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  A Lucky Find

  Book Two in the N-Day Series

  A Post-Apocalyptic – End of Days Series

  By: Sage du Toit

  CONTENTS

  CONTENTS

  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

  Dedication

  I have to admit; this second book wasn’t as easy to write as my first one. I admire those authors that can put out book after book, writing isn’t as easy as some people think. It takes a lot of time, concentration, research and dedication.

  I would like to dedicate this second book to my Husband, who is the best supporter and encourager anyone could ask for!

  Also, to my readers. I want to thank everyone who read my first book and I hope you enjoy this second one as much! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! I greatly enjoyed the reviews on my first book!

  And let’s not forget my cat Chani, who is “growing” to be my biggest fan yet!

  Chani (Seal Point Munchkin)

  (If you enjoy this book, keep an eye out for my Third and final book of the N-Day Series)

  Chapter 1

  -----------------------------------------------------

  2 February 2021 – Kittens 7 weeks old

  Douglasville, GA

  For the last month Sam and Tom had exercised every day. They rode the bicycles they had found, using the stationary stands that Tom built. But riding a stationary bike wasn’t the same as riding it on the road. They both regained most of their lost weight, but neither of them had an ounce of fat and Tom still hadn’t regained all his lost muscle. Without more protein in their diet that was going to be hard to do.

  They were almost out of all the regular food items and had opened one of the buckets of dried food that morning. Sam realized she should have opened the bucket sooner, since they needed the protein the dried meals contained. The bucket was supposed to feed four people for 72 hours. That morning Sam rehydrated scrambled eggs and cheese and made cheese omelets. Tom was still raving about how good it was.

  One of the biggest things that Sam was missing was coffee. They had run out two weeks ago and checked every house in the area. The area houses had been completely searched and even though they found a few useful things, like more cat food, sugar, salt and flour, they hadn’t found any coffee. Sam had started experimenting with making pan bread since they found the flour and it hadn’t turned out too bad.

  The kittens had grown and flourished. They started eating solid food a few weeks ago and now were running everywhere. They picked up on using the litter box like pros and treated the cat tree like a jungle gym. Well, what was left of the cat tree. Tom and Sam had taken the very top pieces off the cat tree and put them in the bike trailer, after removing the original seats. The trailer was just big enough and tall enough to fit a single level of the cat tree with a small gap at the top where Lucky had taken to laying. The bottom piece was bigger than the top and it had a cut out circle where the tunnel had run through it. Luckily the bottom piece fit the width perfectly in the bottom of the trailer, however there was a gap at the front. Tom built a long box with high sides to fit in the gap and they could use it for storage of small things or line it and use it for a small litter box. The circle cutout was the perfect fit for a metal bowl Sam had found in the kitchen. It would hold the kitten’s dry food or other treats they wanted to give them while on the move. They didn’t have a way to give them water yet that wouldn’t spill all over the trailer.

  They had also painted the bikes and trailer with various colors of green and brown paints to make them look camouflaged. Tom had also removed or painted over all the reflectors. He said they needed to be able to move through the woods without reflections off the metals or bright yellows and reds that were on the bikes and trailer giving them away. He blended the paints so well that when he was done Sam said it looked like art work!

  They had experimented with packing the different bike bags and the kitten trailer and they still didn’t have enough space for everything they both felt they needed for a trip to Texas. Tom wanted to bring all the guns and ammo and Sam wanted to bring more food, the camp stove and more cat food. But after they packed all that was absolutely essential, they didn’t have enough room for everything. They decided they needed another trailer. Since they would have to take trails that accommodated one trailer, why not get a second?

  With that in mind, they decided it was time to make a trip into town to find the supplies they needed so they could leave for Texas. They weren’t planning on being gone overnight, especially since it was so cold out now, but Tom insisted they each pack overnight necessities on their bikes. Sam also wanted to make sure Lucky and the kittens had enough food and warmth in case they were delayed. They had discussed making a night excursion but decided since they were taking the bikes and didn’t have night vision goggles it would be too dangerous.

  Tom was outside with both bikes and getting impatient. Sam had decided at the last minute to give the kittens an extra bowl of water in case they dumped the one over or drank it all. She finally came out of the house, “Sorry Tom! Trooper got out of the closet and wouldn’t come out from under the bed! I had to lure him out with a shoe string! He’s so naughty!”

  Tom just smiled and shook his head, “Those kittens are going to be a problem when we are traveling.” Sam immediately was about to go on the defensive about the kittens and how they were just young and didn’t know better but Tom held up his hand to stop her, “I’m not saying we shouldn’t take them, and I know they are young and will learn…but you have to admit, they are going to be a lot more work!”

  “You’re right… but since they might be the only breeding stock of cats left, I think it’s important to keep them healthy and alive! Cats have always been an important part of my life!” Tom knew Sam had gone to college with the hopes of one day becoming a Veterinarian and now that dream was impossible. So, the cats meant a lot to her. Not to mention that she thought Lucky, the mother cat, was her lucky charm.

  Sam was on her bike and ready to go. They both had their gas masks on and backpacks with necessities in case they had to run and abandon the bikes. They both had hand guns in holsters and Tom had one of the assault rifles attached to his bike. They had already planned a route to an Academy Sports that was in Douglasville, according to the Yellow Pages. They were nervous about going into town because neither of them had been in the down town area and had no idea what they were heading into. They had decided to take it slow and easy and use extra caution as much as they could on the bikes. They weren’t taking the trailer since they were looking for a second one and would use that to bring anything they found back. They were fully confident that Academy would have bike trailers, that wasn’t something most people would be looking for.

  They cut through the woods and headed east. They were following the back road and staying off on the shoulder close to the trees. They were passing less houses and Sam could see a long building ahead on the left. It looked like a small country store. She was surprised as they got closer she could see that the doors and windows were all intact. Tom must have seen it too because he pulled his bike into
the woods across the street from it.

  They sat and watched it for a few minutes, but all the windows were covered up from the inside and the doors and windows were covered in metal bars. Tom signed to her and asked if she wanted to check it out now or on the way back. Sam told him on the way back…if they found food and other supplies they would need the trailer to take it back. They had agreed that they wouldn’t talk unless necessary, they both spoke fluent sign language. The only problem was they had to stop the bikes to talk but they were stopping to observe anyway.

  There was a gas station on the corner and they rode behind the building sticking to the tree line, still heading east. They weren’t that far from the Academy, which was one of the motivating factors of taking the trip there. They hadn’t seen anyone come through the subdivision where their house was so they were hoping the town would be empty too.

  They were passing behind some small businesses and Sam was reading the name of the business on the back doors. One of them was a coffee shop. She pointed it out to Tom and signed, “On the way back”. They passed one more place that Tom motioned to and said he wanted to stop on the way back too, it was a tool shop.

  After crossing the parking lot next to the tool shop, they could see the freeway they needed to cross and the overpass they were looking for to let them know the Academy should be right on the other side. They sat in the tree line looking for any sign of movement. It had taken them almost an hour to get to where they were, but they were going slow and being very cautious. After waiting for a few minutes, they both got on their bikes and dashed across the road. Sam saw there was a guardrail a little further up the road, they had come out at the perfect spot to cross all the way across.

  They hit the tree line and went straight through on their bikes, neither of them pausing. Sam was loving being outside and riding her bike. It had gotten very dull riding it on the stand in the living room. It was also a completely different feeling to balance and steer and use the brakes. She realized her legs were accustomed to pedaling but she would need to work on everything else now!

  They came out of the woods at the back of a large building and a box trailer was parked in the loading dock with the name “Academy” on the side. They had made it to the right place! The box trailer was backed up next to the wall with just enough room for them to squeeze their bikes in and hide them there.

  Tom had brought a small pry bar from the shed to open the door, if needed, and they each had extra clips for their guns. They also had headlamps but didn’t plan on using them unless it was pitch black inside. Tom signed to her and said he wanted to scout around the outside of the building first. None of the delivery bays were open so, if the front doors were open they would go in that way and exit out the back. It would make a lot less noise than prying a door open.

  At the front corner of the building Tom and Sam stopped and looked at the parking lot. There were only a few cars in the parking lot, probably employee cars. The store would not have been open yet when the attack happened on N-Day. Edging around the building they saw the front doors were closed but items out in front of the store had been moved and the display items were all in a disarray, pushed off to the sides.

  They approached the doors and found they were unlocked and entered the building. They quickly ran through the building and cleared it to make sure no one was inside. The building had been emptied of all food items, guns, and some of the camping gear. Luckily that wasn’t their reason for coming here.

  In the bike section they found a few bike trailers in boxes up on the shelf. They had hoped there would be one put together but they couldn’t be choosy in this situation. They checked the selection over found picked the largest one. It was a two-child trailer and showed it would carry up to 100 lbs. They carefully assembled it and put the wheel on the front so it could be pushed around like a jogger. They opened the front compartment and wheeled it around the store while they looked for anything else they needed.

  Sam wanted to get some better fitting sports bras and they both needed better fitting bike shorts. They had some bike clothes that came from a box that was stored with the bikes when they found them but they didn’t fit either of them well. Tom also wanted to check the knives because he wanted to replace his lost Bowie knife and hopefully find a small hatchet. He also wanted to look at the tents, he wanted to get another black out tent, plus the one they found at the house was a large 4-person tent and they really didn’t need one that big.

  Tom found two Blackout tents, a two-person and a three-person. While he was comparing the size and weight difference of the two tens Sam started looking around at the other camping items. She found a propane stove that was much better than the one they currently had. It was heavier but the box said it boiled water faster thanks to the design of the burners. It also came with a special grill attachment. She picked up the box to put it in the trailer and saw there was a whole section of double packs of propane on the shelf further down. She showed Tom the propane, she was very happy about that. It meant they could use the stove for a longer time and wouldn’t have to build fires. She grabbed several packs and put them in the trailer.

  Tom decided on the three-person tent, he said it would be worth the little bit of extra weight to have the extra room, plus with Lucky and the kittens they would need the room. The tent even had a small separate zippered porch area for additional storage. Sam thought that as a great idea, she liked being able to take her shoes off before getting in the tent compartment. They also found some sub-zero sleeping bags that could be zipped together. The two they were using now were lightweight summer sleeping bags. There was also a sub-zero child’s sleeping bag and she took that for the kittens.

  They found the items they were looking for and then did a general search around the store to see if there was anything else. They got lucky in the workout section. On the bottom shelf there were several large jars of protein powder. It was just what they needed to supplement their diet with extra protein.

  Sam was pushing the bike trailer to the back of the store and Tom stopped her when he saw some first aid kits. They needed to replace the supplies she had used on him after she found him. They were both looking through the different kits on the shelf when a sudden noise from the front of the store had them both switching off their headlamps and pulling their guns. They ducked down and crept to the end of the aisle so they could see toward the front of the store.

  There was an old truck sitting right outside of the front doors and two people were propping the doors open as someone else backed the truck up. The people at the door appeared to be armed. The fact that it was a man and a woman made them think that maybe they wouldn’t be enemies. They quickly discussed a plan and decided what to do. Sam would take the lead because they would be less threatened by a woman.

  They both went around to the outside of the aisle but Tom went one way and Sam the other. She ran closer to the front and saw they were just waiting for the person in the truck to get out. Sam stepped out from behind a display case of basketballs with her weapon in plain sight on her hip and her hands in the air. “Hello, it’s been awhile since we’ve seen any other people.”

  They all froze. The woman reached for her hand gun and the man pulled his rifle off his back and pointed it at her. “Hold on now! I wouldn’t do that if I were you! I’m just being friendly, not threatening you in any way! But that doesn’t mean I don’t have someone backing me up! Now please, I just want to have a friendly conversation.”

  There was an older man that had been driving the truck and he motioned to the other two to put their guns down. He walked up to Sam and he reminded her of someone but she couldn’t put her finger on it. He held out his hand and said, “Sorry about that, we are all nervous these days when we come across someone new. I’m Thomas Farmer and these are my friends, Martha and Hollis.” He waved his one hand at the others as he held his right hand out to shake hers.

  Sam looked closer at him as she shook his hand, “Nice to meet you Thomas. I’m
Samantha Dunn and my partner back there hiding is Tom Fisher.” Tom was listening in and he stepped out from the other side of the room. He surprised Martha and Hollis and they jumped, but Thomas didn’t seem to be phased.

  “You nervous Nelly's need to calm down, I knew he was there the whole time!”, Thomas walked over to shake Tom’s hand and Sam went with him.

  “Thomas, you wouldn’t by chance be related to a Joe Farmer?”

  Now he looked surprised and said, “Why yes! I have a brother named Joe, he was a Drill Sgt out at Fort Jackson. Not sure if he and his wife are still alive though.” His face had dropped at the mention of his brother.

  Sam beamed, “Well you can be assured that the last time we saw them they were both alive and well!”

  The change from shock and then joy on his face was spectacular. “They are? You know them? Where are they? How did they survive? Are they safe? Wait, wait, wait, I have so many questions!”

  Sam laughed and told him they came from Fort Jackson, she explained that she had been one of Joe’s Basic Training soldiers and that all of them had survived and started a community with other survivors they found. Tom then joined the conversation and started telling him about all the things the community had managed to put together and how well they were doing with Greenhouses and solar panels.

  The other two with Thomas were stunned, you could see it on their faces. Sam was looking them over and realized they looked a little rough. They all looked well fed but they also looked tired and not as clean as she thought healthy people should be. She also noticed their gas masks were very old-style masks and she wasn’t even sure they would be very effective. Sam asked, “Everyone has a story these days, how did y’all manage to survive?”

  Thomas nodded and looked at his stunned people. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, which Sam recognized as a habit that Joe also had. “Well that is a long story, isn’t it? I bet you have some long stories too. And to be honest with you we don’t have a lot of time right now. We are out looking for medicine. We have some very sick kids back at our camp and we desperately need to find something to treat them. Plus, the cold is really getting to some of us, so we stopped in here to get some cold weather sleeping bags.”