After I Fully Prepared for the Apocalypse, the Ungrateful Cried with Regret novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: Empty Hands

I went out of the scale house with my hands empty.

It was the one thing the woman on the loudspeaker had asked for that I could give.

Nolan came out behind me.

The helicopter was setting down in the Dillard field across Tolliver Road.

The wind from it flattened the weeds along my fence.

Every person I had let in was standing at the inner gate.

Amos had his shotgun. The mechanic had a wrench. The young mother held her baby against her chest with both arms.

Chelsea stood in the middle of them in her blanket and did not look at me.

Six men in grey gear came across the road in a line with rifles held low.

The tall woman with the clipboard walked in front of them.

She stopped at my outer gate. My mother and Troy had been pushed aside onto the shoulder.

She smiled up the lane at me.

"Miss Hartigan," she said. "Thank you for coming out."

"You said empty hands."

"I did. I meant it kindly." She raised her voice so the yard could hear. "I'm authorized to make an offer to everyone behind that gate."

Nobody moved.

"We have a secure facility four hundred miles from here. It has power, clean water and a clinic. Every person standing there with you has a seat on my helicopter, and a bed when we land."

I heard the baby start to cry.

"All of you," the woman said. "Today. You can stop sleeping with a gun."

"And me?" I said.

"You come with us. Alone. You walk out now, and these people ride out with my team."

I felt the whole yard turn to look at me.

The mechanic lowered his wrench.

← Chapter 12 · All chapters · Chapter 14 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend