RECKONING
Dark Road, Book Six
Bruno Miller
Will you be ready when the reckoning comes?
After a grueling trip, Ben, Joel, Allie, her mother Sandy, and Gunner have reached their destination on the Eastern shore of Maryland.
Ben is reunited with his two younger children who have been surviving with the help of their ailing grandfather, Jack and his dog Sam. But reaching Jack’s farm doesn’t guarantee their safety, however, and the struggle to survive continues.
They must remain vigilant in their efforts to protect what is theirs, and the people they love. Ben is hoping for a chance to re-supply and get some much needed rest after their cross country ordeal, but fate has other plans for them.
Jack’s stubbornness in accepting help and refusal to leave his farm means Ben must make a tough decision about doing what’s best for his children. They’re forced to prepare quickly for the journey back to Colorado. But will they all make it home?
Reckoning: Dark Road, Book Six
Copyright © 2019 Bruno Miller
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
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NEWSLETTER
Table of Contents
RECKONING
About the Book
Copyright
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
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
About the Author
Chapter One
As the realization that they had finally made it to Maryland sunk in, Ben began to relax for the first time in a while. It was a long, grueling trip, longer than he anticipated, and much of it was a struggle to simply survive. But seeing his kids together again made it all worthwhile, and reuniting Allie with her mother was the icing on the cake. Although life as they knew it was in chaos, Ben was content with the fact that he had all his kids under one roof again.
The trip had exhausted them all, including Gunner, who was sprawled out on the tile floor in Jack’s kitchen. Allie and her mother had gone upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner, but Allie was the only one to return. Sandy had fallen asleep while waiting for Allie to finish, and Ben didn’t blame her for it one bit. It was likely the first time she’d enjoyed the luxury of a real bed since the EMPs hit. Not even the promise of a hot meal was tempting enough to lure her back downstairs or out of bed.
Allie apologized for her mother falling asleep so quickly, but no one faulted her for it. Ben imagined that Sandy’s struggles over the last several days had really taken a toll on her health and mental well-being. She had probably assumed her daughter was gone. That would be enough to break most people, but she had pushed onward and hadn’t given up. Ben admired her for that and could see now where Allie got her drive and perseverance.
As they all sat down at the table, Ben looked around at his children. It was still hard to believe that they were all in one place and together again. He hated to admit it, but on more than one occasion over the last week or so, he doubted he would ever see this moment. When he looked back on the trip here, it seemed almost impossible that they made it to Jack’s at all. All that they had seen and been through in the few days since they left Colorado felt impossible to Ben.
But it was real, and they were all finally here, safe and sound. He had his kids back under his watchful eye once more, and for the first time since the journey began, he felt like he was in control of their destiny. The world outside the door might disagree with his plans for everyone, but for right now, none of that mattered.
Jack returned from the kitchen with a pitcher of iced tea he’d made from the water they boiled on the grill. Jack said it was best to make tea out of the water to help hide its unusual taste, but Ben wasn’t expecting actual ice in it.
“Is that ice?” Joel asked.
“Sure is. I’ve got a small countertop icemaker that I run when the generator’s going. It cycles through pretty quick and makes about a pound of ice every fifteen minutes. That’s how I’m able to keep the venison from going bad. Been using the big chest freezer in the outbuilding like a big cooler.”
Ben had noticed the meat on his plate but hadn’t thought about the logistics behind the meal. Jack had a pretty good setup here, but it wouldn’t sustain them with the addition of him, Joel, Allie, and her mom. Jack wanted them to stay for a while and recover from the trip, but Ben felt a little guilty about putting the extra burden on Jack and his resources.
“Oh, that’s so good. It’s been a long time since I’ve had an ice-cold drink.” Allie held her glass with both hands as she savored the sweet tea. “I’m tempted to wake my mom up just for this.”
“Let her sleep. There’s plenty more where that came from,” Jack replied. They all dug in as Gunner and Sam hovered around the table in the hope of receiving leftovers. The kids made small talk as they ate, and Joel and Allie fielded questions from Bradley and Emma about their adventure. They were sure to leave out some of the more gruesome details for the benefit of the younger kids, but Ben wondered if that was wise. They were only putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, Bradley and Emma were going to have to see things for themselves. And they would no doubt see those things on the trip back to Colorado. There was no way to shelter them from the realities that lay ahead.
There was time to worry about that later. For now, Ben contented himself to sit back and listen to their stories. Occasionally, he caught himself staring at his two younger kids as if they would disappear any second. He and Jack could discuss the details of their return trip later. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the moment while it lasted.
Ben also considered the possibility of trying to reason with Jack about him coming with them. He had broached the subject before dinner while they were outside, and Jack had given him a pretty firm answer. This was Jack’s home, as it had been for the majority of his life, and while Ben understood his reluctance to leave, it didn’t ease his conscience to think about leaving the old man behind.
How long could Jack survive here on his own? Was there more to his deteriorating health than he was letting on? Regardless of the real reason, Ben knew that staying here would mean certain death for Jack. The man was famously stubborn, though, and Ben feared that any further attempt to convince him otherwise would only push him further away. Ben tried to put himself in Jack’s shoes and think about his reasoning.
Jack still had a daughter somewhere in all this craziness. The chance that Casey would ever return was slim, and regardless of what they told the kids, he and Jack both knew it. But as a father, he knew Jack wouldn
’t let go of that, no matter how small that sliver of hope was. Ben would easily do the same for any of his kids.
Right now, the kids seemed happy and secure in the fact that they had their father back, but the reality of losing their mother would settle in sooner or later. Maybe it already had, but Ben doubted it and assumed they were still in denial. He would have to deal with his ex’s absence and its impact on the kids at some point down the road. Jack was pretty good at putting a positive spin on the situation and keeping their outlook optimistic, but that wouldn’t last once they were on the road, although Ben wasn’t sure how much of the act was for the kids’ sake and how much Jack actually believed.
As everyone finished their dinner, Ben tried to put the negative thoughts out of his mind and live in the moment. He couldn’t blame Jack for holding onto the possibility of Casey returning or trying to sugarcoat the reality of the situation for the kids’ sake. Most people would have probably thought Ben was crazy for driving across the country to find Bradley and Emma. But they beat the odds and here they were. That was proof that anything was possible. Who was he to talk Jack out of staying behind for Casey’s sake?
There wasn’t much food left on anyone’s plate, but there was a small amount left over that was meant for Sandy. Allie insisted on letting her sleep, and after checking in on her mother one more time, she gave the okay to share the leftovers with the two anxious dogs. Jack split the food equally over a serving of dry food and barely had a chance to set the bowls down before Gunner and Sam dove in. Both dogs licked the bowls clean, pushing them around the kitchen floor until they were spotless.
The kids retreated to the living room while Ben and Jack cleaned up. Allie offered to help, but Ben insisted that she go relax. He wanted his daughter and Allie to continue getting to know one another. She was a good role model for Emma, something his daughter could really benefit from right now.
Ben’s ulterior motive for cleaning up without the kids was to get Jack alone again. Maybe he would talk more freely without the kids around and elaborate on what had been going on around here. Jack had mentioned some friends of his in town being threatened and leaving for North Carolina. How bad was it here, and would they have any trouble that Ben should be prepared for tonight?
Chapter Two
There was more that Jack wasn’t letting on about the story, and Ben wondered if Jack was afraid to tell him the truth about the situation here. Maybe he feared that Ben and the kids would refuse to leave him behind if he was in danger.
Ben noticed a shotgun and hunting rifle by the door, and even in these circumstances, Jack wouldn’t keep loaded guns lying around without good reason. He was far too safety-conscious for that, especially with the kids here, although both Bradley and Emma understood gun safety and knew how to shoot.
“Couldn’t find a better spot, huh, guys?” Ben stepped over Gunner and Sam, who had both decided to lie in the doorway between the dining room and the kitchen.
“Always,” Jack said. “Sam knows she’ll get leftovers if she sticks around for clean-up.”
Ben wasn’t sure how to start the conversation and he wanted to tread lightly. “So how are you set on supplies? I mean, how long can you hold out and wait here for Casey?”
“If it’s just me, I have all I need here for a long time. I’ve been using a lot of resources trying to keep things semi-normal for the kids. I don’t need much to survive,” Jack assured him.
“What about that trouble you mentioned closer into town? Any of that making its way out here?” Ben asked.
“A little, but we’ve been flying under the radar so far. I keep everything out of sight, and it doesn’t hurt that this place doesn’t exactly look like I have anything worth taking. Nobody pays attention to the house, and they pass us right by.” Jack lit a lantern and set it on the kitchen table.
“Anything we should prepare for tonight? Should someone stay up and keep an eye on things?” Ben asked.
“No, it’ll be fine once we shut down the generator and lock up,” Jack said. Ben wasn’t buying it and felt like he was only getting part of the story, but he didn’t want to press him for any more information right now.
Maybe they hadn’t had any real trouble yet, but he and Jack both knew it was only a matter of time. Out on the road, they’d seen too many examples of what people had resorted to in order to survive. This place was no different than any of the other places they’d passed through. Supplies were limited, and as resources continued to dwindle, someone would eventually notice the little yellow farmhouse. Or maybe Ben was just being paranoid.
“Speaking of locking up, you want to give me a hand out back?” Jack grabbed the five-gallon bucket he had been dumping ice into and started for the back entrance. Sam jumped up at the sound of the rear door opening and was eager to join the men outside. Gunner was much less enthusiastic and only lifted his head off the floor long enough to catch a glimpse of what was going on. Losing interest quickly, he rolled onto his side and spread out on the tile floor with a grunt. Content to be near the kids, he had no interest in joining Ben as he headed out.
Ben followed Jack and Sam outside, but instead of heading right for the outbuilding, Jack stopped on the deck and pulled a couple of cigars out of his shirt pocket. Jack didn’t indulge often, but he did enjoy the occasional cigar. It was one of the things Ben remembered about duck hunting with him.
He offered one to Ben without saying anything. Ben wasn’t a smoker by any means, but he took the cigar out of respect. It wouldn’t hurt him to humor Jack, seeing as how it might be the last time the two of them had time together like this.
Jack used the lighter hanging off the grill to light Ben’s cigar first. Then he lit his own before sauntering down the steps and out into the back yard. Sam was already on the ground and leisurely making her way around the yard, marking a few spots as she went. Jack took a couple of heavy puffs on his cigar and blew out a thick cloud of smoke.
“Nothing like a good cigar after a meal.” Jack sighed as he made his way toward the outbuilding. Ben followed and drew in a mouthful of smoke, careful not to inhale any of it. The cigar was harsh and reminded him of the smells they encountered on the road and the burning towns they passed through. But if it made Jack happy and got him talking, Ben would play along.
“Hard to believe it’s come to this, isn’t it?” Ben said.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think we’ve been headed down this path for some time now. I’m actually surprised it didn’t happen sooner, to be honest.” Jack shook his head. “Feel bad for the kids, though. They don’t deserve this.”
“No, they don’t, and unfortunately, it’s going to be up to them to clean up our mess.”
“They’ve got a long road ahead of them.” Jack looked off toward the horizon as the last bit of the setting sun disappeared behind the trees. Jack was right; it would take a long time for things to return to normal. And normal might not ever be what it once was. Ben preferred not to think of things on such a grand scale, although it was hard not to. Instead, he preferred to focus on the immediate future and their survival. That was the best way he could help his kids.
“Here, let me get that so you can get the door.” Ben took the bucket of ice from Jack so he could use both hands to open the door, but he mostly took it because Jack looked like he was struggling with the weight of it. Jack was half the man Ben remembered, and he was reminded once again just how much time had passed since he’d last seen him. Sam noticed them heading into the garage and raced over so as to not be left out.
Jack led him to the chest freezer on the back wall. The lid creaked loudly as he lifted it for Ben to dump in the ice. Ben tried to do a quick assessment of the amount of food Jack had in there and was disappointed to see that it was less than a quarter full of small paper-wrapped packages that he presumed were venison. There was probably enough to last him three or four weeks if he was conservative. In Jack’s physical condition, there was no way he was going to be able to hunt and restock the fre
ezer with meat. He had the garden, which seemed to be thriving thanks to the pumped well water, but that wouldn’t last past the fall, and the man couldn’t live on vegetables alone, anyway.
Ben promised himself he wouldn’t push Jack to come with them, but the thought of leaving him here to fend for himself was eating him up inside. It was a death sentence and Ben knew it. With the amount of supplies he had and his physical condition, Jack’s fate would be sealed when they pulled out of here. Ben wasn’t sure he could live with that on his conscience without trying to talk some sense into Jack at least one more time.
Jack pushed the ice around with his hand until it covered all the neatly wrapped packages of meat. Then he sprinkled salt over the whole thing.
“Come take a look at the Jeep.” Jack pushed the freezer lid gently and let gravity do the rest as it slammed shut with a thud. Ben followed him over to the old Scrambler, where Jack proceeded to undo the hood latches. Sam stayed put this time, content to watch the men from her well-worn dog bed near the workbench.
“Take a look at that, will ya?” Jack propped the hood up and stepped back.
Ben was surprised at what he saw. The engine was spotless and looked to have all new parts and hoses attached as well.
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