The Pulse: An EMP Prepper Survival Tale Read Online Free

once-great cities populated by millions had become
decrepit ghost towns. Fuel, food, and power costs had risen
considerably, and he believed that hyper-inflation was just around
the corner.
    Such a frightening premonition had thrust
Terrance into the prepping movement. It wasn't long before he
became knowledgeable in the preparation techniques of all kinds.
His children were as resistant to his attempts to teach them
survival techniques as they were to their mother's insistence on
going to church. For Terrance and Christina it was an uphill effort
all around. Most young people didn't see anything wrong with the
way things were as long as they had their electronic gadgets and
diversions. Few had even heard of a "prepper.” They certainly
weren't being taught anything about it at school.
    Terrance had asked each of his children to
carry a portable handheld two-way radio on them, good for distances
up to thirty-five miles. It took a lot of convincing, but he
explained to them that cell phones weren't always going to work all
the time. In the event of an emergency they needed to have their
radios with them. He expected them to have them charged daily as
well as on-hand. Their ambivalence was countered with a
demonstration of the range and ability of the handhelds. Tobias and
Paula thought they were cool. Richie had the most objections. He
thought the whole idea was stupid.
    "I don't ask much from you kids," Terrance
said, "but I'm asking this. Always have them on you when you leave
the house, period.” There would be no argument. Eventually the kids
complied. Terrance won his first battle; however, they still had a
long way to go.
     
    "Richie! Tobias! Paula! Get out here and eat
your breakfast before it gets cold!" Christina yelled from the
kitchen. The children walked like zombies from their rooms down the
hall rubbing their eyes. Tobias was fourteen and just starting high
school. He was not as tall as his 5' 10” older brother, but was
tall and lanky in his own regard. Richie was in twelfth grade and
looking forward to graduation. He and Tobias both had medium fade
haircuts and strong brown eyes. They could have been twins if not
for some different facial features. Tobias had more of his mother's
features—high cheek bones and vibrant smile. Richie had more of
Terrance's squared jaw and thick face.
    Paula, the youngest, was thirteen and just
starting eighth grade. She was a petite girl who with was always
particular about how she dressed and looked. She wasn't vain as
much as she took her appearance seriously at such a young age. If
everything played out right, all three of their children would
graduate from high school in the end. Nothing would please Terrance
and Christina more.
    "Quit your lollygagging and move," Christina
commanded her lethargic children. They slowly entered the kitchen
groaning. She placed a large platter of pancakes in the center of
the circular table. Paula was a little more awake than her
brothers, so she was first to her seat.
    "Morning, Mom," she said with a smile.
    Christina turned around from the stove and
smiled back. "Good morning, sweetheart." She noticed her two sons’
painfully slow movements towards the table, as if they were heading
to the gallows. "Y'all hurry up and eat so you can get ready. We
got church in an hour."
    "What about Dad?" Richie said. "Why does he
get to sleep in?"
    "Because your father works for a living. Once
you move out and provide for your own family you can miss church
all you want."
    Richie was familiar with the routine. Once he
got his mom started she was bound to never stop.
    "Got it, Mom. Damn," he said, pouring syrup
on his pancakes.
    "Watch your mouth," Christina snapped
back.
    Richie took a slow bite of food while looking
down. He couldn't stand church. He didn't want any part of it. Not
a single one of his friends still had to go to church. It was
embarrassing. Every week he would try to get out of it, and every
week it would just start an argument. This