Lone Survivor (Book 1): All That Remains
Page 19
Movement.
Boots scuffing the wood floor.
The man stumbled into view, and Landon gripped the knife with both hands.
“Come on then,” he said. “Come on!”
Baldy’s lip curled as he yelled and charged forward.
He made it all of three steps before the door burst open and Grizzly attacked. With one leg out of order, Grizzly soon made easy work of him — taking him to the ground and biting at his arms, legs, and then clamping onto his neck. The man fought back punching the dog but Grizzly refused to let go.
Landon clawed his way over to help as Grizzly tore at the man’s flesh.
He yelped as Baldy grabbed the dog and tried to toss him but Grizzly just released his grip and picked a different area on the man. By that point, Landon was within reach. He plunged the knife into the man’s chest while Baldy focused on trying to get the dog loose.
He cried out in agony and Landon held on for dear life using his upper body weight to hold the knife in while Grizzly tore at the man until his body went limp.
When he breathed his last, Landon looked over at Grizzly who slumped down and laid on his side breathing heavily. He could make out blood in his fur but couldn’t tell if it was his or the man’s. Landon was shocked he’d returned to protect him. The door burst open and Beth raced in, her eyes scanning fast. A quick assessment of the situation and she crouched near her dog, placing her hand over a wound. No. No! Grizzly raised his head. “Is he okay?” Landon asked.
She shook her head, unsure. “He’s hurt bad.”
The last thing he saw was her scoop the dog up and take him out of the cabin.
Epilogue
Two months later
The silence of the mountain was remarkable. Landon now understood why Rhett had brought his family into its solitude. It was something he believed Ellie would have loved. The babble of a stream, the rustle of leaves, and fewer snowflakes would mark the end to a brutal winter. The Blue Ridge Mountains that usually attracted hikers from all over the country with its rich and dense forest would soon burst forth with color and life. However, unlike years gone by, hikers wouldn’t be found trekking through its well-worn paths, nor indulging in the peace, for the country they had known was no more.
Two months and the power grid was still not up.
For them it meant little as Beth was used to the rhythm of living off the grid, hunting for food and surviving off the land, but for modern humans it was a new world full of challenges and danger.
Landon limped out of the cabin into the bright afternoon sunshine. The earth was covered in a fine layer of snow, a far cry from the winter he’d arrived in. He’d become pretty good at getting around on crutches. The cast on his left leg had been removed a few days earlier but the other one would stay on for the full three months. Though eager to return to Maine, and his family, he knew the journey would be long and treacherous and only made harder if he wasn’t healed.
He glanced off to his right and saw Beth in the small graveyard not far from the greenhouse that gave life. The irony of death and life so close together wasn’t lost. Landon crutched over to the gated area. Beth was wearing a thick gray winter coat, jeans and dark boots. He had donned one of Rhett’s many thick sweaters, a beanie and track pants that Beth had cut to allow room for the cast.
She turned slightly upon hearing him.
There before her were three mounds of earth, with two-foot wooden crosses driven into the ground at the head of them. “Hey,” Landon said in a soft voice as he sidled up to her and looked down at the final resting place of her parents, and Ellie.
When she didn’t reply he continued. “You okay?”
She nodded and bit down on her lower lip. “My father and I were planning to hike the Appalachian Trail together once I turned eighteen. We’d been talking about it for years.” She shook her head and Landon could feel her pain. “Preparing. Collecting gear. Talking about some of the towns we’d stop in along the way. And…” she trailed off, her brow furrowing.
“That’s a long way,” he said.
“Yeah, about 2,200 miles spread out over fourteen states.”
He nodded. “Were you planning on starting nearby?”
She chuckled lost in thought. “I wanted to but my father was a die-hard enthusiast. He said if we didn’t start at Springer Mountain in Georgia it wouldn’t be real. That’s where everyone usually starts if they’re heading north.”
“Arriving in Katahdin in Maine, right?” he said.
She nodded glancing at him.
“When were you planning on leaving?”
“Probably in March or the first half of April. That would get us there before the park closed.” He was familiar with the hike. Anyone who had shown any interest in hiking was. It was famous. People all over the world flocked to do it every year, either heading north or south. It took the average person anywhere from five to seven months to complete it. A few speedsters had managed to do it in less than fifty days but that was without stopping in towns and relied on support from others along the way. It certainly wasn’t for the faint of heart. Many unprepared or inpatient hikers gave up after a week or two, realizing what they’d got themselves into.
“Castine is fourteen miles from Katahdin. I’m not your father but I’ll be heading that way in a month or two,” he said looking down at his leg and hoping for a speedy recovery. “Maybe we could go together.”
“Together?”
He shrugged. “Look, I know this place is beautiful but with all that’s happened in the country, maybe…”
“Thank you, Landon. Really. But this is home,” she said turning away. Landon looked at Ellie’s grave and nodded before following her over to a bench where she was taking fat off a deer’s hide. Grizzly came bounding out of the cabin with a slight limp, wagging his tail. Landon reached down and ruffled the hair on the back of his neck. The dog had taken a liking to him since he’d been there. He wasn’t sure if it was because of seeing him every day or because they both shared a similar injury. “Hey boy,” he said looking over to Beth who glanced at him. “Amazing what a few months can do, isn’t it?” he said with a smile. “He’s completely changed his view of me. Don’t you think?”
Her lip curled. “He’ll miss you when you leave,” she replied as she ran the tool back and forth over the deer’s hide, then picked off a few pieces of fat and tossed them to Grizzly who swallowed them without chewing.
“He won’t if he goes with me.”
She pulled a face. “Grizzly stays with me.”
“I know.”
She squinted then said, “I’m not going with you, Landon, and you can’t convince me.”
A grin formed. “Of course not. But I still have another month or two to heal. A lot can change, that’s all I’m saying. Hey, Grizzly!” he said, then whistled. The dog turned and charged after him, running past him into the cabin. Landon looked back at Beth whose mouth was agape. Landon eyed her. “See, a lot can change,’ he said. Beth pursed her lips together, trying hard not to smile as she continued to work away and he crutched back into the cabin.
Landon wasn’t prepared to give up or leave without her.
There was no telling if time would change her mind, but one thing was sure, he was going home, to Sara, to Max and to the world he’d left behind, or what little still remained.
THANK YOU FOR READING
All That Survives Book 2 will be out this month
Please take a second now to leave a review. Even a few words is really appreciated. Thanks kindly, Jack.
A Plea
Thank you for reading All That Remains Book 1. If you enjoyed the book, I would really appreciate it if you would consider leaving a review. Without reviews, an author’s books are virtually invisible on the retail sites. It also lets me know what you liked. It also motivates me to write more books. You can leave a review by visiting the book’s page. I would greatly appreciate it. It only takes a couple of seconds.
Thank you — Jack Hu
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Readers Team
Thank you for buying All That Remains Book 1, published by Direct Response Publishing.
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About the Author
Jack Hunt is the best-selling author of horror, sci-fi and post-apocalyptic novels. He currently has over thirty books published. Jack lives on the East coast of North America. If you haven’t joined Jack Hunt’s Private Facebook Group you can request to join by clicking here now. This gives readers a way to chat with Jack, see cover reveals, and stay updated on upcoming releases. There is also his main facebook page below if you want to browse.
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