# Zoo at the End of the World



## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

It's been a while since I've written anything, but I've finally started something. What do you guys think?

Prologue

“You can’t do that Annie!” Gracie’s eyes widened, and her voice took on a hysterical edge.
“I have to! I can’t just leave them sitting in their enclosures to die! There’s no way that front gate can hold up much longer, and if I leave them locked up, there’s no way they’ll stand a chance.”
“What about you? What if they hurt you?”
“They won’t. Go hide like Amber told you to; I’ll find you after I open the doors.” Pulling Gracie close, Annie kissed her forehead, letting her lips linger for a second. Her voice softening with emotion, Annie pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “You be careful too, I don’t want to lose you, not since I just found you.” Tears threatened to spill over as Gracie nodded, then turned and ran for the Reptile House, knowing her best chance at staying hidden lied in it’s dark familiar walls.
Crossing the lawn quickly, she ducked into the small building and locked the door behind her. Trotting down the small hallway, she opened an exhibit and climbed inside, tucking herself tightly behind a mass of tangled foliage. Tears streaked her face and she clamped her hands over her ears at the startling sound of Taco’s roar. God, Annie...I hope you know what you’re doing.
Hidden in Snowball’s enclosure in the dark reptile house, Gracie could only wait and hope that it would all be over soon. She couldn’t believe it had come to this. When the power had gone out and everything quit working three weeks ago, no one had panicked...at least not right away, but as time went by and help didn’t come, the situation at deteriorated faster than anyone thought possible. Several employees had left on foot, and those that stayed had been faced with hard work and heart-wrenching decisions as they attempted to not only take care of themselves, but the animals as well. 
A scream tore through the air and she whimpered, wishing she were anywhere but here…...


Chapter 1


3 Weeks Earlier

Humming softly, Gracie Mitchell rolled her cart down the tiny interior hallway of the reptile house, stopping occasionally to unlock a door and deposit a bowl filled with various greens and veggies inside. As she did so, she greeted each animal, taking special time to scratch Bertie, a massive Green Iguana, on the back of his head. Landing this summer job at Sandy Shores Zoo had been a dream come true, and she hadn’t hesitated to accept, even though it meant an almost eighty mile round trip every day. On top of working with her beloved reptiles, she had made instant friends in fellow reptile house employee Jack Truett, and Annie Carson, who worked with the big cats. Add it all together, and she thought her last summer of college was shaping up to be a stellar one.
Depositing the last bowl, she left the hallway, locked the door behind her and headed for the exit, stopping long enough to blow kisses and sing baby talk at Snowball, the zoo’s fifteen foot Albino Burmese Python.
“You know he can’t hear you right?” Jack grinned, teasing Gracie as he went by, a bucket of cleaning supplies dangling from his arm.
Gracie narrowed her eyes in a mock scowl. “Shhh, you’ll hurt his feelings.” Grinning, she turned to face the tall, lanky college student. “Are you staying after close to play with the tiger cubs? Annie says the public can start having encounters tomorrow, so we’re going to get some kitten time in before they get spoiled.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for anything. Now, if you’ll excuse me, that boa’s enclosure won’t clean itself.” Jack disappeared around the corner and Annie turned and blew Snowball one more kiss before heading back to the food prep area, the cart rattling along in front of her.
As she left the Reptile House and headed to the kitchen she stopped and sighed happily as she took in her surroundings. The Sandy Shores Zoo wasn’t a big zoo by any means, but that only added to its charm. It sat on fifteen acres in a beach front community, catering to mostly tourists. Though it has been around for many years, it really hadn’t taken off until Animal Planet had done a television documentary on the staff’s efforts to save the animals during a hurricane a few years back. And while they might not have some of the big draw animals like giraffes and elephants, the staff more than made up for it with their animal encounters, outreach programs and southern hospitality. Gracie really couldn’t imagine a better place to spend her summer. The fact that she was getting paid for it was just a bonus as far as she was concerned.
After dropping off the cart, she jumped into her day, answering questions from tourists, holding two public shows with various reptiles, and filling in at the gift shop after lunch. The day flew by, and before she knew it the last visitors were leaving the zoo in the dusky twilight. More excited than she remembered being in a long time, she clocked out and joined Annie, Jack and two other employees that she knew only vaguely. Roxy and Clyde, the two six week old Bengal Tiger cubs were fluffy bundles of fun at this age, and she couldn’t wait to roll around on the floor with them.
The small group had only been at it for about thirty minutes when the overhead lights suddenly blinked out, leaving the small room in almost pitch black, lit only slightly by the full moon shining through the large windows.
“Crap, the power is out again,” Annie grumbled. “Come on, we better put them up and close up. It’s too dark to see now anyway.” After securing the cats in their enclosures, they left the building, nearly running over Amber Landon, the zoo’s director.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Landon. I didn’t even see you there. The power went out, so we’re going to head home, unless you need something else?”
“Actually, Annie..I’m worried it may be a little more than a power outage. My cell phone cut off mid-call, and I can’t get it to start up again. Do any of you have one I can borrow?”
“Sure, Ms. L….use mine.” Jack reached down, unclipped his phone, and passed it to the director.
After only a moment, she looked up with worry in her eyes. “Yours is dead too, Jack.” Shuffling could be heard as the others pulled out phones, fumbling with the buttons to no avail. “And,” she continued, “the emergency lights should have cut on by now too. Come on, Greg stayed late working on the new aviary, let’s go see if he knows what’s going on.”
The small cluster of zoo employees followed behind the director like baby ducks. 
“This is dumb.” Jada, one of the two new hires that Gracie really didn’t know, stopped abruptly, causing Jack to bump into her. “I’m going home, you guys can play Scooby Doo by yourselves.” She turned and headed for the front gate with Jacob, her boyfriend and the other new hire, trailing behind her.
Sighing, Ms. Lendon stopped and watched them disappear into the darkness. “Annie, would you follow and lock up behind them, please? We’ll be in the aviary.” 
Amber Landon’s steps were sure, even on the unlit path. Having been director here for the past seven years, she considered this place her home, and these people and animals her family. The power outage, coupled with the non-working cell phones, troubled her, though she couldn’t say exactly why. There was a thought wiggling around in the back of her brain, something she’d read, or heard somewhere...but she couldn’t quite grasp it. She was honestly hoping that Greg, the head of maintenance, would have an idea what was going on, he always seemed to be on top of things.
They still had a bit to go before the aviary when she stopped, spotting the bobbing white light headed towards them. 
“Greg? Is that you?”
“Yeah, Amber. I can’t work with the lights out, so I packed everything up. The emergency lights aren’t up though; I had to grab a flashlight out of the file cabinet. We need to get that fixed.”
“I know, Greg...and the cell phones are out too. I was hoping you could tell us what might cause that?”
“Well,” he said, thinking for a moment. “A solar flare I suppose, if it was strong enough, or it could just be a coincidence. An EMP would too, but then the cars wouldn’t work, and we’d really been in trouble.”
“Um, Greg?” Annie appeared silently behind the group, Jada and Jacob in tow. “We may be in trouble then, because Jada’s car won’t start, and by the looks of the street, nobody else’s will either.”


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

It's nice. You have a great start. EMP scenarios are the easiest to write.


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

Nice start. Look forward to reading more.


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

oh yea, keep it going, this is the most reading I usually do...


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

More, more, more...!


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## Grape Ape (Oct 28, 2008)

Well I am hooked, you better hurry up with the rest of it before we all get grouchy.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Keep going! :2thumb:


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Good style, gimmie more!


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Roll'em roll'em roll'em keep this doggie roll'en, Moar Please


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Keep the story coming please and thank you


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## ZangLussuria (May 25, 2012)

Waiting for more!


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

we're all waiting lol MOAR please


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Without a line between the paragraphs and reading thru trifocals my eyes are getting crossed reading your post.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Oh my writers block already????? You started out good just give it a go ,we're here to soak up the story


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

Thanks for all the comments! I promise I'm writing, but it is just slow going. Here's a bit more :

Chapter 2

While the same balmy breeze still blew in off the Gulf of Mexico, and the same hoots and calls from the animals floated in the air that had a few moments ago, now they somehow felt more ominous. Gracie involuntarily stepped closer to Annie and Jack.

“Explain, please, Greg.”

“Well, I’m just guessing, really. You guys know I read all those prepper books; I’m probably just jumping to conclusions. Let’s head out front and check things out first, ok?’

Nodding in agreement, the small group headed towards the building holding the management offices, breakroom and employee entrance and exit. Stepping inside, Gracie was amazed at the inky blackness, only a tiny amount of moonlight leaking in around the drawn shades on the front windows. As the spilled into the small gravel parking lot, Gracie first thought was how quiet it was. Inside the zoo, the lack of car engines hadn’t been very noticeable, but out here the absence of them was impossible to miss. Occasional shouts could be heard from the direction of the main highway, just a few hundred yards away. 

Pulling out his keys, Jack jogged over to an old jeep sitting in the corner of the lot. In just seconds, the deep rumble of the engine coming to life filled the air. Gracie laughed out loud in relief.

“Oh, thank goodness. See, Greg, it’s no big deal.”
“Maybe, but Jack drives an older model. Why don’t you try yours?” Glancing at him warily, Gracie unclipped her keys from her belt and hit the unlock button for her Toyota Camry. When nothing happened, she stepped closer and did it again….and again.

“Gracie, honey….just use the key.” Acknowledging Annie’s suggestion with a nod, Gracie inserted the key and pulled the door open, sliding into the seat. Even though she had a bad feeling, she turned the key….and nothing happened. No click, no sputter...just nothing. Gracie sat quietly in her car and listened to the others try theirs to no avail.

“Ok, guys. So, let’s see where we stand.” Amber Landon looked around at her employees. “Jack, do you mind pulling your jeep in through the delivery gate until we figure this out. I’d hate anything to happen to the only vehicle one we have.”

Once the group had assembled back inside the safety of the zoo gates, all eyes turned expectantly to Greg. Sighing, he began, “Well, I’d really like to get a better look at what’s going on out there, but from what I’ve seen so far, I stand by my previous guess…..probably an EMP.” At their quizzical looks, he continued. “An electromagnetic pulse, maybe from a weapon of some kind. It would essentially fry everything with a computer chip in it; electricity, phones, all but older cars. I imagine the water will stop pumping, food will become scarce, and people will in general lose all sense of civility. In all the books and information I’ve read on it, the aftermath is never good.” As silence greeted his statement, he turned to Amber. “Ms. Landon, I’m going to head home to get my wife and kids, but if it’s ok with you, I’d like to bring them back here. I have an old truck at home that should still run. We don’t live far away, but the zoo fences offer a little bit of security, and I imagine you’ll need help with the animals. That is, if you are staying here?”

“I’m staying, and that sounds fine. In fact, any of you who would like to stay are welcome to do so. Until we find out how long term this is, I want to try and tend to the animals as usual.”

Gracie snapped out of her stricken stance. “I’ll stay Ms. Landon. I can’t walk back to Mobile, and besides, all I have is an empty apartment there anyway.” 

“Me too,” Annie said firmly. “Though, I’d like to go home first and get some supplies. In fact, I think we should gather as many supplies as we can. Gracie, why don’t you come with me, then you can help me carry stuff back.”

Jack broke in, “I’ll do you one better. I”ll drive you by your house on the way to mine. Then we’ll make whatever stops we can along the way. You come too though, Gracie. We might need the help. Anyone else need a ride home?”

Greg took them up on the offer, while Amber elected to stay put. As he turned to Jada and Jacob, he was met with incredulous looks.

“You guys are insane.” Jada’s face bore an expression of disdain. “The power is out, so what? You’re acting like it’s the end of the world or something. Come on, Jacob. We can walk home and call a tow truck from there.” Turning abruptly, she stalked off, with Jacob trailing in her wake.

Shaking his head, Greg addressed the group once more. “I know I could be wrong guys, but I just don’t think so. If I am, well we can all feel silly together tomorrow. I would rather have had a unnecessary slumber party in the zoo with lots of supplies, than wait and end up stuck in my apartment with no food, no water, and no hope. Everyone still in agreement?” At their nods, he smiled. “Well, then let’s go.”

Chapter 3

From her vantage point in the backseat of the jeep, Gracie could certainly tell that something was wrong. In just the few moments they had spent on Highway 59, the major thoroughfare, she had spotted several car accidents and lots of confused people. Some stood resolutely by their useless cars, while others, like them, seemed to be moving with a purpose. She saw only one other moving vehicle, an old beat up van, and she noticed uneasily that many of the pedestrians watched them very closely.

“I don’t like the way they’re looking at us, Annie. It’s creeping me out.”

“I know what you mean.” Annie reached over and squeezed her hand. “I think we might want to make sure one of us stays with the jeep, just in case anyone decides to borrow it.” 

Gracie glanced over and nodded, hating herself for the fluttery thrill that ran through her at Annie’s touch. Even though she knew that she needed to concentrate to get through the chaos and uncertainty facing them, she just couldn’t help feeling excitement, and a small part of her reveled in the fact that they’d be spending at least the next few days together. Honestly, she found it hard to believe this whole ordeal would last as long as Greg seemed to think, but her options were limited, so she was more than willing to go along with the others.

Of course, she’d always been like that, amendable her mom called it. Growing up in tiny Thibodaux, Louisiana there hadn’t been a large pool of friends to choose from, and the people she’d met through the Baptist church she’d attended had been nice enough, she just never quite felt like she fit in. As she’d gotten older, she’d come to accept that there were certain things about herself that would never fit in in the tiny southern town. Going off to college had been a huge relief, not that Mobile was the mecca of acceptance and tolerance…..far from it. It was, however, a start, and she’d even recently started to date. One of these days she’d even break the news to her parents. Well, at least she’d planned to. Now, she thought sadly, she had no idea when or even how she’d get back to see them.

“Gracie, did you hear me?” Shaking her head, Gracie focused on Jack, who had turned in the seat to face her.

“No, sorry, Jack. I was in another world I guess. What’s going on? Where’d Greg go?”

“You are out of it, girly. We just dropped him off and we’re already at Annie’s. I was asking if you thought I should save time and go grab my stuff and come back to get you, or if we should stick together?”

“Definitely stick together. I can help Annie get what she needs from her apartment and then one of us can help you at yours.”

“Well, get going then.” Gracie slid out of the jeep and followed Annie down the sidewalk and up an interior stairway. As Annie dug out her keys, Gracie glanced down and let out a short laugh. 

“I love your guard dog, Annie.” 

Smiling over her shoulder, Annie smiled. “Well he’s ugly, but he doesn’t eat much. Come to think of it, I think I want to take him with us.” Reaching down, she scooped up the crouching stone gargoyle and tucked him under her arm. “He’s always been good luck.” The next few minutes were a whirlwind as Annie tossed items onto the bed and Gracie stuffed them in duffel bags. In a short time they had packed away clothes, blankets, toiletries, the contents of the medicine cabinet and what little bit of food was in the apartment.

“I eat out a lot,” Annie shrugged. “Now I wish I had kept more food around. But…” she said, grinning, “I may having something just as good.” Stooping down, she slid open a bottom drawer on her nightstand and pulled out a hard plastic case. Popping it open, she moved aside so Gracie could get a look inside.

“Oh. That’s a nice one. I think my mom had one like it.” Gracie eyes rose from the Ruger .22 LCR Revolver to Annie’s surprised face. “What? Don’t look so surprised. I’m a country girl; just because I don’t own a gun, or talk about them, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use one. Now, come on. We’ve kept Jack waiting long enough.”


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Worth the wait. Keep going! :2thumb:


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

yip yip yahoo she's back LOL good chapter 
let those fingers fly hun because we Mmmm oh ya WANT MOAR LOL


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

A PAW zoo story, I've not really seen one try this. So far, so good. Thanks for posting.

I've often wondered what prison guards would do at the end of the world....


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

*Mmmmmm*



DKRinAK said:


> A PAW zoo story, I've not really seen one try this. So far, so good. Thanks for posting.
> 
> I've often wondered what prison guards would do at the end of the world....


I would not let loose that evil on whats left of society ,I'd take the keys an go home for a good nights sleep.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

thank you for the line spaces!


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Time for an undate, put down the bon bon's  fire up the key board . Moar Please


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Please, ma'am, can we have some more?


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

tap them out! you're getting fans!


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

Chapter 4

After repeating the procedure at Jack’s apartment down the road, Gracie was starting to think that maybe they were overreacting. Except for the odd looks at the start of their trip, nothing unusual had happened. Despite Greg’s dire warnings, nobody had tried to accost them, take their supplies, steal their jeep, or even talk to them for that matter. Now that they had the jeep all but overloaded with bags and boxes, she was exhausted and just ready to head back to the zoo. As if reading her mind, Annie leaned forward and tapped Jack on the shoulder.

“What do you say we skip trying the store and just head straight back? It’s getting late, and with no power, it will be so much easier to see what we’re doing tomorrow anyway. Besides, the jeep is pretty full, and between us and what’s already at the zoo we have plenty of food already.” Jack nodded in agreement and steered the jeep in the direction of zoo, weaving around the dark, silent forms of now mostly abandoned cars and trucks. Noticing movement in the backseat of one, Gracie shuddered.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was just thinking how lucky I was.”

“Lucky?” Annie’s eyes widened in surprise. “How is all this lucky?”

“Well, if I hadn’t stayed to play with the tiger cubs with you guys, I’d be like these people,” she said, gesturing to the dark hulk of the car they’d just passed. “I’d have been on my way home and probably stuck somewhere on the interstate with no food, water, or place to sleep safely. If anything like this had to happen, I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be, or any people I’d rather be with.”

“Oh, honey,” Annie said, sliding across the seat and wrapping her arm around Gracie’s shoulders and a tight hug, “I’d have come to find you, and I bet I could’ve convinced Jack to come too.” 

Jack looked up in the rearview mirror and winked. “You know it.”

“Thanks guys. It’s nice to know I have friends that would come looking for me in the apocalypse, or, well, whatever this is.” 

“Well,” Jack said, pulling into the zoo parking lot and up to the gate, “if it is the end of the world, at least we’re somewhere interesting.” As the ear piercing scream of a peacock, followed by shrieks of parrots rent the air, he grinned. 

“See? Now if Taco would only throw his voice into the mix.”

“Not likely.” Annie smiled, thinking of her favorite lion. “He only gets vocal if he’s really excited, or really mad. I don’t know about you guys, but I’d rather he stay calm and relaxed.” At that, she jumped out of the jeep and fumbled with her keys. Unlocking the gate, she opened it wide so Jack could drive through; then pulled it closed and locked it securely behind him. Jack parked to jeep next to an old beat up truck, which though it was hard to tell in just the light of the headlights, appeared to be more rust than paint. Hopping out of the jeep, the three joined Amber, Greg, and a young woman with two toddlers clinging to her that Gracie could only assume was his wife. Greg had set up a couple of kerosene lanterns on the picnic tables next to the Alligator enclosure and flickers of glowing light spilled across the sandy ground. The gators, just outside the ring of light, could be heard splashing in their pool.

“Hey guys. Glad to see you back.” Amber extracted herself from the picnic bench where she’d been sitting. “Now that you’re all here again, I’d like to go over a tentative plan.” Gracie and the others clustered around the tall, slender redhead as she began to speak. “First, let me say that I really appreciate you all agreeing to stay here and help, and you are all welcome to stay as long as you want to. Second, if what Greg has been telling me is correct, we could be here on our own for quite some time. Luckily, we just got a shipment in, but with the power out for the forseeable future, it’s all going to spoil quickly. Fortunately, most of the animals aren’t extremely picky. I think we should cut back to half rations starting tomorrow.” Grimacing, she continued. “Greg also tells me the water will more than likely stop working soon, so I’d like for all of you to pick a building and start filling up any and all containers you can find, no matter how dirty they are. As much as I hate to say it, don’t empty out the animal containers to fill them up with fresh. There’s a lot of us here and dirty water is better than nothing.”

“Ms. L, if we’re going to be here awhile, what will we do when we run out of food...for them and us?”

“Well Jack,” said Greg, answering for her, “we’re going to have to make some very hard decisions that none of us are going to like, but I’d honestly rather not go into that right now. It’s late, it’s been a long, crazy day, and we need to get as much water put up as we can before it’s gone. I’ve got a bag of flashlights and lanterns here; I’d like everyone to grab one and get to work. When you’re done, let’s meet back at the office building, ok?”

As they splintered off into different sections of the zoo, Gracie tugged on Annie’s elbow. “Can I come with? This place is a little creepy when it’s so dark, and besides, I don’t have keys yet anyway.”

“Of course you can. Though I’m pretty sure we can consider your probation period over and get you some keys now. Let’s hit the storage shed by Taco’s enclosure, and then we’ll swing around by the other cats.” After filling every buck, bowl, and trough they could find, the girls headed back to the office, only to find the others sprawled out on the ground outside it.

“What’s up?” Jack glanced up at Annie from his prone position and grimaced.

“It’s hot in there. Like really hot. We opened all the windows, but it’s still better out here. Maybe we should just sleep out here; it’d be cooler.”

“Maybe so, but I am so not waking up with a peacock or one of these damn rabbits nibbling at my face. No thanks, I’ll just sweat.”

“Ugh, you’re right. I completely forgot about the rabbits. They rove all over the place and are practically fearless. I swear those things scare me worse than the tigers. Let’s go pick us a spot.”

Hours later, despite the exhaustion clouding their minds and senses, Gracie, Annie, and Jack lay awake on a battered air mattress in one of the offices. They’d started out discussing everything that had happened, and debating if it would be as bad as Greg thought, but the quiet pauses had lengthened. Greg and his family made pallets of blankets in the larger breakroom, while Amber had pulled out a cot in her office. Gracie was pretty sure the others had fallen asleep, and despite the uncomfortable warmth from the lack of air conditioning, as well as the thoughts running non stop through her mind, she could feel oblivion sneaking up on her as well.


Chapter 5

“Hey...psssst….wake up Gracie. It’s going to rain Jack and Greg want to head to the grocery store before it starts.” Gracie, who’d been dreaming that a peacock was pecking on her shoulder, jerked awake and sat up quickly. Too quickly, as it turned out, since she ended up unbalancing the deflating air mattress and rolling unceremoniously off the side.

“Mmmph. I’m up. Bathroom working?”

“Seems to be. I left a clean t-shirt and a alligator shaped toothbrush on the sink for you, courtesy of the gift shop. I figured if you sweated as much as I did last night you’d want a clean shirt, and hell….who wouldn’t want an alligator toothbrush.”

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Gracie shuffled into the tiny restroom, noticing happily that toothpaste and deodorant had also been provided, presumably something Annie had brought from her house, since they didn’t stock that sort of thing here. After brushing her teeth, liberally applying deodorant and swapping out her dirty work shirt for a zoo t-shirt, she joined the others outside, where even at this early hour, the humidity wrapped around her like a warm, damp blanket. Dark clouds to the west threatened rain, and as she hurried over to where Jack and Annie were huddled in conversation with Greg and Amber, she heard a rumble of thunder roll across the sky.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Greg glanced up from where’d he been scribbling on a piece of paper.

“Morning, Gracie. What we’re thinking is that Amber and I will stay here and let you three make a supply trip in my truck. I really don’t want to leave Cora and the kids behind; she’s pretty upset, but my truck will hold more than Jack’s jeep. Amber and I will get the animals fed, and I want to take a closer look at how we can secure the grounds. Well, that is if the rain holds off long enough.”

“Um..ok. What do I need to do?”

“Just go along with them and help gather whatever you can. I’ve made a list of things that will be useful, and Amber’s pulled all the petty cash from the zoo. If we’re lucky, some of the stores will still be making cash sales.” Taking the list he held out to her, she ran her eyes over and it glanced up in surprise.

“Dried beans, rice, corn meal, oatmeal, flour? Isn’t there enough food here to feed us?”

“Not really. There’s hamburger patties in the snack hut tonight, but we’ll have to grill them up tonight before they go bad. We have the fresh fruits and veggies that were marked for the animals, and we will all be sharing those as long as they hold out. Other than that, we really only have snack foods; chips, soft drinks and the like. They won’t go bad as fast, but they are also not very nourishing.”

Wrinkling her forehead, she thought a moment, nodded in acknowledgement, and returned to the list. “What do you mean by Dr. Lambert’s office?”

“I’d like you guys to swing by his place and extend an invitation to him and his staff. Not only would it be nice to have the zoo vet in residence, his knowledge and supplies could be used on animals and people alike. He might say no, but it can’t hurt to ask.” He glanced at the sky before reaching in his pocket and passing the keys to Jack. “You guys go ahead and get going. Maybe the rain will keep some folks inside and make it easier to get around. Pay attention, be careful, and get back as soon as you can.”

Gracie opened the passenger door of the pickup and slid to the middle of the bench seat. “Hey, Jack...where did Annie go? She is coming, right?”

Jack, who had just swung in behind the wheel, grinned. “Yep. She just ran back inside to pick something up.” Before she could question him again, Annie reappeared, a backpack bearing the zoo’s logo thrown over her shoulder and a familiar plastic case in her arms. 

“Better safe than sorry, honey,” Annie quipped as she slid climbed in the truck, correctly reading the question on Gracie’s face. “Better safe than sorry.”

Chapter 6

The bright red letters of the Winn-Dixie sign came into view after just a few minutes of driving. Gracie, who’d been swiveling her head back and forth the entire time, had seen only a few pedestrians and bicyclists out and about, most laden down with backpacks. The parking lot of the grocery chain, however, was a completely different story.

“Oh my god.” Gracie’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared the mass chaos of what just yesterday had been a normal grocery store, but today more resembled a war zone. Broken glass littered the ground around the gaping holes of what had been front doors, while overturned carts and trash covered the parking lot. Around, over, and through it all scurried a mass of humanity, some pushing or pulling carts, while others carried bags, baskets, or boxes of goods. “What happened?”

Scowling, Annie replied, “It seems society set a speed record for breakdown after a disaster.”

Jack, who had stopped the truck on the edge of the lot, glanced over nervously. “What do we do?”

“As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think we should chance it.” An idea blooming in her head, Annie made a quick decision. “Turn around and head back toward the zoo; I have an idea.”


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

*Moooooooooooooore...!*

:factor10:


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Oh my god she's going to eat the zoo LOL, MOAR Please, Your fans are a greedy bunch


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## HarleyRider (Mar 1, 2010)

Keep it commin'..........:melikey:


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## bohica (Apr 4, 2011)

The ironic thing is, I work nights at a zoo.


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## HarleyRider (Mar 1, 2010)

My home is a zoo...


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

Sent from my iPad using Survival Forum


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

More please


Survive and Thrive


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

Amazing need more loved it soooo much amazing need more lol 


Survive and Thrive


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Come on now don't let your fans down  patents is not infinite sooo grace us with MOAR please lol


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

Ikr need more please


Survive and Thrive


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

Please we need more lol you are an awesome writer


Survive and Thrive


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

“We’re going back to the zoo? What about the vet’s office?”

“Not back to the zoo, just in that direction. Do you remember that Chinese place that we can never figure out how it stays open because it’s in the middle of nowhere?”

“Yes,” Jack replied cautiously. “Why?”

“They’re not open on Mondays, so the place would’ve been empty last night, and since the owners live in Loxley, I doubt they’d have made it there yet. W

“If nobody is there, how are we supposed to get in?” Jack’s voice carried doubt, though he turned the jeep in that direction anyway.

“They hide a key out back.”

“How in the world do you know all this?”

Grinning sheepishly, Annie replied, “I used to date one of the waitresses. She had this horrible roommate so we’d sneak in on Monday nights to make out. It won’t be a lot, but at least we won’t go back empty handed. Unless, of course, you’d rather go back there,” she asked, gesturing over her shoulder. Glancing back at the grocery store, where if possible the crowd had grown even larger and more unruly, Jack shivered.

“Nope….China Palace it is.”

On the resort island of Sandy Shores, the term “middle of nowhere” didn’t really apply. The stand alone building housing the Chinese restaurant was, however, about as close as you got. Situated on a back road with no beach or canal access, it was surrounded by fields, with the tops of adjacent neighborhoods visible about five hundred yards away. After handing Jack the pistol and instructing him to stay with the truck, Annie retrieved the hidden key from the bottom of a ceramic lion statue and led Gracie in the back door.

Sure enough, the place was completely deserted and they made quick work of dragging out bags of rice, flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and huge bottles of cooking oil. Though the bags of frozen goods in the walk-in were starting to defrost, they swept everything from the shelves, deciding they’d sort it out later. After dropping the last box outside the back door for Jack to load, Annie laid a wad of cash on the counter, and then almost as an afterthought, scooped up a box of fortune cookies.

“What,” she asked, grinning at Gracie. “We can use all the advice we can get.”

As the girls locked the door behind them and piled into the truck, fat raindrops began to fall from the sky. “Oh no!” Gracie twisted on the seat to see the truck bed full of supplies behind them. “Some of that stuff will get ruined in the rain. I can’t believe we didn’t think about that!”

“Well, maybe we didn’t,” Jack shrugged, “but Greg did. He left a tarp back there, and I tied it down over everything, so we’re good. I have a feeling he’s going to be a handy guy to have around.”

Following several back roads, they arrived at the vet’s office in just minutes, despite the deluge that now poured from the heavens. Jack idled the truck in the empty parking lot as all three stared through the windshield at the dark windows. 

“Pull around back; the staff usually parks there.” Following Annie’s directions, Jack steered the truck around the side of the building, skirting an empty yard surrounded by chain link and coming to a stop next to a newer model GMC truck. “That’s his truck. I’ll go, he knows me best.” Jumping from the truck, she dashed to the covered stoop and raised her arm, banging on the back door. “Dr. Lambert? It’s Annie from the zoo. Are you in there?”

From her vantage point in the truck, Gracie watched as the door inched open. Annie turned, gave them a thumbs up, and disappeared inside. Time inched by in agonizing slowness, and Gracie was just starting to wonder if she should go looking for Annie when the door reopened and Annie sprinted through the rain and wrenched open the door, climbing in beside her.

“I explained Greg’s theory to him. He seems a bit dubious, but he wants to come anyway,” she said as she wrung the water from her long, dark hair. “However, he has two animals that were here recovering from surgery, and he won’t leave them. I told him we’d run to the zoo and unload and come back for all of them.. He’s packing up them and all the supplies now.”

“Sounds good,” Jack nodded. “Let’s hurry though, I’ve been nervous ever since the grocery store this morning, and I’ll feel much better when we’re all locked inside the zoo.” Much to their relief, the short trip back was uneventful, and by the time they arrived, the rain had tapered off to a light drizzle. They made quick work of unloading everything into the food prep area. While Jack and Annie immediately left to pick up the doctor, Gracie volunteered to stay behind and help Greg’s wife, Cora, inventory and organize their supplies.

After delving through the supplies in the kitchen, they moved on to the lone snack bar. The ice cream case was already one big soupy mess of fudge bars and creamsicles. “Oh man,” Cora exclaimed. “That looks nasty, I’m not even sure my kids would touch it, and they’ll eat anything.”

Laughing, Gracie replied, “You’re kids are adorable, and they seem really well-behaved, but I have to tell you, I can’t imagine dealing with all of this and worrying about them too.”

A worried expression flittered across Cora’s face, and she stopped to run her hand through her short, blonde bob before responding. “I am worried; I’d be crazy not to be, but I think we’re going to be better off than most, to be honest.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, I teach elementary school over in Blue Bayou, and some of those kids talk about how their parents never keep any food in the house, always stopping for breakfast at McDonald’s, counting on the school to supply lunch and snack, and picking up pizza for dinner. What are they going to do now? At least we have food, water, and people to help us. If we can make it through the panic, we’ll be fine.”

“We don’t have that much food, really. The grocery store was a madhouse; we were scared to even go in. So much of what we have will go bad without refrigeration. Then we’ll be in the same place those people are.”

Cora looked over at her incredulously. “Gracie, right?” At Gracie’s nod, she continued. “Look, around Gracie. We’re surrounded by food. Every animal in this place is a source of food, and like it or not, it might...no, it will, come to that.”

Shocked, Gracie sat back on her heels, taking in what Cora said. “You’re right. I grew up with a dad who went hunting all the time. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I hope, really hope, that it doesn’t come to that. I keep thinking maybe Greg’s wrong. Maybe the lights will come back on. Maybe everything will go back to normal.”

Shaking her head, Cora disagreed. “I don’t think so. It doesn’t hurt to hope, but be careful not to let it turn into a delusion.”

Chapter 7

Steamy heat surrounded the picnic tables as the early afternoon sun baked off the earlier rain. Eyeing burgers spread over the tabletops, Gracie’s stomach grumbled, reminding her that she’d skipped breakfast, and only had that bag of chips for dinner last night. Even though she knew that the meat wouldn’t last long, she said a quick prayer of thanks for that, and the propane that still allowed them to cook. Grabbing a burger, she joined the others in the shade, where Greg, Amber, and the recently arrived Dr. Lambert were in heated conversation.

“I agree with Amber, Greg. We really need to touch base with the Chief and find out what’s going on and if they expect any aid. However,” he said, stopping Amber’s with a raised hand, “I also agree with Greg in that we need to be prepared when we go out. If what Annie says about the rioting at the grocery store is true, things have gone south quickly. We may be a quiet town most of the year, but right now we are full of out of town vacationers, and if they are panicking, we have to be cautious.”

“So,” Amber asked, “what do you propose?”

“Two, maybe three of us take one of the cars and head over to the police station. The truck, I think, in case we find supplies. We need to be armed, and no offense to you Annie, but that little pea shooter isn’t enough. I’m afraid, Amber, that we’re going to have to open up your weapons locker.”

“There’s not much in there, just a couple of .22’s and shotguns, and we only have a box or two of ammo for each.” 

“That will do. We also need to consider having one competent marksman on site at all times, just in case of…..anything

Annie raised her ham, then smiled sheepishly as she had to swallow a big bite of burger before replying. “That can be me. I don’t really want to go back out right now, and I’m trained on the weapons here.” 

“Perfect,” Greg replied. “However, you’ve got the revolver too, so you might see if Gracie, Jack or even Cora will carry that. As far as going out, I’m not convinced it’s a good idea, but I do see the appeal of information. I’d like to stay here, and I think Amber and the Doc should go. Both of you will be familiar to Chief Parsons, so maybe he’ll be more open to sharing. Doc, the backpacks we have in the gift shop aren’t very large, but they should hold a small first aid kit, flashlight, water, etc. I know it’s not far, but we don’t know what’s out there. Also, if I were you, I’d wait til first light”

“Agreed.” Amber crumpled her napkin and stood. “Now, let’s go make rounds and check on everybody. Anniie, there is still milk for the tiger cub bottles if you and Gracie want to take care of that before you head to the other cats. Jack, you check on the reptiles, and then join me and Greg in the aviary. We’ll swing by the lemurs and the goats. Everybody else should be fine for now.” Glancing at Dr. Lambert, she paused. “Adam, do you mind checking on the primates? I know they are by far your least favorite, but one of the females was acting off this morning and I’d like you to take a look at her.” 

She turned to Cora at his nod, but before she could speak, Cora removed the child from her lap and stood. “If you don’t mind, Ms. Landon, I’ll clean all this up and make another run through the kitchen. I have some ideas for preserving some of the fruits and veggies that I want to try out.” Amber nodded gratefully at her.

“By all means, the longer we can make it last, the better off we’ll all be. I have a feeling there won’t be a delivery anytime soon.”

Hours later, Gracie squirmed, finally managing to roll over on the crowded air mattress. They were going to have to work out some details on the sleeping arrangements, she thought wryly. Dr. Lambert had set up in the gift shop, and right this minute, Gracie was envying his space, even if he was on the floor. Maybe they could use the truck to haul some mattresses from Annie or Jack’s house; that would certainly help. Giving up on the premise of any more sleep, she inched off the mattress and padded over to the window.
It had only been twenty-four hours since everything went crazy, and she was just as confused as when this started. If she had to be honest with herself, she had figured whatever “this” was, it would be over by now. But that feeling was changing. Now she felt that it was only just beginning. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around herself, leaned her head against the glass, and closed her eyes to the darkness outside.


Chapter 8.

Dawn was just beginning to lighten the sky as Amber Landon tightened her ponytail and climbed into the truck next to the doctor. “You ready Adam?”

“I suppose so. Do you mind if we check on the clinic on the way?”

“Nope…” Leaning out the window, Amber caught Greg’s eye and smiled. “Don’t be so worried. You guys hold down the fort here and we’ll be back before you know it.”

As the pulled away from the zoo, Amber sighed. “I’m starting to think he may be right. I know it has only been a couple of days, but with no body showing up to check on us, I’m afraid this situation might be serious.”

“I don’t know what to think. I admit, I don’t know anything about EMPs or solar flares, but what he says makes sense, and I haven’t seen anything to disprove it. Hopefully we’ll be able to find out something more concrete. If anything……………….” As he slowed to a stop in front of his clinic, Doctor Lambert’s words slowly trailed off. “Oh my.” In the short time since he’d left his veterinary practice to come to the zoo, less than twenty-four hours, it has been destroyed. The building itself still stood, but Adam Lambert’s eyes widened as he took in the broken front door and shattered windows. “Who would do this? I mean...I know...Greg warned us, but I just wasn’t expecting…..damn.” Pulling the truck around back, he noted that the solid back door was still secure, though it hardly mattered, seeing as the front entrance was a gaping hole.

“I’m sorry, Adam,” Amber said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to go inside and check it out?”

“I guess I should. I took quite a bit with me yesterday, but there might still be something useful left, and I’d hate to leave it there for someone to steal. You wait here.” Sliding one of the rifles from behind the seat, he unlocked the back door and entered quickly. Moments later, he reappeared.

“They took the safe holding the controlled drugs, but they just made a mess of everything else. It’s like they knew exactly what they wanted. Back the truck up to the door and I’ll salvage what I can.”

Passing stuffed garbage bags out the back door, Adam shook his head. “They left behind quite a few antibiotics, as well as some other misc. meds, cough tablets, anti-inflammatories….even some pain medications. And while they rolled out my oxygen tanks, they didn’t touch the surgical instruments or bandages. I sure hope the rest of the town is faring better.”

The town, they discovered as they drove through it not much later, wasn’t. Sandy Shores, an island off the coast of Alabama, was bordered on one side by white sand beaches and the Gulf of Mexico, and the busy waters of the Intercoastal Canal on the other. Two bridges connected it to the mainland, which carried in a multitude of tourists in the summer months, boosting their normal population of ten thousand up into the hundreds of thousands. The police force, while friendly and efficient, was apparently already having a hard time controlling the chaos generated by locals and visitors alike.

Oddly enough, the vandalism and looting seemed to affect gas stations, grocery stores, and souvenir shops alike. Broken glass littered almost every parking lot, and trash littered the sides of the roads. The only buildings that seemed to be exempt from the destruction were the churches. Even the windows at the real estate office were broken out, though for the life of her Amber couldn’t figure that one out. Not many people were out, and Amber shivered as she imagined the crowded, dark conditions that must exist in the plethora of high rise condos lining the beach.

“Well,” Adam grunted, “at least they’re protecting something.” The city complex, which held the police and fire stations, sat untouched in front of them. As the rolled to a stop, Amber noticed several tents populating the parking lot and lawn beside it. Before the engine had even stopped, a tall man with cropped salt and pepper hair strode through the front doors of the police station and approached their truck.

“Morning, Chief,” Amber said as she slid from the truck. “We were looking for some news, but from the looks of the town on the ride over, it won’t be the good kind we were hoping for.”

“Amber. Adam.” The Chief nodded at the pair, visibly relaxing as he recognized them. “You guys have the first working vehicle we’ve seen since the blackout. How is it that your’s works but nothing else does?”

“The age I think. At least that’s what Greg says; it’s his truck.” Amber shrugged. “He seems to think that the EMP, or whatever this was fried computer chips, and this is too old to have one.” 

“An EMP is along the lines of what we’re guessing too.”

“Guessing? We were kind of hoping you’d know.”

“We have a couple of working radios, but we’re only picking up faint signals and broken reports. Whatever this is, it seems pretty widespread, which, unfortunately, means it will also be long-lasting. We’re assuming Martial Law until we hear otherwise.” He hesitated a moment before continuing. “I’m sorry about this guys, and I hope you won’t hold it against me, but I’m going to have to seize your truck.”

“What?! Why would you do that?” Adam,, flabbergasted, stared at his friend and chief in shock.

“Like I said, you’re the first working vehicle we’ve seen, and I’m sure you can see the effect our lack of presence in having on the town. The folks,” he said, sweeping his arm towards the tents in the parking lot,” have set up here hoping for protection. Right now it seems to mostly be looters and petty shit, but if we aren’t able to get out and patrol, it will only get worse.”

“That’s not right, Chief.” Adam shook his head sadly. “I can’t believe it’s so bad you have to take private property.”

I’m sorry. I really am, but I have no choice. I can give you a ride back to the zoo. I assume that’s where you’re staying?”

“Yes,” said Adam, interrupting Amber, who’d been about to speak. “But we can get back on our own. I assume we can still take the medications I picked up at the office to care for the zoo animals? And you’re not seizing our guns are you? Or is it ok to leave your citizens stranded AND vulnerable?”

Taken aback at the venom in the doctor’s voice, the Chief replied carefully. “Of course you can take the meds, and while I probably should take the guns, I won’t. I really am sorry, guys. If I hear anything, I ride out and let you know, ok?” Nodding tightly, Adam returned to the truck, donning his backpack and handing Amber hers. After glancing over the trash bags in the back of the truck, he sighed, then turned back to the Chief.

“I don’t suppose you have a wheelbarrow, or buggy or something do you? I can’t carry all this.”

“No, not that I can spare. Whatever you can’t take, just leave there and I’ll get it out to you as soon as I get a chance.”

Amber quietly took the bag that Adam handed her, tossing it over her shoulder. He hefted his and started off down the road, leaving her hurrying to keep up.


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Thanks for such a good read eljones :2thumb: 

Looking forward...


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

Great addition ,after katrina I'd be very careful the next disaster we happen to get thrown into.


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## bohica (Apr 4, 2011)

*zoo weapons locker*

I liked the part about the Zoo weapons locker.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Do I realllllllly need to ask...?!

More!


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## NATIVEBONES (Feb 3, 2014)

Need more please please :3


Survive and Thrive


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

I guess we're at the end of the road eh


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

I read the title and thought what's the problem?

Kangaroo kabobs
Lion chops
Zebra roast
Elephant Ribs
Just plain ole dead monkeys... too many diseases that they can transmit.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Very well written and gritty.
Another helping?


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

Are you the same E. L. Jones that wrote Barrow Road and Dark Tides? Quality of writing seems the same or at least very similar. Keep writing. Good story so far.


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

*I promise...still here....working on it*

I am still working on this story, I have not disappeared (completely). And, yes, WiseTioga, I am the same one who wrote those titles 
I have been working on a second story line, so here's an updated version, still quite incomplete.


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

E.L. Jones,

Thanks for your response, had begun to believe that you had perhaps fallen into a Black Hole. Glad to know that's NOT true. Thought you were the same E.L. Jones. Great to see you writing again. Loved both Barrow Road and Dark Tides, and The Zoo is shaping up to be another good one. Keep up the excellent work. Oh, thanks for the update. Looking forward to more of the same.


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

Ran across "A Demon In Dixie" on Amazon. Assume this is the other story line you mentioned. Not normally into zombies and vampires but your story is quite good and I'll likely order the trade paperback edition. Hope that you can get back to The Zoo now. Keep writing, you are doing great. Thanks.


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

E,J,

Not to bug you but are we ever going to see any more of "Zoo At The End Of The World"?? Sure hope so. It started off very well. Please and Thank you. W.T.


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## debbluu (Dec 16, 2012)

Beth started a new full time job. She said she's written a little more but is trying to get it order in her mind 


Sent from my iPhone using Survival Forum


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

I do write a little bit at a time. I will post the updated version here, but it is not as far along as I would like. Though after having been away for so long, I'm humbled by all the views and comments.


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

EJ;

Very glad to see an update to Zoo. Understand that life often gets in the way of writing. Shame that it does, however, what is, is what it is. Keep doing the best that you can and we'll appreciate it. Take care and keep writing as you can. Thanks and Best Wishes. W.T.


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

I'm loving it!


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

WiseTioga said:


> Are you the same E. L. Jones that wrote Barrow Road and Dark Tides? Quality of writing seems the same or at least very similar. Keep writing. Good story so far.


are these on this forum? I did a search but nothing came up


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## WiseTioga (Nov 13, 2008)

Jewel;

Sorry those and others are not on this site. They have all been published on Amazon. Log into Amazon then search for E.J.'s name and you should come up with her page and all of her stories.

Regards,

Wise Tioga


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

MOOOOOOOOOORE!

Please.


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

Yes, please!!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Jewel said:


> Yes, please!!


Since EJ is still working on this one maybe you'll like her other story she posted a while back.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f55/home-sweet-apocalypse-22568/#post306736


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## eljones (Sep 2, 2013)

*Question*

Ok guys....I have a question. It has been put to me that in the event of a power outage, the hotel door locks would disengage in the open position, as opposed to being locked. Or that they would stay locked, but power with a battery back up. Thoughts? I'm wondering if I should rewrite that part.


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

Thank you Grimm!!


EJ, I've stayed in motels and hotels all across the south, some still have old fashioned key locks. What caused the power outage? An EMP might fry the battery back up too, depending on the system. The hotel is yours to create, do what ye will


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

eljones said:


> Ok guys....I have a question. It has been put to me that in the event of a power outage, the hotel door locks would disengage in the open position, as opposed to being locked. Or that they would stay locked, but power with a battery back up. Thoughts? I'm wondering if I should rewrite that part.


I agree with Jewel that an EMP would fry a battery backup.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Read this a week or so ago it was a very fun read thanks! I very much like your writing style.


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