Strengthening the Foundation: EMP, #4

By Stephanie Albright

The fourth novel in the EMP series. Civilization comes back to the farm and so do all the problems associated with it. Jeb and Sophie have differing feelings about how to handle the changes for themselves and for their daughter. The family as a whole is divided. Some embrace the return of technology and junk food, others reject it, while others try to pick and choose options.They have survived an EMP, the breakdown of civilization and a catastrophic earthquake, can they survive this too?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Albright
• Release date: Mar 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215298268

Book preview

Foreword

Iam still blown away that something I used to keep myself awake driving home from work has turned into a now four-book series and with more to come. I wish that I could thank each and every one of you that has read my work and enjoyed it. I hope that as this series continues, it meets all your expectations and gives you some surprises too.

This was the most difficult one to write so far. It went in a direction that I didn’t anticipate at all and I wasn’t sure we were going to get out of the jam the characters created. I should have had more faith. If you are worried that this is the last book, don’t be. I thought it was, right up to the end and then I found out differently.

I hope you enjoy this and to all who have left reviews, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Chapter 1

"I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air."

― Bram Stoker, Dracula

I will never forget that birthday, the earthquake that destroyed most of what we had left, and the realization that the ocean that used to be three hundred miles away was now less than a mile from our home. That moment is forever burned into my memory. We had lived through the complete collapse of society and it seemed that the earth itself was now crumbling.

The kids were running around in circles, happily congratulating each other that the beach was so close, while surrounded by the rubble of the disaster that had brought it here. Even Cindy, whose home was gone, was wearing a big smile.

Calm down, everyone, Jeb said, patiently. There is no ‘beach’, just the ocean. I have no idea how long it takes for a beach to form, so keep that in mind. We can’t go see it right now, we have to make sure that we can take care of ourselves until spring. But we will go see it, I promise.

Pinky promise, Uncle Jeb? Samantha asked.

Pinky promise, Sami, he said, linking his pinky finger with hers.

I need to head back. Where are my guys? Frank asked.

They didn’t want your group to worry since you had been here so long, they left, I said.

Stay until morning, Frank. A couple of us will go with you.

There’s no need for that. You folks can’t afford to have two men walk me home. If I leave now, I can be there before dark and I want to let Greg and the others know what is happening.

I’ll go with you, Jeb said, suddenly. I tightened my hold on his arm. He looked down at me and smiled reassuringly. I’ll go, talk to Greg and come home in the morning.

Son, I don’t think that is necessary. Frank is right, we need every pair of hands right now. Oliver, do you think it would be possible to get the radio working enough to reach Greg’s settlement without a major building project?

Yes, I can rig something up on top of the hill that should be able to reach them.

Frank, I wish you would stay here tonight, but I understand wanting to go home.

Thanks, John. I can make it before dark traveling alone. We’ll be ready to talk when y’all get the radio going. See you, folks, soon.

I smiled at John, but Jeb’s arm under my hand was stiff. He wouldn’t question his daddy in public, but they would talk later, I was sure of that.

Tomorrow, Max, will you help Oliver get what he needs and make sure it all gets done, please?

Yes, sir.

If you need anything, let us know. We need to at least be able to communicate with our neighbors. Everyone else, it’s the same thing we’ve been doing. Water, food, and shelter.

Soph, let’s go for a walk and see what we can find. Mama, can you keep Lily with you?

I’ve got her, you two go ahead.

Hope stayed with Lily and Gus followed us.

Once we were out of earshot, I said, Can we go see the ocean?

The look that crossed his face scared me.

You don’t want to see it now, I promise. There are bodies floating in it, thousands of them, and the rubble of everything that was wiped out. I wish we hadn’t said anything in front of the kids now. I don’t know how long it will be before they can go see it.

I didn’t think about that.

I know and I know you didn’t want me to go with Frank. You and Daddy were right, my place is here.

I don’t want you to feel trapped. I love you for who you are, I don’t want to change you. You’re right that I didn’t want you to go, but I would never stop you from doing something that you want or need to do.

That means everything, Sophie. I hope I do that for you too. Promise you’ll tell me if I ever stop you from being you.

That’s a promise.

The tension in the air the next day was palatable. Everyone was busy, gathering anything edible we could find, gathering firewood, and finding water. But underneath all that activity was a sense of dread. I tried to shake it off but without much success.

Why are we all so edgy? I asked Jeb.

We know that a lot of people died for one thing and wondering if it’s over for real this time.

That didn’t make complete sense to me, but I was too tired to work it out any further.

Oliver and Max came to supper looking tired and frustrated. Every time we think we have found the last cut in the wire, we find two more. I’m only trying to get the wire from the antenna six feet to where the radio is sitting. I’ll never be able to get back down to what’s left of my house.

If we can dig it out, I think I have some that would work, Oliver, Sam said. Sorry I didn’t think of it before.

Don’t be sorry, I’m glad you thought of it now.

I’ll go see how bad it’s buried after supper.

I’ll go with you, Sam, Max said. Maybe we can get it dug out tonight.

They returned triumphantly with a roll of wire an hour later. Oliver, you will be back in business tomorrow morning. I’ll come help y’all run the wire.

Thank you, Sam. I just hope that not all the news will be bad.

As I was drifting into sleep, I suddenly realized that the earth hadn’t been shaking. I sat up, causing Jeb to jump up, What is it? Another quake? he asked, grabbing Lily.

No, the opposite. I just realized that the ground hasn’t been shaking. I didn’t mean to wake you up.

He laughed. I hadn’t thought about it either and now I woke our daughter up.

I was so obsessed with the thought that it would never end, and I didn’t even notice that it did.

Is something wrong, Jeb? Cindy asked from their corner of the barn.

No Mama, we’re fine.

Na Na, Lily said, clapping her hands.

Nana is right here, baby.

Lily went running off in the dark towards the sound of Cindy’s voice, tripped, and hit her head on the wood floor. Her screaming woke the rest of the family. Hope reached her first, then Cindy.

Nana is so sorry, darlin’. Next time I’ll come to you.

As much as I love all y’all. I’ll be glad when we can move out of this barn, Sam said.

I think we are all in agreement with that statement, John said.

The whole reason for this current disruption is that Sophie realized that the ground hasn’t been shaking. So I guess we can start to salvage and rebuild now, Jeb said.

There was a chorus of realization around the barn.

Then I guess we can start rebuilding, Jake said.

I think so too. What do you say, Daddy? Jeb asked.

I say I think we can, but let’s wait and hear what Oliver finds out in the morning. Now everyone go back to sleep, please. Especially you, Lily, he said laughing.

At the sound of her name, she began yelling, Ganda, Ganda, and clapping her hands.

I don’t think she’s gonna do it, John, Cindy said. I’ll take her outside and wear her down, y’all rest.

I’ll go with you, Mama. I’m the one that woke her up. Get some sleep, Soph. We’ll be back soon, I hope.

Oliver, Max, and Sam were up and gone with the sun the next morning. We all lingered over breakfast, hoping it wouldn’t be long before we would finally hear news from outside our hollow again.

It didn’t take long at all. They came into the yard looking grim. Almost all of Mississippi, most of Louisiana, and southern Alabama are gone, they are part of the Gulf of Mexico now. Parts of eastern Arkansas and west Tennessee are gone too. Florida’s coast grew, they gained some land. The government has declared everything within one hundred miles of the new coastline unstable and encourages evacuation, but will not enforce it at this time. If you are in this zone and feel unsafe, you are on your own to evacuate yourself. I went ahead and let Greg know what I heard.

So I guess my question is, how real is this threat and is it just a ploy to get more folks to move into the cities they are restoring? Jeb asked.

My thoughts exactly, big brother, Jake answered. Tom?

I’m right there with y’all. They are going to need people to work in those cities and I feel like a lot of folks that have survived this long outside the system, won’t be too keen to rejoin it. Never let a good crisis go to waste, kinda deal, in my opinion.

So if they need people to come, why are they not offering to come and get us? Natalie asked.

Good question, Cindy agreed.

They will start, eventually, Jeb said, grimly.

I vote we stay here and rebuild, Sam said.

Even if it’s not a trick, it would be a long dangerous hike to Louisville, Kentucky. I agree with Sam, Natalie added.

So, we get Mama and Daddy square first, then I guess we draw straws for the rest of us, Jed said.

Hold up, son. Your mama and I have decided to stay in the barn. The area in the back was the original family home when the barn was built. It will be easy to clean out the rooms and move in permanently.

Are you sure?

We are.

So whose home do we fix first? Ryan asked.

I think we should work on the ones with small children first, Amanda said.

That makes sense. We can do Jeb and Sophie’s house first, then Jake and Natalie, then Sam’s. Go in order by kids’ ages, youngest to oldest, Ryan said. Great idea, Amanda. And get the crying babies out of here first!

Everyone laughed.

Well, Soph and I haven’t talked about where or what we want to build yet, so if Jake and Natalie want to go first it’s okay.

We hadn’t given it much thought yet either.

It doesn’t matter yet, Ryan interjected. We need to start gathering materials and stuff first. You have some time.

Okay, good, I said. I didn’t want to hold anyone else up.

"The kids and I are