Glimmer of Hope (Land of Tomorrow Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

aren’t protected when that happens…we’re dead.” The room was silent. “I know this is hard, but we only have one choice and that is to ride this out underground where there is some protection…but, we have to move fast!”
    Bethany was the first to break the paralysis by grabbing a suitcase from Nathan’s feet and running downstairs. Nathan threw several other pieces of luggage to the boys and followed Bethany with a duffle bag. He went out to the garage and began tossing in items he thought would be useful: duct tape, tools, batteries, flashlights, ammo, candles, and plastic tarps. He saw two large bags of dog food and after slinging the duffle across his body, picked the bags up on his shoulders. Nathan knew adrenaline was running through him now and that he’d likely be sore if he survived. Moving towards the basement he yelled upstairs, “Boys, get Daisy, she’s under the bed!”
    Nathan kicked the duffle and the two bags of dog food down the basement stairs and looked over to see Bethany stacking canned goods neatly into a nearly full box. He walked over, picked up the box and heaved it down the stairs. “Water, get water!” he yelled as he ran upstairs to find the boys. He met them coming down. David was first with bags stuffed full of clothes and blankets. Joshua came next with Daisy in his arms and a full backpack on his back. “Help your mother with water, fill any jug or container you can find and move, we’re almost out of time.”
    Nathan looked at his watch. It seemed only moments since the blasts, but he was stunned to see nearly twelve minutes had passed. He turned to go back down the stairs but saw a portable radio on top of a book shelf. He snatched it up and leaped down the stairs three at a time to the ground level.
    “That’s enough, let’s go. Come on, let’s go,” said Nathan breathlessly.
    Bethany and the boys filed downstairs into the cool, darkness of the basement. Nathan picked up one of the rolls of duct tape and began sealing the edges of the door leading upstairs. He then went downstairs and sealed the air vents. Bethany and the boys were watching him and not moving. What now? he thought.
    He scanned the room and saw their heavy ping pong table in the center of the room. “Here, help me,” he said as they pushed it into the corner of the room. He stacked their provisions and other heavy boxes and cases around the edge of the table and piled old boxes on top of it. “Put the bedding under the table, this is where we’re going to live.”
    “How long?” asked David.
    “I don’t know,” answered Nathan truthfully. “As long as we can, I guess.”
    They settled down under the table close to each other, still now but with their hearts pounding in their ears. Nathan felt worried looks on him and wished he could manage some encouragement, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. Daisy whined and he patted her head.
    At that moment, the power went out and the world was dark.
    *******
    They woke several hours later to the sound of sirens outside.
    “Thank God!” said Bethany as she began to get up grabbing the burning candle.
    “Don’t,” said Nathan catching her by the arm.
    “There’s help out there! Let’s go!” urged Bethany.
    “We can’t,” explained Nathan. “Those people are probably getting lethal doses of radiation as we speak, but they think it's okay to come out. We received a lot of gamma rays in the initial blasts, we can’t afford any more. We’ll be lucky if we get off with only some radiation sickness.” Nathan looked her in the eyes, “Everyone up there right now is dead or will be dead soon. Our only chance is to stay put.” Beth looked close to tears.
    “I have to go to the bathroom,” said David casually.
    “Number one or number two?” asked Nathan.
    “Both,” answered David.
    Nathan sighed. He looked around and saw some buckets in the corner near the floor drain. “Piss into the drain and then cover it up with that filing