Edge of Fear: An EMP Post-Apocalyptic Survival Prepper Series (American Fallout Book 3) by Alex Gunwick (rooftoppers .txt) 📕

before the bombs fell, bubbled to the surface of his mind as he stepped in his mother’s footprints in the snow. He used to have to run to keep up with her because he’d been so small. But he wasn’t a little boy anymore. Another growth spurt or two, and he would be as tall or taller than his mother.

Keeping up with her was easy now. In fact, he’d been walking ahead of her more than she liked. She scolded him and forced him to follow a step behind. Of course, then he’d get distracted and fall back, which sent her into a near panic. Only her threat to make him hold her hand made him pay attention and keep close.

In a way, he understood. Sierra was already gone. His mom would want to keep a close eye on him, so he didn’t get lost too.

Ever since he’d swung that ax into the bad guy’s back his mother had treated him differently. Almost as if she were a little bit afraid of him.

He didn’t see what the big deal was. He wasn’t the problem child. Hadn’t he proven himself already? Why did she still treat him like a little kid?

This was the third day in a row he and his mother had gone out to search for Sierra. Kyle was quite furious with her for running off. His father said there were many preparations to be made if the family were to survive winter in the mountains. Instead, the whole family had to be out in the snow to look for his stupid sister.

Sierra hadn’t always been a selfish twit. When she was still a kid like him, she was one of the brightest girls in her class. She’d taught Kyle how to read and had graciously helped him with his homework. He loved that version of Sierra.

But then she went to high school. Suddenly it wasn’t cool to talk about Godzilla or skateboarding. She only wanted to talk to kids her age about sex and drinking. High school ruined his sister. Maybe she would have stood a chance if she hadn’t turned out to be so pretty. She’d gone from being the smart girl to the pretty girl. She soaked up all the attention from her classmates, especially the boys. She didn’t have time to read with Kyle anymore. She hardly even spoke to him. It sucked.

Kyle realized he’d fallen a dozen paces behind his mother while lost in thought. He hastened to catch up. He didn’t want to be forced to hold her hand. And it was a good thing, too, because he caught her in the middle of a question.

“—you see any of those berry bushes I showed you the other day? The berries are edible even when green. You haven’t seen any, have you?”

“Ah, no, I haven’t seen those.” Kyle heaved a heavy sigh. “My feet hurt. How much longer do we have to be out here?”

His mother turned his way with a sharp glare but never slowed her pace.

“Until we find Sierra. Is that clear?”

“Crystal clear.” Kyle knew better than to argue with that tone.

They trudged on in silence as they moved steadily up the mountain. They’d chosen one of the winding trails they hadn’t checked yet. Every once in a while, he could hear deer. They bounded off in the brush, so he never got a clear look at them, much less a chance for a shot. Too bad.

His parents were worried about food, which was why he’d brought along his rifle. It felt good to have it with him again. The camo pattern worked well in the woods. He also had a full camo outfit, courtesy of his dad.

He was a good shot. At the firing range, he was able to out point his father a few times. Kyle often wondered if his father let him win, but whatever, he could still take down a deer if given the chance. One shot to the head, so the animal wouldn’t have to suffer. That was very important. His father also stressed how important it was to finish off your kill. It was cruel to injure an animal and then let it run off to suffer and die slowly. Once you pulled the trigger, a commitment was made that had to be honored.

Honor and duty.

Kyle sighed. He wanted his father to be proud of him. He also wanted his mother to treat him like a competent, contributing member of the team.

They took a break on a ridge that overlooked a swath of forest. Overcast skies muted the normally vibrant green foliage. Most of the trees and grass were covered in snow. It was super weird to get snow up here. He’d overheard his dad worrying about nuclear winter, whatever that was. If they didn’t have so much stuff to do, they could make snowmen and go sledding. Maybe later, after they’d found Sierra and after he’d finished his chores.

They stopped to take a break. While his mother chewed on dried fruit, he sat on a rock to retie his boots. When he was about to stand up again, a slight movement caught his attention.

As he peered intently into the nearby woods, Kyle’s eyes widened as he beheld a clutch of rabbits in a small hollow. The bushes grew dense on three sides of the hollow, which meant the rabbits had to run past him in order to escape.

Kyle’s heart pounded in his chest, but he willed himself to be calm. The difference made by his rushing blood could throw off his aim, and a rabbit was a small target. He moved at a snail’s pace as he retrieved his rifle. He didn’t want to spook them.

He took aim down the scope and flipped off his safety. The rabbits were less than twenty feet away, point blank for this model of rifle. He sighted in on the biggest rabbit. Kyle took a breath, held it, and squeezed the trigger.

The shot cracked the frigid air, and the