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  WWIV– HOPE IN THE DARKNESS

  Copyright © 2014 e a lake

  All rights reserved.

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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations are entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission of the author.

  This is Book Two in the WWIV series. Watch for more e a lake novels in the coming months.

  Other Books by e a lake:

  “This is the way the world ends

  Not with a bang but a whimper.”

  - T. S. Eliot

  And,

  I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.

  -Albert Einstein

  WWIV– HOPE IN THE DARKNESS

  Chapter One

  The old truck idled roughly at the last corner before a large hill. The militia corporal watched as his commander checked the cartridge in his pistol, hoping the vehicle wouldn’t kill.

  “Think we’ll need guns at this place, sir?”

  A nervous tone reached the officer’s ears. He grinned. “Let’s just say we either get what we are here for or someone is going to die, Corporal.” Captain Spurless studied the rolling landscape through the truck’s cracked passenger window. “I don’t plan on taking any crap from anyone here. I’ve taken all the crap I care to this week from that damned nun.” He gazed back at his subordinate and his hard to read expression.

  Corporal Salt shifted the truck into gear and let the clutch out slowly. Almost at a crawl, the truck lugged up the steep incline.

  “Well, I hope we get what we need then,” he whispered, unsure whether his Captain had heard him.

  Theresa looked up from her hands, taking a quick peek at the surrounding audience. The words spoken by her colleague ran through her head again: We’re dead. Today is the beginning of the end. By winter, most of us will be gone.

  Staring at her hands, she noticed them shaking. A quick prayer emptied her head of the earlier comments, and impending sense of dread…temporarily. Sneaking one last peek at Anna-Clare, Theresa’s eyes narrowed. “Please dear Lord,” began her silent prayer, “Let her not be right this time. Please.”

  Eighty-five teens sat together eating their noon meal – plain soup and bread, more like broth and bread, but no one complained. Their instructors and tutors sat nearby watching the mixture of boys and girls. Some more like young men and women. They had all been scared the past month, every last one of them. They all hoped for a time they could leave the school and make their way back to their families.

  The headmaster played with his soup, staring into the almost full bowl. There were reports of military parties in the area looking for fresh recruits. Mr. Charles hoped these reports weren’t true. The last month had been a nervous one, since the fall of the local government. These poor children needed some stability, not intrusions by unwanted guests.

  “Theresa dear,” a voice called out from the head of the table. “Are you paying attention? This is very important you know.”

  All eyes in the small dark paneled room shifted from the speaker, back to Theresa. Looking up, she nodded. “Yes, Reverend Mother.”

  “Good,” replied the older nun. “This is your last day here, all of you. We need to be sure you are as well prepared as possible for your new lives. Do we all understand?” Five heads bowed with tiny nods. Five sets of eyes focused at the table in front of their spot.

  Sensing their fear, their leader rose and began circling the table, slowly. She laid her steady hand on their shoulders as she passed, giving each a reassuring squeeze. When finally she arrived at Theresa’s spot, the young nun’s eyes came to hers.

  “Reverend Mother,” Theresa asked, “what happened? What happened almost six years ago?” Sliding a chair out next to Theresa, the older woman took a new spot at the table.

  Adjusting her glasses, she gave Theresa and the other four nuns a pained smile. “Most feel that it was a series of high level electromagnetic pulses.” She tipped her head lost in thought. “A few, some important people, are convinced it was solar flares. Thus the first two snowless winters and warmer than usual summers.” She paused, studying Theresa’s face. “What do you think caused our world to change?”

  Theresa’s thin face tensed. Her eyes shot a quick glance at the young nun next to her, Sister Anna-Clare. “I believe God had had enough of what was going on in our world. Finally fed up with humankind, He shut everything down.” As expected, a quick snort escaped Anna-Clare’s lips before her own hand shot up to quiet her mouth.

  “Just how,” Theresa continued, more resolute, “I’m not sure. Perhaps it was solar flares. Maybe EMPs. Perhaps there was a nuclear war somewhere else, and the radioactivity has damaged everything.” Looking back at the Reverend Mother, she sighed. “I just know that I thought someone would have fixed this by now.”

  The eldest nun rose and continued her slow circle of the table. “Sisters, what do you others feel was the cause of the problem?”

  Two hands shot up immediately. Taking her seat at the head of the table again, the old nun nodded at one of the pair. “Sister Margaret?”

  “My father told me it was nuclear war the last time he came to visit from South Milwaukee. He’s a very smart man, so he should know,” she stated confidently.

  Anna-Clare rolled her eyes at the nun some three years her junior. “Where’s all the fallout then, Margaret? Where’s the nuclear winter, the black clouds of death that should be circling the earth for decades? I don’t see any of that.” Proud of herself, Anna-Clare faced the group, beaming with self-assuredness.

  “It was solar flares. It simply had to be,” Anna-Clare continued. “The lawns are still dying around the area. As far as we know, they’re dying everywhere. The strange seasons and weather the first few years after only proves my point.” A small nod to her mentor told the group she was finished. Thank God, the group thought collectively.

  A small young woman raised her hand on the far end of the dark oak table. “Yes, Sister Judy?” asked the Reverend Mother.

  “What about all of the people in the area suffering from radiation poisoning? We’re seeing more and more of them come for help every month it seems.” Unsure of her beliefs, her eyes lowered. “Would that be caused by solar flares? All that sickness?”

  “We don’t know,” answered Sister Celeste, barely above a whisper. “I think they feel the radiation is coming from the nuclear plants down on the south end of Lake Michigan. By Chicago.” A few heads nodded at her words. “Something about a meltdown because all of the cooling systems failed at once. At least that’s what Sargent Salazar from the militia told me.” The room fell silent once again.

  “Whatever it was, my children,” replied Mother Superior, “we now have a job to do. And today begins that job and a new life for all of you.” The tense breathing of five frightened women was the only sound the group emitted.

  The militia carefully loaded the new recruits into the back of the ancient military transport. Each teen possessed only one bag. No one dared to ask the captain or any of his men where they might be going. No one wanted to speak to any of the militia. Further, none of the young ladies asked what they would be doing. Their futures were now in doubt. Sixteen sisters taken from their home and placed in a world of which they knew nothing.

  The vehicle pulled away, and the last the girls saw of their home was Mr. Charles and his staff sadly watchin
g them leave.

  “What you five are about to embark upon is something that is unwanted by most but necessary for all.” Sitting at the head of the table still, the Reverend Mother began her final sermon.

  “Some of you are more prepared than others, I will admit that much. But that doesn’t mean those who are prepared will have any easier time of this. No, I fear for all of you. And I pray for your safety.” The solemn group stared wide-eyed at their leader. No words escaped any of their lips.

  “The sin of pride and overconfidence may cause some of you harm. You won’t be able to see situations properly. Dangers may arise quicker than you believe they will. Strangers who look harmless may turn out to be your largest threat.” Focusing her tired eyes on one particular nun, she cleared her throat. “Do you understand that?”

  “Yes Reverend Mother,” answered the group in unison. Anna-Clare’s response was somewhat louder than the others.

  “Some of you,” the older nun continued, “Most of you probably, will suffer from boredom. Where you are going will be different than your lives here at the church. Days and weeks will pass, and you’ll be doing the same things as the previous days and weeks.” She sighed before continuing. “This is an important job, very important. But that doesn’t mean it will be exciting. It is up to each of you to keep your charges on task.”

  Eyes rose to the woman.

  “I’m afraid many people have died in the last five years because they lacked or lost focus,” she continued. “Stay on task at all times and keep each of your flock on task. Pay attention to what the roads bring to your door. I’m afraid you can’t trust anyone out there anymore.” A sad look crossed the nun’s face. “If you concentrate at all times, bad things can be avoided. Do you all understand me?”

  Five heads signaled they did.

  “There is your test, sisters. This is the largest test of your young lives. The price of failure is death. I believe I’ve made that clear these past few weeks.”

  The word death caused many of her young counterparts to cringe; some even tried to hide the tears running down their cheeks.

  “God will be with you. He will never give you more than you can handle. But at times, you’ll doubt his judgment on just how much you think you can do. Do not doubt God, and He will never leave you. Is that understood?”

  Individually each answered. All were ready.

  Rising slowly from his couch, the drunk staggered to the window and peered at the day – whatever day it was now. As he turned, he tripped over his own feet and fell in a pile of garbage. Shaking his aching head, he laughed at himself.

  He picked his thin, tired body up from the floor and made his way to a stack of containers in the corner of the living room. The cardboard tore as he pulled the lid of a fresh box back. Reaching in, he found his magic elixir. He chuckled as the plastic lid opened with a snap. Tipping the bottle up the brown liquid filled his mouth and then his throat.

  With a cough, he ridded himself of the burning sensation in his throat and studied the label on the bottle. He shrugged, too drunk to read the large black letters. Stumbling back to the couch, he lay down and closed his eyes. The smell of sweat and vomit overcame him. Spotting the pile on the dirty wood floor, he switched ends of the couch. Happy once again, he passed out.

  Chapter Two

  None of the young ladies spoke as the flatbed truck made its way to the highway. Most of the girls huddled together sharing tears and fears of just where they were going. None of the sixteen had a good feeling about this. How could they? Low grey clouds added to the anxious feelings of the day.

  Finally, a small shy girl gathered her bravery and spoke. “Whatever we do, we have to stick together. I know I probably don’t know anything, but I’m at least sure that there is safety in numbers. My father always said that. At least before he died he always did.” She glanced from girl to girl.

  “Shelley, you haven’t said ten words your entire time at DeepHaven. Now you think it’s a good time to lead?” The new speaker, Nancy, looked at the other girls. “But she’s right. There is strength in numbers. Just don’t let them separate us when we get wherever it is they’re taking us. Everyone has to stick together.” Being one of the older girls, Nancy’s words rang with confidence.

  Captain Spurless sat upfront in the old truck rubbing his dry lips between his left thumb and index finger. “Such a stroke of luck,” he said softly.

  The driver responded. “What’s that, sir?” He glanced briefly at his commander and then back at the winding country road. “What’s a stroke of luck?”

  Spurless gave an evil grin. “I was just thinking how much crap I’ve been taking from that nun, back in town. She’s been on me day and night to find someone for this task.” Spurless winked at the Corporal sharing the truck cab. “I told her we had plenty of candidates in town. All around us there. Plenty of women. But she insisted they were all dirty, full of radiation. They’d all be dead within two years if we kept them close.”

  The corporal chuckled. “We all wondered about that, sir. Why drive out in the middle of nowhere to find a bunch of teenagers?” A pothole shook the younger man’s attention back to his duties.

  “She wanted young and clean. I didn’t know where to look. Couldn’t think of anything at all. Then, late last night, a name came to me from beyond. Malcolm Charles.” The corners of the captain’s mouth curled slightly. “I remembered he had become headmaster at some elite school out in the country, about ten years ago. So you see…” He poked at the driver’s right arm. “…no radiation out here in the country.” He surveyed the green countryside surrounding them. “Pure and clean. It couldn’t be any better. Not even if I had ordered it up myself.” Spurless laughed as the truck continued to the east.

  After an hour in the back of the vehicle, some of the girls decided to peek out through the cracks in the faded green canvas sides. What they saw startled the group. They were heading east toward the big city, Milwaukee – and they knew that place wasn’t safe.

  Relief came ten minutes later as they took the bypass to the north of the city and then headed east. Everyone knew the city was full of radiation and worse. The city was overrun by a number of bad elements. That’s why most of them were sent to DeepHaven in the first place. Once the local government crumbled, gangs of street thugs took over, almost block by block in some areas. That’s how the city fell, block by ugly block.

  Soon after came the radiation. Since there were no communications left, no one even knew the poison was coming. People just sensed it. Plants and lawns started to die. Then people started to get sick. No one knew where it came from, but everyone was fairly certain what it was. Rumors had followed people from other large cities along with the cloud of death.

  The girls sat huddled in two rows in the back of the transport; eight on one side and eight on the other. Crowded together toward the front, everyone feared falling out the open back. Finally, entering a suburb to the north of the big city, houses and other buildings became more prevalent.

  “Does anyone recognize this place?” Nancy asked. Most took a quick look out the back, but no one acknowledged ever being here before. There were no hints that might give them their new location.

  Up front in the cab, Corporal Salt snuck at peek at Spurless. “Say Captain, how is that school still operating so far out in the country?”

  Spurless thought for a moment before giving his answer. “Did you see all that wood piled up when we first pulled in?” Salt nodded, still watching the road. “I mean that was the largest woodpile I’ve ever seen. That tells me they’re probably utilizing some sort of steam or radiant heat in that main building.” Spurless rubbed his hands together recalling the school. “And that huge fenced-in area behind the school? You could barely see it.”

  Salt shook his head this time.

  “Well, let me tell you,” Spurless continued. “That had to be five or six acres in size. Maybe more. That tells me they have a huge garden each summer. Big enough to grow food for the
year. I’m sure they have a supply of heirloom seeds somewhere, knowing Charles like I do.” The captain studied the road carefully as the vehicle slowed. “And I’m sure they receive supplies from all the local churches out there. Wheat for bread, medical care and supplies, soap, milk from farmers. I’m sure Malcolm Charles sells DeepHaven as a place where our future is being built.” The frown on his face showed his complete disdain for the headmaster.

  “I saw that sign when we first came in there,” Salt added. “Something about ‘Building bright minds for a bright future.’ Whatever that means.” Salt, knowing every turn and bump in this road, guided the bouncing truck through several tight corners.

  Spurless grinned one last time. “Just more rhetoric to pollute their young minds, Salt. Trust me, that school won’t be there come this time next year. Not once I tell some of the transients we see every day about it.” The captain relaxed and leaned back, spying their destination in the distance.

  The vehicle drove another five minutes before their journey ended and it came to a stop. A young officer stuck his head in the back and sternly told the girls to stay put for now. They would be called when the people were ready for them. The girls crowded together, unsure of what lie in store.

  Finally, the captain came to the back of the transport. Three younger women, perhaps in their late 20s and one older woman in a habit accompanied him. Clearly the older one was a nun. Perhaps the younger ones were as well. The older woman spoke to him.

  “How many?” She peered in at the scared girls.

  “Sixteen. Ages 13 to 15. That’s all they had.” The captain shook his head.

  The lead nun did as well. “That’s not enough. We need 24. I believe I was clear on that, Captain.” The older woman frowned at him.