Grim Effects Read online

  Grim Effects

  An Ungoverned World Book 1

  Kip Nelson

  Copyright © 2018 by Kip Nelson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Prologue

  Deep in the recesses of space the surface of the sun broils and spits. It bubbles violently, growing ever hotter. Erupting with a hundred times the power of Earth's strongest volcano, energy is pushed out into space, hurtling toward the Earth at the speed of light. The stars are silent, the people of Earth unaware, until it blazes through the atmosphere. People look up, shielding their eyes, awed at the magnificence of the brilliant light. Then they go about their lives as normal. Many people around the globe noticed disruptions in their electronic communications and similar equipment. These only lasted a few moments though. NASA told everyone it was just a low-level solar flare and there was no need to be alarmed. Yet, a few days later they received some startling reports from satellites above the Earth. The energy readings from the sun were strange. It appeared as though that solar flare was not the last of its kind.

  The news was broadcast around the world, educating the people of Earth about the effects of the incoming solar flares. Over the period of a few months a chain of low-level solar flares disrupted human civilization. Eventually, people started to take notice, but they were more annoyed than scared. Many of them grumbled and said NASA should do something. They didn't realize there was nothing anyone could do against the brute force of nature. Others carried on with their lives. They figured it was just another phenomenon, an oddity that would pass by quickly enough and they could go on with their lives.

  They were wrong.

  The violent energy of the sun simmered and lashed out into space. A huge spear of pure, unadulterated ionic rays lashed out. It was bigger than the previous ones and it was on a direct course for Earth.

  Scientists at NASA gasped when they saw the readings. There still was not enough known about solar flares to accurately predict the effects on the Earth, but what predictions they had were entirely grim. Everyone at NASA was in a panic, but they couldn't get anyone to listen to them for there were more immediate and tangible issues on Earth. Humanity’s greatest flaw always had been a lack of foresight, and they were going to pay dearly for it now.

  Warnings were spread through radio and television newscasts as well as newspapers. People paid little attention to them. Since the last few solar flares had had negligible effects nobody was too concerned. They assumed it just would pass over like all the others. Some took precautions about staying indoors. Some listened to the warnings and backed up all their electronic data. Most did nothing.

  There was little time for NASA to do anything else other than release statements urging people to be as safe as possible. From what they had discovered the solar flares would strike too soon for the people of Earth to mount a defense. That was if it was even possible to defend against the cosmic sword of fire. The scientists were helpless. They looked at each other with a grim inevitability, for they knew their lives as they knew them were over.

  The intense solar flare was unleashed. Its power wasn't known at first for it flashed over the Earth in an instant, but soon the effects were seen. Formerly unstoppable airplanes hung in the sky as their engines failed, then careened back to Earth, the screams of the passengers silenced as they erupted into flames. Wall Street collapsed, and with it the economy. Money was worthless, and people went into a panic, afraid of what that meant, for all their hard work had just disappeared in an instant. People all over the world died as the medical equipment that was keeping them alive failed. Inmates poured out of prison as the electronic locks were left open, unable to be closed. They swarmed out, unleashing the anger that festered in their souls upon the world. People all over the globe saw their lives utterly transformed in an instant. The world had changed, and everyone had been utterly powerless to stop it. They all were faced with one inexorable, unanswerable question...

  What now?

  Chapter One

  In the distance Nick Tanner could see a fire raging in an old watermill. Fires were his specialty, but that was another life. Smoke billowed up into the blue sky. Even from his vantage point Nick could taste the ash and hear the crackle, although he wasn't sure how much of that was his own memories coming back to him. There had been many fires since the world had gone dark. Nick couldn't venture into them all. For so long he had thought of himself as a firefighter but now, like everyone else, he was a survivor. The fire blazed brightly, and the flames licked the watermill. The wooden wheel grew black and charred. Nick wondered how a fire could have started this far out of the city. Looking back, his breath caught in his throat. The watermill was away from the forest and the cover of trees. It was isolated and vulnerable. It wasn't a place he wanted to go to at all.

  The paths were clear in front of him. He could carry on into the safety of the woods and leave the mill alone, or he could investigate in case anyone needed his help. Help, ha, that was a thing to think. Everyone needed help, and he had yet to see more than a few people willing to give it. This world was made for the ruthless. As much as he hated to admit it, it was clear the meek did not inherit the Earth. It was a time for fighters to take their place in the world, for everything else was burning.

  Dammit, he thought to himself as he strode toward the mill. It was a risk. He could be wasting time. The men hounding him could catch up with him, too. The moment Nick thought about them he grimaced. His fists clenched. They would pay. He didn't know when. He didn't know how. But he would punish them for everything they had done.

  Nick pushed thoughts about them from his mind and tried remembering his training. Sam Phillips barking orders, his handlebar mustache rising with each snarling command. “Don't you dare let your mind wander! When you go into that fire you're taking on nature itself. People depend on you. Wearing that uniform means you are willing to risk your life to save them. They're panicking. They can't help themselves. The only person they have to rely on is you. Find that void inside yourself. There's no time for fear. There's no time for doubt. Take action. Be a damned hero.”

  Nick knew it went deeper than just the uniform. It was in his bones. In his blood. Ever since he had been a young boy he knew he wanted to help people. He couldn't just stand by and watch them suffer. Being a firefighter had given him a sense of purpose. That purpose had been ripped away with the rest of the world. No longer was he part of a brotherhood. He was on his own. But that didn't mean his oaths meant nothing. With that in mind he knew he was right in going toward the watermill. At least if there was a fire he could put it out. He could feel like he still had some use in the world.

  It was a beast as well. The flames rose up and curled back on themselves. The air turned hot as he approached, shimmering and sizzling. Sweat beaded on his temples and for a moment he just stood there, admiring the handiwork of nature. He'd always had a reverence for Mother Nature as he had seen first-hand how destructive it could be. It left hous
es in charred remains. It turned vibrant forests to ashy graveyards. It made the clear air heavy and thick with dark smoke. Nick closed his eyes. At least when he was near fire he could feel like things were normal. For a moment he could forget about everything that had happened. In some ways it was easy to imagine falling into the fire. There was something seductive about it. Beckoning to him, he almost fell under its spell and gave himself to the flames when he heard a sound.

  At first, he thought it was just in his mind, an echo of all the people he had helped, and those he had not. They all weighed heavily on him. The fire continued crackling. Then he heard the sound again. It was a voice, calling for help. Without a moment's hesitation he leaped into action, rushing into the large doorway. Flames were rushing out, licking at the doorframe. The whole structure was being consumed. By the side of the building the waterwheel was creaking under the stress of trying to hold itself together. The flames ate away at the wood and it started to turn. Nick pulled his shirt up over his mouth and began to blink quickly. He took in a few deep breaths before he ran into the mill.

  Trying to ignore the heat, he raised his arm to his face as the blistering heat of fire slammed against him. It was suffocating. Smoke filled the air. Nick's eyes stung, but he stayed true to his training. Be a hero. The voice echoed in his head. Just at that moment fire rushed out, causing Nick to fall back with his arms crossed over his face. He scrambled up. It would be suicide to go in there now since the same thing could happen again. Nick quickly scanned the building for any sign of entry. The voice kept calling to him. Nick told him to hold on and be careful.

  “I'll find a way in,” he yelled.

  Nick's stare drifted toward the wheel. Flames licked the top, but it still was turning. As his gaze moved higher he saw an opening in the wheel. It would require some deft footwork, but he thought he could find a way in. Sprinting toward the wheel, his feet splashed in the water. Thinking quickly, he doused himself in the water available, and tried to not think of the irony that it was a watermill that had caught fire. Then again, he knew that fire could strike anywhere, although he was curious what could have caused it.

  Standing beside the wheel, he tilted his neck back and took note of the momentum. With a mighty leap he caught hold of one of the shutters that collected the water and pulled himself up, his thick biceps straining under the effort. By the time he had steadied himself the wheel almost had made a complete rotation and he had to act quickly to pull himself up to the next shutter, repeating this process until he was near the entrance. All the while he had to deftly avoid the flames. He only just managed to keep out of their reach.

  The fire was like a venomous snake, darting out to try snapping at Nick's skin. His clothes clung to his body and, although he had covered his mouth, he still was coughing and spluttering. The wheel kept turning. He knew that if he didn't make his move he would have to keep climbing around the wheel, expending all his strength instead of helping whoever was inside. Just before he leaped he looked back at the path he just had walked across, thinking to himself that he'd rather jump into a burning building than let his pursuers catch up to him.

  But there was another wrinkle. The opening that had been obscured by smoke he now saw had two thick planks nailed across it. Groaning, he knew instantly what he had to do. He also knew that it was going to hurt. He climbed up one more shutter, feeling the wheel turn underneath him. He braced himself, bending his knees, and then leaped forward, turning his back to the planks as he careened through them. They cracked under the force of his weight. He clenched his jaw before the impact, grunting as he landed on a wooden surface. He rolled before he came to a stop, then pushed himself up. The surface felt hot under his palms. He crouched down and tried to ignore the snarling flames that growled at him.

  “Hello? Keep shouting! Come toward my voice. Stay low,” Nick cried out.

  The dark smoke was filling the mill. The wood stacked in the mill was on fire, crackling like warm logs. The building seemed to be built with a mixture of metal and wood. Nick had identified the weaknesses of the room when he entered. The pillars that held up the roof were made of metal. As the heat grew in intensity the metal started to weaken and buckle. Nick knew it was only a matter of time before the entire roof came down upon them. He called out again, trying to peer through the darkness to see who was crying out for help.

  “I can't move! I...I'm trapped!” a wheezing voice called out from among the flames.

  Nick reached the edge of the upper floor and looked down. The smoke swirled around. He squinted through it and saw a figure being held down by a beam. Nick crawled to the edge and shimmied down a pole that was thankfully still able to support his weight. As he made his way down he already could feel it starting to buckle. So when he reached a manageable height he jumped down and ran toward the man.

  With all the choking smoke in the air Nick couldn't make out much, but the man seemed to be in his 40s, with a balding head. The beam was across his chest, pinning his arms down. Nick wrapped his hands around the end and heaved with all his strength. He tried to ignore the light-headed feeling that came with the exertion. The wood bit into his skin and he tried to breathe normally, even though what he really wanted to do was inhale huge lungfuls of air.

  “Th...thank you,” the man said while Nick strained away.

  Nick had no idea how this man had gotten into this mess, but he was glad he had been passing. If he had turned away this man would have died from smoke inhalation before the flames even reached him, and forgotten by the world, just like so many others had been. That was if they both got out of there. There still was a good chance they would be locked in this fiery tomb. Nick strained with all his might and managed to lift the beam up enough so that the man could free his hands and push up. The added strength was all they needed to push the beam away. It clattered against the ground, sending up swirling bits of ash. Nick helped the man up and then turned toward the door, but fire was licking at the frame. There was no way they'd make it out, even if they crawled the entire way. There still was a way up to the top from where Nick had entered.

  “We have to get up there,” Nick said. The man looked up, still gasping for breath, and he shook his head. Nick grabbed his arm. “If we stay here we'll die.”

  Behind them the building groaned and a huge chunk fell from the roof, sending smoke billowing out at them. Nick put his arm around the man and guided him to safety. They had to shimmy up another pole. The fire raged behind them and the heat was an inferno. Nick had to keep his attention on the man. In these types of situations people were prone to panic. The last thing Nick needed was for him to get an idea in his head. The whole thing was disorienting, and the brain had a strange way of trying to survive. Nick had had extensive training, but even then, sometimes it was all he could do to keep steady.

  Nick used his strength to help push the man up the pole. With a mighty grunt the man rolled onto the upper floor, panting, face covered with sweat. Nick moved as quickly as he could and grabbed the man's arm, yanking him forward. The mill let out an almighty groan as it threatened to succumb to the fire. Nick was about to jump, but he felt resistance from the man, who was shaking his head profusely when he saw what they had to do to survive.

  “I can't,” he said, his voice trembling with fear.

  Nick had to bite his tongue. It wasn't fair of him to assume that everyone else was brave, but it did annoy him sometimes. He'd risked his life to get into that mill and now that man could not take one leap of faith. Nick growled.

  “We're going over there. We have to. If we stay here, we'll die. You'll be okay. Trust me. Just jump with me.”

  Without giving the man a chance to respond he ran forward, still with a vice-like grip on the man's arm. The man let out a bloodcurdling scream as they jumped onto one of the shutters. The flames still threatened them, but they were out of immediate danger, although Nick could feel the wheel growing ever weaker under his feet. The water that had coated the wheel during its rotations, being
scooped up and sprinkled over the wood, was not enough to prevent the fire from taking hold. It was too all-consuming. Nick knew there was no hope for the building. The wheel creaked and seemed to cry out in agony as the men descended closer to the ground and sprang to safety, landing with a thud.

  The man beside Nick was breathing heavily. Nick urged him to scramble back. The air still was hot. The flames were groping the mill, pulling it down, grasping at holes until they utterly dominated the building and showed no mercy. With a thunderous sound the roof crashed down, sending a wave of smoke and ash hurtling through the air. Nick and the other man shielded their eyes, waiting for it to pass. When they looked back up, the wheel had come off its hinges and was resting on the ground, the thick wood charred and black. The roof had caved in, looking as though it had been gouged by the thumb of a giant. The metal pillars and sheets that had made up the walls were curled and melted, disfigured in the wake of the inferno. Nick looked down at the man beside him. Nick had done his duty. He was a hero, yet there was something about the way of the world now. It didn't seem like a place for heroes.

  The man pushed himself up and caught his breath. He still was wheezing and coughing heavily. He wiped dirt from his eyes and checked himself over for injuries. Nick wiped his face with his shirt, and waited for the man to recover his wits. The man looked up at Nick and then let out a booming laugh.

  “My God, I thought I was a goner in there. Wow, I'm so lucky you came across me when you did. I thought for sure I was done for. Thank you so much, I owe you my life. The name's Cosmo, Cosmo Mellon,” he said, holding out his hand.