The End of the World Boo Two

Book Two

Survival, Escape, Evasion and a Torch is Passed and Received.

The World's End Series is an exploration of the apocalypse and survival of humanity. The original author, OnePaige completed

Book One of this series

in nine parts. I have kindly received permission from this great author to continue the story.

It is my sincere hope that I do the story justice and that you enjoy it. I encourage you to check out the originals to understand where this really begins. So, without further ado here is the beginning of Book Two.

"Yep, eighteen years, rank of SMES8, mostly air logistical support training for the corps going overseas the last couple of years."

"Wait!" gasped Delandra, "Did you say SMES8?"

"Shit," I spat, "that's a rank?"

"Yeah, one above SMES7?" she said sarcastically.

Why had that bit of conversation drifted into my dreams? "Come on Jack, your burning daylight "said Sandy as the aroma of fresh Coffee smacked me in the nose.

"Here, get it in you! We got shit to do. I have scoured the perimeter, and it looks as though there was a scuffle at one end of a garden patch. Hope you like it black because we don't have any time to waste on cream and sugar, if we are going to find your family."

"Wait you did a perimeter search by yourself?" I asked in a fuzzy brained manner, not sure yet that I was even awake enough to understand anything more than... coffee.

"Yeah. It was kind of like your dick this morning. It wasn't that hard, and your perimeter isn't that big. I have had much larger" Sandy said with one of the first smiles I could remember her bestowing on me.

Well at least she made the coffee today I thought and then I took the first sip. Wow! Yeah, this was the military coffee I had heard about! Ten gallons of water and a chainsaw to stir it. To say it was "thick" was too thin of a description!

I was now awake! Choking on the coffee, mind you but... but definitely awake! "Fuck Me!" I exclaimed as I choked and sputtered from the bite of the extra bitter, tar black liquid.

"I would, but we don't have time right now! Come on get your kit on. Let's move!" Sandy growled as she grabbed her pack again and strode out of the door taking quick decisive steps toward the garden.

Scratching my beard as I dressed, I wondered what it was she had found and how I could have missed it last night.

I found Sandy crouched down studying the ground out side of the protective fence that Dad and I had constructed.

"Looks like four maybe five heavy set men with military style boots. and two women had a bit of a struggle here. One of the women is either... really tall or she is extra heavy. The other one is kind of small statured from the size of the prints." Stated Sandy as she slowly moved in a hovering sort of manner about the scene.

The scene made absolutely no sense to me. I wondered how she could make all of those details out from a few muddy prints in the ground.

"The women went this way." Sandy said pointing towards the northwest side of the mountain. "The men went that way." she now pointed in a north easterly direction. "Four of the men were dragging something really heavy." She said as she followed the path that had been created by whatever they had been dragging. It was now very obvious to me that what Sandy had said was true. It led out to a large clearing several miles from the house to an asphalt helicopter landing pad, I hadn't known about.

"Someone was injured." Sandy now stated, as she held up some bits of green plastic. "Whoever these people are, they have access to military grade medical supplies." Sandy now prowled around the large asphalt square with the faded white and broken markings. "They have access to a large bird. I'm thinking more than likely a CH-47 Chinook, CH-46 Sea Knight, or CH-53 Jolly Green Giant from the looks of the beating these saplings took."

It was then that I noticed the heavy amounts of dust on the trees and most of the saplings were devoid of leaves. Is that what she meant? I had to know how she could put all of this together.

"Sandy, what makes you think this? How did you pick up this trail? I mean it sort of makes sense what your saying, but how can you be certain?" Trying not to irritate her but still finding it hard to believe what she had said to be true.

Expecting her to be angry, I was surprised when she smiled and said "I wasn't totally honest with you Jack. I didn't completely trust Delandra. So, I only told you half the truth. I was an Airforce air logistical support specialist when I joined the military 15 years ago. I was involved in training people. But... it wasn't in air logistical support operations. I was one of the Master Sergeant Instructors at the Airforce Survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base, in Washington state. I was enroute to join up with the Army's version of the survival school at Camp Mackall, in North Carolina. Every couple of years we will swap instructors. I was on the Senior Master Sergeant promotion list for E-8, and I probably would have been picked up for that rank, after my tour with the Army.

However, when I got to Fort Bragg or Liberty, as some puss-headed civilians have started calling it, anyway long story short, absolutely no one was there except for Joe. The house where he is buried was his boyhood home. Joe had gone to Fort Bragg, to see if there was anybody left of his old unit.

There wasn't anyone on the entire post! Not even Pope air field had anyone. I found the shotgun laying in the front seat of a Military Police vehicle and decided it was mine. Obviously, nobody objected." she now said with a wink.

"Yeah but how did you pick out that trail so easy?" I asked now astounded that I really had been mating with a real no joke Amazon warrior!

"I learned to track from my dad and grandad in the mountains of Northern Georgia, and the Bitterroot mountains in Montana and Idaho. Now enough of story time. Let's see if we can find where the women went!" Sandy now moving so fast I had to jog to catch up to her.

My stomach growled over the lack of breakfast. Sandy just kept going and going. Holy cow! This woman would run the energizer bunny into the ground! I sure as hell, didn't want to chase her anymore either. She kept up a really fast walking clip, If I hadn't already experienced her feminine charms and knew them in such an intimate fashion, I would swear I was trying to keep up with, one of those super macho Olympic cross country. Iron man, triathlon dudes. Sweat was pouring off of me now. I needed water.

"Hey Sandy, can we hold up for a minute and swing by the house for some water?" I panted while wiping the salty exertion out of my eyes.

She suddenly spun around, grabbing me by the back of my head before whispering "No, not now" as she then swept my feet out from under my legs and dropped me face down. Milliseconds before, I heard the zipping sound of the world's biggest mosquitos, as they hailed above me on their way to smack the sap out of the hardwoods behind me. "Stay down, Jack" Sandy had said over the popping of a hundred really loud firecrackers.

My heart was now pounding. Oh shit! What did we get into? Was the thought going through my brain, as I realized I had just been shot at, by someone with the intention killing me!

I looked up to where Sandy should have been and didn't see her. Finally spotting her fifty yards ahead. I saw Sandy crouching and then leap at the backside of a really large pine tree. I heard a woman shriek then another Pop pop...pop. Followed by "You little Bitch!" from Sandy and then the sound of someone being smacked around. Then there was the sound of a shot gun slide being racked back and my mothers voice. "Let her go or I will blow you to the next kingdom come!"

I sprang forward at that sound yelling as I advanced. "Mom! Mom! Mom... don't shoot... she's with me!" Sprinting as fast as I could through the over grown brush, my kilt not really designed for running at top speed through the woods. I got snapped in the balls a couple of times. Damn! Those old school Scottish Highlanders were tough men I thought as I tried to regain my breath.

"Jack? Is that really you?" came the sound of Beths voice from behind the really big pine tree and then the sound of my mother saying, "I really don't care who she is with, let her go and let her go right now!" my mother was practically screaming at Sandy. I was sure of it now.

As I slowly advanced around the same side of the tree that Sandy had used I saw my mother. I knew if I startled her, she might accidentally shoot someone so I had to act quicker than she could. I threw a rock over her head, and it crashed in that direction. Mother turned to engage the perceived threat and that is when I now leaped from my hiding spot. I seized both her and the gun. "Let go Mom. it's me Jack. Let go of the weapon." I said softly in her ear before I kissed her neck.

"Oh Jack!" Mom said as she relinquished control of the weapon, before spinning in my arms and hugging me around my neck.

I looked over to where Sandy had placed Beth face down in the dirt. Beth's arm remained twisted around her back. Sandy had secured the smaller woman with one hand, while the other one continued holding the AK 47 rifle, that Beth had fired in our direction.

I noticed that Beth had several healing over, scratches on the outside of her arms as well as on her legs. I wanted to know how she had come by these. When I left there were no blemishes anywhere on the little Asian woman.

"Sandy this is Beth. You can let her up now." I said with a smile.

"Where is Delandra?" asked Beth as she got to her knees and then stood rubbing the arm that Sandy had bent behind her back. As Sandy dropped the magazine, clearing the chamber before placing the weapon on safe. I did the same thing to the shotgun discovering as I did so, that the shot gun was completely unloaded.

"Wow! Well, played mother. Another good reason that Dad said you were a challenge to play poker with. That was one hell of a bluff!" I said with a reluctant grin.

"Well I couldn't risk killing my grand baby now could I?" said Mom as I looked at Beths lower belly. It was definitely showing the results of our endeavors to repopulate the earth. Likewise, my mother was incredibly heavy now and looked as though she would pop at any second.

"Sandy, this is my mother, Melonie" I said just as I started to feel the temperature drop in rapid fashion. Both my mother and Sandy said, "We need to seek shelter now!"

Mom immediately turned around and stuck her hand behind the bush that was plastered up against the mountain's rock wall. "Beth it's stuck again! Give me a hand." said my mother. With that plea, rainless hail began to assault us in small pellets that continued to grow in size with each passing minute. I as yet couldn't see what the two of them were working on, but I heard what sounded as though they had pushed a wooden door across a concrete slab. I felt someone grab my arm and felt another someone push me from behind through the entrance as a really big piece of ice hit me in the head. Nearly knocking me unconscious as I stumbled into the warmer chamber as the steel rebar reinforced plywood door first swung shut and then I heard Beth say, "Come on Jack, we cant keep it open forever." Followed by someone once again grabbing my hand and pulling me forward. I felt hands on my waist now as I stumbled forward in the complete darkness of this cavern? Mine? Bunker? God only knows what to call this place. I thought, just as my eyes started to make out the glowing seems of a rectangle with rounded edges...I was blinded by the rectangle exploding into brilliant white light.

I tripped into a well carpeted and comfortably warm dining room of what could have been a luxury hotel from the early 1930's.

"Okay Jack where is Delandra?" Said my mother as she pressed a button on what I took to be a TV remote. There was a hissing sound and a voice like Alexa announced.

Southern Door is now sealed. Checking all entrances. Standby for Cross Check. Security Cross check in 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Cross Check Complete. All Entry Ways are Now Sealed and Secure. Pressurization and stabilization fully engaged.

Welcome Home Commander.

I explained to my mother how Delandra was waiting for us off of the mountain, in Middlesboro at the Home Depot. We explained that Middlesboro had far more resources and space for all of us than we currently have up here on the mountain. I explained that Sandy had come back with me to help us move our little clan from here in the mountains where the living is hard, to somewhere more advantageous to us.

"I think you need to tour the facility first. Then we will take a vote, as to whether we move without your father or we stay here and wait for his return." My mother said as she eyed Sandy suspiciously.

"Where is Dad? I asked as I looked around the first room. It was obviously a very large room that was meant to feed more than Just a hand full of people. Against one wall were extra chairs, and baby boosters along with a dozen high chairs. Their dark mahogany wood matched the other chairs in the room. I noticed the plush feeling of the dark maroon carpet as I walked toward what I assumed was the kitchen.

"Your Dad was taken against his will by what is left of our military forces. They have accused us of capturing or killing the scientists that were assigned to this research station, before the event. Your dad bravely fought all four of those jack booted thugs, they were going to seize myself and Beth as well. But between Your dad and Fiona that didn't happen" Mom said as I stepped into the cleanest, and largest industrial sized kitchen I had ever seen.

"Get your damned, muddy boots out of ma clean kitchen!" demanded the fiery haired, pale complected pixie with a mop in her hands. Her Scottish accent very apparent to my ears. Her, olive drab mechanics coveralls, a clear contrast to the location and giving no clear indication to her gender "Hi, you must be... oof!" was what I got out of my mouth before my belly became a rapid receiver of her mop.

"I spoke English, and I did nae stutter, Sir, oot of ma clean kitchen and off of ma clean floor with year' muddy boots!" She went to poke me with the mop again but this time I grabbed the handle and pulled it and her against me in such a manner that she couldn't use it as a weapon.

"My name is...OHMYGOD!" I stated as I started to crumple to the floor from the assault to my groin from her very accurate knee cap. A sudden push from her accomplished two things at once. It forced me to let go of the mophandle and effectively extracted me from the perimeter of the kitchen.

Once I had recovered my breath I was angry and charged into the kitchen, against my mother and Beths advice. How dare she attack me? Was the thought I had right before I heard an electrical sort of crackle from behind me and every part of my body froze in pain, right before the world went black!

"Yeah. Well... Maybe... Let's see how he feels first. He was seriously dehydrated and really using a taser on him was totally uncalled for. At least in my opinion, it was overkill." stated Sandy as my vision cleared and the room came back into focus I noticed the room was far different now. It looked more like a hospital room. My arm hurt near the elbow, and I had a long thin, clear tube that was attached to an equally clear bag full of some sort of clear liquid, sticking in it.

"How you feeling Jack?" asked Sandy as she looked at a large analogue clock on the wall.

"Where the hell am I, Sandy?" I asked as I realized that Sandy didn't smell as rank and rancid, from the trail, as she had earlier and she was wearing new looking, forest green, hospital scrubs. They really flattered her figure, and I felt myself rising to the occasion.

"You answer my question first, Jack. Then, I will answer yours." Sandy stated in a monotone even way. As though she didn't want to upset anyone by not answering the question.

"Come here nurse Sandy, and I'll show you how I feel" I said as I smiled and moved to grab her. Now discovering that I couldn't move my arms from my sides.

"No Jack. Thats not going to be an acceptable way to answer my question. You have been restrained for your own protection. Now how do you feel? She once again asked with that same aggravating tone of authority that my mother used.

"I'm not thirsty as hell anymore, and I have to empty my bladder!" I answered in a slightly frustrated tone I then said "If that is what you wanted to know. Now once again, where the hell are we? And why am I restrained?"

"You were dehydrated, and suffering from a mild case of heat exhaustion. The fact that Fiona tazed you after kicking you in the balls didn't help with your mental state. You were entirely too combative when I put the I.V. in your arm. You attempted to remove it from your body insisting that I was trying to drain your life blood, because I'm a vampire that is guilty of killing the energizer bunny. "

She laughed while shaking her head

"Confused behavior is one of the hall marks of a heat injury. If your ready to behave yourself, then I will release you from the straps and we can see about letting you relieve yourself, and getting you breakfast after you shower." Sandy said this as she undid the buckles of the four inch wide leather straps.

"Breakfast?" I said once again confused as it had been well after lunch time when we stepped into this place wherever or whatever it was.

"Yes Breakfast, Jack. Just don't step into the kitchen again. As long as you have nuts don't venture into that area. It is a restricted area as far as Fiona is concerned." Sandy warned with a smile and a kiss on my forehead. "Now to answer your other question. This is one of the United States Government's former Nuclear Warfare Survival Centers and you are in the hospital ward."

"Really?" I replied in astonishment.

"Yes really! Now the latrine is just past this curtain on the right hand side. Let me remove the I.V. from your arm so that we don't have to worry about dragging that along."

Sandy went about placing the gauze over the injection site, removing the needle and placing the self-adhering drab colored tape around my arm to help keep it in place. Mere fractions of a second later, I leapt from the hospital bed.

Completely naked, save for the bandage I ran to "the whatever it was she had called it". and used the first urinal available. Wow! What a relief that was! I almost felt guilty about not watering the garden with as much as I had produced. Almost.

I finished and walked out of the restroom to meet both my mother and Sandy talking in the hallway. "Yeah so as I was saying I wasn't sure until this morning when I was puking again. I thought that my lack of appetite was from losing Joe, but that test confirms that Joe hit his target before he bailed out. Which is good to know there will be apart of him still left in the world." Sandy now said as a tear rolled out of her eye on its path down her cheek.

"I know hun, but isn't it good to know, you don't have some horrible illness that you can pass on to one of us?" Said my mother with a broad smile as she hugged Sandy as best as she could with her incredibly distended belly.

"Oh! Was...Was that one of them kicking you? Asked Sandy in the most girly manner I had ever seen out of her. Sandy's eyes wide now as she backed away placing her hand on my mother's writhing belly.

"Yes, it is!" my mother said. "I think they are jockeying for starting position or they are having a disagreement about where the furniture should go. I just wish they would stop using my bladder for a trampoline!" Groaned my mother as her eyes crossed for a few seconds, before she pushed me out of the way, as she headed for the restroom that I had just vacated.