Free Endless Winter (Book 2): Rain & Ruin by Theresa Shaver Page A

our supplies, it wouldn’t have been enough. They would have come back for more eventually until it became a fight and we ended up having to kill them to keep us alive.
    "I didn’t enjoy doing that and I never will. Taking another’s life is huge but this world has changed and we will do what it takes to keep our family alive. I want you and Marsh to really think about what happened here and what drove those men to try and take food from children. Listen to us and learn how to grow and hunt food so that you will never be forced to come close to that line. One day, and it will probably take years but one day, this world will be easier to live in again. "YOU need to decide what kind of man you’ll be when that time comes. Will you be the man who killed others by stealing their food or will you be the man that learned how to survive honorably and killed only to protect yourself and your family?”
    He leans back on his heels and waits for my response. I look down at the cards in my hand and for the first time since the bombs dropped, think that just maybe I was dealt a winning hand by ending up with these good people. I lay the cards down on the table and face him again before I nod in agreement and finally, I don’t feel quite so numb anymore.

Chapter Thirteen - Rex
    The smell of baking bread has been wafting out of the kitchen all day and I’m ready to round up Matty and go sit down for whatever meal has been prepared for supper. I’m hauling the last bunk into place with Marsh when AIRIA’s voice booms out to fill the cavern causing me to drop my end with a metallic clang to the concrete floor.
    “Rex Larson, authorization increased to level green. Please proceed to alternate living quarters with Dr. Ethan Gains to attend to Skylar Ross and Benjamin Ross who are in medical distress.”
    It takes half a second for me to process this before I’m sprinting towards the offices. Medical distress? What does that mean? They’re hurt, somehow they got hurt and need help. Ethan, I need Ethan! I change directions on the fly and almost skid out on my still damaged knee but ignore the flare of pain and keep going. I can hear pounding footsteps paralleling mine in a different area and when I clear the last set of bunks before the medical clinic I see Ethan disappearing through the doors. I fly towards the doors and make it through them before they slide closed.
    Ethan has a bag in hand and is throwing supplies into it while talking to AIRIA.
    “AIRIA, what happened to Skylar and Benjamin? Is it trauma or illness? What are their symptoms?”
    “Dr. Ethan Gains, it appears to be an illness of some kind. Symptoms are dangerously elevated temperatures and respiratory congestion. Without fluid samples I am unable to reach further diagnosis.”
    I stand waiting for him but all I want to do is run. Run to Sky’s place and make sure her and Ben are okay. I know he needs to take supplies with us but inside my head I’m screaming “LET’S GO!” He finally looks up from a drawer that he’s pulling I.V. bags from and notices me waiting for him.
    “Oh, Rex, good, you’re here! Take this bag so I can start filling another one.”
    I snatch the bag from him but grab his arm as he starts to move away.
    “Ethan, we have to go! We can come back for more if you need it. Or we can bring them both here!”
    Ethan stares at me for a second before he starts shaking his head. “No, we aren’t going to do that. Skylar does not want to be over here and she really doesn’t want her brother here. We are not going to go against her wishes on that if I can help it. Bring what you have in that bag and I’ll come back for more if I need to.”
    I turn without a word and wait impatiently as the doors slide open before sprinting towards the offices. I see faces staring at me as I run past including a worried looking Belle and Matty, but I can’t stop. Skylar and Ben need help and it’s my turn to do the saving. Ethan and I run down the corridor