EMP Catastrophe | Book 1 | Erupting Trouble Hamilton, Grace (read book .txt) 📖

“That way, if anyone entered, we’d hear it.” A grin spread across Patton’s face. “Let’s do it.”

As soon as twilight covered the sky, Ruth put her hands on her hips and surveyed their work. Twine roped around the top of the doors and large picture windows with soda cans and tin from the garage dangling from the ends like Christmas lights. Patton tested the door, opening it carefully from the outside. The jangle of cans clinking together and against the glass filled her ears. If anyone tried to enter, they’d hear it.

Cans sat along the windowsills as well. While they’d run out of supplies to make enough twine-string alarms for every window, Patton pointed out that if they simply stuck a can against the window, if anyone tried to get in, the sound of it clattering to the floor would make enough noise that they’d be able to hear it. All Ruth could think was that she was glad the cans were on the inside of the hotel. She could only imagine the chaos that would ensue if the cans had to be on the outside and chipmunks kept accidentally knocking over their homemade alarms by accident.

The security system definitely made Patton feel more at ease. Ruth could tell by the relaxation in his shoulders, the way he teased her more and laughed at her jokes. She tried to put herself in his shoes and understood why he’d need an extra feeling of safety. Obviously, she detected that he was concerned about his parents’ and sister’s well-being, and was trying to combat that uneasiness in any way he could.

Fatigue pulled at Ruth. Patton listed into her side, his head resting against her shoulder as if reflecting her exhaustion. She leaned down and said into his ear, “I’m proud of you. This was a good idea. Way better than a moat.”

“We did so much today,” Patton said with a yawn.

Ruth resisted yawning in response. “I never thought I’d spend my day walking back and forth from town and then creating an alarm system. Maybe we should make it an early night?” she asked him. “Something quick for dinner?”

Patton nodded and surveyed the room. “I could pass out right now. We did good, Grandma. No one will get in.”

Ruth had to smile. It made her heart warm to see Patton at ease and once more comfortable in the hotel when before he’d been so on edge. They meandered back to the kitchen, where Ruth whipped up the eggs from the truck and fried the bacon. Breakfast for dinner again. Patton didn’t complain, though, inhaling the food and then leaning back in his chair with a too-full groan. “You really think the cans were a good idea?”

“One of your better ones,” Ruth said, finishing up her scrambled eggs. “Tomorrow, we’ll brainstorm ways to make the hotel better protected. Right now, though, I’m dead on my feet,” she admitted. These old bones need rest. She wasn’t thirty anymore.

She dumped their dishes in the sink, promising to clean them tomorrow, and then steered Patton to his room where he slumped on his bed. “Get your pajamas on and brush your teeth,” she said and grinned at his responding moan. After her bedtime rituals—her mouth minty from brushing, her comfortable pajamas on—she sank into her bed with a content sigh.

She didn’t remember falling asleep, but a sudden shatter paired with the jangle of aluminum jerked her out of a deep slumber. She jumped out of bed and barely managed to wrap a shawl around her shoulders before stumbling out into the hallway.

Patton’s terrified face met hers. “What was that?” he asked, his voice high-pitched with fear.

“I don’t know. Go back into your room. I’ll take a look.” Worry clenched her heart, fear at what waited for them, of who might be inside their home. The red-black puddle flashed through her mind again, and she swore she’d protect Patton at all costs.

“No, Grandma, we stick together.” He took her hand.

He’s only twelve, Ruth reminded herself as she squeezed his cold hand. He shouldn’t be worried about me, shouldn’t be worried about people breaking into the hotel. She took a deep breath. “Stay close behind me.”

They picked their way down into the main room. Ruth wished she could chase away the darkness by flipping on the light, and if they made it through the night without a problem, she’d make sure she kept a baseball bat at her bedside in case something like this happened again. The sharp whoosh of the wind filled her ears, and the temperature dropped as they entered the hotel’s cozy lobby.

Ruth let out a soft gasp. The two big picture windows had been smashed, leaving the rugs on the floor covered in glass. The stars twinkled beyond the dark rise of mountains, the moon providing just enough light for Ruth to see their makeshift security system sprawled on the floor in a tangle of twine and tin. Usually, staring out those windows filled Ruth with contentment, especially in the morning when she could see the mountain slopes glazed in sunlight. Now, the sight sent chills downs her spine.

She carefully picked her way across the glass to look out the windows, surveying the damage to the exterior of the hotel. There were two deep dents in the siding. This wasn’t some wild animal getting lost and accidentally running into the windows. This was like someone had taken a hammer to the siding. This was done with intent.

Ruth’s mind raced. Who would want to do the hotel—or them—harm? What would have happened if Patton hadn’t insisted on putting up defenses? She shivered, both from the cold and the thought. “Patton," she said softly, "let’s go get some of that old plywood from the shed and saran wrap. We’ll cover up the windows as best we can to keep the cold out. We don’t want the hotel