by Ison, S. A.
THE LONG WALK HOME
S.A. ISON
The Long Walk Home
Copyright © 2019 by S.A. Ison All rights reserved.
Book Design by Elizabeth Mackey
Book Edited by Ronald Ison Esq. Editing Services
All rights Reserved. Except as under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a data base or retrieval system, without prior written permission of S.A. Ison
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the production of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons – living or dead- is entirely coincidental.
OTHER BOOKS BY S.A. ISON
BLACK SOUL RISING From the Taldano Files
INOCULATION ZERO Welcome to the Stone Age Book 1
INOCULATION ZERO Welcome to the Age of War
Book 2
EMP ANTEDILUVIAN PURGE
Book 1
EMP ANTEDILUVIAN FEAR
Book 2
EMP ANTEDILUVIAN COURAGE Book 3
POSEIDON RUSSIAN DOOMSDAY
Book 1
POSEIDON RUBBLE AND ASH
Book 2
EMP PRIMEVAL
PUSHED BACK A TIME TRAVELER’S JOURNAL
Book 1
THE RECALCITRANT ASSASSIN
BREAKING NEWS
FUTURE RELEASES
EMP DESOLATION
A BONE TO PICK
SMOKEHOUSE SMILES From the Taldano Files
PUSHED BACK THE TIME TRAVELER’S DAUGHTERS Book 2
THE HIVE
SHATTERED MIND
BIO VENGENCE
Other books by S.A. Ison under the name: Stefany White
Dragon’s Fortune
Alaskan Heat
The Seeding
Future Releases
The Butler Did It
Little White Lies
one
Rage can consume, rage can waver, rage can keep you warm and it can leave you cold. It can keep you alive. Right now, Beckett Gray was so filled with rage and he didn’t know where to aim that rage. He was in the middle of nowhere and his car was dead. DEAD! Beckett had been on his way to New Tazewell Airport, near Middlesboro, Tennessee. He was on Highway 25E, driving through the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, and he had been enjoying the drive. He didn’t often come this way, but when he did, he took in the breathtaking sights. In the autumn, it made him want to weep, for the beauty of it.
It was amazing country, and the Appalachian Trail ran through it. He was sure he was a little prejudiced, but he thought this area, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Besides Alaska, he’d amended, when he thought of places like this. He was sure that was why the Appalachian Trail ran through here. Just spectacular. He had in fact, just passed one of the junctions to the trail, there were many that crisscrossed the area.
Usually, cars or trucks parked in areas that were jumping off points for the trail. He’d seen several hikers, there were three of them, all Asian he thought. He had a keen eye for detail, since it was part of his job. He’d only just glimpsed them as he passed. All three had the obligatory light framed backpacks, hiking clothing, walking sticks and all the other things that the people used while walking the Appalachian trail. He’d just rolled passed them not a minute before and had slowed down even more for a deer that was deciding whether or not to jump across the road, when his car had died.
He roared at the top of his lungs, the rage roiling over him and also fear. But rage was better, hate was better. He kicked his car, over and over. He’d already stomped on his iPhone. He screamed again, loud and long and it tried to choke into a sob. He bit that back and mule kicked the car once more than fell back against his car, panting and slid down the vehicle and landed on his ass. He wiped at the tears.
He looked down at the phone, the components all over the ground. Rage nearly strangled him, and then the fear surfaced and subsumed with his rage. It had happened and he was unprepared, or rather he was prepared. But here now, in the middle of nowhere, he was woefully unprepared. He was a newbie prepper, he’d only been doing it for a year, but now, and he was caught with his pants down. He kicked at the bits of phone on the ground.
“Fuck you!” He screamed, long and loud.
He hated the world, he hated his government, he hated this goddamned predicament. Some government had done it, had really done it. They’d caused an EMP. They’d detonated a nuclear weapon in the upper atmosphere. Russia? North Korea? Now, unprepared, he was in the middle of goddamned nowhere and far from home. He would have to walk the trail or highway, he guessed it didn’t matter. Well, maybe, he’d walk the trail, he’d at least run into people with food. They hiked for hundreds of miles, just for the friggen pleasure of it. Maybe, he could do that.
He felt his heart begin to slow its terrified beating. The overwhelming panic that had choked him, began to recede. He took a deep breath and blew it out, trying to get a grip on his galloping fear. He didn’t know who did it, he didn’t know how it happened, but it had happened. The world was dead, dead as he knew it, as he’d known it, he amended. Was it just America? Or the world? Was it a nuke? Was it a computer virus? Once more he wondered who had done it? North Korea, China? Russia, maybe someone in the Middle East?
Does it even matter? He wondered. He’d never know himself, and even if he did, an EMP or computer virus didn’t care who it affected, only the country that sent it. He’d not heard anything on the news lately that would indicate one country or another. Some asshole, he was sure, who just wanted to see millions of people die.
Beckett looked up, smoothing his long black hair out of his eyes. He saw the three hikers he’d just passed, why had they come?
“Are you okay? We heard screaming.” A woman asked, she was Asian, as he’d thought, Korean perhaps? She was pretty, petite with her jet-black hair in a ponytail and a pink bandana tied around her head. She wore jeans and worn leather hiking boots.
“Are you hurt?” The other woman asked, and she too, had the look of a Korean. She was taller and had shorter black hair, and she had a brilliant yellow bandana on her head. She sported long shorts that went down just above her knees. Behind both women, was a tall slender man, and Beckett thought he was mixed. He had dark brown hair, with Asiatic facial features and had a blue bandana on, though his hair was fairly short.
“No, I’m not okay. We’re all screwed. Everything is dead.” Beckett said, wiping at his blue eyes. He wasn’t ashamed that he was crying. It was one of the most horrific situations he’d ever found himself in. And his stash, his prepping supplies were more than likely a week’s walk away, maybe two weeks. He knew he should have had a bugout bag in his car, but he’d been lazy, so goddammed lazy. He’d pay for it, perhaps with his life.
“What are you talking about?” The woman with the pink scarf asked, with a mix of curiosity and sympathy.
“We’ve been hit by an EMP. My car just died and my iPhone is dead. Something killed everything. I’d been prepping, and putting supplies away. You know, those reality shows on tv? Well, if you’re a prepper, you’re supposed to have a bugout bag. You know, stuff with supplies, like food and water. To help you get home. I don’t have that. I’m about a week or better from home. And, wherever you guys came from, you’re more than likely farther away.” He felt like he was babbling and near hysteria. He swallowed hard and bit down on the rising panic that was coming back to hit him.
“What? That’s crazy. I mean, just because your car broke down.” The yellow bandana woman said, though Beckett could hear fear tinging her voice.
“Check your phones.”
Beckett suggested and watched as all three set their backpacks down and began to dig through them. They all turned, seeing a tall blond man walk up to them, he’d come from the other direction.
“Everything okay here guys? I heard someone screaming.” He asked, he was holding a walking staff of carved wood, dark with age and the oils from his hands.
“Hi, this guy says that an EMP hit, and it killed his car and his phone. We’re checking our phones.” The man with the two women said. Beckett watched as the newcomer shucked his backpack and began to rifle through his pack. Beckett wanted to laugh suddenly, but stifled the urge. He hated crushing their dreams, but they were screwed, just like him. Though, seeing all their gear, they were all better prepared than he was.
Maybe if they combined everything, they all had in their backpacks, they’d have a chance. He was a good hunter after all. He even had his service weapon in the car. He kept it with him, whether he was on duty or off. He also had his longbow and a quiver full of arrows. They were just for target practice, but he was sure he could bring down something, he was a damned good shot after all. Thank Christ he’d not cleaned out his trunk. He had a lot of crap in there, maybe he wasn’t as screwed as he’d first thought. He’d at least not starve, if he could kill something.
He was on the Appalachian trail and in the Cumberland Gap park after all and he didn’t think that the park rangers would have much to say about it, now that the shit had hit the fan. He watched as each of the people in front of him played with their phones. He saw that they were top quality smart phones. He waited for it to dawn on them that he knew what he was talking about.
He watched as each face began to fill with horror at the true situation. He felt no satisfaction, and he waited.
“Mine isn’t working at all, and I just charged it yesterday with my solar charger.” The blond man said, looking at the others.
The two Korean women looked at each other, their eyes beginning to fill with tears. Beckett felt like a heel. The man who’d accompanied them swore and threw down his phone.
“God damn it!” He cried out, as though in physical pain. The two women who’d been with him, looked open mouthed.
“My god, what do we do now? We live in Boston.” The woman with the pink bandana said.
“Look, I have a truck a day’s hike from here. It’s an old truck and if what you’re saying is right, an EMP hit, then maybe my truck might still work. It is a rebuilt 1969 Chevy. If we can get back to it, maybe I can get you guys close to Boston.” The man offered. Beckett was suspicious at once. His cop instincts smelled a rat. He’d been a detective for twelve years. He’d been a beat cop for six years.
“Where are you from?” Beckett asked the blond man.
“I’m from Florida, Orlando. I drove up here to walk the trail. But I have a feeling I won’t be able to make it back down to Florida, if what you say is true. So, I can take these women back to Boston and maybe find a place to wait it out.”
“Dude, there is no waiting this thing out. If an EMP hit, then I really don’t think the power is coming back anytime soon.” Beckett said.
“And how would you know? What makes you an expert?” The blond shot back, and Beckett could see he’d hit a nerve. He suspected that the blond was a creeper. Creepers followed women hikers, in hopes of getting close enough to get into their pants. Creep.
“Look guys, I’m a prepper, a beginner prepper. I’ve got supplies at my home. But, like I said, I’m a long way from it. If you could give us a ride there, maybe I can share my stuff with you guys and we can figure out a plan of action. Going all the way to Boston in a truck may well get you killed, if you’re not prepared. People are going to be wanting that truck mister. And they’ll do just about anything to get it.” He didn’t want these women jumping into a truck with this creep. Or at least without a means to defend themselves.
“I think he’s right.” The woman in the pink bandana said, looking from the blond man to Beckett.
“Look, my name is Beckett Gray. I live over in Morristown, which is an hour’s drive from here and a week or better walk. I have a place that sits on about six acres of forested land. It isn’t bad, and I’ve been working to get off grid for a couple years now. That’s when I started getting into the prepping stuff. I’m not saying I have all the answers, but it is a good place to start.”
“I’m Zoe Jeon, and this is my friend Evie Moon. This is Carter Osaka, we met him a couple of days ago.” Pink bandana said, introducing herself and companions.
“I’m Milo Rattle, good to meet you guys. I guess going to your place is as good as any, Beckett. Would you have enough room for all of us?” He asked.
“It’s a three-bedroom place, but I have a large barn. We can maybe convert that to living space as well. The place also has a large propane tank, so we’ll have plenty of cooking gas.” Beckett said.
“I guess that’s a good idea. At least while we walk to Milo’s truck, we can figure out something. Do you have any gear Beckett?” Carter asked.
“Well, I haven’t got a bugout bag, but let me dig around in my car and see what I can take with me.” He said and got up, dusting the gravel off his rump.
He opened the driver’s side and opened the glove box and pulled out his Glock 19. He also grabbed a box of 9mm ammo that had been in there as well. He heard one of the girls gasp and turned.
“You’ve got a gun?” Evie asked, her eyes large with fear.
“Yes, Evie and it’s okay. I’m a detective. I do know how to use it. It will keep us safe.” Beckett assured her and he heard Milo snort. He wondered at the man. The guy was an asshole. He could read people pretty well, he had to, it was his job. And Milo was clearly an ass-hat.
He reached under the front seat and retrieved his shoulder holster for the weapon and put it on, then set the weapon into place. He felt his pocket and nodded, he had his William Henry Pikkati knife, a useful and sharp tool. He then popped the back trunk and got out of the car. Walking back, he looked in. It was a mess and he was slightly embarrassed. He reached in and pulled out his niece’s old backpack and heard a snicker from Milo.
“Hey, I don’t care what it looks like, as long as it can carry what I need. Besides, it’s my niece’s old backpack and I’ll not leave it behind.” He said and found six bottles of water, a hand full of beef jerky sticks that had been scattered around. He put those into the pink backpack. He found half a bottle of bug repellent, a grill lighter, running shoes, three pairs of dirty socks, an empty gas can, three empty plastic shopping bags, a roll of paper towels, which he thought would come in handy as toilet paper.
He handed the empty plastic gas can to Milo. He also found a beach towel that he’d used years ago at the pool and also a blanket. He’d gone on a picnic date with some gal two years ago. Christ, he never even bothered to take the shit out of his car. He shook his head. He shook the blanket out and something flew across the road. Zoe walked over and picked it up and smiled at him, handing it back to him.
“Oh man, I forgot I’d even gotten that. It was one of my first prepper purchases. I wondered where it got to.” Beckett laughed, taking the LifeStraw, used to drink water safely.
“Well, at least you have one. We have a couple ourselves. It is much easier to drink from a stream and we don’t have to carry bottles everywhere. Just an empty bottle for cooking.” Zoe said, smiling and he saw that she had dimples, though not deep ones.
“I have a few more at home too, along with a Berkey filtration system. I wanted to make sure I had good water.” Beckett shrugged. He turned back to the trunk and looked for more. He drew out his long bow and quiver of arrows. He’d not leave that behind, it had cost him a fortune.
“You know how to use that?” Milo asked, his head cocked sideways, his green eyes curious. Beckett wondered if he were being snotty, but shrugged. He seemed genuinely interested.
“Yeah, sometimes I compete. I figure if we need to, I can shoot something for us to eat. They are only target arrows, but I think they’ll
do the job if we need.” Beckett said and smiled when he found another box of 9mm shells. He packed those away in the pink backpack.
“I don’t think you’re allowed to shoot animals on the trail.” Carter advised, worry clear in his voice.
“Carter, I just told you an EMP hit, I really don’t think anyone is going to care at this point. And, they may well be doing the same in a few days. Look, I have no food except for these beef jerky sticks and I don’t think they will last long.” Beckett said patiently, this guy didn’t get it yet. He didn’t realize that they were screwed big time. By the time they got back to civilization, the grocery stores will have been picked over, there wouldn’t be a whole lot of food on the shelves.
“We have some extra food we can share. We just got our supplies from our dropbox.” Zoe offered.
“Dropbox?” Beckett asked, looking at her.
“When you walk the AT, you can’t carry more than a week’s worth of food. So, you send yourself care packages, and at certain points, you go and pick up your package. There are small offices along the trail to pick things up. A lot of people do it. Makes it easier.” She said, smiling. Beckett smiled back and nodded.
“Thanks, I don’t want to eat all your food. I’ll try to catch something when my beef jerky runs out.” He said.
“Well, if you carry my pack, I’ll feed you. I’ll carry your pink one.” Zoe grinned, though her smile wobbled a bit. She was trying to be brave, and he liked that about her. Evie was still weeping softly. He couldn’t blame her, he felt like weeping as well. His mind was almost numb with fear. He wished he could bring back the rage, because it made him feel stronger somehow. The fear was debilitating.