In a World Gone Dark, Hope Lights the Way

Posted on Jul 05, 2016 Topic : Fiction

When the world is plunged into darkness due to a massive solar flare, Max Berkman is suddenly thrust into a leadership role in his small town of Abney, Texas. Max's ex-sweetheart, Shelby Sparks, has only one concern—how to provide for her diabetic son, Carter, now that food and medical supplies are scarce. Max and Shelby climb to higher ground in order to assess the situation...

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When Max pulled off the pavement and parked in front of the city water tower, Shelby made no move to leave the truck. They both craned their necks to look up at the tall structure, which looked oddly like a large golf ball on top of a tall tee.

“Want to tell me what we’re doing?”

“We’re going to climb the tower.”

“Climb?”

“Unless you see an elevator, which wouldn’t work anyway because there’s no electricity.”

“Maybe I’ll wait here.” Shelby pulled her gaze from the tower to study him.

“You’re not going to let me go up there alone, are you?”

“So you want me to go with you?”

“We need a comprehensive view of the area.”

“And what do you expect we’ll see?”

“I have no idea, but I do know one thing.” He turned off the engine, opened his door, and tugged her hand, pulling her across the seat and out his side of the truck. “We’ll see more up there than we can down here.”

She shook her head, but she wasn’t saying no.

He let her climb first, thinking that if she slipped he could catch her. He shouldn’t have worried. She climbed the ladder like a monkey in a tree.

By the time he reached the top, Shelby was seated with her feet dangling and her arms hooked over the shorter of two rails.

He dropped down to sit beside her, trying to process what he was seeing. From one hundred and twenty feet up, the sight of the aurora was mesmerizing. The sky resembled a kaleidoscope. Shelby leaned over him, studying his face. Her impossibly curly black hair fell forward and onto his chest, and her warm brown eyes laughed at him.

He wanted to reach up and touch her face. He longed to pull her to him and forget about this cataclysmic event for a moment. But before he could make a move, Shelby was tugging on his hand, hauling him into a sitting position.

For the first time, Max’s gaze sought the horizon toward the west. As far as he could see, in every direction, there was near total darkness punctuated by very few lights. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

“It would be beautiful if it didn’t spell doom and destruction.”

Instead of arguing, he bumped his shoulder against hers. “I won’t let anything happen to you and Carter.”

“We’re fine.” She pushed her hair back out of her face. “I appreciate it. I do. But we’re fine.”

She stared up at him, a question on her lips and concern coloring her expression, 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.

“It’s near the high school,” Shelby whispered.

“There’s an electrical substation a quarter mile past the football field.”

“There was.”

As they watched, a fire truck raced toward the blazing inferno, lights flashing and siren screaming.

“How 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?”

“I 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.”

***

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