Survivors

By Sophie Littlefield

Cass Dollar outlasted the fall of civilisation. But surviving Aftertime requires the kind of toughness that can conquer the violent landscape of California and still retain its humanity.

When a young boy and his dying grandmother are brought to the Box, the survivalist community where Cass takes shelter, she realises that without her help he won't be long for this unforgiving new world. But while the Box is a haven from the roaming marauders –– and the flesh–hungry Beaters –– it forbids children within its confines. The boy will be turned out to fend for himself. All that stands between him and the brutal wilderness is Cass's protective instincts, and the stubborn resolve that's gotten her this far Aftertime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Mar 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781460808788

Sophie Littlefield

Sophie Littlefield grew up in rural Missouri and attended college in Indiana. She worked in technology before having children, and was lucky enough to stay home with them while they were growing up. She writes novels for kids and adults, and lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.SophieLittlefield.com.

Book preview

SURVIVORS

An Aftertime Novella

Sophie Littlefield

www.millsandboon.com.au

DOING RIGHT ISN’T EASY IN A WORLD GONE SO WRONG

Cass Dollar outlasted the fall of civilization. But surviving Aftertime requires the kind of toughness that can conquer the violent landscape of California and still retain its humanity.

When a young boy and his dying grandmother are brought to the Box, the survivalist community where Cass takes shelter, she realizes that without her help he won’t be long for this unforgiving new world. But while the Box is a haven from the roaming marauders—and the flesh-hungry Beaters—it forbids children within its confines. The boy will be turned out to fend for himself. All that stands between him and the brutal wilderness is Cass’s protective instincts, and the stubborn resolve that’s gotten her this far Aftertime.

Littlefield has a gift…page-turning action and evocative, sensual, harrowing descriptions.

—Publishers Weekly, starred review on Aftertime

SOPHIE LITTLEFIELD grew up in rural Missouri and attended college in Indiana. She worked in technology before having children, and was lucky enough to stay home with them while they were growing up. She writes mysteries and thrillers for kids and adults, and lives in Northern California.

Visit Sophie online at www.SophieLittlefield.com or follow

@SWLittlefield on Twitter.

Contents

Begin Reading

At first glance, everyone thought he was a girl. It was the hair—so long and glossy that even disheveled and dirty and badly cut you wanted to touch it, brush it, braid it—and those beautiful wide brown eyes with the impossibly long fringe of lashes.

The presence of a child—Cass’s daughter, Ruthie, was the only other one, and she almost didn’t count, being barely three and not having the words to describe the world’s new horrors—this had a discomfiting effect on people.

And the old woman wasn’t dead, though she looked it. Her mouth was slack and flies buzzed around her eyes. It was Faye who carried her, walking in a crouching gait to minimize the jouncing, but still the old woman’s head and limbs swayed and joggled in the raider’s arms. Her hair was thin, her skin slack and pouchy.

Cass watched along with the others when they carried the two squatters in, nearly unconscious from dehydration and exhaustion. The boy had been keeping vigil next to his grandmother when they found him. At that point he was so weak and so tired that he didn’t hear the raiders come in, didn’t panic and bolt even when they came up the stairs. Even though it could have been anyone, human or inhuman, the boy hadn’t left the stinking befouled mattress where she lay.

Hastings used one of

Reviews for Survivors

[neverwithoutabook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an intense, quick read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the story although there were questions in my mind at times. The story builds quickly and keeps you drawn in. I also liked the occasional perspectives from the viewpoints of various characters. It added a lot more to the story and more than made up for some of the more unrealistic details, or lack thereof. I'd definitely recommend The Survivors to anyone wanting a good, quick read.

[jennieleigh_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book in general, though I found myself struggling to suspend my disbelief more than once. First off, it seemed highly contrived for everyone else to die in the plan crash. It just didn't make much sense to me, especially considering the real life crashes that have been much more violent, yet have seen survivors walk away. (IE the 1989 crash in Sioux City, Iowa) And are we just supposed to be amazed that not only did the two senators wind up on the same flight, but it just happened to crash as well? There there was the fact that the killer survived the crash and the weather with no shelter, no food or water, and no one to help keep him warm, all things that Molly & Johnny had, yet they were the ones who nearly succumbed to hypothermia. And last, but not least, I must take issue with the way the killer not only managed to shoot the seasoned military veteran who had the drop on him, but then also managed to pick off a dog running at him full tilt and then calmly take aim at the child and nearly hit him as well. And he did it all without having any firearms experience at all, it seems. Amazing! Over all, I found myself enjoying the book purely from an escapism perspective. But I was disappointed by the questions left unanswered as well as the absurdity of the situations mentioned above. It is an entertaining piece of fluff, but could have been so much better with just a bit of rewriting.

[chrissywest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was really looking forward to reading Dinah McCall’s latest book, The Survivors. I was not disappointed. The book was really intense, moving and emotional. It was a very fast-paced, almost to fast and hard to put down. I don’t think this was one of Ms. McCall’s better novels, but I did enjoy it, anyway.

[miyurose_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had a hard time putting this down! This was the first Dinah McCall (or Sharon Sala) I've read, and I wouldn't hesitate to read more. The rescue happens rather early in the story, so I wondered what else was going to happen. The weather didn't disappoint. My one complaint is that I found it hard to believe that the bad guy would survive as long as he did in the wilderness in bad weather, injured, with very little food and/or water. But I rarely read anything that doesn't require at least a little suspension of disbelief.