Armageddon

By Celesta Thiessen

For fans of Lost and Jericho...

Using patchy Internet, almost non-existent cell service and radio broadcasts, the residents of Salt Eden try to piece together what is happening. Communications are breaking down. The world is at war.

This story is rated 13+

• Language: English
• Publisher: Celesta Thiessen
• Release date: Oct 5, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370460519

Celesta Thiessen

I live in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada with my husband and two young daughters. We're homeschoolers and entrepreneurs. My husband and I make iOS apps and I write stories. Being a writer is magical - spinning nothing into stories - stories that can light the way to a different world.You can connect with me on Faceboook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCelesta

Book preview

SALT EDEN 3

Armageddon

Celesta Thiessen

Copyright 2017 Celesta Thiessen

Chapter 1

Open ocean at night. The half moon shines down, providing the only light. Two Zodiacs speed through waves, engines roaring.

In the trailing boat, Abigail and Chad sit on the only seats while the others sit in the bottom of the Zodiac, holding on to the ropes. Abigail cranes to see behind her. The water looks black under the dark sky. She can’t see anyone following them. A large wave tosses the boat in the air and she momentarily feels herself lift off the seat. She’s glad for the seatbelt she wears and checks to make sure it is fastened. Again she looks back, this time to make sure no one has fallen overboard.

Their boat slows. She looks forward again. The other boat has stopped. Someone’s shouting. It’s Captain Price. She’s standing and looking back at them and pointing into the sea.

Her words reach them over the water. Man overboard!

Chad looks where she’s indicating, moving the Zodiac forward on the lowest speed. For a few tense moments, he doesn’t see anyone.

Help! He hears a woman’s voice. There is someone bobbing in the water.

Relief on his face, Chad brings the Zodiac up beside her. The crew knows what to do. They pull her into the boat.

Chad looks down into the bottom of the boat. Are you okay?

She’s holding her arms around herself in an effort to get warm. I’m good. Thank you.

Chad shouts to the other boat. We’ve got her! She’s okay.

Just then, something breaks the surface of the water right beside their boat. Abigail cries out in fright. But, as she looks to the source of the splash, she sees that it’s a dolphin that has leapt up out of the water. She laughs in relief. It splashes back down only a few feet from the boat.

Captain Price’s boat roars away from them. Two dolphins breach again, farther out. Chad increases their speed again and the magic of the moment is lost.

Stoically, Chad watches the boat piloted by Captain Price. He looks down for a moment to examine one of the dials by the steering wheel. There are worry lines on his face.

What’s wrong? asks Abigail, quietly.

Chad doesn’t answer. The engine and the wind whipping past them are roaring in their ears. So maybe he doesn’t hear her. She leans over to see what he was looking at.

The fuel gauge is very low - less than an eighth of a tank left. He sees her looking at the gauge and, when she looks back at him, their eyes meet.

They don’t bother saying anything. Now they have the same concern. Abigail leans back in her seat, folds her hands and closes her eyes. Chad glances at her. He looks glad that she’s praying.

The water continues spraying into the boat as they cut through the waves, soaking them completely.

Chapter 2

It’s 1:00am on Salt Eden. Isabella, one of the official staff, stands in the entranceway to the small meeting room. She’s pale and her eyes are wild.

In the meeting room are Robert Taylor, Nurse Anderson and Derik Martin, all sitting at the far side of a large, white, oval table. They give her their full attention.

America has been attacked… Everything’s on fire!

What do you mean? Robert stands up and walks towards her. The others move towards her too but he gets there first.

She throws herself into Robert’s arms, sobbing.

He catches her and rocks backwards but keeps them from falling. He pats her back, looking over his shoulder at Nurse Anderson, motioning with his head that she should get over there. He extricates himself from Isabella’s arms. Now, what’s wrong?

Tears stream down her face and she doesn’t even bother wiping them.