Grasp Grace: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller (The Pulse Book 2)

by Hayden James

  Shortly after Rachel poured the cup of coffee, Madison and Addison came from around the house to where she was. “Morning, mom,” said Addy.

  “Morning, dear. How’d you guys sleep?” Rachel asked.

  “We slept well. We are so glad that you and dad found Natasha,” answered Madison.

  “I can’t believe I let that happen,” Rachel said in response.

  “Let what happen?” Madison asked.

  “Allowed Natasha out of my sight and allowed her to wander off,” replied Rachel.

  “Mom, she was scared first of all. Second, she told us last night that she was then following a kitten that she saw and that’s how she fell into the well. It was an accident. It could have happened got anyone of us,” explained Addison.

  Rachel looked around to Natasha as she sat on her lap, “You didn’t tell me that you saw a kitten?”

  “I forgot. I told Maddy and Addy last night. It was white and fluffy like Dr. Tate’s. I wanted to keep it,” giggled Natasha.

  “Oh honey, we will get you a kitten when we get to your grandpa’s, all right.”

  “Yay! I can’t wait. I’m going to name it Princess. And I’m going to get her a crown and a diamond collar,” said Natasha.

  “Well, Princess sounds like a very royal name for a cat,” replied Rachel.

  Rachel looked at her twins and could not believe how old and wise they had gotten. She said to them, “You guys are more mature, tougher, and more pragmatic that I give you credit for. You two are really turning out to be strong women.”

  “Thanks mom. We don’t want you beating yourself up about Natasha wandering off. Cut yourself some slack, you were protecting her,” reasoned Addison.

  “You’re right,” relented Rachel. She found it difficult for her to release some guilt, but the twins did have a point.

  A few moments later Eric came out of the back door of the house with Dr. Tate, Gary, and Vince. “Morning, guys,” he said, helping himself to the hot water from the kettle on the camp fire grate.

  “Morning,” the twins said in unison.

  “So, today, I won’t be opening the station. That way it will give you a chance to rest, Rachel. And the rest of us can buckle down and focus on the root cellar and the fence. I’m hoping you guys can take off tonight,” explained Eric.

  “That sounds like a great plan,” responded Rachel as she was eager to get to Nashville and look for Liam.

  William joined everyone for the last breakfast that they would have at Eric’s house. Rachel got William up to speed, “Morning Will, so Eric is not going to open the station today. That way, we can focus on getting everything done for him that we agreed to do. We may be able to pull out of here tonight. How does that sound?”

  “That sounds fantastic! Let’s get started so we can hit the road and make our way to Nashville. If we alternate drivers through the night, we should be there by early morning,” concluded William. “Goodness, I can’t wait to find Liam.”

  Rachel knew that she had to keep the family moving forward so they could get to Liam in the morning. “All right guys, I can help with whatever you need me to,” she said.

  Eric countered, “You don’t need to rest?”

  “I need to find my son. I’ve nearly lost each of my children since this disaster occurred. I’m not letting it take any of them away,” she answered.

  The men dug out the root cellar, working nonstop. After they finished the eight foot by eight foot and ten foot deep underground compartment, the men went over to help the girls work on the fence.

  As they worked on the fence Eric asked William, “Do you think I should reinforce the walls with bricks?”

  “If you can get some, sure. That ground was fairly solid though. If you were just to use wood, say two by fours and making shelves within the reinforcement with the wood, you run this risk of rot and mold, so the bricks sound like a much better idea. I would definitely reinforce it, if there’s a major rain or something, then you don’t have to worry. Think you could get a cement mixer?”

  “I might be able to get a manual one. Maybe through bartering,” replied Eric.

  “Sounds like it will be nice. And now you’re reinforcing your fence, it never hurts to harden boarders,” joked William.

  A few more hours went by, and they had the fence reinforced. “Great work everyone,” announced Eric. “I’m truly grateful that it was you guys that helped me with all of this. I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else. I sincerely mean this.”

  “Eric, our family feels the same way,” answered William. “When Natasha went missing, I will never forget that you organized the search parties without us even asking. That is the meaning of a true friend.” William and Eric hugged and tears streamed down both of their faces.

  “Let me take you guys over to the station and I will fill your tank and your jerrycans and you guys can be on your way.”

  “Thanks, brother. I appreciate it,” responded William.

  Everyone got back into the VW camper van. William hot-wired the van and followed Eric over to the station on his dirt bike. There he filled the tank and the two ten-gallon jerrycans.

  When everything was filled, Rachel went up to Eric, “What you did for me when I needed it, I will never forget it,” she said as she put her arms around him.

  “You would have done the same for me,” whispered Eric.

  With a wave and a honk of the horn, the VW camper van left the gas station and made its way back onto Route 265, heading toward Nashville.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Dwight Conner

  Tucker Hollow, Tennessee

  11:39 AM

  “Liam, you’re still limping,” said Dwight as he, Prue, and Liam walked to the Tucker Hollow Town Hall for the meeting after being informed of it from Sheriff Murphy.

  “I’m getting better,” answered Liam. Dwight did was concerned that he would be leaving with that girl soon. However, he understood it. Didn’t mean he liked it. What wouldn’t a new love do for their girl? Dwight was glad that he has been resting up and at least is looking better.

  Nevertheless, Dwight knew that William would be angry if he didn’t at least attempt to stop him. Despite the strained relationship between Dwight and William, Dwight still cared what William thought. “What am I supposed to do, nail the boy to the floor,” muttered Dwight.

  “What was that, grandpa?” Liam asked as they were almost to the Town Hall.

  “Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself. I have a lot to do when we get back,” replied Dwight.

  The three walked into a full house. Nearly every seat was taken in the rows and rows of people who came for the town meeting. Liam said as they attempted to find three seats together, “I didn’t know this many people lived in Tucker Hollow.”

  “It’s because the Townsend people are here too,” answered Dwight.

  “Would everyone please take their seats,” Sheriff Murphy said at the podium in the front of the meeting room. The crowd settled down and Dwight, Prue, and Liam were able to find three seats together.

  After a few moments, Sheriff Murphy announced, “Without further ado, I’d like to present to you the Mayor of Tucker Hollow, Mayer Elisa Tyler.” The crowd applauded, everyone including Liam and Prue. Everyone except Dwight.

  “Thank you, thank you. You are all too kind. I would like to thank Sheriff Murphy who has significantly stepped up since this disaster happened nine days ago. Without him, we would not all be here today. Sheriff, thank you for your service and more importantly, your leadership.”

  The crowd once again applauded. This time, Prue and Liam did not applaud along with Dwight. The Mayor continued, “We have been without power and battery operated electronics for nine days now. I appreciate everyone’s patience as we have had to cope without the comforts we have grown accustomed to. I would also like to take this time to thank those who donated to other families who were in need. Because of your charitable contributions has allowed your fellow neighbor, sister, brother to eat
, to drink, and to be more comfortable than they would have if you did not intervene and demonstrate your generosity. On behalf of those families and as the mayor of Tucker Hollow, I thank you.” The crowd erupted in cheers except for Dwight, Liam, and Prue.

  The Mayor continued, “I am assuring everyone that everything will be back to normal soon. I am asking that you hunker down and endure for a little longer, because the end is near.”

  Prue leaned over and said to Dwight, “Thant’s good news. All of this is almost over.”

  Dwight whispered back, “She’s lying. If it was that simple, the grid would be back up running. This pulse fried our battery operated gadgets. We’ll be lucky if we see electricity again in the next two years let alone our lifetime.”

  “Now, until then we must dig deep and keep things as close to normal. Since this will all be over in a day or two, I am asking that each house hold provide their remaining stockpiles to the Town Hall so we can distribute to others who are in need,” said Mayor Tyler.

  One of the members in the crowd raised their hand, “Yes, the man with the brown hat. What is your question?” Mayor Tyler called on the man with his hand raised.

  “Thank you Mayor. My name is Tim Brown, and I live in Tucker Hollow. Is this donation of stockpiles voluntary or mandator?”

  “Great question,” Elisa began. “For the time being, this donation is voluntary. Those families and households that feel compelled should give. Remember, it makes it better for the greater good. When this donation is required, everyone will be expected to participate. Everyone.”

  The crowd applauded. “I hope that answers your question, Tim Brown from Tucker Hollow,” asked the Mayor.

  “Yes, it does. Thank you,” replied Tim Brown.

  The Mayor continued, “Even though at the moment this donation is voluntary. I trust every family and household will do the right thing. Families and children are going hungry and all of that can be avoided if we looked beyond ourselves and shared what we had. If we broke bread together brother and brother, sister and sister. Yes, man with the blue shirt,” Mayor Tyler called on another man with his hand raised.

  “My name is Steve and I live in Townsend,” replied the man with the blue shirt.

  “Yes, Steve from Townsend?” Mayor Tyler asked.

  “Or what?” Steve asked.

  “Or what, what?” Mayor Tyler clarified.

  “If we don’t do the right thing, what happens?” Steve elaborated on his original question.

  “I’d like to thank everyone for going today,” replied the Mayor as she left the podium. As she left, the crowd dispersed, and the townspeople filed out the doors of the meeting room at the Town Hall.

  “What’s going on here?” Liam asked.

  “I’m not sure,” answered Dwight. “But let me do the talking.” Dwight had an uneasy feeling as he noticed Sheriff Murphy stopped each of the exiting townsfolk on their way out and asked them a question.

  A few moments later, Dwight, Prue, and Liam reached the doorway where Sheriff Murphy stood. “And how many guns do you have?” Sheriff Murphy asked the three.

  “One,” answered Dwight. “I have one.”

  Liam asked the Sheriff, “Why do you want to know?”

  The Sheriff answered, “We are just taking stock of our collective resources. We may need to hunt at some point, and we need to know which households have guns and what type.”

  After hearing that, Dwight snorted. “Yeah, I just have the one gun,” reiterated Dwight.

  “No other firearms?” Sheriff Murphy pried further.

  “Just the one.”

  “You’re sure. No other handguns, rifles?” Murphy kept going on the notion.

  “One rifle. With one bullet.”

  “One bullet? You must have one hell of a shot,” chuckled Murphy.

  “One is all it takes to deal with a nuisance,” answered Dwight looking at Murphy up and down. He then turned to Liam and Prue. “Let’s get out of here.”

  As Dwight, Liam, and Prue walked up the driveway of Dwight’s house, Liam asked, “Grandpa, are they really going to try to confiscate all of your stuff?”

  “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” replied Dwight. He gave it more thought and then said, “I don’t know if it will actually come to that, but if it does, I will be ready.”

  “But we can help others,” argued Liam.

  Dwight stared coldly at Liam, “What I have worked for, it has cost me time with your grandma, nearly a million dollars, and the relationship with your dad and his family is for us and no one else.”

  Prue interrupted as they walked through the door to the living room, “I understand. Liam, you’re being naïve.”

  Dwight hit his point home, “Liam, would you rather us stand our ground or would you rather starve along with the rest of the town?”

  Liam didn’t respond, but instead stomped off to his room.

  Several hours later, Liam came down to where Dwight sat in the living room and read a book, “Grandpa, are you busy.”

  “Not really, just reading a book that I’ve read once before,” answered Dwight.

  Liam chuckled, “I guess we are growing low on entertainment.”

  “What is it?”

  “Prue and I will be leaving in the morning.”

  “Well, I knew that tie would be coming sooner or later,” reasoned Dwight. “But, I want you to keep something in mind. Prue cares too much. If it came to saving your life and shooting someone, I don’t think she could handle killing someone for you. I find her to be a bleeding heart.”

  “Grandpa, I appreciate your concern. But we’ve already been in a shootout with the Bubba brothers. She shot someone. I had to finish them off, but we thought he was dead. She has my back. That I can promise you,” explained Liam.

  Dwight, taken aback by Prue’s abilities responded, “Well, I am surprised by that. She must be a good woman. I misjudged her.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  William Conner

  Nashville, Tennessee

  11:58 AM

  “I can’t believe it,” muttered William as he saw the Welcome to Nashville sign, driving past it and heading to the heart of the city.

  “What in the world happened here?” Rachel erupted from the passenger seat.

  “What do you mean?” William responded, not quite sure what she was talking about.

  “Look Will! Everything has been burned to the ground. Nashville has been completely decimated,” shouted Rachel.

  William took his eyes off of the road, he had been focused on weaving in and out of cars that he did not have time to look around the city. “What in the world!” William shouted. In disbelief at what he was seeing, he continued, “It looks like half of all the buildings are gone.”

  Vince and Gary came up to the front seats from the back of the camper van. “Did you guys notice that many of these buildings still have fires burning in them?” Gary said.

  “What, there are fires still burning?” Rachel shouted.

  “Yeah, look,” replied Vince, pointing to the top of one o the buildings where black smoke billowed out and reddish orange embers could be seen. If these fires had started eight days ago, you’d think they would be out of fuel, but some structures have fires that are still going strong.”

  William suggested with aggression, “Let’s all keep calm. We have one thing to do. Find Liam. Then we can get out of here.” William drove down the main drag, making a right. “He lives down this street.”

  As they drove down his street slowly, William saw the empty places where he knew there were once buildings. Unable to recognize the apartment building where Liam lived, he said, “I believe Liam lives here.” William pointed to a plot of land that had nothing but grey ash blowing from it. The light gray remnants fluttered in the wind.

  “Lived,” muttered Gary. “Gees, I hope he got out in time. These fires had no containment. The only way most are out now is that they ran out of things to burn.”

  “Lo
oks like Nashville was hit hard,” confirmed Vince.

  It became clear to William that the plot of land with nothing but grey ash was indeed Liam’s apartment building. Then William heard cries coming from the passenger seat. “Dear, I’m sure he got out in time,” comforted William as he leaned over and hugged Rachel who was on the verge of a panic attack.

  With William’s affection, Rachel calmed down enough not to enter in hysteria, but kept herself under control. Gary asked William, “What do we do now?”

  Rage filled William’s face as it turned red. “Do you think I have any idea?” William shouted at Gary. “I don’t know, lets comb the city looking for him.” William became panic-stricken at the thought that his only son may not have made it. This was his breaking point, William came undone.

  “Getting out of control is not going to help anyone,” Vince said. He appeared to be attempting to calm the situation. “Let’s look at the shelters and see if we find him. If he got out, and I’m sure he did, he would not have any place to go. He doesn’t have a car, right?”

  “No, he doesn’t have a car or motorcycle,” answered Rachel.

  “Then he probably went to a shelter. Considering there are so many fires, the city would need to have enacted an emergency plan that would involve shelters. William, let’s use the HAM radio and get a list of shelters,” suggested Vince.

  “Great idea!” William said, in a manic state, ready to take on the world to find his son.

  William turned on the HAM radio, which was powered by the camper van. He took the microphone and said, “CQ CQ CQ… this is Whiskey Alpha Charlie Six Tango standing by…” William waited for a few moments on the clear channel. He repeated the phrase one more time.”