Survival: After It Happened Book 1 Read Free Page A

diesel by trying to suck it through the piece of hose pipe, Neil showed him a better way by putting the whole pipe into the tank and putting his thumb over the end before drawing it out quickly. The repeated this until both trucks were full and they carried sixty litres of extra fuel taken from the rest of the stock vehicles.
    They’d gathered maps from the camping shop, but both Neil and Dan knew the area anyway. They decided to set up their temporary camp on the car park of a large nearby Morrisons. As they jumped in and started their new motors, Neil called out a warning over the radio.
    “I saw someone!” he said excitedly.
    Dan looked over to him and saw him pointing straight in front towards some bushes. He drove to the left and into the car park behind the bushes, just in time to see a flash of movement disappearing again behind an industrial unit.
    He got out and shouted to whoever it was, “Come back! We won’t hurt you, it’s ok…PLEASE…”
    Nothing.
    From what he could see he had no idea if it was male or female, young or old.
    They decided to leave a message anyway, and using spray paint they daubed instructions to come to the supermarket, giving directions and leaving the keys to the X5 there with a promise to help.
    As they drove, Neil called Dan on the radio again from his position behind as they dodged the abandoned cars.
    “Mate, there’s a caravan place down here on the left, shall we check it out?”
    “Plan” he replied, who actually hated caravans for a number of reasons.
    Neil had great fun, he moved a few of the smaller ones around and took the wheel clamps off two big caravans. He hitched them up to the Defenders, clearly having done this before, and gave Dan a quick lesson in towing. It would’ve been a valuable lesson, however he delivered it in the style of the quintessential travelling gentleman and he couldn’t really follow much of it.
    The word ‘Dags’ appeared once or twice and there was a mention of what to say if ‘da po-liss’ stop them, but Dan was laughing too much to take careful note by the end.
    They noted the site for a return trip to get more caravans and gas bottles, wishful thinking for finding more people they supposed. They towed both caravans to the supermarket and parked them up away from the main entrance, which was blocked with abandoned cars. Clearly someone had tried to break in; unsuccessfully by the look of things.
    They set about moving the abandoned cars clear, giving themselves space to set up the caravans. The beauty of driving a Defender was made clear; it was the big bully of car pushing.
    Neil was obviously experienced at setting up the fold out legs. Dan thought that caravan holidays probably meant family, so he kept very quiet.
    “I’ll go and finish the botch job on those doors” he called to Neil, who just waved irritably as he was busy winding down the weird leg things.
    Give me a tent any day, thought Dan.
    He had to use the hydraulic door spreader to get the doors open enough to prise the lock housings out, and was sweating and out of breath by the time he’d finished. He could smell the fruit and veg starting to go off already. A quick walk around the shop showed that there was enough food and water to last for months living in their caravans, he just wanted to find as many people as he could to join them.
    Maybe saving more people will wipe out the guilt of leaving her in bed where she died.
    When he got back outside Neil was finishing connecting the gas bottle to the last caravan and graced him with a loud, cockney “tadaa!”
    Dan in turn produced some tins of stewed steak and potatoes and a box of eggs; mountaineering spew it was again then.
    As they sat in folding chairs by their caravans eating dinner, they discussed the next day’s plans.
    “We need a lorry. Load it up with all the good stuff from here” said Neil
    Dan agreed that it was a good idea, they needed to find proper supply and scavenging vehicles if the thought