Read Online CyberStorm by Matthew Mather - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Matthew Mather
Ads: Link
what’s best for your family. I mean it.”
I paused and looked him in the eye, smiling, trying to convey my seriousness.
Sighing, I added, “I need to get some sleep.”
Chuck scratched his head and put his glass down on the kitchen counter.
“Me too. I’ll see you later, buddy.”
He walked over and hugged me, taking my glass from my hand. Susie got up to come and give me a kiss on the cheek.
“We’ll see you in the morning,” she whispered in my ear, hugging me tightly.
“Please go if he wants,” I whispered back.
Closing the door behind me as I left, I crossed the few feet of dimly lit hallway to quietly open our apartment door. Locking the door behind me, I crept into the bedroom, softly closing that door as well.
My whole world was lying on the bed in front of me. In the ghostly glow from the LED display on our bedside alarm clock, I could just make out the forms of Lauren and Luke curled up together. The room smelled humid and lived-in, like a nest, and that thought brought a smile to my face. I stood still and watched them, feeling the wonder and joy, their rhythmic breathing soothing my senses.
Luke coughed, and he took in two or three quick, deep breaths, as if he couldn’t breathe properly, but then he sighed and quietened down.
Silently, I stripped down and gently slid under the covers. Luke was in the middle of the bed, so I curled up around him, with Lauren on the other side. Leaning over, I brushed a lock of hair away from Lauren’s forehead and kissed her. She mumbled and I kissed her again, and then, with a deep breath, I pulled one of the pillows under my head and closed my eyes.
Everything is going to be fine.
Day 2 - Christmas Eve – December 24
7:05 a . m .
I AWOKE WITH a start.
My dreams were filled with confused images of angry men in forests. I was flying, my grip on Luke slipping, and Lauren was gone, sliding down a stairwell, down into the earth, while I floated and floated. A screaming pulled me out of the vision, layers of dreams snapping one from another, until I sat bolt upright in bed, gasping.
Breathing hard, I looked around.
It was pitch black. Wait, not totally black . A thin light hung like a gray halo around the outline of our bedroom curtains. Luke and Lauren were still beside me. Breathlessly, I leaned down to Luke.
He’s still breathing, thank God.
It was quiet. Lauren shifted slightly. Everything was fine.
Shivering, I pulled the covers around me and put my head back down on the pillow. Slowly, my heart stopped thumping, and a dead silence descended. It was too dark. I looked at the clock beside my head. It was off, totally blank. We must be having a power failure.
I picked up my cell phone from the night stand : 7:05 a.m.
It was early, and it was freezing.
Quietly, I slipped off the side of the bed, rummaged in the hamper for my bath robe, and then felt around on the floor for my slippers. Wrapping the robe around me, I shivered and exited the bedroom.
The main room of our apartment was equally dead. None of the familiar little lights, none of the glowing time displays on the appliances. The little Christmas tree on the side table was completely dark. Outside the windows, snow swept by in the muted half-light, the pressure of the wind against the glass the only thing audible, a dull thudding with each squall of flakes.
Walking over near our entranceway, I tapped the digital thermostat on the wall. It was also blank. I crept back into the bedroom and quietly pulled the guest blanket from the closet and laid it across Luke and Lauren, and then pulled out a sweater for myself. I suddenly felt unprepared for whatever was happening.
Thinking of being well prepared, I decided to go and see if Susie and Chuck were up. Pulling on some jeans and sneakers and a sweater, I tiptoed next door.
Out in the hallway, the emergency lighting had turned on, a harsh, white light that spread out from floodlights above the exit stairwell, casting long
I paused and looked him in the eye, smiling, trying to convey my seriousness.
Sighing, I added, “I need to get some sleep.”
Chuck scratched his head and put his glass down on the kitchen counter.
“Me too. I’ll see you later, buddy.”
He walked over and hugged me, taking my glass from my hand. Susie got up to come and give me a kiss on the cheek.
“We’ll see you in the morning,” she whispered in my ear, hugging me tightly.
“Please go if he wants,” I whispered back.
Closing the door behind me as I left, I crossed the few feet of dimly lit hallway to quietly open our apartment door. Locking the door behind me, I crept into the bedroom, softly closing that door as well.
My whole world was lying on the bed in front of me. In the ghostly glow from the LED display on our bedside alarm clock, I could just make out the forms of Lauren and Luke curled up together. The room smelled humid and lived-in, like a nest, and that thought brought a smile to my face. I stood still and watched them, feeling the wonder and joy, their rhythmic breathing soothing my senses.
Luke coughed, and he took in two or three quick, deep breaths, as if he couldn’t breathe properly, but then he sighed and quietened down.
Silently, I stripped down and gently slid under the covers. Luke was in the middle of the bed, so I curled up around him, with Lauren on the other side. Leaning over, I brushed a lock of hair away from Lauren’s forehead and kissed her. She mumbled and I kissed her again, and then, with a deep breath, I pulled one of the pillows under my head and closed my eyes.
Everything is going to be fine.
Day 2 - Christmas Eve – December 24
7:05 a . m .
I AWOKE WITH a start.
My dreams were filled with confused images of angry men in forests. I was flying, my grip on Luke slipping, and Lauren was gone, sliding down a stairwell, down into the earth, while I floated and floated. A screaming pulled me out of the vision, layers of dreams snapping one from another, until I sat bolt upright in bed, gasping.
Breathing hard, I looked around.
It was pitch black. Wait, not totally black . A thin light hung like a gray halo around the outline of our bedroom curtains. Luke and Lauren were still beside me. Breathlessly, I leaned down to Luke.
He’s still breathing, thank God.
It was quiet. Lauren shifted slightly. Everything was fine.
Shivering, I pulled the covers around me and put my head back down on the pillow. Slowly, my heart stopped thumping, and a dead silence descended. It was too dark. I looked at the clock beside my head. It was off, totally blank. We must be having a power failure.
I picked up my cell phone from the night stand : 7:05 a.m.
It was early, and it was freezing.
Quietly, I slipped off the side of the bed, rummaged in the hamper for my bath robe, and then felt around on the floor for my slippers. Wrapping the robe around me, I shivered and exited the bedroom.
The main room of our apartment was equally dead. None of the familiar little lights, none of the glowing time displays on the appliances. The little Christmas tree on the side table was completely dark. Outside the windows, snow swept by in the muted half-light, the pressure of the wind against the glass the only thing audible, a dull thudding with each squall of flakes.
Walking over near our entranceway, I tapped the digital thermostat on the wall. It was also blank. I crept back into the bedroom and quietly pulled the guest blanket from the closet and laid it across Luke and Lauren, and then pulled out a sweater for myself. I suddenly felt unprepared for whatever was happening.
Thinking of being well prepared, I decided to go and see if Susie and Chuck were up. Pulling on some jeans and sneakers and a sweater, I tiptoed next door.
Out in the hallway, the emergency lighting had turned on, a harsh, white light that spread out from floodlights above the exit stairwell, casting long
Similar Books
