Dark Days: The Long Road Home, a post apocalyptic novel Read Online Free Page B

him.
    “What's that?” Christopher said, unable to take his eyes off Gemma.
    “To want comfort in the face of disaster.”
    “Comfort?”
    “No one wants to be alone right now.”
    Was that the reason he wanted to charge over to Gemma, and pull her into his arms – why he wanted to kiss her senseless and wipe away the fear in her eyes?
    Gemma glanced up, as though she sensed him watching, her olive-green eyes meeting his. She still had the power to take his breath away even after all these years. The helpless, raw vulnerability in her eyes brought back memories, and for a moment he was seventeen years old again, young and angry and indignant as he held her in his arms, trying to comfort her even as he wanted to hurt the person hurting her.
    Gordon's voice was a low monotone, bringing more gloom and doom. He'd found a captivated audience in Sasha, who was staring at him wide eyed, inching closer to him as he spoke.
    “The first thing to worry about is food and water. Most people have enough food to last at least a few days. But water will be the priority.”
    “But – we could just go to the store,” Sasha said. “There's heaps of water there.”
    “That's the first thing everyone will do – probably already happening as we speak. What's there won't last long – the bigger supermarkets have to restock their shelves every day, even twice a day, to keep up with demand.”
    Gordon was pacing now, getting himself worked up, his voice coming in quick, staccato spurts. “Besides, hardly anyone carries cash anymore. And credit cards won't work. Most of the stores would have tried to close as soon as the power died. But anyone looking at the street will know something big has happened. It wouldn't take much to start a panic. Most likely people will just take what they have and get out of there. If it was me – I would just walk right out with my grocery cart.”
    And all it would take for that panic to start was someone like Gordon with his dark tone and impetuous words, Christopher thought dryly.
    Gordon smoothed Sasha's hair back from her face, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Money will have no value anymore. It will just be pretty little pieces of paper that mean nothing. So – no, you can't just go to the store and buy water,” he said, softening his voice as he pressed a kiss to Sasha's forehead.
    “But,” Sasha's lower lip trembled, “how can we survive without water?” Her fingers closed around Gordon's arm, and Gordon's eyes lit up.
    “It's there if you know where to look.”
    “It is?”
    Gordon nodded gravely, enjoying his newfound role a little too much for Christopher's liking.
    “Where?” Sasha asked, and despite himself, Christopher became just as captivated.
    “Swimming pools. Rain water tanks. Rivers and lakes, of course, but they’ll   quickly become contaminated. Then there’s hot water tanks, toilet tanks–”
    “You expect me to drink out of the toilet?” Sasha's eyes popped open.
    “Not the toilet, the tank.”
    Sasha shuddered, and Gordon put a tentative arm around her shoulder. “Most likely it won't come to that.”
    “What about the government?” Sasha's red lips quivered. “They'll help.”
    “It's every man for himself now. Survival of the fittest. It won't be long before people will be killing each other for a can of food or a bottle of water.”
    “But what about the police?”
    Gordon snorted. “When they realize what's happened they won't stick around, especially when the rioting begins. They'll go home to their families.”
    “But that's what they get paid for.”
    “Money means nothing now. Besides, what can they do without cars? Some might try to maintain order at first, but...” he trailed off, the gleam in his eye leaving little doubt about his opinion on that.
    “I'm scared,” Sasha said, and Gordon pulled her close, burying his head in her hair, looking like all his Christmases had come at once when she didn't pull away.
    “Don't worry. I'll