What Happens in the Darkness Read Online Free PDF Page B

survivors. But when the topic of war came up, they seemed reluctant to discuss it in front of the C-H-I-L-D. Janelle was a little annoyed they thought she couldn’t spell, or thought perhaps that because she was a child she didn’t have a fully formed brain. Janelle was small—thin and short—and looked young for her twelve years. But how young did they think she was? They would be amazed, she thought, at her math and science skills, and that she’d aced every English and history test she’d ever taken.
    “How are we supposed to get messages out? I’ve heard all exits out are blocked.” Pete rocked like he had to use the bathroom. “No radio, no papers, no TV. What are we supposed to do, use Pony Express?”
    The conversation grew loud again.
    “We need shelter,” Harry said. “I’m sick of wandering the streets, fighting off the roaches and rats. And I don’t trust these buildings. Even if they don’t fall, they’re prime targets for another bomb. Just bein’ in the street like this, we’re like sittin’ ducks, man.”
    Warren leaned forward, hands on his knees. “Fellas. We have to get out of this city. See who else has survived. See if the military—”
    “Fuck the military,” Pete said. “Where the hell are they? Middle East? Asia? Shitload of good they’re doing over there. They haven’t done jack shit to get us out of this mess. And guess what, guys? Rumor is, foreign troops are on their way here. To New York.”
    “Where’d you hear that?” Harry asked. “That’s rumors, man. A load of crap. There’s no more communication. No cell phone signals. No nothing! Nothing but rumors now.”
    Pete shook his head. “Guys with CB radios and long-range radio equipment. There’s communication.”
    “Oh yeah? So where are they?” Harry snapped.
    “Dead.”
    “Oh. Sorry, man.” Harry turned away, looking embarrassed.
    “They’re here,” Janelle said. “I’ve seen them. They’ve taken away a lot of people.”
    “What?” Harry said. “You’ve seen who? The military?”
    Janelle nodded. “They all wear black. And dark helmets that cover their faces.”
    “You sure they’re not our guys?” Pete asked.
    Janelle nodded. “The way they spoke … how they acted and stuff. They’re not from here.”
    “Why haven’t I seen them?” Harry asked. “Where are they?”
    She shrugged. “I think they move around a lot. But they have a camp uptown. I think it was on Ninety-Eighth Street. Somethin’ like that.”
    “Oh, that’s great … just great. I had no idea. I was pretty much hiding out in my apartment until it got too dangerous to stay. I thought we’d been nuked, but I guess it was just bombs.”
    “ Just bombs,” Warren said. “Right.”
    “You know what I meant,” Harry said. “If it was nukes we’d all be dead.”
    “It’s getting dark,” Pete said. “We have to find shelter. I don’t trust the buildings, but what choice do we have? We can’t stay out here. My building was leveled, man.”
    “Same here,” Warren said. “Nothing but a pile of rubble now.”
    “We have to find a safe place,” Harry said. He looked around, and Janelle shook her head. There were no safe buildings. Not any more.
    She muttered something, and Warren asked her to repeat it.
    “Subway,” she said, picking dirt from under a fingernail. “That’s where I’ve been living. I got some blankets and a lantern. And a flashlight. There’s food, like chips. So far the rats didn’t get it all.”
    Warren shook his head. “I’m not hiding in the subway. Do you know what will happen if there’s another bomb? I’d rather take my chances out here. I’ll go find a brownstone or something. Low floors, maybe even a basement. Supermarket maybe.”
    “Do you know what’s living in the storerooms of supermarkets?” Janelle asked. “You don’t wanna go down inside them.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m with Warren,” Pete said. “Maybe I won’t go to a supermarket, but sorry, guys. Count me out.