Take the Hit (Nuclear Survival: Northern Exposure Book 1)
Page 16
Together, they lowered Max’s body into the hole. Watching the dirt fall on the jacket draped across his face was one of the hardest things Midge had ever done. He didn’t deserve to die like this. He didn’t deserve a burial in a barren field. She snuffed back a wave of tears.
“Goodbye, Max,” she whispered, looking over at his grave. “Thank you so much.”
Danny said a few words before stepping back to the carriage. He pulled out Owen’s backpack and the last two bottles of water before motioning to Midge. “Come have something to eat.”
They found a quiet spot near the horses and sat side by side, faces turned toward Chicago. Danny handed Midge a mangled bag of potato chips and she ripped it open. They ate in silence for a while, the only sounds made by their teeth and the horses while they ate.
After a while, Midge’s sadness lifted. “I think he’d like it here.”
“Me, too.” Danny finished his food and pulled out his phone. “I think we’ve come about twenty miles.” He tilted the screen so she could see. “I’ve been tracking our miles since I made that phone call to my dad.”
Midge pulled out her own phone and powered it on. “I know the odds aren’t good, but I’m just going to try...” She dialed her mother yet again, holding her breath as she brought the phone to her ear, but all she got was the busy signal and then the line went dead. She let out a disappointed sigh and looked back to Danny.
He had his phone to his ear, too, but a moment later his arm dropped and he shook his head. “Nothing. Just a thousand-dollar paperweight at this point, I guess.”
She nudged him with her elbow. “It’s not just a paperweight. It’s got a compass and it’s tracking our miles. That’s worth something at least.”
“Until the battery dies.”
“Hopefully we’ll reach Suttons Bay before that.” Midge turned her phone off and shoved it back in her pocket.
“What do you think it’s going to be like?” Danny asked, shifting his weight so he could look Midge in the eye.
“The future?”
Danny nodded.
Midge shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not going to be easy. We’re so dependent on electricity, how is anyone going to get used to living without it?” She laughed at herself. “I swear, I’m going through withdrawal already without my computer.”
Danny smiled at the ground. “Better get used to it. From what I read, it could take years to restore the power and that’s without any nukes.”
Midge stiffened. Sitting out in a field, with nothing but the sound of birds and grasses waving in the wind, it was easy to forget the horror of what might be. All the shipments measured in kilotons, all the anonymous shipping containers and nameless delivery vans.
“Do you really think the bombs are going to come?” he asked after a moment of silence.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, letting out a sigh. “I wish we could find power somewhere or an internet connection. Anything. We could find out if we could just talk to someone. We would finally know for sure.”
They lapsed once more into silence, each thinking about what might happen, when a bright light filled the horizon.
Midge blinked at the brightness, but Danny pulled her away, shielding her face from the light. “Don’t look right at it. You’ll be blind!”
She buried her face against his chest and squeezed her eyes shut. It was real. Everything she read, everything she feared. All real.
Panic swirled inside her, throwing her heart against her ribs.
After what felt like an eternity, Danny let her go. He struggled upright. “We have to go.”
Midge blinked and took his hand. The light was gone. Danny pulled her toward the horses. “We’re twenty miles, but the wind is still blowing from Chicago.
“How much time do we have?”
Danny shook his head. “Not as much as I’d like.” He unfurled the leather and took a hold of Beatrice before handing Bethel to Midge. Their hands overlapped as Midge reached for the reins and she stilled.
Gratitude filled her. Not just for Danny’s thoughtfulness, but for his willingness to stand by her side and take this journey together. For the first time in her life, Midge didn’t want to be alone.
Maybe, just maybe, they would survive this. Together.
Thank you for reading Take the Hit.
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If you found out the world was about to end, what would you do?
Four ordinary people—a computer specialist, a hacker, a reporter, and a private investigator—are about to find out.
Each one has a role to play in the hours leading up to the worst attack in United States history.
Will they rise to the occasion or will the threat of armageddon stop them in their tracks?
Acknowledgments
Thank you for reading the first book in Midge and Danny’s story. From the moment these characters popped into my head while writing First Strike, I couldn’t wait to give them an action-packed story of their own. Hopefully you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Chicago is a town I love and lived in many years ago. Writing this book brought back many fond memories (even though I’m about to tear the city apart!). I’m sure places have changed and a few things aren’t quite as I remember, but I hope you’ll go along for the ride and indulge me a few liberties with names, places, and the like.
If you enjoyed this book and have a moment, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. Every one helps new readers discover my work and helps me keep writing the stories you want to read.
I’ll be back with the second book in Nuclear Survival: Northern Exposure soon. Expect to see more of Midge and Danny along with a few new characters they meet on the way.
Until then,
Harley
About Harley Tate
When the world as we know it falls apart, how far will you go to survive?
Harley Tate writes edge-of-your-seat post-apocalyptic fiction exploring what happens when ordinary people are faced with impossible choices.
The apocalypse is only the beginning.
Contact Harley directly at:
www.harleytate.com
harley@harleytate.com