“Jesus Christ,” Anthony said aloud.
Todd was forced to pull over until the shaking stopped. When it finally stopped, everything went very quiet for a few moments. The violent earthquake had compressed Yellowstone’s magma chamber. The volcano became a ticking time bomb and the pressure became too much for the earth to bear. Lava rushed to the surface and within seconds everything within the caldera boundary of the volcano sank into the now molten hot ground.
The entirety of Yellowstone National Park was consumed in seconds; every road, tree, animal, lake, building and vehicle was vaporized in mere moments. As the ground collapsed into itself the magma was forced back down into the earth. This caused the magma chamber to reach a terminal pressure, the point of no return. In a fiery explosion that lasted well over three minutes, Yellowstone erupted sending millions of gallons of lava soaring into the air. The ash plume was immense and there were rocks and ash launched well into the stratosphere.
Anything within 100 miles of Yellowstone was totally vaporized. The entire planet rumbled and there wasn’t a single person who didn’t feel the eruption. The earth’s spin was altered, throwing it off its normal axis, causing it to wobble and waiver ever so slightly. The force of the blast changed the tides of the ocean. Waves were now forced away from the western coast of North America. By the time they reached the other side of the world, they would be the most unfathomable tsunamis ever seen.
Todd was now back on the highway and he had the SUV doing 120mph. Nobody spoke, they knew what had happened and they knew what was coming. Chad was terrified, but he didn’t show it in the slightest. He had a plan and he was going to execute it, he was going to survive the most cataclysmic event in human history.
Chapter 11
“There has been a state of emergency issued for every country on earth. Yellowstone only erupted approximately twenty-five minutes ago but there are already 3 million people predicted to be dead, with many more to come. The ash is encompassing the world at a rapid rate, experts are telling people to put on gas masks and get outside because ash can collapse buildings very quickly.”
The voice on the radio was piercing. The ash was covering the entire sky, Chad watched in awe as the ash blew with the wind, covering every bit of blue in the sky, creating an immense grey haze. As the ash slowly blocked all incoming sunlight, a tear rolled down Chad’s face because he knew he would not see the sun again for many years to come. The ash that Chad was looking at was only the beginning. He knew that soon there would be thicker ash storms that coated everything on the surface of the earth, it just had to settle first. They pulled the SUV into Chad’s driveway and ran to the RV as fast as they could. Chad’s family was waiting in the RV, just as he had told them to. Todd and Anthony each had a car full of loved ones parked behind the RV, ready to join the convoy headed to Canada.
“We don’t have long before the ash reaches us, we need to drive as fast as possible up to the Canadian boarder. Our destination is a town in southern Manitoba called Caywood. There is a container there with all the survival supplies we will need. It’s about an hour and a half away from here and we need to hurry before others get there.” Chad announced to the group as he stood on top of the RV.
There was no room for Anthony and Todd in their family cars so they piled into the RV. Chad jumped in the drivers seat, but not before giving Lynn a slow, passionate kiss. He thrust the keys into the ignition and turned them slowly. The engine was desperately trying to start but it wouldn’t go. Chad tried again, still nothing. He looked at Lynn in the seat beside him and he could see the fear in her eyes. He turned the key slowly one last time as he gently stepped on the gas pedal, the engine chugged and chugged and chugged and then it finally fired up with a loud bang as it abruptly backfired. Chad and Lynn simultaneously let out a sigh. He put the RV in gear and started heading north to Manitoba.
Chad decided he had heard enough from the radio, so when Lynn reached to turn it on he gently grabbed her hand,
“Please, I don’t need to hear anymore negativity, I know what is happening and it’s not good.” He said in a nervous voice.
“Okay, sorry honey. Was the trip alright before this all happened?”
“It was pretty decent, the park was gorgeous. It’s crazy to think nobody will ever see that park again.”
“That is crazy. They’re saying many people have already been killed.”
“Yes, people don’t realize how large and powerful that volcano really is. If you were anywhere near that thing you would have been killed instantly. The tsunamis that have resulted from it are going to shock the rest of the world. Also, I hope you like winter because we are going to be in it for the next ten years.”
“Nonsense, how do you figure that?”
“Sunlight cannot penetrate the aerosols created by the volcanic ash and sulfuric acid that are going to consume the planet in a matter of hours. There is going to be a grey cloud of ash and dust hanging over us for many years to come.”
Lynn got up and she was visibly upset. She went to check on the kids, they were both napping and Anthony and Todd were gazing out the window.
“How are we for gas?” Anthony yelled.
“Quarter tank, we should be able to make it, why?” Chad replied.
“My mom just text me from the other car and said they need to stop for gas.”
“Alright, I’ll pull off at the next exit, just tell them to follow me.”
Chad pulled off at the exit right before the Canadian boarder.
“How much longer?” Todd asked impatiently.
“Less than twenty minutes.” Chad replied.
Everybody filled up their vehicles with gas and got ready to head into Canada. As they pulled out of the gas station Anthony made a discovery.
“Man are you seeing this?” He asked.
“Jesus, LET’S GO!” Chad yelled.
There was a thick wall of ash sweeping across the entire surface of the earth. The sky had already been covered over due to the fact that the ash up there traveled a lot faster in the wind currents. The ash they were facing now was a lot more dense, wet and heavy, with the capability to collapse buildings. It seemed to be never ending and it looked like grey snowfall. As they drove, the ash swept over their vehicles. Within seconds the RV’s air filter was completely clogged with ash, the engine overheated and shut off, forcing Chad to pull over. Anthony and Todd’s families were also forced to pull over when their engines quit.
“Masks on!” Chad yelled to everyone in the RV.
“How many masks you got man? Our families could use them too.” Todd asked.
“I’ve got six or seven I think,” Chad responded.
Todd and Anthony took the masks Chad had given them and walked them to their family’s vehicles. Chad, Bryce, Tammy, Lynn, Todd’s aunt and Anthony’s mother were all wearing masks now. Everyone who was not wearing a mask pulled their shirts up over their mouths as they coughed and wheezed. Chad felt bad about not having more masks, but there was nothing he could do now. He stepped out of the RV and made an announcement to the group.
“Alright, follow me. We’re going to walk across the Canadian boarder. Caywood isn’t that far from here. Once we get there and get ourselves established, we will organize getting the supplies from the RV back to the container.” He spoke in a muffled tone due to the gas mask he wore. Lynn was extremely attracted to Chad and how he was taking charge of the situation. She had mocked him over the years for being overly prepared, but she sure did appreciate it now. He knew exactly what he was doing and he was not going to stop until his friends and family were safe.
Chad packed some bags full of bottled water and canned food, just in case it took a while to get to Caywood. He carried one bag himself and handed the other two to Anthony and Todd. Chad took Lynn’s hand and they began walking to the Canadian boarder. When they arrived they were not surprised to learn that there was nobody working, everyone had been evacuated. They walked across the boarder with no problems whatsoever. The sounds of cough
ing coming from everyone without a mask on was becoming too much to bear. Chad wished more than anything that he had brought more masks because he knew this ash was destroying the lungs of anyone who breathed it. He wasn’t about to give his mask up though,survival of the fittest, he thought to himself. They passed through a town called Bose River and everything looked very apocalyptic. Most of the buildings and roofs had collapsed under the weight of the ash and there was nobody around. A half-hour after they passed through Bose River, they arrived in Caywood.
“Now how the hell do we know where this container is at?” Anthony asked in a shaky voice, you could tell it had become painful for him to talk.
“It’s on the outskirts of town, I’m not sure exactly where but we will find it soon.” Said Chad rather confidently.
As they walked through the town it reminded them of Bose River, there was literally nobody around and every single roof on every building was collapsed. They walked down the main street and gawked at all of the ruined buildings. They could see a barbershop, deli, pizza joint, beauty salon, drug mart and a few apartment buildings. The ash in the air was so thick that it was becoming difficult to see.
“AHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD!” Lynn screamed in horror.
Everybody jumped in fear as they followed Lynn’s eyes to what she had seen. There was a trail of blood running out onto the street. As they followed the trail into a destroyed apartment building, they saw a young woman sprawled out on the floor, there was a sharp piece of wood about three feet long lodged into her skull. The wood had entered the back of her head and exited underneath her chin. The woman was short and looked to be no older than twenty, she was clearly trying to escape the building when the roof had collapsed rapidly.
“Christ almighty, let’s get out of here, there is nothing we can do for her now.” Chad said coldly.
“Don’t you have a heart?” Todd’s aunt said, clearly disappointed in Chad’s remark.”
“Yes I do have a heart and I like the fact that it’s still beating, unlike hers.” He pointed at the dead girl.
“If we don’t get to that damn container we will be dead come nightfall. Once that sun goes down everything is going to freeze and it will be the beginning of the volcanic winter. I’d say we have about one hour until nightfall, so we have to move right fucking now!” He was yelling now and everyone seemed to be paying attention.
Chapter 12
“I SEE IT!” Todd yelled in excitement. The container was massive; it was at least twelve feet tall, twenty feet wide and over one hundred and fifty feet long. As the group approached the big orange container, a tall, muscular native man emerged with a double barrel shotgun. He quickly cocked the gun and pointed it directly at Chad, who was leading the group.
“Stay the fuck back!” The native man yelled.
“This is no place for you, damn Americans,” he continued.
Three other Canadians emerged from the container, all native men carrying various types of firearms.
“Sir, we have something to offer you, I have an RV packed full of months worth of supplies and I…”
“ACHHHHH” The native man began to cough and wheeze.
“Hand that mask over and I’ll listen to your offer,” the man insisted.
Chad took off his mask and threw it to the native man; he caught it with the barrel of his gun and then reached up and grabbed it. He put the mask on his face and Chad continued negotiating with him.
“If you let us rest here and eat we can all go back to my RV tomorrow and get the rest of my supplies. We are more likely to survive if we split things.”
“Don’t try to reason with me like you’ve got something good. You wouldn’t be walking up here if you weren’t desperate,” The man continued in a more muffled tone, due to the mask.
“You don’t understand, I knew this container was here. If the ash hadn’t destroyed the engine in my RV, I would have driven it straight here.”
“You may rest here tonight, eat a small portion of food and then be tied up in the back of the container where you can sleep. First thing in the morning I will get my trailer and we will haul it back to your RV and collect the supplies.” The man was stern and serious.
“Tied up? Are you kidding brother?” Chad raised an eyebrow in question.
“I don’t trust you, any of you. This is the only way I will allow you to stay here.”
“Fine, let us in, it’s getting cold out here.”
With that, Chad’s group entered the container. It was like a small town inside, at least forty people with a ton of great supplies. There were seemingly unlimited amounts of water, lots of canned food, makeshift beds and propane heaters. There were gas masks but only about twenty of them, which had been given to the women and children. The man, whose name Chad had now learned was Gabriel, had given everyone a can of tuna, which they all immediately devoured. Gabriel and his friends tied the hands of Chad and everyone he’d come with.
“How big is your trailer?” Chad asked Gabriel as he put the finishing touches on the knot he was tying.
“Big enough, two people should be able to haul it.”
“How many people do you think should head back to my RV tomorrow?”
“You, your two friends and me and my three friends.”
“Sounds good, you got family here?”
“Yes, my wife and grandfather. We live on a reserve that’s about a thirty minute walk from here. There will be many more people heading towards this container you realize, you must be prepared to defend it.”
“That is if they survive the night. You realize you won’t see sunlight again for years?”
Gabriel sat in silence. He was visibly upset.
“What is your name?” Gabriel asked.
“Chad,”
“Get some sleep Chad, you’ve got a lot of work to do in the morning.”
Chapter 13
Despite the 4 propane heaters, the container was very cold the entire night. Chad barely slept, but neither did anyone else in the container. It took the better part of an hour to open the container door, due to the ice buildup on the outside. Chad helped Gabriel and his three friends, Reggie, Paul and Sam, open the container door. When they managed to get the door open, they were shocked to see what the outside world looked like. There were patches of thick ice everywhere and it was lightly snowing. It was mid June, but in a matter of hours the eruption of Yellowstone made it seem as though it was December. The volcanic winter had rapidly begun.
“I heard the western coasts of Australia, China, Russia, Malaysia and the Philippines got ravaged by Tsunamis during the night. I guess smaller islands like Guam, New Zealand and Taiwan got completely decimated, as in no survivors at all.” Gabriel said sadly.
“That’s nuts, but it was expected. The global death toll during the next few weeks in going to be mind-boggling and if we don’t want to be another statistic we need to get to my RV pronto.” Chad said trying to get the group moving.
Todd and Anthony were slow to get moving but eventually they along with Chad, Gabriel, Reggie, Paul and Sam were headed back to the RV. Reggie and Paul were taking turns hauling the trailer; Chad thought it was because they wanted to put their time in now so that they didn’t have to haul the full trailer on the way back to the container. Chad had expected the trailer to be much bigger, but it was really only the size of a standard truck bed. On the walk back to the RV, Chad talked with Gabriel for most of the way. The walk seemed much longer in the freezing cold so he needed a way to pass the time.
“This really is quite the situation isn’t it?” Chad asked jokingly.
Gabriel looked at him sternly, but then opened up,
“Ya, I just hope I can help my family survive,”
“I know man, I think we all feel that way,”
“At least you’ve got kids though, I have yet to have kids so I feel like if I die my name will die forever, you know?”
“Yes I understand, that does put some more pressure on you friend. All the motivation fo
r you to survive” Chad smiled and Gabriel reciprocated.
Anthony could not handle the cold anymore, so just as they got into Bose River he took off running,
“I’ll see you guys at the RV, I’ve got to get inside right now, see you later,” He said hastily and he disappeared over a hill.
“I’m gonna go with him to make sure he’s okay,” Todd said following close behind.
Chad was extremely cold; he was only wearing a thin sweater and jeans. He felt stupid for not grabbing some warmer clothes out of the RV the day before. He was extremely relieved when he could see the RV in the distance. As they approached he expected to see Todd and Anthony emerge, but they did not. Chad opened the side door of the RV and climbed in, Anthony and Todd were not inside. Chad was worried, but he was so cold that he just started throwing supplies out to Gabriel and his friends to load into the trailer.
Chad had unloaded about half of the supplies when he noticed that the trailer was getting quite full. He dreaded the thought of making two trips, so he instructed Gabriel and his friends to pack more efficiently. They did not like the order, but they listened nonetheless. Chad now had to unload all of the canned food, which was stored towards the back of the RV, so he started walking towards the rear of the vehicle as the others impatiently waited outside.
Chapter 14
The sound of the gunshots was unmistakable. Chad’s ears were ringing loudly and he was temporarily deafened by the sound. He dropped down onto his stomach and covered his ears until the shooting stopped. He counted five shots in total. He slowly came to his knees and peered out the side window of the RV. What he saw was completely shocking, Todd and Anthony were standing coldly over the bodies of Gabriel, Reggie, Sam and Paul. Todd had a handgun clasped tightly between his two shaking hands, you could see the steam coming off of the gun as it began to cool in the chilly air.
The Wrath of Yellowstone (Preppers Fiction): The Wrath of Yellowstone Trilogy Boxed Set (Preppers Fiction, Apocalyptic Fiction, Survival, Travel Fiction Book 4) Page 3