Remnie's last story.

Red Storm/The Pulse

The cold wind continued to pick up, bringing with it huge storm clouds and thunder and lighting that seemed more aggressive than anything Rem had seen before. The storm had broken her sleep only a couple hours after she drifted off. Hunter, still exhausted, was still sleeping soundly. She decided it was best to let him rest while he still could and she added another log to the fire in hopes that she could keep it going. It was 7am. She still felt a little buzzed from the whiskey, but was mostly functioning. She tried the radio again and the broadcaster was back on. He sounded panicked now, he said reports had come in from areas that had already experienced this storm. The rain was causing burns and rashes. The hail, when there was hail, was getting as big as baseballs. He urged people to continue to stay put. He said there had been reports of early snow storms with the same burning and rashing effects. God. Acid rain and snow? Remnie began feeling like she was stuck in a nightmare. She heard panicked breathing, it was getting louder and louder. She covered her ears. she put her head on her knees. It dawned on her it was her like a distant fragmented thought. "Fuck."she uttered between ragged breaths. Hunter stirred, saw his sister on the floor near by, hugging her knees panicking. "Rem? Focus on my voice. Just my voice. This is just a moment in time. it will pass." She nodded, trying to only hear Hunter. "Did they change the anxiety medication?" She nodded again. "Do you have it?" Remnie's eyes began to tear up and she nodded in the affirmative. Hunter went to the bathroom and grabbed 4 bottles. "Point to the right one." She pointed to the bottle and he read aloud. " Take one pill twice daily never to be consumed with alcohol, you didn't take this before we drank did you?" "No, just the sleeping pill like 12 hours beforehand, but I can't take it yet. I can still feel the alcohol in my system." Her voice stuttered out a little, but her breathing began to calm just as the storm outside really began to rage.

Hunter put his sister back in her sleeping bag and grabbed a pot from the kitchen that he then balanced between the low burning logs. He pulled his flash light out and went to her room and got her favorite book out. He began to read aloud to her as she relaxed. The water started to simmer and he poured it into two mugs and added instant coffee, cream and sugar. He continued reading while she sat up in her bag and sipped coffee. She visibly looked calmer and he was relieved. "How many days you got of medications?" "27, but I won't take the one for paranoia. Hunter I'm going to need to keep my wits and that junk clouds my mind." He sighed. She was right, but things could get really bad if he wasn't careful. "You have to take the anxiety medication. The others I'll leave up to you for now, but you can't stratigize or plan if you are having panic attacks on the floor." She nodded and muttered "I agree." "Rem what triggered the panic attack?" " Acid rain, it's burning people, probably animals and the plants as well." "Oh God." He said under his breath.

Hunter made some peanut butter and honey sandwiches as a simple breakfast and handed one to his sister. He had shut off the radio and told her not to listen until after she took her meds and felt calmer, she reluctantly agreed and picked up her book where he had left off and began to read to herself by their now replenished fire. Hunter stood in front of her sliding door that lead to the balcony and listened to his radio via headphones. New reports had now come in that multiple cities were getting hit by electrical pulses. This was effecting many of the operators with newer tech, but some of the older operators were managing to stay connected with their dated hardware.

Hunter listened for awhile, about twenty minutes, then in the distance he heard three loud almost cannon like explosions. Remnie jumped up and was standing by his side staring into the storm with him. "Hunter, what was that?" "Electromagnetic pulse delivered by explosives I think, old Edgar Tone just lost signal, but he's asked us to standby if that happens." She nodded.Then she left his side and took her pill and rejoined him by the window with her radio in her hand. "Let's sit at the table and watch the storm. Let me know when he comes back on and I'll turn my radio on. I'll be okay. I have to be." "You don't always have to be okay, sis. You know it's kinda the end of the world. It's okay to be less than good right now."

Suddenly a knock came at the door. It sounded so foreign to have company calling at a time like this. Hunter went to the door and looked out the peep hole. "Who are you?" He said with a touch of menace in his tone. " Is Remnie Stills there? This is her neighbor Jonas Rodriguez, I was wondering if she had a radio. The pulse took mine out. It's newer technology my son gave it to me as a gift." Remnie pushed past her brother and let in a middle aged man who was about 5'9 and moderately handsome. "HI, Jonas! How is Alex? Have you seen him yet sense all this?" "Yes, he is home with me. He got home right before the storm started, thank God. He's resting now." Jonas looked longingly at the fireplace. "May I warm myself by your fire? We don't have any fire wood. It's just October...How could I have known?" Remnie smiled warmly and gestured to the hearth, "Of course you can! I just got lucky to have had some left over from last year!" Hunter refilled the pot with water and stated quietly that they should make more coffee. Jonas looked relieved and said " Oh coffee would be amazing!" Hunter motioned to his ear buds "The old man got back up! His wife is asking everyone to remain calm while he scrabbles his transmission!" Jonas stood up and asked if he could bring his son over to listen, Remnie agreed and turned her radio back on. Everyone sat in her living room within minutes as Edgar Tone got back on "Alright ladies and gentlemen I'm back. This old H.A.M won't be taken out that easily! Here's the update guys: The storm as you can see isn't letting up yet! Stay inside! I repeat the rain is burning people and animals! I've had some reports of animals hiding under bridges and making their ways into buildings. Who knows how badly this will effect our ecosystem? So let's see here, still no reports from any Governments, a electromagnetic pulse has now been released locally but seems to only be effecting new technology! Looks like we really are on our own here kids! The best I can tell ya'll is we gotta stay calm and weather this out! Help each other if you can. We are gonna sign out now and shut off the generator for a bit, we will be broadcasting again at 5pm with any updates. Stay safe and sane if you can! This is Edgar Tone signing off!"

The four continued to sip coffee quietly reflecting on what they heard. Remnie's hand brushed against Alex's as she watched the embers in the fire begin to die. Remnie looked at Hunter and stated flatly, "We should pull our resources together and let them stay here where its a little warmer." The three men agreed with a nod of acknowledgement and it was decided going forward, they were a team.