The Survivors of Bastion (Fall of Earth Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

one last look about amongst the field and the early morning breeze we set off in the direction of the crop field, which was just beyond a small makeshift bridge and down a slope about a quarter of a mile ahead.
                  When it finally came into view and we looked out across, I had to take another second to admire the view of what we had created during our time here.
                  The crop field was surrounded by fences, and stretched out about two square acres. It was cut off in even sections, each adorned with a different variety of plant, herb or, most importantly, fruit or vegetable array. Two of us headed out, twice a day, to check on things, and we were soon beginning to consider having a few people out here full time to keep watch over it all – it was vital to our survival.
                  In the long-term, we couldn’t have been luckier in finding such a place as this. It benefited from the sun and the rain in equal, rich amounts, and was at the bottom of a small but steep inlet that kept it hidden from view, with trees surrounding it. We had come up with our own way of keeping the pests away over the years, with a variety of booby traps and the like. Every so often one would go off and a small team of us would have to head off in the dead of night to check it out, armed to the nines.
                  Most of the time it was just a stray animal trying to make its way through the fence for a grand feast, but every so often we would find human remains.
                  I didn’t like to think about who those people might have been, but if I did I always thought back to the notion of survive or be killed.
                  Them or us.
                  The only way in that didn’t warrant getting blown up or maimed was the way we were headed – a small entrance down some steps that led through a chained up door in the fence.
                  Carl and I took the steps to the bottom steadily, one at a time, before we reached the door and I unlocked it, and we both headed inside.
                  The farm was one of my favourite places in this small world that we occupied. It was something that we had built for ourselves. We were living off of the land, and we were doing it without industrial intervention or with the help of anybody else.
                  Despite the fact that I still yearned for a more comfortable world, even fifteen years on from the outbreak, there was something noble in all of this that I couldn’t help but appreciate endlessly as I stood amongst the various plants that flourished and grew around me, waiting for their daily dose of sunlight.
                  ‘What needs checking?’ Carl asked eagerly, looking around himself.
                  ‘Corn, aubergine and carrots. Go give them a look, make sure they’re not getting too dehydrated. Haven’t had rain for a couple days. If any are ripe make sure to bag them, they’ll be good with the veal tonight. I’ll check the strawberries and the tomatoes. Meet back here when you’re good to go.’
                  Without a word, Carl nodded and headed off into the field to check on the allocated crops, while I headed off to see mine.
                  I took in the smells of the earth and the leaves, of all the things that were growing around me. It brought a smile to my face like nothing else did.
                  When I reached the patch of strawberries and tomatoes I stopped to look them over, kneeling by the many rows that held thousands of them and brushing my fingers over the leaves. Like the deer, they were another thing in this world that didn’t need to answer to anything else, that could continue on growing and thriving of their own volition.
                  The vices that struck the rest of the human race down did not affect so many other