Absolute Darkness - A CME Survival Thriller Read online

  Absolute Darkness

  The Great Solar Storm

  Kellee L. Greene

  Contents

  Books By Kellee L. Greene

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  What’s next?

  Books By Kellee L. Greene

  About the Author

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 Kellee L. Greene

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author.

  First Edition May 2021

  Books By Kellee L. Greene

  After The Fires

  The Water Farmer - Book 1

  The Trials Ahead - Book 2

  The Measures Taken - Book 3

  The Reset Series

  Flood - Book 1

  Sinking - Book 2

  Drowned - Book 3

  Swamp - Book 4

  Torrent - Book 5

  Striking - Book 6

  What Remains Series

  Sickness - Book 1

  Outpost - Book 2

  Infected - Book 3

  Evasion - Book 4

  Red Sky Series

  Red Sky - Book 1

  Blue Cloud - Book 2

  Black Rain - Book 3

  White Dust - Book 4

  Indigo Ice - Book 5

  Yellow Heat - Book 6

  Ravaged Land Series (1)

  Ravaged Land -Book 1

  Finding Home - Book 2

  Crashing Down - Book 3

  Running Away - Book 4

  Escaping Fear - Book 5

  Fighting Back - Book 6

  Ravaged Land: Divided Series (2)

  The Last Disaster - Book 1

  The Last Remnants - Book 2

  The Last Struggle - Book 3

  Ravaged Land: Eventuality Series (3)

  The Wall - Book 1

  The Outside - Book 2

  Falling Darkness Series

  Unholy - Book 1

  Uprising - Book 2

  Hunted - Book 3

  The Island Series

  The Island - Book 1

  The Fight - Book 2

  The Escape - Book 3

  The Erased - Book 4

  From Below Series

  Creatures - Book 1

  Desolation - Book 2

  The Alien Invasion Series

  The Landing - Book 1

  The Aftermath - Book 2

  Destined Realms Series

  Destined - Book 1

  Author’s Note

  Names of towns and locations may have been changed in order to maintain the fictional nature of the story. Any resemblance to actual locations is entirely coincidental. Thank you for your understanding.

  1

  The twenty-two years I’d been alive had felt as though they had lasted longer than they should have. Over those years, I hadn’t made many choices for myself. Life always had control over me, and for some reason, I just sat back and let it all happen.

  Sam noisily tossed her suitcase into the back of my rented SUV. “This is going to be so epic.”

  I held her sparkling blue-eyed gaze, blinking as I tried to figure out what she thought was going to be so great. It seemed as though she’d completely forgotten the reason I was going to Wisconsin.

  “Well, except for the cleaning the house part,” Sam said, shrugging. “Forgive me for being a little excited about our vacation.”

  “It’s not a vacation.”

  “For me, it is,” Sam said, looking away. “Let me remind you that I’ve never been outside of the state.”

  “I can’t believe you are both deserting me like this,” Olivia whined as she puffed out her lower lip. “I wish I could join you, Mel. I know you need the help, but I can’t leave with exams coming up.”

  “I completely understand,” I said, giving her a smile. “It’s really not going to be fun. There is a lot to do before I can even think about selling the property.”

  Olivia forced a thin-lipped smile. “I’m sorry you had to take a break from school to deal with all this.”

  “I’ll figure it out,” I said, flashing her a warm smile.

  Olivia chewed on a nail. “It’s so not fair this happened to you. I can’t even imagine life without my mom. Hell, I wouldn’t survive it. We’re practically glued at the hip.” Olivia cleared her throat. “You’re just so strong.”

  “Um, yeah, thanks,” I said.

  I’d been close to my mother, but not in the same way others were close to their parents. I moved out the second I turned eighteen, and I didn’t look back. It wasn’t so much my mom as it was that I didn’t much enjoy small-town life.

  There were too many nosy neighbors and busybodies. Growing up with everyone knowing your business was rather unpleasant.

  My mom had unexpectedly passed away six weeks ago, and to say I lost my shit would be an understatement. But I didn’t have the choice to let it keep me down for long.

  Since my father died when I was six and my brother acted as though we didn’t exist, I was left to take care of everything. Not that there was much besides the house to take care of.

  “Do you have your medicine?” Sam asked.

  “Yes. I put them in the glove compartment,” I said, stopping to chew my lip. My pulse quickened as I mentally retraced my steps, trying to recall if I had actually put them in there. “I’ll double-check.”

  “Good idea. We wouldn’t want to forget that.” Sam smiled. “Not that I think it’s possible for you to actually forget them.”

  Olivia whimpered as she followed me to the passenger door of the SUV. “I’m going to miss you both so much. I’m sorry about what I said a few seconds ago about my mom. That was probably really insensitive, but I don’t do well with any of this death and grieving stuff. No one in my family has ever passed away. My great grandmother is still alive for Pete’s sake.”

  “It’s okay, Liv,” I said as I opened the car door.

  I pressed the button and pulled down the glove compartment door. The plastic amber bottle was nestled to the left of all the manuals and paperwork that came with the SUV.

  I sifted through the papers. “Hey, Sam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Where did you put the map?”

  It wasn’t like I really need a map. I knew how to get home, but having one always made me feel a bit more at ease.

  Sam giggled. “We don’t need a map, silly. We have phones.”

  “Righ
t,” I said, closing the glove compartment.

  She didn’t need to know I’d pick one up when we stopped for gas. I mean, of course, she was right, but I’d feel better having one even if she thought it was silly.

  I closed the passenger door and reached into my pocket. My fingers squeezed around the keys even though I knew they were there.

  “Oh my God.” Olivia pressed her palms together, finger pointed to the sky. “Who am I going to talk to?”

  “It’s only for a few weeks,” I said, giving her a quick hug. “You’ll study for your exams, and we’ll be back before you know it.”

  Sam was staring at her phone. “You know, the three of us text more than we see each other the way it is. You two are always so busy.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Olivia asked. “You are the one that is always gone.”

  “Sorry, I take good care of my daughter,” Sam said, tilting her head to the side. “One day, you’ll see what it’s like.”

  “Not for a long time yet, I hope,” Olivia said with wide eyes.

  Sam blinked several times. “Yeah, sometimes things don’t always go according to plan.”

  “Anyway, I just like knowing I have the option to see you. If I needed either of you, you’d be there in a heartbeat, and that’s not going to be the case.” Olivia sniffed.

  “Poor Livie,” Sam said. “You won’t even miss us. If you text me, I’ll pretend I’m at home.”

  “I’ll know Mel isn’t there. Her apartment right down the hall will be so quiet,” Olivia said. “What if I need to borrow sugar?”

  “Liv! We’ve been neighbors for like three years, and you never once asked to borrow any sugar,” I said with my hands on my hips.

  “Which means I must be really low on sugar, and I’m going to need some really soon,” Olivia said, biting back a small smile.

  Sam raised a brow. “Oh yeah, you definitely need sugar. And I need sugar. Even Mel, after that ordeal with Elijah, needs sugar.”

  “Let’s not talk about him,” I said, shifting my eyes to a random person crossing the road down the block.

  Elijah was someone I still thought I saw everywhere. Getting away, even though it was to work, had its benefits.

  “Okay,” Olivia said, scrunching up her nose. “Wine, then. Who will I borrow wine from?”

  “You’re the one that always supplied the wine,” I said, raising a brow.

  “You’re right. You guys need me!” Olivia said, hugging us both simultaneously.

  Sam rolled her eyes but smiled at the same time. “You’ll be fine. I promise we’ll talk soon. All right, Mel, you ready?”

  “I guess so,” I said, opening the back of the SUV again. I checked my bags to make sure I’d put them all in the back. “Maybe I should take another quick look around the apartment.”

  “You already did that twice,” Sam said.

  “I’ll go in and check everything is turned off and unplugged,” Olivia said.

  I exhaled slowly and closed the back of the SUV. “Okay. Thanks. Oh, and take care of my plant.”

  “You have a plant?” Sam asked, narrowing her eyes.

  “Yeah, that succulent by the window,” I said, biting my lip.

  Sam laughed.

  “I will check on it every day,” Olivia called from the sidewalk, waving with both hands. “Drive safely. Call when you get there. Actually, call before you get there!”

  Our plan was to drive straight through, only stopping for gas and food. It was going to be a long trip by car, but I needed to drive in case there was anything I’d want to bring back home.

  I sat down in the firm driver’s seat. The SUV had a clean pine scent and only a few thousand miles on it. At least the long drive would hopefully be a comfortable one.

  I placed my hands on the steering wheel and put the keys into the ignition. I stared at the road ahead. Was I ready?

  “You have to turn the key,” Sam said.

  “It’s been a while since I drove, but not that long,” I said.

  “Having second thoughts?” Sam asked. “I’m sure you could force your brother to deal with it somehow.”

  I shook my head. “He didn’t even come to the funeral. He’ll let the house rot before going to deal with anything. I need the money, if there is any, more than he does, and he knows it.”

  “Want me to drive first?” Sam asked.

  “I got it, thanks,” I said as I turned the key. The engine rumbled to a soft start.

  We both waved to Olivia as I pulled away from the curb and drove down the street.

  When I’d been home for the funeral, I’d seen the house. It had been in complete shambles. Sam had volunteered to come to help me, but I don’t think she grasped the gravity of the situation.

  My mom was a moderate hoarder. I wasn’t even sure if three weeks would be enough time to clean everything to get it ready for sale. If anyone would even buy the place.

  “Well,” Sam said, clapping her hands. “I, for one, am glad to be leaving. Good bye, Massachusetts! Hello… what’s the place called again?”

  “Door County,” I said.

  “Hello, Door County!” Sam said as she rolled down the window and squealed.

  I told her once that it was roughly an eighteen-hour drive, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to remind her. We’d be there before we knew it, and then I’d have to get to work.

  We hadn’t been on the road more than a couple hours when Sam begged me to stop at a gas station. Apparently, snacks were needed ASAP.

  “If you need to stretch your legs already, this isn’t going to go well,” I said.

  “I don’t need to,” Sam said. “I just want to. Besides, isn’t it a requirement to snack while on a road trip?”

  I pulled into the gas station, stopping at the nearest pump. “Going to fill it up while we’re here, I guess.”

  “Need anything?” Sam asked.

  “Water, if you don’t mind.”

  “It would be my honor,” Sam said with a flourish.

  The sun beat down. I was anxious to get back into the air-conditioned SUV.

  A crackly pop song ended in the speakers above my head. The radio DJ’s voice cut was overly bouncy and bubbly.

  He recited the artist before his tone switched to something a bit more serious. “We have breaking news to share on this scorching summer day.”

  2

  Sam came out of the gas station wearing a big smile as she proudly waved a large bottle of water in the air. The loose curls of her fiery orange hair bouncing from side to side as she strutted closer.

  The car’s engine at the next pump rumbled to a loud start, blocking out nearly half of everything the radio host said.

  “Scientist monitoring the sun… several hours ago… updating the public… precautions… expected sometime during the night,” the DJ said. The car drove off, and the DJ’s cheerfulness returned. “It’s a steamy 86 today with clear skies, making your day even brighter. Put on that sunscreen and enjoy the heat while listening to your favorite radio station, WKIS 108.1 FM.”

  Sam handed me the bottle of water before opening the passenger down. She set down her bag of goodies on the seat and leaned back against the side of the SUV.

  “Is it going to be this hot in Wisconsin?” she asked, pulling her sunglasses down from the top of her head.

  “Maybe. Cooler near the lake, though,” I said, squinting at her. “Did you hear what the breaking news was all about?”

  Sam waved her hand, dismissing my question. “Some kind of storm, I think. Not going to matter because we’ll be long gone.”

  “Got everything you need?” I asked, reaching into my pocket to pull out my keys.

  “Oh, yeah, and then some,” Sam said. “Everyone knows calories don’t count when you're on vacation.”

  I chuckled as I walked around the SUV and climbed into the driver’s seat. “I don’t think my body got the memo. Think I gained five pounds just looking at your bag of abundant snacks.”

 
“I don’t even want to hear you complain,” Sam said, holding up her palm as she settled into her seat. “You’re absolutely perfect. I’d kill for a slender body like yours again. I tell ya, having a kid put my body through the wringer.”

  “Well, that’s something I won’t have to worry about, I guess,” I said, pressing my lips together as I pulled back onto the highway.

  “You say that now, but things change, and in my case, happy surprises happen,” Sam said, digging into her bag. She handed me something wrapped in plastic. “Sandwich?”

  I shook my head.

  “Aw, come on,” Sam said, chomping down in the flat triangle she was holding in her other hand. “It’s a long drive. You’re going to need the energy.”

  “Oh, fine,” I said, grabbing it from her. “What kind is it?”

  “Chicken salad.”

  “You’re just trying to get me sick,” I said with a smile.

  Sam groaned. “Why would I want that?”

  “I know you want to stop at a hotel,” I said, looking over at her for a split second. “Liv told me all about your ideas for a room with a hot tub.”

  “On the way back,” Sam said. “Definitely not now. I know we’re going to be busy bees.”

  The song on the radio ended, and Sam turned the station to a different tune. She started dancing in her seat.