded laundry and several bottles of bleach and detergent. With his last pass of the light along the floor, he caught a glimpse of something in the hallway. He shielded his eyes from the setting sun and focused them on the object. It was Mrs. Abercrombie’s leg. She was sprawled out on the floor.

  Colton, dejected and frustrated, knocked his head against the glass window several times. I should have known.

  “Colton, what’s wrong?” asked Madison, who had just returned from checking on Alex.

  “We have to go inside. I’ve got a bad feeling about her.” Colton lost his balance getting off the chair and landed in the grass on all fours.

  “You okay?” asked Madison.

  “Yeah,” said Colton, wiping the grass off his still-battered knees. “Madison, um, I think she’s dead.”

  Madison immediately covered her mouth and began to cry. Colton held her while she let out her emotions for the third time that day.

  “Maddie, let me take you home. I’ll come back and take care of this. I think you’ve had enough for one day.”

  Madison cried for a moment longer and then slowly gathered herself. She wiped away her tears. “No, I’m fine,” she said. “I’ve got to hitch ’em up. It’s just hard, you know?”

  “I do, darlin’,” said Colton. “Are you sure? I’m gonna have to bury her.”

  “We’ll do it together,” replied Madison.

  Colton gently cracked the single pane of glass at the rear entrance to the garage. He reached for the doorknob to enter the home, but turned to Madison one last time and shined the light near her face. There was a dead body on the other side of this door. She reassured him with a forced smile and a nod.

  Colton opened the door, and the smell of death immediately filled his nostrils. Colton quickly pulled his tee shirt over his mouth and nose. He turned around and stopped Madison from entering the hallway.

  After death, the rate of decay within the human body was generally split into two distinct processes. Initially, rigor mortis, or the stiffening of the body, set in about two to six hours after death. Rigor was part of the first stage of self-digestion, where the body’s enzymes went into a post-death meltdown. The process could be sped up by extreme heat and, likewise, slowed down by the cold.

  The next stage was known as putrefaction, or decomposition, in which the body literally began the process of melting down. Bacteria and enzymes within the body broke down their host. The body became discolored—first turning green, then purple, and finally black. As the bacteria attacked the body, it created a putrid-smelling gas, which caused the body to bloat, the eyes to bulge out of their sockets, and the tongue to swell and protrude. Eventually, by day five, this gas had created enough internal pressure to release from the body’s orifices.

  “Madison, you should go home.”

  “My gosh, Colton. I had no idea.”

  “I’ve got to get in there and open some windows.” Colton flashed his light toward an open Rubbermaid storage cabinet in the corner. It had a variety of yard-working tools, including goggles, gardening gloves, and allergy masks. Perfect.

  Colton outfitted Madison and then himself. “Madison, listen to me,” he instructed. “Do not look at her body. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” she mumbled through her mask. Madison adjusted her goggles. “Let’s get it over with, please.”

  They entered the home as the ambient daylight disappeared. Within five minutes, all of the ground-floor windows were raised and the patio doors were propped open as well. Colton rummaged through a utility closet in the laundry room and found a set of sheets. He quickly covered Mrs. Abercrombie, who appeared to be clutching her chest when she died.

  For people with a heart ailment, tomorrow was not a given. For those who lived with a pacemaker, the EMP blast from the solar flare resulted in certain death. These small, electronically sophisticated devices were placed in the chest to help control abnormal heart rhythms. They emitted low-energy electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. They were not made to withstand the incredible surge of energy created by an electromagnetic pulse.

  The destruction of the pacemaker itself did not kill Mrs. Abercrombie. The combination of her slowed heart rate and the extreme heat wave they were experiencing probably made her weak, tired, and faint. She most likely lost consciousness and suffered a heart attack.

  “Madison, would you mind finding a shovel? Then meet me in the backyard. Let’s give her a proper burial.”

  An hour later, Colton and Madison were soaked in sweat, but Mrs. Abercrombie was provided a caring burial and eulogy by the Rymans. They both sat quietly for a moment before Madison broke the silence.

  “Now what?”

  Colton spotted a garden watering can placed under the drainpipe of the air-conditioning unit and decided to see if it contained water. It was half full and didn’t appear to be contaminated, so he poured some over his hands to wipe away the soil. Madison did the same.

  Colton wasn’t stalling, but he wasn’t sure how Madison would react to his response. Colton had adopted a survival mind-set. His will to survive had become tantamount, which meant he removed emotions from his decision making. He needed to make sure Madison was thinking that way also.

  “With her home vacant, it’s a prime target for others to rummage through,” replied Colton. “Mrs. Abercrombie has departed, but she can still help us survive.”

  Madison looked at the grave and back towards the house. She was apparently wrestling with the notion of going through Mrs. Abercrombie’s belongings.

  “You’re right,” said Madison. “I don’t like this, Colton. I don’t know if I can ever get used to taking other people’s things. But if we don’t, somebody else will, which might make them stronger and our family more vulnerable.”

  “Unfortunately, that’s the way we have to look at it,” said Colton as he embraced Madison. “We’re doing this for Alex, and us.”

  They entered the den and adjusted their eyes to the darkness. The opening of the windows helped ventilate the house, but the air remained barely breathable. Using their flashlights pointed toward the floor, they each went their separate ways. Madison was assigned the kitchen and pantry area while Colton started upstairs.

  After opening the windows to allow further ventilation, Colton began to search the bedrooms. He emptied a basket full of books and filled it with medications and toiletries. There were several medical devices, including a blood pressure kit, an arm sling, and two mercury-in-glass thermometers.

  In Mrs. Abercrombie’s bedroom, Colton paused to study the photographs of her deceased husband on the wall. He was a decorated Vietnam War veteran. The pictures showed him in his dress uniform, as well as various candid images with his platoon. A folded United States flag was respectfully placed on a small table under the wall display. Colton took it and muttered, “I’ll find a good spot for this, sir.”

  On her dresser stood a vintage radio, which operated on vacuum tubes. Colton shined his light on the back and found an identification plate that read Emerson Model 126. He decided to give it a try. It worked! He scrolled through the dial and eventually found the AM band that was broadcasting the continuous loop of information disseminated by the government. He turned it off and set the flag next to it.

  “Colton, was that a radio?” Madison asked in a loud whisper from downstairs.

  “Yeah, an antique radio that still works,” he replied. “I’m almost done up here.”

  He looked through her nightstand drawer and found a loaded handgun and a box of nine-millimeter bullets. He illuminated the weapon and studied it. He immediately went back to the images and studied one of Mr. Abercrombie’s photos. It was the same weapon. This was Mr. Abercrombie’s sidearm from his days in the service over forty years ago. Thank you, sir.

  Colton and Madison finished going through the home a
nd only took what they needed. In addition to the significant amount of canned vegetables, soups, and meats, Mrs. Abercrombie had a lot of baking ingredients and spices. Her kitchen cupboards were stocked like someone who only ate out once a month. As Colton and Madison left, they thanked Mrs. Abercrombie for adding a week’s worth of food to the Rymans’ survival pantry and said one more prayer for her.

  Chapter 20

  DAY SIX

  11:00 a.m., September 14

  Ryman Residence

  Belle Meade, Tennessee

  Colton stared down Harding Place, a usually busy thoroughfare that was now deserted. He contemplated whether people were hiding behind locked doors, occasionally peering through their curtains in fear of every unusual sound. Oddly, yet fortunately, he hadn’t heard gunfire the last few nights. With the darkness, came silence and sound carried easily now, Despite this new normal, except for the occasional raised voices and barking dogs, it was eerily quiet. In his gut, Colton felt things were about to change—for the worse.

  As Americans began to accept the permanency of the loss of power, citizens around the country began to demand answers and protested to exhibit their displeasure. Shock and disbelief had been replaced with anger and frustration.

  Alex had successfully found two ham radio operators who were broadcasting news from around the country. At first, people found their way to the FEMA and National Guard installations and protested. After a few days of ineffectual demands, the protestors realized demonstrations were not the answer. Their government had failed them, and they knew it.

  The citizens began to take the recovery process into their own hands. Riots were breaking out in the large population areas, and looting was rampant. Most population centers in excess of ten thousand people became a war zone.

  Nashville was no different, which accounted for the lack of a military presence in their neighborhood. Colton did not think the Guard had the personnel to enforce the President’s martial law directives, but he was concerned that the pounding on the front door could come at any time. In the name of fairness and equality, the government could sentence his family to death by taking their food. This weighed on him all the time.