Last Chance

By Christine Gardner

Sam lives with his mother and sister in a city almost destroyed by war and fast running out of food and other resources. He is convinced the only hope for their survival is to take the chance of journeying through the hills--home to dangerous gangs--in search of a new home and a new life. Most of the population is apathetic and his mother is reluctant to leave her friends behind; can Sam persuade her to risk everything for their last chance at a future?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christine Gardner
• Release date: May 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393842804

Christine Gardner

Christine has had a fascination for history most of her life. When the youngest of her five sons started school Christine went back to school as well. After several years at TAFE, studying both visual arts and writing, she went to university and eventually graduated with a BA in History/Philosophy of Religion, with Honours. She's written all kinds of books since then, most with at least some history included.

Book preview

LAST CHANCE

© Christine Gardner 2013

CHAPTER ONE

The tunnel seemed to go on forever, Sam thought. He couldn’t see any light at the end of it, only a blacker darkness. There were no car lights, not any more. His mother had told him that years ago, before the war, it had been like an underwater freeway, linking the North and South sides of the city. Sam had seen a car once, on a farm, where the farmer had made his own fuel from pig manure. He wondered whether there were any pigs left now. After years of war there didn’t seem to be anything worthwhile left in the city, and Sam hated it.

He trudged on through the darkness, not stopping to rest. He hated being underneath all those tonnes of water. There was no upkeep in the tunnel any more. No one checked for leaks or dampness in the grey cement walls. The tunnel was so vast Sam knew he had no chance of getting out if it collapsed. Which it would one day. A small leak would very quickly grow under the pressure of all that sea above. Then the city would be truly divided. Of course it was possible to walk around to the other side, but it was a very risky journey. It was two days walk, through bleak mountain ranges, home to many rebel gangs. Constantly at war with each other, they were ever ready to slit the throat of any person who dared trespass on their territory.

Something brushed past Sam’s foot and he let out a sharp cry which echoed on and on down the lonely tunnel. It was a rat, as big as the tomcat that always