Free Learning the Truth (Fighting for Freedom Series Book 1) by Jennifer Clay Page A

killing themselves so they wouldn’t have to live through the end of the world.
    She fired again. There were days when she thought she was over it all, when she thought the nightmares would stop, but then they’d return, reminding her that her father, of all people, had been one of those who believed it would be better for his entire family to be dead before the meteor hit. Louise shuddered at the memory, firing another arrow at someone who dropped before standing again, the shaft sticking out from his back. A tear trickled down her cheek as she saw it happen all over again at the most inopportune time - unfortunately flashbacks didn’t pick the safe moments, instead attacking at times when she needed to be focusing on something else. It didn’t stop her from shooting though, as she was able to see through the hazy memories that were trying to take over, thanks to long hours of practice. Letting them get the best of her would have meant her death numerous times before.

Chapter 2
    Everyone was there when Louise walked through the door. It was a surprise to see Stephanie, because she’d moved to Australia, but with the end of the world coming it made sense that she would have made the trip. They hugged. “How have you been?”
    “Until the news of the incoming meteor I was doing well.” Louise smiled at her oldest sister. “What was it like in Australia?”
    “Perfect.” Stephanie sighed. “Dad rang me and asked me to come home, so I did, because if it’s going to be as bad as they say it is I’d much rather be here with you.”
    “It’s wonderful to see you.”
    “Did Dad tell you why he wanted us all here?”
    Louise shook her head. “He did say it had something to do with what was coming. I assumed he’s planning for the worst like almost everyone I know, even though the scientists are still debating whether or not it is going to hit us.”
    “What do you think?”
    As she looked up to the sky, the same way she had hundreds of times before, it was hard to believe there was a meteor out there that might change her life forever. “I hope it’s not going to hit, but I can’t help thinking that it will, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many people panicking.”
    “Panic, sadly, is something that the human race is very good at, Lou, and this could well end up being nothing more than a psychological apocalypse. The end of the world as we know it caused by our race acting like idiots.” Stephanie shrugged. “I almost want it to hit, just so that there’s some reason for everything that’s happened.”
    “You mean the murder suicides?”
    Stephanie nodded. “I don’t know how anyone could make that choice.”
    “Maybe you don’t, love, but it is the most logical option.” Louise couldn’t stop herself from screaming when she was covered in her sister’s brains. “You’re the only one left now, my darling.” Her father took a couple of steps closer to her, their eyes meeting for a moment. “I know this won’t make sense to you. I just want to protect you from what’s coming.”
    Running was impossible. He fired the gun and she felt the bullet, but she knew she wasn’t dead. She heard him fire the gun one last time, killing himself. After what felt like hours, she heard sirens. It couldn’t have been, because she survived. From the day she was shot to the day the meteor hit she was at the hospital, her life in tatters, so it was almost a relief that the world would had come to an end and her father’s decision to kill his entire family hadn’t been for nothing.

Chapter 3
    It was hard to stop herself from shaking. Louise watched as the attackers got close enough to start taking on the first defenders, able to see properly again instead of carrying on through that memory for what had to be the hundredth time. She didn’t want it to happen again, but she knew it would, as her doctor had told her that she was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. There was nothing she could do about