One

     Jamie and Glen sat in their new living room on the couch. There was no electricity but there was an impressive collection of emergency candles in the pantry that they had discovered right away. They knew these candles would be needed. Also in the pantry was a supply of food that would easily last for months. The cupboards were stocked full of food as well. They felt lucky and blessed upon this discovery. All the food they had brought with them or found they added to the pantry. On the grounds close to the back door they found a working well. It was full of clear, crisp water but they all knew it was probably contaminated with radiation and other unknown things. But that didn't matter to them. They weren't suffering from any of the radiation or other things so they weren't too worried. So after living here a week they were feeling like this place was home.

     Glen, Jamie and the grand kids all slept on the second floor where Glen thought it would be safer. There were two sets of stairs, one in front of the house and one in the back, a possible servants staircase they surmised. Thus they had two ways of escaping the second floor if it ever proved necessary. Shannon had a room on the second floor also while Kevin found a space for himself in the attic. Also on the property was an older ford pick-up with a full tank of gas, a 1970s model also, luck for them.

     On this day Glen and Jamie sat on the couch together with a couple screened windows open letting in the fresh air. It had been a week since they'd come to this place and they were all loving it here.

     “This is nice. It's so peaceful compared to the city.” Jamie said.

     “Yes it is. We're lucky to have made it here.” Glen said.

     “I'm glad you decided to leave the city.”

     “We wouldn't have survived in the city. Lucky we found that older model car.”

     Jamie nodded, “The kids seem better.”

     “A little rest goes a long way.”

     “It does.”

     Shawn and Kelley were looking much healthier since they'd come to live on the farm. With Shannon and Kevin always alert the kids were allowed to spend a little time each day outside but only close to the house. The fresh air was doing them good but both grandparents believed the was full of radiation and other viruses and chemicals that couldn't be healthy. But did it really matter? Everything in their environment was now contaminated and it didn't seem to be making any of them worse...so far at least. They were all altered by the radiation and what ever biological contaminates and other poisons the government had released into the air just prior to the nuclear explosions so what more harm could it really do them? Any of them for that matter.

     Jamie looked at Glen and smiled, “I'm glad we're here.” Then a sad look came over her face. Her voice was sad as well when she said, “If only Jerry and Samie could have made it.”

     Glen thought about their son and son's wife and sighed sadly, “Thank God we saved Shawn and Kelley.”

     Jamie nodded, smiling despite the pain she was feeling at the loss of her son and his wife.

Reviews

[Black Cat Fever]

Nice opening sequence. Interest level in this is high.

[Coyote Song]

Enjoyable. Interesting first chapter. There's enough here to keep this reader interested.

[Star Wolf]

Awesome! On to the next chapter.

[Wolf's Dark Song]

A excellent first chapter slowly laying the ground work for more to come. The hint of sadness from Jamie is foreshadowing pain to come. Fate isn't kind enough to let peace stand for long and in this world its more true than ever.

[Eric Cox]

Excellent write.

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. Brought back some old memories and thoughts. I did like the conversation and the new location. No weakness in the excellent chapter.
Coyote