Sundown Series (Book 1): Prepared

  Prepared

  By: Courtney Konstantin

  Copyright © 2017 by Courtney Konstantin

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Dedication

  For my Husband and our Kids.

  Everything I do in this life is for you.

  Prologue

  Daddy was right. Alex Duncan found herself thinking that a lot lately. In all her 30 years, she never would have guessed that she would think her father wasn’t totally crazy. Her mother died after giving birth to her younger sister Max. That tragic event left four-year-old Alex, two-year-old Rafe and newborn Max alone with their doomsday prepper of a father. Mitch Duncan wasn’t a bad man. He had loved his children very much. The death of his wife sent his mind retreating to a place where nothing could ever be safe and happy forever.

  Daddy was right. Alex thought it again, as she bumped along a deserted back road in the deserts outside of what used to be Las Vegas. Now it was a shell of the bright-lit city she had lived in for ten years. Ten years with her husband Blake. Her breath hitched in her throat as the image of Blake came to her. Las Vegas was dark and dead. But the dead were not staying dead.

  Daddy wasn’t crazy. Alex glanced behind her, into the rear of the old RV she drove. She could see the blonde head of her daughter Billie and the dark head of her son Henry. They were huddled together on the small couch in the back of the RV, eyes peering at their mother, looking for answers. Alex had none. She didn’t know what had happened, what had started events into motion. All she knew was her father, though dead and gone, wasn’t crazy. He had been right. And Alex was prepared.

  Chapter 1

  Alex Duncan was sure she was melting. After ten years, living on the face of the sun should start feeling normal. However, there was no way it was normal for her car to be a sauna in the early days of March. Pushing a strand of dark hair from her face, she dug around her purse until she found a hair band to wrap the long length of it off her neck. She pushed her sunglasses up her nose, the light gleamed off the asphalt, blinding her at times. She sighed, someday she was going to convince Blake they needed to move from this place. Las Vegas wasn’t the city it used to be.

  Turning down her street, she waved at her neighbor. He was outside in his robe again, watering his grass again, on a day that was a no water day. Alex laughed to herself. Some people were not meant for the establishment, and that was definitely her neighbor Gary. The man had to be 70 years old, and Alex was sure she had never seen him fully clothed. Luckily, she had never seen him in less than his robe, but sometimes she was sure that was all he was wearing.

  Alex pulled into her driveway and quickly exited her car once the air conditioner stopped blowing on her face. Popping the trunk of her van, she loaded her hands with grocery bags. Blake always complained about her random grocery shopping. But it was a habit that Alex couldn’t shake from her childhood. Her father always instilled a sense of being prepared in Alex. So whenever canned foods or dehydrated foods were on sale, or she found random coupons, she stocked up. Blake wasn’t home to lecture her this time, Alex smiled to herself.

  As she walked to her door she could hear the random shrieks from inside, and she felt bad for her babysitter Lucy. Her two crazies could cause more havoc than a tornado ripping through a trailer park on their best days. Her daughter Billie was a rambunctious seven year old that enjoyed bossing her younger brother Henry around. Most of the bossing around turned into some sort of prank or trouble making that Billie’s little brain came up with. However, at five Henry followed his sister as if she hung the moon and lived on it.

  Leaning to hit the button on the wall, Alex could barely hear the doorbell over the screams. She hoped Lucy heard it soon, because her hands were getting numb. The door promptly flew open and a messy haired Billie stood in the doorway. Alex took a second to take in the appearance of her daughter. There was no doubt she was Blake’s clone, her almost white blonde hair with a distinct wave, and her blue eyes that no one couldn’t notice. Currently though, those eyes were covered in dark sunglasses that were two sizes too big for her face, and the rest of the exposed skin seemed to be covered in paint. She was wearing camo leggings, camo shirt, with a bright pink tutu around her waist.

  Alex lifted one eyebrow looking at Billie, which caused her daughter to shriek in delight and run from the door. Alex just shook her head. She had never tried to curb her daughter’s extensive imagination. She knew someday it would help her in life and she wanted Billie to have a magical childhood. A childhood very opposite her own. Alex didn’t regret how her childhood was, but her father Mitch Duncan, was what was called a prepper nowadays. He raised Alex and her siblings with very little fun, and a lot of responsibility. There was love and laughter, but anything that was found to be unrealistic in Mitch’s views, was unnecessary for his children.

  “Mommy!” a shriek sounded as Alex stepped inside the door. Henry’s dark head peered from the downstairs office. Studying him, Alex couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Apparently after Billie made herself into a female Rambo, she made her brother into a cross dressed Ken doll. His face was covered in what looked like to be make up, with a very Joker like feel.

  “Henry, did Billie do that to you?”

  He nodded emphatically, and looked sheepishly at Alex. She just smiled at him warmly and headed to the kitchen. Smells of dinner greeted her as she entered. Lucy was standing at the stove stirring, with music playing. Billie was twirling nearby, apparently deciding to take a break from Rambo and be a ballerina. Unloading her grocery bags on the table, she grabbed Billie’s hand and twirled her quicker, causing her to giggle.

  “Lucy, you don’t have to cook dinner you know,” Alex said to her babysitter. Lucy was an older woman, could have been her mother’s age if she was still alive. That thought made Alex’s heart twist just a bit, but she put the thought aside.

  “I know. But I know it’s hectic with Blake out of town,” Lucy replied and smiled at Alex.

  “Well thank you. I’m going to get the rest of the bags out of the car.”

  Alex headed back outside and grabbed the rest of the bags, slamming the trunk she looked around her neighborhood. She rarely saw people outside, especially during the days when it was hottest. Mostly it was quiet, and Alex was grateful for that. Homes in Las Vegas were pretty close together, and there wasn’t a whole lot of privacy. Alex didn’t care to know all of her neighbors’ dirty secrets, or have them know hers.

  When Alex entered the house again she heard the phone ringing. By the sound of pounding feet Billie was running to answer it, despite being told numerous times she shouldn’t.

  “Duncan residence, how may I help you?” Billie’s greeting was practiced, as she was determined to be an adult well before she turned eight.

  “Auntie Max! Yes, I’m being good, mostly. Well I did hit Henry. And Mommy said it wasn’t nice. But he wouldn’t play Army Barbie with me. He doesn’t want to be the Barbies.,” Billie went into the long story of the fight she and Henry had the night before. Sometimes Alex thought the reason she forced Henry to play all the girl parts in their games was because she didn’t want to admit her girlie side. Alex blamed herself for that partly, as she had never really had a feminine side to show. Alex never played with dolls when she was Billie’s age. Instead, she knew how to start fires, cook outside and build shelters. By the time she was ten she was already a better shot than some of her father’s friends. She hadn’t taught Billie those things yet, but she kne
w she would someday.

  Setting the bags down, Alex took the phone from her daughter, cutting off the explanation of why Barbies didn’t have private parts. Alex put the phone to her ear to hear her sister Max laughing hysterically on the other end.

  “I’m so glad this is amusing to you sister,” Alex said. She could hear Max fighting for breath.

  “Who told her the reason Barbie’s don’t have privates is because there are people that look just like that?”

  “No one told her that. When did anyone have to tell Billie anything for her to believe it?” Alex replied. This earned another burst of laughter from Max.

  “I’m so glad you got the level headed daughter. How is Jack by the way?” Alex asked as she sorted the groceries she had brought home. Canned vegetables, fruits and meats in one section. Dehydrated milk, potatoes, fruit and oats in another.

  “She’s good. Just a typical eight year old, I guess. She’s been asking to come visit Billie though,” Max said.

  “Well you two can come visit whenever you want. We could head to the water park this summer if you guys decide to fly out.”

  “We’ll see. Is Blake home yet?” Max asked.

  “No. Two more days.”

  “Did you hear about the story in Florida? The bath salt story?” Max asked.

  “Random question,” Alex said. As she held the phone between her ear and shoulder she carried the cans to her storage area in the office. She opened the walk in closet that the room had and switched on the light. She surveyed the room with contemplation. Maybe Blake had a point. She was a little obsessed with this having food on hand situation. She just could never shake that part of her childhood, being prepared was ingrained in her head. And while most of the time she was sure her father was a loon, certain things she still did like clockwork.

  “Well not really. Did you see it? Apparently some homeless guy chewed the face off of a runner under an underpass,” Max said.

  “Right. I heard the story. The cops are saying its some drug called bath salts. It’s not really bath salts right?” Alex asked as she rotated cans of vegetable by expiration date.

  “Of course not Alex. Aren’t you curious at all about this?”

  Her question made Alex stop her movements. Curious? Why would she have thought twice about the story at all? She started organizing again as she spoke.

  “No. And now I’m wondering why you are.” Alex said.

  “Alex, this is what Daddy used to say. It would start like this,” Max said seriously.

  “Oh come on Max, Daddy used to say a lot of things,” she said. Max had always been the most attentive child when it came to their father’s teachings and ramblings as he got older.

  “Yeah, I guess he did,” Max said softly. Alex sighed. She knew Max was hit the hardest when their father passed away 3 years before. He was living alone on his land near Flathead Lake in Montana. Neither Alex nor Max knew how bad he was getting. Their brother Rafe saw him most often, since he lived in Kalispell near their father. But near the end, when his ramblings got longer and harder to understand, even Rafe couldn’t visit him because their father refused to open his security gate.

  Alex always worried about her Dad, living on his compound all alone. However, she had learned through her life, that fighting who he wanted to be, wasn’t going to change anything. His personality ebbed and flowed like a river. Some days it was heavy and rough, while others he was a wonderful father, being lighthearted and loving. The heart attack that eventually killed him in his sleep was something none of his prepping could have stopped. Alex knew that Max felt the most guilt, as she was living so far away, she hadn’t visited him two years prior to his passing. South Carolina was quite a jump from Montana, but that didn’t change her guilt.

  “Anyway, drugs make more sense Max. And it’s kinda funny they call it Bath Salts,” Alex joked.

  “Makes you wonder how many teenagers are out there just eating the typical bath salts you buy at Walgreens,” Max said. This made Alex laugh. They chatted a while longer about how things were at their homes, talked more about the plan of a visit over summer and their brother. They both wondered when he would find himself a woman. He never brought anyone to family holidays, always saying he didn’t want to submit whomever he was dating to the craziness that was their family. Alex and Max always agreed that wasn’t the case, but they weren’t sure what was.

  “Ok Sis, I love you. But I have to get these kids under control,” Alex said, after all of her organizing was done, and she couldn’t hide in her closet any longer.

  “Ok. I love you too. I’ll talk to you in a few days,” Max said.

  After the call was ended, Alex emerged from the closet and was confronted by a very angry Henry. His dark hair was in butterfly clips and he had a tutu on. Alex smothered her smile, not wanting to make her son anymore angry then he was.

  “Sissy made me do my hair like this!” Henry exclaimed.

  “Oh she did?” Alex replied. She reached down and started removing clips while Henry wrapped his arms around her legs. He nodded his head into her thighs.

  “She did,” he confirmed.

  “Next time you tell her no, ok?” Alex said.

  “Ok,” Henry replied, and smiled as he ran off to find his sister, always quick to forgive.

  When Alex entered the kitchen, Lucy was putting her coat on. Alex gave her a tight hug, and turned to the stove to peer into the pot that was simmering.

  “Chili. I know it’s hot out, but it’s still March. Thought something hearty would be good for you and the kiddos,” Lucy said.

  “It smells delicious, thanks for making it,” Alex replied.

  “How’s Max?” Lucy had been babysitting the kids since Henry was born and Alex went back to work. She had met Max on a number of occasions, as Lucy was always invited to family functions. Lucy’s own children lived overseas, where they grew up with their father in France. It was a unique situation and Alex knew she missed her family greatly. Nevertheless, she wanted her children to have the best possible life. So whenever Alex had something going on with the family, she invited Lucy, making her an honorary member.

  “She’s good. Enjoying life like only she knows how,” Alex replied.

  “That’s good. You should take a page from her book dear.”

  “Maybe,” Alex said thoughtfully. Maybe she should learn to loosen up a bit. She thought of the stacks of bottled water in her closet, and thought about relaxing about that. The idea scared her too much though.

  “So I’ll see you Monday?” Lucy asked. Having weekends off had been a great bonus for the last five years, since Henry was born. It gave Alex the time with the kids, but it also gave Lucy the weekends off to do as she pleased.

  “Yes. Blake will be home Sunday late, then its back to the grind Monday morning for us both,” Alex said.

  “Wonderful. See you both then,” Lucy said as she headed toward the door. As she walked Billie and Henry came out of hiding to give her hugs and kisses, as was always customary when she left. Alex smiled at the scene. The kids never had a normal grandmother. With her own mother passing away long before the children were born, and Blake’s mother living in Rhode Island, Lucy was the perfect everyday grandparent. Billie and Henry stood at the open front door waving to Lucy as she got into her car and pulled away. In unison the two children, turned to Alex in all their make-up, camouflage and tutu’ed glory.

  “So what are we going to do this weekend?” Alex asked them. The door swung shut, and a general war cry was raised between the two of them as they ran at their mother. Alex allowed them to play tackle her and for the next hour they wrestled, tickled and played hide and go seek.

  Chapter 2

  The weekends in Alex’s home were always busy, and this Saturday was no different. First, it was dance class for Billie, in which she insisted on wearing a tiara to. The tiara had a flashing light on it, and Billie acted as if Alex was insane for not understanding her need to wear it. Alex gave in and figured it was dance
class, not congress. After dance, Henry had a soccer game. He loved chasing the ball around, as most of the kids did at his age. The coach, who was really just a volunteer father, tried hard to teach the kids positions. But in the end it was a pack of children chasing a ball. Alex cheered loudly to make sure her son heard her, no matter what.

  In the car on the way home, somehow the little devils convinced Alex that slurpees were necessary. It was hot enough that even Alex wanted one, and she swung into a nearby 7-11. The kids stood contemplating the flavors when Alex heard a news alert from the TV behind the cash register.

  “This is straight from the scene folks, if you are just joining us, there have been multiple attacks in the Orlando, Florida area. At this time, the authorities are not releasing any information, but sources close the investigation have revealed these attacks seem to be similar to the recent bath salt incidents that have been reported. Why these attacks have seemed to escalate is not clear at this time,” the reporter continued to promise additional information as necessary, and then repeated the information she was reporting. Alex watched the screen for a moment, remembering that Blake had a layover in Orlando the next day. She took her phone out to text him.

  Attacks in Orlando, they say it is due to drug usage. Be careful. We love you. She hit send and slid her phone back into her pocket. She knew he would be flying that evening, as he was coming from a work trip in Portugal. He would be exhausted when he got home late Sunday night, so Alex made a mental note to have the office bed made up. He typically didn’t wake her when he came home late from trips, and would tend to crash downstairs.

  Turning back to the kids, she asked if they had finally made their choices. As expected they hadn’t, so they all decided to mix some flavors and live on the wild side. Paying for the drinks, Alex continued to listen to the news reporter. Suddenly there was a scream from the TV that stopped Alex and the cashier in their movements. Both of their heads turned to the screen to watch as the camera shook, as if the camera operator were running. Suddenly the camera swung up and around in time to see the reporter tackled behind the camera operator. Her screams continued, until the live feed was suddenly cut.