Free The Canyon: A Short Story (Voices of the Apocalypse Series Book 1) by Simone Pond Page A

Good thing Lillian had the intuition to bring along her best friend that day we were scavenging, otherwise the health officials would’ve taken away Rags. Lillian has grown incredibly close to the dog.  
    Time to get up. I wrap a robe around my shoulders, picking up Rags so she can sneak outside and do her business in the backyard. Every morning she does an inspection sniff by the mounds, where my husband and daughter rest in peace. Sometimes when the afternoon sun comes into the yard, she’ll lie between them with her nose to the ground.  
    “You’re up early.” Lillian’s voice startles me.  
    “We have a lot to do in the next couple days. I looked over your father’s list, and we need to start gathering supplies and gas.”
    “So, we’re really leaving?”
    “Yeah, it’s time.”
    “Where are we going?” She gets out of bed and pulls a blanket around her to stay warm.
    “Temescal Canyon.”
    “The canyon, huh?”
    “Yeah. There are others gathering in the woods. People like us who refuse to go to the camps, or work on that monstrosity of a city center.”
    “Rags is coming, right?”
    “Of course. You know I’ll do everything in my power to keep the three of us alive. But we have a lot to do. So get dressed and let’s start packing what we can.”  
    I dig out two large suitcases and set them in the middle of the living room. We begin going through the closets and drawers, looking for items on the list: sleeping bags, durable clothes, and what little camping gear we can find. We’re missing a few things, but we’ll have to wait until it’s dark before we leave the house to pick up the rest. We’ll need more supplies, and then we’ll have to siphon gas from the abandoned cars throughout the neighborhood. We only need enough fuel to get us to the underground surplus store across town, where Joe Darkly will hopefully barter some firearms. The small revolver we had to protect our home was confiscated by the Planners in the beginning phases of the Repatterning. We should’ve listened to the warnings of our son, Robert, instead of teasing him about being a conspiracy junkie. He told us it would start with the removal of weapons, but we didn’t heed his advice and hide our gun. Who would ever suspect their government of executing a plan to kill off the population? It’s ludicrous. But it happened. Now even the government is gone––just an expendable executive arm of the untouchable higher organization behind the Repatterning.  
    “Mom?” Lillian’s voice breaks into my thoughts.
    “What is it, honey?”
    “Can I bring my Bible?” She holds up the worn leather Bible we gave her on her fifth birthday.
    I force a smile. “We’ll make sure there’s room for that.”  
    “Are you okay? You’re acting weird. Like more than usual.”
    “I’m okay. Just organizing my thoughts and preparing the next steps so I can get us out of here safely and unnoticed. We only have a few more days before they start tearing down everything.”
    According to the latest reports on the underground radio station, the entire Westside will be demolished by the end of the week. We’d been using my husband’s outlawed ham radio to listen to the reports airing on the pirated frequencies. The underground reporters had been giving out important details about the real purpose of the Repatterning. Their reports have been the only information that can pass for the truth, versus the one remaining network station that continues to stream lies and propaganda.  
    “Let’s eat our last two protein bars and head out for a treasure hunt.” I smile, changing the subject.  
    Lillian gets excited, loving the idea of breaking the law and “sticking it to the man.” She picks up Rags and dances in a circle.
    “Rags should stay here,” I tell her.
    “But what if we get caught? She’ll be all alone in the house. She’ll starve to death. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
    Lillian holds Rags close to her