How the World Ends Read Online Free PDF Page B

Police report only that foul play may have been involved and that their investigation is ongoing. In other news, the energy crisis that gripped the city so suddenly yesterday was revealed to be a similar situation in several cities across the nation. It is not yet known why only a few “sacrificial lambs” have been chosen to bear the brunt of the growing energy burden.
    Our energy analyst, Dr Jim…
    I switched the channel.
    In our top story this morning, we have been led to believe, through an anonymous posting on an internet discussion site, that the individual mayor of each of the cities set to receive gas rationing was given a substantial personal cash incentive to volunteer their city for the rationing...
    Next channel.
    This just in, we have unconfirmed reports that yesterday’s gas rationing is only the beginning in a long series of energy cutbacks that may include basic services such as natural gas, heating oil, propane and possibly electricity. The mayor’s office has asked us to inform our viewers to stay tuned to your television or radio stations for an announcement later today.
    “Stay tuned?” Rachel asks from behind me. “How are we supposed to watch TV when they cut the power off?”
    “Yea, I know,” I reply. “I’m starting to think my parents weren’t so crazy after all. They managed a house and farm that was totally off the grid.”
    “And it nearly killed them with the effort.”
    I flick the TV off.
    “Maybe,” I say, unwilling to revisit that territory just now. “I have to get into the city.”
    “Why? Is the office even going to be open?” Rachel opens the fridge and pulls out milk and apple juice for the kids, who are beginning to rumble around upstairs. “Come downstairs, kids. Daddy hasn’t gone to work yet and he needs a hug. Jewel, can you get Gwyn for me, sweetheart?”
    I look at my wife, wondering at the strength in her, strength of will, of character. The kind of staying power that kids need to rely on – indeed, that I have come to rely upon more and more as I have been consumed with my workload.
    “Oh, and honey,” she says as she puts oatmeal on the stove with one hand whilst pouring juice with the other. “I forgot to tell you last night, that you had a call from the office. They wanted to know where you got to yesterday.”
    I hesitate a few moments, stumbling over an answer. “Why would they care where I got to? They fired me.”
    “What?” Rachel continues spooning hot cereal into ceramic bowls, Winnie-the-Pooh for Gwyn and Peter Rabbit for Jewel. “Why would they do that, when you’re their top writer? Everybody knows that.”
    I stare at the kids as they come down the steps, Gwyn trying to wrench himself from Jewel’s grip.
    “I don’t know, but I didn’t bother to stick around.” I hold my hands out to the kids and they both jump from the fifth stair into my arms. “Whoa, whoa, one at a time!” I laugh as they both twist and turn from my attempts to hug them as they slide down to the floor in a tumble of feet and knees.
    “Don’t you think you owe them an explanation?” says Rachel, trying to keep her full attention on my reprimand while funnelling the children into their seats at the breakfast table. “Do they even know who your source was for that article?”
    That article. The one that I had tried not to think about for several days before I was forced to put the facts out there before someone else did. Before somebody else presented it not as an unstable, unknown resource to be studied, but rather as a weapon – as a technology to be feared, since it would undoubtedly be used against us by our enemies.
    I know now, looking into Rachel’s eyes, like I knew then, when I had first learned of the technology, that they will use it as a weapon. Our enemies will attempt to remake us in their image by forcing us into a vortex of reciprocal debt – perpetuated in part by our own ignorance. I knew then, as I know now, of our capability as a people