Read Online Resurrection (Apocalypse Chronicles Part II) by Laury Falter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laury Falter
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was a mailbox and a dirt road, and finally a house, set on a flat dirt parcel in the middle of the trees.
The car came to a stop but Harrison kept the engine running as he opened the door. I was sitting up by then.
“You’re planning on going in alone?” I asked, happy to have my fluid voice back.
“How much ammo do you have left?”
I dropped the magazine, pressed on the spring and discovered what he probably already knew.
“One.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “And you want to waste it protecting me?”
Knowing I wasn’t going to win that argument with him, given our opposing views on the subject of preserving his life, I opened my door and stepped out. By the time I was on my feet, the remaining doors in the car swung open. Doc stood up and scrutinized the house. Beverly came into view, settling the metal rod on her shoulder, preparing to go to bat.
“We protect you, remember?” Mei said, emerging to send an accusatory look at Harrison.
His shoulders fell slightly in opposition but he realized there was no convincing us to stay behind and save ourselves. The very thought of it sounded cowardly to me.
In concession, he gestured to the car. “Keep the doors open. We might need to run back if we find anyone in there.”
He stopped us again halfway to the house and whispered a single set of instructions. “Hand signals.” From then on, we split our focus between Harrison’s motions and the two-story farm house.
It was quiet as we approached, only the crunch of dirt below our feet and a chilly breeze murmuring through the leafless tree branches broke the silence. Even the crow that squawked at us seemed alone.
We circled the house, peering through the windows for any sign of movement. Once reassured, we entered through the back door of the kitchen.
It was uncluttered, decorated in a style you would see in a magazine for country living. Only two elements felt out of place. The musty smell and the particles of dust our entrance kicked up, which drifted in and out of the broken rungs of light filtering through the wooden blinds. It felt as if no one had been inside in a very long time.
We moved single-file through the kitchen, checking the small bathroom off the hallway and the cozy family room before stopping at the stairs. There, Harrison’s shoulders rose with a deep inhale before he turned around.
“It’s safe,” he declared.
“No one’s upstairs?” Doc pressed.
Harrison smirked and pointed to his nose.
That seemed good enough for him. “If the nose knows…,” Doc grumbled and started for the kitchen. “Wonder what kind of food they have in here…”
“Hopefully canned food,” Mei muttered, following him.
Beverly eyed the stairs, pondering out loud, “Wonder what kind of clothes they have in here…”
I was sure she’d go searching for an answer but hunger won this time and she headed for the kitchen.
Harrison and I were left alone, but I didn’t move.
“The blinds are open,” I pointed out, inferring someone might be returning soon despite the dust and stuffiness.
“An oversight as they left the house for the city,” Harrison said, pointing to the mantel over the fireplace. On it, sat a row of mismatched framed photographs, one with a picture of the house in the background and a frame chiseled with ‘There’s no bad day when you’re on vacation…The Nielsen Family Abode’.
When I looked up, Harrison was observing me. “Your dad really did train you for every scenario, didn’t he?”
I grinned back at him.
“He would be impressed with you, Kennedy.”
“You think?”
He grinned and started back in the direction of the others, but he took the time to answer me over his shoulder. “ I am…”
At those two simple words, a tickle of excitement ran through me. To impress someone who greatly outperformed me on every level was flattering, and encouraging. The tickle came rushing back when I entered the kitchen and found Harrison leaning against the countertop,
The car came to a stop but Harrison kept the engine running as he opened the door. I was sitting up by then.
“You’re planning on going in alone?” I asked, happy to have my fluid voice back.
“How much ammo do you have left?”
I dropped the magazine, pressed on the spring and discovered what he probably already knew.
“One.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “And you want to waste it protecting me?”
Knowing I wasn’t going to win that argument with him, given our opposing views on the subject of preserving his life, I opened my door and stepped out. By the time I was on my feet, the remaining doors in the car swung open. Doc stood up and scrutinized the house. Beverly came into view, settling the metal rod on her shoulder, preparing to go to bat.
“We protect you, remember?” Mei said, emerging to send an accusatory look at Harrison.
His shoulders fell slightly in opposition but he realized there was no convincing us to stay behind and save ourselves. The very thought of it sounded cowardly to me.
In concession, he gestured to the car. “Keep the doors open. We might need to run back if we find anyone in there.”
He stopped us again halfway to the house and whispered a single set of instructions. “Hand signals.” From then on, we split our focus between Harrison’s motions and the two-story farm house.
It was quiet as we approached, only the crunch of dirt below our feet and a chilly breeze murmuring through the leafless tree branches broke the silence. Even the crow that squawked at us seemed alone.
We circled the house, peering through the windows for any sign of movement. Once reassured, we entered through the back door of the kitchen.
It was uncluttered, decorated in a style you would see in a magazine for country living. Only two elements felt out of place. The musty smell and the particles of dust our entrance kicked up, which drifted in and out of the broken rungs of light filtering through the wooden blinds. It felt as if no one had been inside in a very long time.
We moved single-file through the kitchen, checking the small bathroom off the hallway and the cozy family room before stopping at the stairs. There, Harrison’s shoulders rose with a deep inhale before he turned around.
“It’s safe,” he declared.
“No one’s upstairs?” Doc pressed.
Harrison smirked and pointed to his nose.
That seemed good enough for him. “If the nose knows…,” Doc grumbled and started for the kitchen. “Wonder what kind of food they have in here…”
“Hopefully canned food,” Mei muttered, following him.
Beverly eyed the stairs, pondering out loud, “Wonder what kind of clothes they have in here…”
I was sure she’d go searching for an answer but hunger won this time and she headed for the kitchen.
Harrison and I were left alone, but I didn’t move.
“The blinds are open,” I pointed out, inferring someone might be returning soon despite the dust and stuffiness.
“An oversight as they left the house for the city,” Harrison said, pointing to the mantel over the fireplace. On it, sat a row of mismatched framed photographs, one with a picture of the house in the background and a frame chiseled with ‘There’s no bad day when you’re on vacation…The Nielsen Family Abode’.
When I looked up, Harrison was observing me. “Your dad really did train you for every scenario, didn’t he?”
I grinned back at him.
“He would be impressed with you, Kennedy.”
“You think?”
He grinned and started back in the direction of the others, but he took the time to answer me over his shoulder. “ I am…”
At those two simple words, a tickle of excitement ran through me. To impress someone who greatly outperformed me on every level was flattering, and encouraging. The tickle came rushing back when I entered the kitchen and found Harrison leaning against the countertop,
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