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said, “Let’s check out the other directions.”
    They followed the platform to the north, east, and south. In each case it was the same, near total darkness broken by the occasional light from a home with a generator.
    â€œWe can tell Perkins exactly how widespread this is at tomorrow’s meeting,” he said.
    â€œA meeting we weren’t invited to.”
    â€œMost everything is out as far as we can see, which from this vantage is a complete 360. Bryant’s men might have driven farther, but they wouldn’t have been able to confirm what was happening in every direction.”
    â€œHow does that help us?”
    â€œWe know we’re not in this alone.” He glanced at Shelby and as usual decided to be brutally honest with her. “With everyone in the same boat, there are going to be some people who try to take what few supplies we have.”
    â€œYou mean—”
    â€œI mean that we need to start thinking about defense, because I don’t see the US government sending in reinforcements anytime soon. Do you?”
    They both glanced toward the military base to the east. It was too far away to see, but it was there. Were they also in the dark? Or were they better prepared? And what was their priority—ensuring the safety of the towns around them or protecting their country from outsiders? The dozens of questions Max had held at bay crashed over him in waves. He needed to check on his parents, but first he had to make sure that Shelby and Carter were going to be okay. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but sometime in the last five years he’d decided that he was personally responsible for their welfare. Shelby might insist they were fine alone, but Max wasn’t going anywhere until he was sure that was true.
    She stared up at him, a question on her lips and concern coloring herexpression, when a blast shattered the quiet of the night, followed immediately by the roar and rumbling of fire.
    They leaped to their feet, ran around the platform, and stopped on the south side.
    â€œIt’s near the high school,” Shelby whispered.
    â€œThere’s an electrical substation a quarter mile past the football field.”
    â€œThere was.”
    As they watched, an Abney fire truck raced toward the blazing inferno, lights flashing and siren screaming.
    â€œHow do I do this?” Her voice was forlorn, and she turned away from him. “How do I protect Carter in a world that no longer makes sense?”
    â€œI don’t know. I honestly don’t.” He reached for her hand and held on even when she tried to pull away. “But I do know you’re not in this alone. We’ll find a way, Shelby. Together, we will find a way.”

E LEVEN
    T he sound of Max’s truck pulling into the driveway woke Carter from a deep sleep. He was surprised to see sunshine pouring in his window, and then he remembered he’d opened the blinds the night before to better see the aurora.
    The aurora.
    He grabbed his phone off the nightstand, touched the power button, and waited.
    No service.
    Of course there wasn’t. For a few minutes before falling asleep, he’d allowed himself to pretend that by morning everything would be back to normal. Clearly that wasn’t the case. With a groan of frustration, he powered off the phone.
    Rolling out of bed, he pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and then hurried from his room. His mom was still asleep. The sight of her curled into a ball on top of her bed calmed something in Carter’s heart. She must have come home late, as she hadn’t bothered to change her clothes or pull down the covers. But she was home, which probably meant the world hadn’t ended yet. She would never sleep through such an event. She’d probably take notes.
    He made a pit stop by the bathroom, wondering if he should use water to flush the toilet or even brush his teeth. He decided no to the first and yes to the