Compass Call: Survival & Awakening (The Gatekeeper Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

to add more to the log book. There was only three entries the entire night up to his shift, and he wanted more information. Since the onset of the disaster, no threat could, or should be underestimated.
    John didn’t own a dog; the Army made it difficult for him to do so, and the idea fell out of favor over the years. The kids managed to raise the subject of dog ownership at least once a month, but John and Jenna shunned the idea, saying it was like having another family member to care for, but one that needed to be fed and picked up after at all times. Still, he wanted his kids to have a dog like he did when he was young, and wondered if it was too late to even consider getting one. Dogs made for excellent early warning devices and protection, at least good dogs did anyway. Perhaps he could convince Jenna of their usefulness now that personal protection was a newly appreciated desire.
    When the two dogs passed out of sight, John made another entry in the logbook, and he was sure to note their direction of travel. He suspected the pair was owned by someone in the neighborhood, because it was rare to see stray dogs and cats in the neighborhood due to local coyotes, but anything was possible now. John wondered if the dogs simply got loose, or if they were abandoned, because both were common problems with pets during disasters.
    For John, the problem with loose dogs was that they tended to form into packs, and packs of hungry dogs, especially those that had no fear of humans, could easily attack and kill a grown man. The dog John met while walking to Corbin’s was friendly, but that would change with every passing day, when food became harder to find. John counted the days when he last saw the lone dog in the ash coveredstreet of his neighborhood. It was only three days ago, but it seemed like a much longer period of time.
    John’s mind turned to his job, of sitting quietly in his downtown Fort Worth office typing away at his computer. It was strange to think about what he would be doing right then if the eruption hadn’t occurred. He figured he’d be driving to work. Probably making his way through frustrating commuter traffic, mentally preparing himself to respond to the needs of investors, worrying about their money, and longing for the weekend. It still amazed him how everything had changed so quickly, but he had been mentally and physically ready for it. Few people were as ready as John was, but he knew that could change in a moment now that the disaster was upon them. They were all alike, John just had more food and water than most.
    A brief pang of guilt touched his heart. He wanted to tell more people about the coming disaster, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. He pushed his feelings of guilt and remorse away. His had been a personal revelation, a personal dream, one meant for him, and him alone.
No
, thought John,
not just him, his friends and family too
. He put the word out, but he could only guess at how far that word had traveled. He hoped it touched Mark, but he didn’t hear from him. He even hoped it touched Jenna’s brother, but again, he didn’t know.
    One of the happiest days of his life was seeing Pete sitting in his truck in front of his house. John marveled at such happiness, how a thought of improved survival could have such an impact on him. Survival clearly refocused his life, as it did with everyone, but John felt his was different somehow. His attitude about survival was more intense, more focused and important than anyone else’s. It wasn’t about pride, or for the sake of preparedness, but for some other intangible purpose. A purpose he had yet to completely identify with.
    John heard movement on the stairs and he turned to look. Pete nodded, and without a word, he approached and climbed the ladder to the alcove. With a groan, he sat on folding chair next to John, and after rearranging the cushion, he asked John if he could have a look out thewindow. John moved aside and rested his head against