Jacob resigned himself to the task ahead. Stepping down to the water’s edge, he paused a minute to mentally prepare himself. He jumped in place repeatedly on the rocks. He swung his arms in several large circles. And he slapped the sides of his face with his hands. When he felt it was time to act, he took several quick deep breaths and stepped forward. His first step into the icy waters was overwhelming. His face twisted with discomfort. He immediately felt the pull of the current against his skin. It was a strange sensation, like a ghost clutching at his ankle with feeble fingers. Wadding further into the waters, the cold filled his body with a deep ache. He wanted nothing more than to be done with this endeavor, but there was nothing quick about this process. Up to his waist now, Jacob made sure to keep his body facing upstream. Sidestepping through the water was safer since it enabled him to dig his toes into the loose rocks beneath him. 

Just then, Jacob saw something floating towards him. He took a few steps to the side in order to avoid it. When the object came closer into view, Jacob felt the cold ache inside his body vanish. Replacing it was a terrible numbness. He froze in the water and watched as the body of what appeared to be a young girl pass by. Her hands were bound behind her back and a bag was over her head. She drifted silently passed him, and for a long time Jacob did not move.

“What has happened to this world,” he whispered to himself.

At the corners of his eyes, Jacob felt a pair of tears begin to form. He realized that that could be his girl someday—assuming he was having a girl, of course. Regardless, whoever she was, she was somebody’s girl. Pulling his attention away from the body and to the landscape upstream, Jacob tried to see if anyone was lurking about, but he couldn’t see anyone nearby. So, that was the end of it. He couldn’t waste time investigating the matter when he had other priorities to worry about.

Jacob didn't mean to be callous, but life in the city had been a desensitizing existence. Turn a corner one day, and he was likely to see a girl getting raped. Step out onto the street another day, and he was likely to find the body of someone who had died of hypothermia the night before. Because of these sights and sounds, the city had hardened his exterior to the harsh realities of this world.

Without further incidence, Jacob finished his trek across the river. Having safely reached the other side of the embankment, he proceeded to the spillway with half the energy he started out with. Perhaps, the sight of the young girl had thrown him into a funk. Perhaps, he was just that malnourished and weak. Either way, he entered the rectangular tunnel with little hope or interest.

Once inside, his now shivering body stared ahead into the darkness before him. There was no light at the other end of the tunnel, so he couldn’t tell how far back it went. This gave him pause, for it was like staring into an ominous black hole. Jacob eventually pulled his attention away from the darkness. When he did, his gaze fell upon an odd discovery in the wall beside him. 

Resting in the cement, surrounded by a layer of red bricks, was a sturdy looking metal door. It appeared the hatch had been added to the wall since the red bricks contrasted sharply with the gray cement. The door itself was about the size of a small hay bale. Two locks on its right side kept the chamber tightly shut. 

Jacob stepped forward and looked at each lock separately. They both required a four digit combination. Jacob’s mind flashed to the image of the map and the numbers he had seen. He hadn’t intended to memorize them, but he was thankful he had.

0828.

0911.

The locks popped open. Jacob’s eyebrows raised in surprise. His breath caught in his throat. A feeling of wonderment spilled into his body. Reaching out with his hands, he grabbed the handle of the door and yanked it open. Water spilled forth from the opening. Inside, he could see black plastic sheets covering something large. Jacob stuck his hands into the wet, muddy chamber and retrieved the item.

Whatever it was, it was massive. When stood erect, it came to Jacob’s shoulders. Jacob lowered it to the ground and peeled away the plastic covering like a child ripping through his first Christmas present. A hard plastic black case greeted him. Jacob undid several buckles along its side and opened the container. Inside, several other items covered in plastic sheets greeted him. Jacob tore through each. What he found was beyond his wildest dreams: hundreds of rounds of ammunition; five assault rifles; five pistols; manuals on how to clean and operate each; several MREs; a first aid kit; and a sealed envelope. 

Jacob knew that out of all of these the envelope was the most important. He feverishly tore through the paper and removed the letter. Spreading it open with his hands, his eyes widened in delight at the words he saw on the piece of parchment.

Gather others if you can, but protect yourself first and foremost. We will return to pick you up 90 days from the date listed on the next page. If we are suspicious, we will not return to retrieve you and this site will be abandoned. If all else fails, head South and eventually we will find you. 

Jacob flipped to the next page. A series of dates were listed on the paper that went all the way back into last year. Every dates was crossed out except for the last one; which, by Jacob’s calculations, was two months old.

“In 30 days they’ll be back!” he whispered excitedly to himself.

Jacob could hardly believe his luck. Whatever strange, unseen force was guiding him through this ordeal, he trusted it without knowing it because everything touched by it seemed to glow. Raising the matte black M16 rifle into the air, he pointed it into the dark recesses of the tunnel and shouted, “bang! bang!”

Proceed to Chapter 3