The Canyon: A Short Story (Voices of the Apocalypse Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

top and I whistle three times. We wait in the shadows, until a flash of light strikes our eyes, blinding us.
    “Joe sent us,” I call out toward the light.  
    A silhouette of a man steps closer toward us. “Mary and Lillian?”  
    “That’s us,” Lillian answers.
    The man aims his flashlight toward the dirt, and I can see again. He smiles warmly and extends his hand. “I’m John. Good to have you on board. Let’s get to camp. We’re just a few hundred yards away.”
    We follow John down a steep hill toward a campfire at the bottom. He introduces us to the group of six other people. Lillian doesn’t waste a second finding a spot next to a tree. She sets out her sleeping bag and gets inside it with Rags. I stand next to the fire with the other adults, and John hands me a hot cup of coffee.  
    I’m blown away by the kindness of these strangers. “Thanks,” I say, trying not to cry.  
    Part of me is so relieved to be here, but another part of me is terrified. I think back to that underground bunker in our neighbor’s yard. I wonder if we should’ve just stayed there. I know it’s only fear trying to creep its way into my thoughts. We need to band together with people like us. The bunker would’ve been safe, but not for long.
    “You’re probably wondering why on earth you’re standing in the woods with a bunch of strangers. Trust me; we all feel the same way. Seems crazy to run off to the woods,” John says.
    “It seems crazier to go to one of those emergency camps. I’m guessing we have a much higher survival rate. I don’t trust the ECCs for a second.”
    “That’s because you’re a smart woman. The fact that you made it here with your daughter shows you’re a survivor. And a fighter. It’s going to be a tough road ahead, but if we stick together, we can eventually overcome these bastards. Justice will prevail. We might not see it in our time, but our future generations will have a chance.”  
    John’s voice is so powerful; I catch myself nodding. Though I have no idea what the future holds, I feel like anything is possible. “How long will we stay in the canyon?” I ask.  
    John sips his coffee. “We’re not staying here.”  
    I’m shocked by this information and rocketed back into a state of fear. “Where are we going?”  
    “North. Eventually we’re going to start over. Rebuild our communities and create our own group to fight the elites. But first, we’re going to work on one of their plantations.”
    I’m not sure I’m hearing him correctly. “Did you just say plantation ?”
    “For now, the elites need the plantation to keep the food supply going until they complete the Los Angeles City Center. They’re using anyone who isn’t going to the ECCs and putting them to work as slaves. It’s not ideal, but it will serve a purpose.”
    I stare into the flames, wondering why John would think becoming slaves would be a good thing. I’m starting to question my decision about coming to the canyon. “What purpose? I don’t understand. Maybe I’m missing something, but why in God’s good name would we work for the elites? If we wanted to do that, why not just turn ourselves in at the ECCs?”  
    “The emergency camps are death traps, you know that. Our plan works on two levels. While we’re working on the plantations, we can infiltrate the system and gather intelligence. At the same time, we’ll learn how to farm and start storing seeds, equipment, and livestock. When we have enough, we’ll escape. We can start building our own free community. But it will be slow and strategic process.”
    John’s plan sounds legit, but I’m struggling. “How will we get off the plantation? I recall a time in our history when that wasn’t so easy.”
    “We’ll be gathering everything we need to break out: weapons, tools, and whatever else we can use. We have a headquarters close by with someone stationed there, who will be our connection to the outside world.” John puts his arm