Read Online AFTER THE DUST SETTLED (Countdown to Armageddon Book 2) by Darrell Maloney - Free Book Online Page B

well. She’s turning into a woman. If you two stay in love, then it’s likely you’ll marry someday. Always treat her with dignity and respect. Don’t ever lay a hand on her, and watch the words you say to her. Angry words can hurt more than a slap to the face. If you love her, tell her often. And more importantly, show her. Be kind always.”
         Jordan merely nodded as he absorbed the advice.
         Zachary said, “I’m still not happy that I don’t have a girl. I mean, you’ve got Joyce and Butthead has Sara. Even Mom has Mr. Haskins. Shoot, Duke has Duchess. Who do I have?”
         “You’re young, Zach. There’s plenty of time for you to find a special girl. I’m hoping with all my heart that the world calms down enough someday to allow us to venture out. There will be other survivors, and some of them will be girls about your age. And I’m sure some of them would love to spend time with a boy like you.”
         Jordan couldn’t help himself.
         “You mean a brainless freak?”
         “You must be looking in the mirror, shithead.”
         “All right, you two. Be nice before you scare the fish.”
         “What fish?”
         The fish must have heard Jordan’s words. For it was at that exact moment that Scott had his first nibble.
         They’d finally decided they were hungry after all, and within another hour the three were on their way back to the house with a stringer full of catfish.
         “Dad,” Zachary asked as they walked along. “Do you think Amy is okay?”
         Amy was the love of Zachary’s life, his one big crush, and the girl he reluctantly left on the outside when they left San Antonio.
         I think so, Zach. I’m sure she has a mom and a dad who care just as much for her as we care for you. And I’m sure they’re doing all they can to keep her safe.
         “If we can go back to the city sometime, I want to find her again. I think she’s the one I want to marry.”
         As promised, the boys cleaned the catch while the girls relaxed. Well, most of the girls. Sara had security duty, so she sat at the console watching the monitors and occasionally stole a glance into the den. When Hope Floats was finished, Linda put in Pretty Woman . Joyce switched places with Sara, since Sara had never seen the movie and Joyce had watched it a thousand times.
         In the kitchen, Scott had cornbread in the oven, battered catfish fillets in the deep fryer, and ranch style beans on the stove. Jordan and Zach were teaming up to make Cole slaw with cabbage and carrots they’d picked fresh from the garden out back.
         For some reason, out of the blue, Scott thought of his friend and neighbor Tom Haskins. He didn’t know whether Tom even liked fish, but he wished he’d invited him over for dinner. It was probably too late now. Tom had told him before that he liked to eat early, so he could turn in as soon as the sun went down and he turned his generator off.
         He decided that he’d take the leftovers to Tom the next day, find out if he liked fish, and invite him to come along the next time they went fishing. Tom was a good man. God fearing, honest and tough. Scott had liked him the first time they’d met two years before when Scott walked into the feed store where Tom had worked, and they’d become good friends since.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    -14-
     
         Just after midnight, the group was awakened by a flurry of gunshots. Scott, Linda and Joyce went running downstairs to the security console, but there was nothing to see. All of the cameras were operating properly, but showed no prowlers, no sign of movement at all.
         “Which direction did they come from?”
         “I’m not sure. I think from the woods on the other side of the power lines. But it was hard to tell.”
         “No. I think it was more in the direction of Tom’s place. I hope he’s okay.”
         Scott picked up