The Girl Who Chased The Shadows: Plagued: Book One

By Garrison Scott

“[PLAGUED] is a thrilling and original new entry in post-apocalyptic lit, with a compelling, offbeat heroine that boldly carries the book from the very start. Plagued is not your typical end-of-the-world thriller, and will leave readers entertained, amused, and ready to pick up the next installment." — John Staughton, Self-Publishing Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781312583023

Book preview

PLAGUED

BOOK ONE

THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE SHADOWS

By Garrison Scott

© 2016

978-1-312-58302-3

For David.

PROLOGUE

Five Years Ago.

In South Africa, just outside of the small town of Sutherland, Dr. David Kim was going into panic mode at his station at the South African Astronomical Observatory. At the time, the Observatory was home to one of the world’s largest telescopes and although tourists made their way in and out of the facility, there was real work being done there.

That early in the morning, however, Dr. Kim was alone, which was a good thing. A very good thing in fact. For on that particular morning Dr. Kim could be found furiously rubbing his forehead as he broke into a sweat while he continued to looked from his tablet computer to the monitor attached to the large telescope next to him.

Christ.

After checking and rechecking his data Kim made his way to a messy desk nearby and started digging around the loose papers and haphazardly tossed file folders on top of it. Within a few minutes he found what he was looking for – a faded and dog-eared business card with the NASA logo front and center.

He picked up the phone and punched in the numbers from the card and waited. After a few rings a sleepy voice on the other end answered.

It’s 2:00 a.m. this better be good.

James Garrison? This is Dave Kim from the SAAO. I’m sorry to bother you in the middle of the night, but there’s a problem with ‘XF11.

James Garrison propped himself up in his bed at the mention of ‘XF11.

1997XF11 (its official name) happened to be a rather large and rather fast moving asteroid. Discovered in 1997, ‘XF11 was predicted to make an extremely close pass of the earth in late 2028. To get a phone call in the middle of the night regarding this asteroid in particular could not mean anything good.

What kind of problem?

Its trajectory has changed. The new path has it on a collision course with Earth.

ONE

Outside her window the town of Great Neck, Long Island was the very definition of chaos.

Skyler Campbell stood in her kitchen and shook her head in disbelief as she looked out at the bedlam consuming her neighborhood.  A neighborhood that had once hosted block parties and garage sales, where everyone knew each other, where everyone looked out for one another.  This very same neighborhood, with these very same neighbors, was now an astonishing display of lawlessness, rioting and mayhem.

Mr. Kensington, who had always given out full-sized candy bars at Halloween, was in a fistfight with Mr. Chu whose kids Skyler had babysat  — seemingly over a parking spot. Mrs. Callahan, the president of the Rotary club, was standing in the middle of the street screaming at nothing in particular. Other people were doing their best to turn a blind eye to their neighbors and friends. Instead they were packing their vehicles with every material possession that would fit. Big screen TVs, stereo systems, game consoles, desktop computers and monitors, clothes, appliances … it was funny to see what some people thought they needed to take with them when the world was coming to an end.

It had been five years since they discovered that 1997XF11 was coming their way. The mainstream media and countless politicians had downplayed its arrival in hopes of staving off a worldwide panic. The downplay worked. A majority of the world’s population chose to believe them and as a result they were nowhere near prepared for what was coming. Exhibit A was happening right outside of Skyler’s window. Exhibit B, was happening everywhere else.

She sighed and adjusted her gaze in the window to study her own reflection. Just 20, but wise beyond her years, one look at her wary green eyes would tell you that. Her mess of blondee hair, however, told another tale. It currently was protesting against the braid she had forced on it this morning. blondee wisps escaping where they could. She wrinkled her nose at her reflection. Her hair always had a mind of its own.

Behind her she heard her grandfather enter the kitchen.

Good morning, darlin’.

She turned from the window and smiled wanly. You were right, Grampa

About what this time?

She turned back toward the window. That this was going to bring out the worst in nearly everybody.

Emmett Campbell was a hero to Skyler, her brother Bryce and countless others. He was a decorated member of Delta Force and retired from the Army early to raise Bryce and Skyler when they lost their mother to cancer more than 10 years ago.

Things not getting any better outside I take it.

Skyler shook her head. No, some of them are at each other’s throats. Others are packing their cars with flatscreens and Playstations because those will absolutely help their chances of survival. Dumbasses.

Grampa walked up behind Skyler and took a look at the scene playing out in the street for himself.  No time like the present I guess.

Yeah, except maybe the last few years we’ve all had to prepare for this. I wonder where they even think they’re going?

Grampa shook his head. Wherever they’re headed, I don’t suppose they’ll get very far. The Expressway is probably jammed.

Skyler sighed and turned away from the window. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a traffic jam on the L.I.E.

Grampa made his way to the kitchen table with what would be his last morning paper while Skyler headed for the coffee maker.

Coffee, Grampa?

That sounds good to me. Mind if I put on the radio, Angel?

Bryce coming on soon?

Should be.

Grampa reached over to the old fire engine red bakelite tabletop radio and switched it on. That radio had been on that same kitchen table for as long as Skyler could remember. Out of the speaker came the voice of Jesse Jones. Politicians and reporters often referred to him as a conspiracy theorist, but millions of his listeners were prepared for what was coming because he had inside knowledge about ‘XF11. Less than 24 hours before the asteroid was due to hurl it’s way to earth, Jones was still fighting the good fight, broadcasting and warning anyone who would listen about the havoc that would be wreaked by1997XF11.

Think about it folks. 5 miles high, 5 miles wide and coming at us at 280 thousand miles an hour. Common sense tells us that nuking this thing out of the sky so close to the Earth’s atmosphere will not end well for any of us. This is serious. Coming into the studio now I have my good friend, more like a brother really, Bryce Campbell, who is going to give you all some last minute advice on what you can do to save yourself and your families when the time comes.

Bryce had followed in his grandfather’s footsteps. He joined the army and was tapped for Delta Force after his first tour of duty in the Middle East.

Because each branch of the military were not going along with the politicians and the media they gave all of their people leave in preparation of XF11.  When military members came home and let their families know why they got leave the panic that the governments had tried so hard to keep at bay became impossible to quell.

Bryce, the countdown clock has begun. In just a few hours from now the US will launch nuclear missiles into the sky to try and break this thing up before it enters our atmosphere. The results will surely be catastrophic. So what do you recommend people do to prepare for the apocalyptic events that will most definitely follow?

Skyler brought two fresh cups of hot coffee over to the kitchen table. She sat down with her grandfather and continued to listen to the broadcast.

Jesse, thanks for having me on. First and foremost, stop everything and get underground NOW. Don’t have a bunker? All major airports have reinforced underground levels, as do all military bases. These places were paid for with your tax dollars. Go there, force your way in. This is not the time to be shy.

That’s great advice people, Jesse agreed. How about your loved ones Bryce? Are they safe and sound somewhere?

They are absolutely safe. They will be riding out ‘XF11 in an old Cold War era bunker on Long Island.

Grampa put down the paper and took one last gulp of  his coffee.

Maybe that’s our cue, Angel.

TWO

Dick Ross was not happy. Actually he was furious. His Great Neck, Long Island neighborhood was a parking lot. People packing their cars, parked haphazardly, double-parked in some instances. How the hell was he supposed to get out of here in his mini van filled with crap, his wife and his kid.

Little Alissa sat in her car seat in the back of the mini van crying. God damn it why was she always crying?

Alissa, stop your crying!

With one hand tightly gripping a lollipop and the other hand placed on the window of the car, the four year old tried to stifle her sobs but it was impossible. Her attention was focused on the large white pit bull sitting on the curb next to the Ross’ vehicle.

Dick, Karen, his wife, touched his arm gently. We can’t leave Buddy behind. We need to make room for him in the car.

Dick jerked his arm violently away from Karen. "We don’t have room for the damn dog. He’s not coming. That’s it. Get in the car Karen and shut your mouth and get the kid under control. We need to get the hell out of here, now!"

Dick slammed the back hatch of the mini van shut and jumped into the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Karen, I’m not kidding, get in this car right now. Leave the dog. We can get another one after.

Alissa cried, I don’t want another one. I want Buddy!

Karen Ross was torn. Nothing was more important to her than her daughter and her daughter’s happiness. Buddy was part of the family as far as she was concerned. The dog had been Alissa’s friend and protector since she was born. Leaving him on the curb to die went against everything she believed in. If she grabbed Alissa out of the car there was no telling what Dick would do. He was crazed right now. He was close to a complete meltdown and that wouldn’t be safe for anyone. It never was.

Karen. Get. In. The. Car. Dick was livid. Why were they being held up because of the damn dog. If you don’t get in the car right now I’m leaving without you. Dick revved the engine for effect.

Karen leaned down and kissed the dog on his forehead while fighting back tears.

Buddy, you be a good boy. Go find a place to hide. Alissa and I love you very much, but you have to stay behind. I’m so sorry, boy.

Once again Dick revved the engine. Karen gave Buddy a last pat on the head and got into the minivan. Alissa continued crying as Dick pulled away from the curb.

The road was completely blocked in all directions with parked cars. It seemed that everyone in the neighborhood was packing their vehicles and preparing to leave for safer ground.

Frustrated by the situation Dick drove up and over the curb and on to the lawns of his neighbors — recklessly driving through yards to put distance between him and the neighborhood.

*      *      *

While the Ross family crisis was playing out in the street Skyler and her grandfather were in the kitchen finishing up packing provisions and last minute items they would need into their Delta Team issued rucksacks.

Got everything, Angel?

Skyler took a long last look around the kitchen. This kitchen held so many memories for her — she could vividly recall her mom, Jeannie, standing at that very stove, making dinner for her, Bryce and Grampa. The old school radio and the chrome and Formica table it sat on had both been a part of her morning routine for as long as she could remember.

She glanced up at the wall of photos across from the kitchen table. Mostly they were photos of Grampa shaking hands with political and military dignitaries along with some framed newspaper articles about Bryce’s service record.

Nestled among those, however, was an old picture of Jeannie, Grampa, Bryce and herself stuck in the corner of another framed photo. These were happier times. Jeannie hadn’t yet told her children how sick she was when this photo was taken. The kids were all smiles.

Skyler walked over to the wall and gently pulled the photo out from the frame. She turned to her grandfather who nodded approvingly.

Good catch, darlin’.

Skyler placed the photo in the front pocket of her rucksack and zipped it safely inside.

That’s everything for me. Do we need the radio, Grampa?

Emmett shook his head and grinned at his granddaughter. Nah, we have another one just like it in the bunker.

She looked at her grandfather and smiled. Skyler had never been in the bunker before. She only recently learned of its existence. When he told her about the bunker she really wasn’t that surprised. Sure, she was surprised that it existed in the back yard of the home she’d grown up in, but not surprised about it’s existence — that her grandfather had been so well prepared was something she took for granted. He was a force of nature — her protector, her mentor, her shoulder to cry on. He really was nothing short of a hero to her.

Then I guess we’re all set.

Grampa headed out the back door and Skyler followed. The din