The Recovery - Solar Crash Book 4: (A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Series)

by E S Richards

  THE

  RECOVERY

  SOLAR CRASH

  Book 4

  By

  E S Richards

  Mike Kraus

  © 2019 Muonic Press Inc

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  www.MikeKrausBooks.com

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  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, without the permission in writing from the author.

  Table of Contents

  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

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  Special Thanks

  Special thanks to my awesome beta team, without whom this book wouldn’t be possible.

  Solar Crash Book 5

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  Chapter 1

  As he pushed open the front door of Amy’s house, Len knew instantly that there was no one inside. The air felt musty and old. The house was ear-splittingly silent, just as the rest of South Haven had been. It was a ghost town and Len already knew his family wasn’t there. Still he pushed forward; he had to search every inch of the property before he would let himself even consider the other options. Where his son was involved, he refused to leave anything up to chance.

  Harrison, Justin, Max, and Aubrey all waited outside, none of them following Len into the small house. That only made his footsteps sound louder in his head, even as he tried to tread quietly along the carpeted hallway that led towards the front room. He had only been to Amy’s new home a handful of times, all when he came to visit James. During those visits Len had purposefully spent as little time as possible in the house, the fact that Amy really had moved on sometimes too difficult for him to see. He and James chose to go off and do activities instead, visiting the play park or paddling ankle deep in the lake. Anything that wasn’t directly linked to his ex-wife. It was ironic that, for all the times Len had tried to avoid Amy in this house, he now desperately wanted to find her.

  As he inched closer to the door to the front room, Len sucked in a breath and hoped with all his might that he would see his family behind the door. The sight before his eyes knocked the breath from his lungs, although not in the way he had hoped. Dashing forward, Len fell to his knees, his hands pressed against the red stain in the carpet. Blood.

  His eyes moved frantically around the room, taking in the rest of the surroundings. There was a lot of blood. It stained a few of the blankets as well as the carpet, and splattered along one wall. Len had no way of knowing whose blood was dirtying the front room and before horrible pictures crept into his imagination he forced himself to shake his head and bring his focus back to the present.

  Analyzing the scene more closely, Len noticed the blood left a trail leading out of the front room and toward the kitchen. It was a strange trail, as if someone had been crawling along the floor or possibly dragged by another. Turning back to the blankets that lay haphazardly around the couch, Len slowly started to piece together what could have happened. As he rose to his feet and began to follow the trail of blood out of the room, he desperately hoped his assumptions were wrong.

  The blood trail grew thinner as he followed it into the kitchen, the stains on the dark wooden floor less obvious but still visible. They led outside, through the double doors that opened out onto Lake Michigan, the normally stunning view now not even a factor in Len’s head. He only had eyes for the crimson path he was following, yanking open the glass doors and stepping out onto the porch. The body had to be close by, judging by the amount of blood staining Amy’s home; whomever it belonged to couldn’t have gotten very far away.

  A man. Len felt a huge weight drop from his shoulders as he saw the source. The corpse. Bringing up an arm, he covered his mouth and nose. While the smell of decaying bodies permeated the entire town of South Haven, being this close to one particular body somehow made the stench seem stronger. Cautiously, Len edged closer, taking in what had happened to the man.

  The dead body was positioned in a sorry state, laid on top of a blanket which Len confirmed had been used to drag the man out of the house. One of Amy’s own kitchen knives still protruded from his chest, the very wound that had created so much blood. Staring at the man for a moment, Len found other questions bubbling up inside him. Who was this guy? Was it someone Amy had been dating, or a stranger? Had he been protecting Len’s family from something dangerous or had he been the danger?

  Very quickly—even despite how selfish, ashamed, and horrible it made Len feel afterwards—he knew what he hoped this man had been. An intruder. There was no sign of Amy or James. Surely if either one of them had still been in the house they would have heard him by now. Len was certain they weren’t around and for some reason, he wanted to believe that they had fled from this man. He knew inside him that the dead man was more likely someone Amy had been dating, perhaps even someone his son had grown close to. But in this new world of horrors Len took a moment to himself to be selfish. He didn’t want to imagine his ex-wife with anyone else; he didn’t want anyone else to be the one comforting her at night. He wanted her to be safe but he wanted her to be safe with him.

  Picking his feet up, Len ripped his eyes away from the corpse and staggered back through the double doors into the kitchen. His head was a mess. He didn’t know what to think. His family was gone and there was a dead man slumped outside the house. Too many questions fought for pole position in Len’s head as he moved dizzily back down the corridor and towards the front door. Tugging it open, he blinked in the sunlight, the four figures he had left just moments before all patiently waiting for him.

  “Well?” Harrison asked as Len stood leaning against the doorway, his eyes not yet focusing on the group. “Any sign?”

  Len blinked a few times, trying to rid the blurriness from his vision and concentrate on his friend’s face. His legs suddenly felt weak beneath him, like they weren’t strong enough to support his weight and he might collapse at any moment. His mouth was dry, the days of traveling in the hot sun finally catching up to him. Harrison’s eyes bored into his own and the faces of Justin, Max, and Aubrey behind the old prepper also stared forward, waiting for Len to speak.

  “They’re gone,” he mumbled as his vision started to speck even further, his heart thumping so loud in his chest Len could barely hear himself speak. “There’s someone outside…”

  ***

  Harrison leapt forward, just managing to catch Len’s body as his legs gave way and he fell forward out of the doorway. Justin was by his side in a second, taking some of Len’s weight and helping lower the unconscious man to the ground. Harrison’s own heart was thumping now as he quickly processed what had just happened. Len had sai
d his family was gone, but he’d also said someone was outside.

  “Stay here,” the prepper warned as he withdrew his Glock from its holster, the Remington A3 he had salvaged now slung over the teenage boy Max’s shoulder. Harrison wasn’t giving up on the sniper rifle, but it had made sense for Max to carry some sort of weapon as they’d moved through South Haven.

  “I’m going to go in and check the back,” Harrison continued. “Keep an eye on Len for when he regains consciousness, and make sure you keep quiet.”

  Watching the three conscious people nod in front of him, Harrison turned and stepped into the house. He was well aware that telling them to be quiet was a useless comment; if someone was nearby then they already knew the group of them had arrived. Justin and the kids didn’t need to know that though. Harrison was all too aware of how their group dynamic had changed the second they allowed children to be a part of it and he didn’t want to put either of them in any more danger.

  With his 9mm clutched between his hands Harrison moved stealthily down the corridor and paused by the first door he came to. It was ajar, the gap just too narrow for Harrison to see through. Checking from side to side and confirming that no one had crept up behind him in his blind spots, Harrison pushed the door open with his foot and jumped around the other side.

  The room was empty and Harrison quickly grabbed the door to stop it banging into the couch behind it and making a noise. Once it was secure he focused on the inside of the room and immediately saw the same thing Len had. Blood. It only took Harrison a second to realize the blood left a trail leading out of the room, his own two feet planted in one of the dried crimson stains. Readjusting his stance, he pointed his Glock into the kitchen where the trail of blood led and started to follow it. As he finally reached the patio doors, Harrison saw what Len had been talking about.

  ***

  “It’s okay,” Harrison spoke to Justin and the two children as he stood back outside the front of Amy’s house. “There’s no one here. Although,” he lowered his voice and looked directly at Justin, “we should avoid the back of the house, if possible.”

  Justin nodded and seemed to understand what Harrison was implying, the father still seated on the grass beside Len’s body. Harrison was surprised Len hadn’t regained consciousness yet, but he knew it couldn’t be long. It probably didn’t help that all of them were exhausted, had barely slept or eaten for several days, and were constantly outside in the blistering heat. Len’s body was undoubtedly relishing the few moments of rest it had come by.

  After Harrison had seen the dead body he had scoped out the rest of the house, uncertain whether Len had been able to. From his search Harrison was confident that Len’s ex-wife and son had left South Haven before things got too bad, the item he had folded in his pocket only increasing his certainty of that. The kitchen cupboards had been stripped bare, all canned and dried food taken and presumably packed. The two bedrooms upstairs were in a similar state. Closet doors were left wide-open and certain items were unquestionably missing from where they were normally stored.

  Len had told Harrison several stories about his ex-wife and son while they had traveled. Granted, most had been focused around James and the undying love that Len harbored for him, but the father had occasionally spoken of Amy as well. It was clear to Harrison that Len had loved his wife very much and, in fact, he probably still did.

  Harrison’s own experience of losing his wife was very different, the terrible months he had spent by Sophia’s side as her body grew weaker and weaker still causing him immense pain any time he thought of them. Despite that though, he was still able to understand how Len felt. A loss was a loss, no matter how it happened, and to be forced to part from someone who you thought you’d spend the rest of your days with was like having your heart ripped in two. For Len’s sake, Harrison seriously hoped Amy and James had made it out of South Haven alive and that they had managed to complete their journey.

  “I think he’s waking up.”

  Harrison looked down at Len’s body, Aubrey’s soft voice drawing his attention back to the man. The young girl had forged some sort of connection with Len during their time outside the gas station and Harrison could see how desperately she wanted him to be okay. He had wondered in passing what would happen to the girl once they reached South Haven, now that question would finally demand an answer from someone.

  “Ughhh…”

  Len groaned as his eyes fluttered open, the bright sunlight harassing his corneas. Harrison took a step forward to cast some shade over his friend’s face, allowing Len to open his eyes properly.

  “What happened?”

  “Took a bit of a tumble,” Harrison smiled down at Len as he handed him a canteen of water. “You passed out for a bit.”

  Len gratefully accepted the water from Harrison and took a couple of long mouthfuls. Refastening the lid he looked around him, the memories of what he had seen out the back of Amy’s home flooding back to him.

  “Have you—”

  “Take it easy,” Harrison interrupted as Len sat up and started to speak again. “I’ve checked out the house. I’ve seen out the back. There’s no one alive inside Len, I’m sorry.”

  Len’s head dropped forward so his chin rested against his chest. “They’re gone aren’t they,” he mumbled. “My family is gone.”

  “Well, yes,” Harrison replied as he reached inside his pocket. “But they might not be as far away as you think.”

  Kneeling down, Harrison handed Len the piece of paper he’d found pinned to the fridge in the kitchen. In all the panic of finding the blood, Len had clearly not seen the note that had been left for him. A note from Amy, telling him where they would be.

  Chapter 2

  Len,

  I hope one day soon you’ll read this letter. South Haven is falling apart around us and it’s not safe to stay here anymore. I’m taking James and we’re heading north, towards the lake house our old friends Ellen and Maria have. It’s not much of a plan, but that’s where I’m heading.

  If you do read this, come and find us. I hope you’re safe. Our boy needs you. And so do I.

  Amy xo

  Len stared at the brief words that were scrawled across the once-blank page, taking each and every one of them in as he read and re-read the letter. They were alive. His family was alive. He and Amy had visited the lake house she’d mentioned once, many years ago. Ellen and Maria were her friends really; he hadn’t spoken to them since the divorce. Still, it was a destination and he knew roughly where it was. That was where he was going now.

  Harrison sat across from Len on the kitchen island, watching as his friend read over the letter for the hundredth time. Len had been so stunned when Harrison first handed it to him outside it had taken several minutes for the words to truly sink in. Now their group of five had moved into the house, closing the front door behind them and allowing the children to feel slightly more relaxed and safe in a family home. It felt strange sitting in Amy’s house, but Len knew they all needed a break.

  “Where is it?” Harrison asked from opposite him, the older man patiently waiting for Len to be ready to talk. He’d filled up their water canteens in the meantime, purifying the water from the lake so it was definitely safe to drink. He’d also dug around in the back of the cupboards and found a few old packets of cookies that he’d shared, giving the two children the vast majority. Justin had now taken them both upstairs to get washed, leaving Harrison in the kitchen, watching Len read his ex-wife’s letter over and over again.

  “Spring Lake,” Len muttered, his eyes not leaving the page in front of him. “Just outside Grand Haven.”

  “Grand Haven…” Harrison repeated the words under his breath, the map in his head expanding as he tried to work out how much farther away it was. If his calculations were correct it should only be a couple of days’ hard walking, less if they could take the pickup.

  “Does it have a date?” Harrison asked as an afterthought, prompting Len to finally look up from the l
etter and raise his eyebrows in question. “The letter,” Harrison continued, “is it dated? To say when they left?”

  “No,” Len shook his head. “It doesn’t say. Why?”

  “Well,” Harrison leaned forward slightly, locking eye contact with Len. “I’m assuming everything started happening here at the same time that it did in Chicago; that would make sense. Taking into consideration your little boy and the pace that he could walk,” Harrison paused, pondering for a moment. “I would think they should have made it by now. Amy and James should be at that lake house.”

  Len didn’t say anything, looking at his companion and waiting for the man to continue. It didn’t sound like Harrison was finished, and Len had learned to listen carefully to the older man.

  “I think they’re safe. And I think for our safety, it’d be best if we rested here for a while. Not long, but the rest of the day at least. And overnight.”

  “But,” Len started, desperate to see his boy now that he had already come so close. “Shouldn’t we go now? What if they haven’t made it? What if something’s happened to them?”