Annihilation (The Seamus Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

them? There are no phones in their village, so we are left to wonder.
    “Do you think there are other people out there who didn’t get sick?” Grace asks.
    “Let’s go drive around and see if we can find other survivors,” suggests Liam.
    “No. It’s late and dark, I don’t want to leave the house right now. We’ll go out tomorrow.” Without another word Dad is on his way to the kitchen, probably for more wine. I guess he deserves it.
    Grace and Liam return their semi-focus to the movie but my mind is off again.
    What if there are government agents patrolling the streets looking for survivors so they can eliminate them? Even if it is less sinister and they are looking to capture survivors to run tests and experiments on to find a cure, I’m scared. Would the scientific community sacrifice a family to find a cure for a larger portion of the population? Probably. Would they ask the family for permission? Probably not. I’m starting to think that this is not going to end well for me. Maybe catching the “killer cold” would have been preferable to what lies ahead.
    Again my thoughts of conspiracy are interrupted. This time it’s the phone buzzing. Dad never hung up after the call with Uncle Ryan. But Grace is up and straightening things in the family room. It’s no surprise that she has pulled herself together. Silently she crosses to the phone and hangs it up. As if related and on cue, the screen from the kitchen chimes to indicate an incoming Skype call.
    The Skype call is not answered immediately and Grace heads to the kitchen to see if Dad is still in there. After a minute the chiming stops and I hear Grace shout with joy. “Mom!”
    We are all very happy to have Mom on screen and not only talking with us but also looking at us. Grace tells her that we did not go to school today. Liam shares that one of the chickens looks like she lost some feathers and I ask about her flights. Not only was she not able to reschedule, they weren’t even answering the phones at the airline. We are all aware of the extent of the death in the world, but it still hasn’t sunk in that this changes the way things work. I don’t know where he was, but Dad finally comes into the kitchen to join the conversation.
    “Any luck with the flights?” he asks casually.
    “No. But there is something I want to talk with you about,” Mom answers, and looks at us kids like she does not want to speak while we are present.
    “Guys, could you excuse us?” Dad says to all of us, but looks directly at me.
    We all say goodbye to Mom , but none of us leave the kitchen. There is awkward silence all around. We are all practically adults; they should let us in on whatever is going on. In the new world, we need to be aware of everything. I look over at Grace and see a tear streaming down her face.
    “When are we going to see you again? I don’t like you being in California; I want you here with us!” Grace is speaking louder than normal but only to fight through the tears.
    Liam is crying too, but silently. “I love you, Mom,” comes out, barely audible.
    “I can’t deal with all of them by myself, Mom. I need you with us so everything works right.” I’m trying to be funny but I want to burst out in tears. I don’t want Mom to be okay, I need her to be okay.
    “I love you all so much.” It’s Mom’s turn to cry. “I promise that I will be all right and we will all be together soon.”
    After some more tears and “ I love you ’s” we three kids turn to head back to the family room and resume the movie. Grace and Liam don’t pause in the door and head right for the couch. I wait just past the doorway, knowing from experience that you can hear the conversation from here but not be seen by either party. It’s wrong for me to listen in, but we are not planning a birthday party here.
    “Paddrick, you need to get out here right away.” I hear Mom’s voice; it is on the verge of tears.
    “I’m planning the drive out there now.