Decay (Book 1): Civilization by Linus Locke

hint of sarcasm was found in Bradley’s voice. “Do you know exactly what house this shot came from? How long will it take to make it there?”
    “Like I said, I estimate it between three and four hundred yards. Our only real obstacles are going to be the devils trying to rip us apart. What are you thinking?”
    “I’m thinking I need to make my way back to Emalynn and Roger soon. Can I bring them here?”
    “Absolutely. I can go with you and cover your back. I have guns you can use if you’d like. I prefer to cut personally. My arsenal of gardening tools hasn’t let me down yet. There are several pistols and a shotgun I salvaged from some folks who wouldn’t be needing them anymore in that shelf over there.” Guillermo pointed to the corner of the room.
    “Thank you Guillermo.” Bradley walked over to the shelf. Not knowing much about guns, he picked a nice looking handgun. “I feel like I should tell you something. The ‘well trained man’ back at the news building, well he is just a lazy big shot in a corner office. He only survived because of the sacrifice of others. I’m glad you’re not that.”
    Emalynn sat against the wall looking out the window, her head resting on crossed arm. The gentle breeze swept across the green grass. The birds chirped as they swooped from tree to tree, as if they didn’t have a care in the world. The sun shone bright, as it almost always did.
    The black Subaru pulled into the driveway. Every time she saw it the commercials popped into her head. It was a nice car, but she wasn’t too fond of the idea of her parents giving it to her. The parents on the commercials always say they are leaving the Subaru to the child.
    Luckily for her, that didn’t happen. On her sixteenth birthday, her parents bought her blue Jeep Wrangler. It was a few years older, but she loved it. Her parents aren’t loaded, after all, and it was more then she expected. 
    She never put the top on it. Every weekend she would pick up Khloe and Amber, her two best friends, and head for the beach. The boys would always stop her and flirt, but she felt she had too much living to do. Boys would only bring drama.
    Jared Austin climbed out of the driver’s seat of the Subaru. His black suit made him look official. He was tall, with short brown hair, blue eyes, a lean body, and a very handsome face. Although he wasn’t a big player at the station, he presented himself with the pride of a man who works hard for his family.
    At sixteen, Emalynn was still always excited when her daddy comes home. Emalynn and her mother, Grace, had prepared Jared’s second favorite meal for supper. Tomorrow was his birthday, and they would make his favorite then. For tomorrow, Emalynn has a surprise visit to the office planned so she can bring him lunch.
    She stood up and stepped back from the window. Racing through the living room to the French style doors she almost knocked over a lamp. Her hands wrapped around the cool brass door knob. She opened both doors wide. The bright world came bursting in to greet her.
    As her eyes adjusted, she found that she was still sitting against the wall of the news building, staring out into the town. Her wet cheeks were a sign that she had been crying. She dozed off shortly after watching Bradley enter the bait shop across the street, and this is the last she would see him until he came back through.
    Her love for him rocked all of her senses. Even though he had told her that it wouldn’t work between them she still felt that he was the one for her. She did wonder from time to time if maybe he was right, and that her love for him was just teenage hormones or a survival instinct. In her heart, however, she knew their lives were meant to be shared.
    Until the day he realized that, she was perfectly content resting in his protective arms. With him watching over her she knew she would be safe and well taken care of. After all he had kept her alive this long. She couldn’t wait for him to make it