Absolute Darkness - A CME Survival Thriller

called, jogging to catch up with him. Sam released a loud sigh. “Is this solar storm thing over?”
“Yeah. Well, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but if you’re worried about the sky falling, that isn’t going to happen tonight,” Erik said, the pupils of his blue eyes reflecting the colors in the sky.
“So, it was just this CME thing?”
Erik rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I think that’s going to be more than enough.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, raising a brow.
“I don’t know. I really don’t. But I think this isn’t something that just happened here,” Erik said, looking down at the ground. “If the electrical grid is destroyed, life isn’t going to be the same. It’ll be like being thrust back into the 1800s.”
Sam grabbed my hand and pulled me back. “Good night, mister doom and gloom. We’ll call for a mechanic in the morning.”
“Good luck with that,” Erik said, saluting her. “Evening, ladies.”
Sam pulled me back to the SUV. I sat down and looked out the back window, but Erik Price was gone.
Even though I was with Sam, I felt very alone. And scared.

7
I’d slept for maybe an hour before the sun came up. The sun was rising, erasing away the bright colors from the sky and giving everything a pale orange glow.
Sam was still sleeping, and I didn’t want my growling stomach to wake her. She needed the sleep after the hectic night. Then again, so did I, but there was absolutely no way I’d fall back asleep.
I silently opened the car door and stepped out into the chilly morning air. I reached back into the SUV and took a pill from the bottle of medicine sitting in the cupholder.
I’d wanted to blame Elijah for the increase in anxiety, but the truth was, it was something I dealt with long before I met him. After meeting him, it had gotten worse. I hated taking medicine, but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to function without it.
Anxiety. Depression because of the anxiety. Sometimes it seemed like an endless cycle. If it weren’t for my medicine, I’d be curled up on the floor of the closet, and that was before the solar storm and before Elijah.
I glanced over my shoulder at Sam. Her eyes bolted from side to side under her eyelids.
Silently, I closed the door without clicking it into place. My hands slid rapidly up and down my arms to keep me warm as I walked down the dirt path toward the bay.
I could hear the water sloshing up against the rocks. There was a sound that didn’t sound familiar.
As I drew closer, I saw a hunk of metal scratching against the rocks as the water attempted to push it ashore. Scattered along the rocks and in the water were other types of debris. It wasn’t until I saw a suitcase floating on the gentle waves that I realized what I was looking at.
A plane had crashed into the bay. By the looks of all the pieces floating around, no one would have survived.
Down the shore to the south, a man was standing on a short dock, loading items into a small motorboat. His ball cap hid his face, but he acted as if it were just any other day.
Perhaps things had already been fixed. I should have tried my phone instead of wasting time watching the sunrise.
He looked at me over his shoulder and waved. I wasn’t sure, but it looked like the man who’d checked on us last night.
I waved back but spun on my heel to go back to the SUV. The motor started, and the rumbling sound faded.
“Jesus, Mel,” Sam said, climbing out of the SUV. “You just leave me in the middle of nowhere?”
“You had your weapon,” I said, gesturing at the water bottle.
“You’re so funny,” Sam said, holding up her phone. “It’s still dead. SUV won’t start either. How are we going to get someone out here to help us?”
My eyes shifted to the house. “I still have to clean this place.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Sam asked, placing a hand on her hip. “You can’t expect me to sit out here unable to speak with my daughter.”
“No, I guess not,” I said, pressing a finger to my temple. “I’m just not entirely sure what to do. No phones. No car. Nothing.”
“Exactly,” Sam said. “I’m not entirely sure why you’re not freaking out a little more.”
My eyes narrowed. “That’s what you want? Me to freak out? Honestly, I’m trying to hold it together because if I lose it, I’m not sure what will happen.”
“That medicine must be magical,” Sam said, looking away.
I pressed my lips together, not sure what to say. I turned on my heel and headed toward the house. Maybe it was better if we didn’t talk at all.
“Where are you going?” Sam whined.
I ignored her and walked into the house. The lingering smoke from the small fire assaulted my lungs, forcing me to gag out several deep coughs.
I grabbed a bag of chips from the counter and tore it open, popping two or three of them into my mouth at the same time. My stomach was swirling from hunger and nerves. I prayed I’d be able to keep the food down.
“Okay,” Sam said softly, stepping up behind me. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m scared, and I miss Dott.”
“It’s fine. I’m scared too,” I said, meeting her gaze. “I don’t have any idea what to do. We probably should have accepted help from the guy down the road.”
“We don’t know anything about him,” Sam said. She sighed and buried her face in her hands. “You’re probably right.