6:00 Hours: A Dystopian Novel Read Online Free Page A

children as well. Lena always asked her mother for everything and never went off to get it for herself. It was the same with Alexander. Rachel also noticed that the children never offered her anything like water or food; Tara was always the one to initiate it and only at mealtimes. She only brought Rachel what was already hers, too. Rachel’s supplies were running out. She tried to ration out her food and water as efficiently as possible, but as her cans of soup and juice emptied, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to either go without or ask the Buckley’s for some of their supplies. That was the last thing she wanted to do. Generosity had to be limited during these times, and Rachel could tell the Buckley’s were beginning to run out. Their eyes and words were kind and polite, but their body language was saying, “Don’t get too comfortable. As soon as shit hits the fan, you’re on your own.”
                  Planes were still grounded. With no official ruling, pilots went on strike and refused to take off. The coast seemed to have its own laws regarding transportation and communication since the federal government was not taking a stand on anything. Rachel made several calls to private jets, pilots, and any other companies that had access to flying vehicles.
                  “Money is not a concern,” she emphasized. “I need to get out.”
                  “No can do, miss,” everyone said, or, “It’s not my call. Heading up into this mess is just too risky. Money is pretty useless if you’re dead.”
                  Rachel had just made one last final appeal when the storm suddenly took a turn for the worse. Everyone was sitting in the living room. Lena was lying on the floor with a coloring book and coloring pencils while Alexander played with a handheld video game controller. Mark and Tara sat on the couch together, both engrossed in books. The baby slept soundly beside his mother. With a wailing rush, wind ripped past the window. An enormous peal of thunder sounded, startling everyone. All the lights went out like God had just clapped his hands. Lena screamed.
    “It’s ok, Lena!” Tara called.
    With the dark skies outside, it was like night had just suddenly descended. Rachel could hear people moving, rummaging around in drawers.
    “We just need to get the flashlights. We’ll have light soon.”
    A switch clicked and a powerful LED flashlight illuminated Mark’s silhouette. No one else had moved. Lena leapt up, like someone had pushed her “On” button, and ran to her mother and baby brother.
    “Eek!” she squealed.
    “It’s just dark,” Alexander said, his tone exasperated. “Stop being dramatic.”
    “Alex, be nice,” Mark countered.
    “Is it the fuse box? The transformer?” Tara asked.
    “Probably not,” Mark sighed. “It’s probably the grid.”
    “How could you know for sure?”
              “I mean, I don’t, but look at this weather.”
    Lena and Alexander glanced at each other with worried expressions. Mark frowned, the lines on his face deepened by the shadows cast by the flashlight.
    “Okay, guys,” he said, raising his voice to a more cheerful, confident lilt. “You know the drill.”
    The Buckley’s all got up and began what Rachel could assume was a rehearsed process. Lena picked up the home phone and listened for a dial. Alexander lit a few large survival candles with a lighter and placed them around the house. Tara, balancing the baby on her hip, looked in the fridge.
    “What are you doing?” Rachel asked. “Checking expiration dates?”
    “Hmm,” Tara said. “We have to eat what will expire earliest first. And not let stuff rot in here. Or we’ll get bugs.”
    “That’s smart. You guys seem really prepared.”
    “Gotta be. In these days.”
    Lena entered the kitchen and wrapped herself around Tara’s waist.
    “I don’t like this,” she declared. “I don’t