Free Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse by William H. Weber

sound.”
    Some members of the crowd bowed their heads and whispered silent prayers. Others stood stunned as though this were all some movie they were watching on TV.
    “ I’d just spoken to Tim yesterday about organizing such a meeting, but hoped it wouldn’t have been under these circumstances.” John sighed, hating this next part. “I know wild rumors have been floating around since the power went out about what’s causing all this. I also know many of you are keenly aware this isn’t your ordinary grid-down scenario. I spent close to ten years in the military, experiencing things I don’t care to mention so none of you would ever have to. Seems all that was for naught. I believe that two days ago our country was hit with something called an EMP.”
    The crowd began to murmur.
    “In short, gamma rays from the detonation of a high-altitude nuclear missile caused an oscillating electric current and in turn an electromagnetic pulse which wiped out all electronic devices within a huge blast radius. A single missile exploding four hundred miles over Kansas would be enough to knock out every electrical device over the continental United States. Apart from a solar flare, I can’t think of anything else that would stop cars and fry cells phones and computers all at once.”
    “We’ve been nuked?” Peter said incredulously. He’d been the one to bring blankets to the Hectors this morning.
    “If I’m right, then it looks that way,” John told him. “But I wanna caution all of you that without some sort of confirmation from the military, we shouldn’t assume we’re at war. I tried telling you folks earlier, but my words fell on deaf ears.”
    “It’s so hard to believe,” a neighbor named Rose Myers exclaimed.
    “But we haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” John went on. “Most homes in major cities have a few days’ worth of food and water. Once that’s done, it’s only a question of time before the rule of law completely breaks down.”
    “The water’s already stopped,” Al said. “Tried my tap this morning and only a few drops came out.”
    “There’s still water in your pipes and in your water heaters,” John said. “It’s important when we’re done here that at least one member of your household be in charge of collecting what’s there. It’s also important moving forward that any water consumed be boiled first, since the treatment facility likely stopped working before the water was cut off. Now we can’t save all of Sequoyah Hills, but we can at least help protect those of us on Willow Creek Drive. I propose we immediately move to elect a committee of six men and women to make decisions on securing our street.”
    “Why don’t we just vote on everything?” Peter asked.
    John shook his head. “Having to assemble everyone on the street to make decisions will cripple us. It’s best to have a small governing body who can then disseminate the decisions.
    “ Each member of the committee will be responsible for a different area. Food-gathering, water filtration, security. That sort of stuff. The remaining residents will be divided under committee leaders and tasked with carrying out specific jobs.”
    “ Sounds to me from the way you’re talking like you won’t be in the committee?” Al asked John.
    “I’d prefer not to,” he told them. “But I’m happy to help in any other way I can.”
    Paul Hector came forward. “My family was almost murdered last night. I had to hand over all the food we had to criminals. What’ll happen when they return and I have nothing left to give them? We need someone with military experience on the committee.”
    Everyone present agree d. John shrugged. He could see Diane in the crowd and she didn’t seem thrilled by the idea, but there was little else they could do. Things were getting worse, no doubt, but the situation wasn’t bad enough to bug out and leave all these people to fend for themselves. Not yet at least. John swallowed hard. “For