The Journal: Crimson Skies: (The Journal Book 3)
Read The Journal: Crimson Skies: (The Journal Book 3) Online
Authors: Deborah D. Moore
Tags: #prepper survivalist, #disaster, #dystopian, #end of the world, #prepper, #post apocalyptic, #weather disasters, #strong female lead, #apocalypse, #supervolcano
A PERMUTED PRESS BOOK
Published at Smashwords
ISBN: 978-1-61868-571-1
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-61868-572-8
THE JOURNAL: CRIMSON SKIES
Copyright © 2015 by Deborah D. Moore
All Rights Reserved
Cover art by Matt Mosley
This book is a work of fiction. People, places,
events, and situations are the product of the author's imagination.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historical
events, is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written
permission of the author and publisher.
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment
only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.
If you would like to share this book with another person, please
purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading
this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your
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this author.
Permuted Press
109 International Drive, Suite 300
Franklin, TN 37067
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I’d like to thank my Beta readers, Tom M. and Pam O.
Even though I can’t use your reviews, your insight, opinion and
critique mean everything to me.
The ladies on my Women’s Group have been key to
keeping me going and keeping me writing. Ladies, your encouragement
is priceless.
Thank you to my son Eric, who has kept me straight
and honest with everything military. Your twenty plus years
dedication to Uncle Sam makes me so very, very proud.
And a big thank you to my other son, Jason, who has
helped with all my construction concerns and for putting up with my
wild ideas on what and how something could be built with very
little.
I could never forget to thank Felicia Sullivan, my
editor, for straightening out some of my more chaotic thoughts and
for smoothing the rough edges of this story.
And last, but not least, thank you to my readers.
Without your continued support, I wouldn’t be writing yet another
glimpse into the life of Allexa Smeth. Book #4 is coming!
The Inertia of Glue
We prepare for what ever
may come our way
Hoping to survive just
one more day.
We buy, can, do, get, until there's
Room for no more
And when the stress goes up,
it's back to the store.
Swimming in glue -
Can't move onward, but don't dare stop.
Not going forward, but can't go back.
(what did I forget? what do I lack?)
Questions and doubts settle like a cool fog,
tightening the grip.
Where do we go from here?
What do we do now?
The inertia of glue.
You prep
You lay plans
Never knowing if they're the right plans
Because you want to never use them,
or do you?
We tell them...
I'm prepared to be wrong ~
Are you?
By Deborah D. Moore
This one is for my Mom and Dad. I miss you both.
The nation was brought to its knees in early
November with the devastating earthquake that ripped the country
apart at the New Madrid fault line. Thousands of lives were lost
and the actual count would never truly be known. When the shipping
lines were completely cut off from west to east, everyone felt the
impact, especially small towns like Moose Creek. The final blow
came when the power was cut in the middle of winter. Allexa Smeth
was activated in her once quiet role of township emergency manager.
Nothing would ever be the same for her again.
Spring brought relief from many problems that
plagued Moose Creek during that long and cold winter; gardens were
planted; children went back to school; life resumed. But Mother
Nature wasn’t done.
The New Madrid earthquake was devastating,
but the quake that woke up the seething caldera beneath Yellowstone
National Park was massive, and the results were nothing short of
catastrophic. The ash clouds that drifted across the country killed
hundreds of thousands of humans and animals alike, in a matter of a
week.
Allexa’s heart ached when John left again and
he knew that would happen. He also knew that Dr. Mark Robbins was
secretly in love with Allexa, and asked him to stay with her during
the dark time ahead.
Allexa Smeth was once again struggling to
save what was left of her family and her town.
JOURNAL ENTRY: July 29
I woke early, depressed that the ash from the
Yellowstone eruption has moved back in. While I was in the kitchen
making coffee, I was startled by the bright sunlight coming through
the glass door. Apparently the ash clouds last night were a fluke
or very small, either way I was delighted to see the sun
shining.
*
“What an amazing day it is!” Mark proclaimed
with unbridled enthusiasm, looking out the door to admire the
bright sun. He was suddenly somber. I turned to him, questioning
his unusual silence.
“Marry me,” he stated in all seriousness. “I
know it seems sudden …”
“Yes.”
“… but it’s not sudden to me. I— what did you
say?”
“I said yes, Mark. I’ll marry you.
Conditional on your answer to two questions: Do you love me? And
will you promise to never leave me?”
Mark took my hands and searched my face.
“Yes, Allex, I love you deeply, so much so it surprises me. As for
leaving you, it will be ‘until death do us part’.”
I grinned with excitement. “Then yes, let’s
get married.”
“I do need to ask, Allex, why me? You turned
John down, after all you two had been through together.”
I didn’t need to think about my answer. “I
believe that as much as I loved John, and I still do, John is a
wanderer. I’m still not sure why he asked me, because he knows he
always leaves – always. Some part of me felt he asked out of
gratitude for taking him in last winter, and that’s not a good
reason to get married. I knew deep in my soul it wasn’t a forever
thing, and I want forever. With you it’s different. We
will
have a life together. Does that make sense?”
“Perfectly! When shall we do this?”
“Let’s go and talk to Pastor Carolyn
tomorrow, if that’s okay with you,” I replied. “Tonight we
celebrate.” I kissed the man that would become my husband. “Oh, and
we need to tell the boys.”
~~~
“Your m-mother and I… h-have made a
decision,” Mark stuttered.
“Mark asked me to marry him and I said yes,”
I finished.
Both Eric and Jason looked shocked, but not
as shocked as Amanda.
“Well, say something!” I said, aghast and
somewhat offended at their silence.
“Isn’t this rather sudden, Mom?” Jason said.
“I mean, you haven’t known each other very long, and have dated for
what, two weeks?”
“We’ve known each other for three months and
you can’t call living in the same house dating. The world has
changed, or haven’t you three noticed? I’m going to grab onto this
happiness I’ve found with Mark,” I said, disappointed at their
reaction.
“What if John comes back?” Amanda asked in a
small voice.
So that’s what this was about. “If John comes
back, which I don’t think he will, then he’ll find out that his
leaving had consequences. I love Mark and he loves me, and we’re
getting married. Now, do you three want to help us plan a
wedding?”
Eric stepped forward on his crutches and gave
me a hug, while extending his hand to Mark. “If you’re happy, Mom,
then we’re happy!”
July 30
“It does feel like we’re moving fast on this,
doesn’t it?” Mark commented over our lunch of soup.