Tails of the Apocalypse Read online

  Tails of the Apocalypse

  Edited by

  Chris Pourteau

  Foreword by

  Mary Buckham

  Produced by

  First Kindle Edition: November 2015

  ISBN 978-0-9899813-7-8

  Thank you for purchasing this ebook. It is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the authors.

  Aspects of some of these stories are inspired by worlds created by their respective authors. Used with permission of the authors.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission. Permission must be obtained from the individual copyright owners as identified herein.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Foreword by Mary Buckham, copyright © 2015 by Mary Buckham. Used by permission of the author.

  “The Water Finder’s Shadow” by David Bruns, copyright © 2015 by David Bruns. Used by permission of the author.

  “When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t” by Edward W. Robertson, copyright © 2015 by Edward W. Robertson. Used by permission of the author.

  “Protector” by Stefan Bolz, copyright © 2015 by Stefan Bolz. Used by permission of the author.

  “The Poetry of Santiago” by Jennifer Ellis, copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Ellis. Used by permission of the author.

  “Demon and Emily” by David Adams, copyright © 2015 by David Adams. Used by permission of the author.

  “Keena’s Lament” by Hank Garner, copyright © 2015 by Hank Garner. Used by permission of the author.

  “Tomorrow Found” by Nick Cole, copyright © 2015 by Nick Cole. Used by permission of the author.

  “Pet Shop” by Deirdre Gould, copyright © 2015 by Deirdre Gould. Used by permission of the author.

  “Kael Takes Wing” by E.E. Giorgi, copyright © 2015 by E.E. Giorgi. Used by permission of the author.

  “The Bear’s Child” by Harlow C. Fallon, copyright © 2015 by Harlow C. Fallon. Used by permission of the author.

  “Wings of Paradise” by Todd Barselow, copyright © 2015 by Todd Barselow. Used by permission of the author.

  “Ghost Light” by Steven Savile, copyright © 2015 by Steven Savile. Used by permission of the author.

  “Kristy’s Song” by Michael Bunker, copyright © 2015 by Michael Bunker. Used by permission of the author.

  “Unconditional” by Chris Pourteau, copyright © 2015 by Chris Pourteau. Used by permission of the author.

  Cover design copyright © 2015 by Adam Hall (http://aroundthepages.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

  Editing by Chris Pourteau (http://chrispourteau.thirdscribe.com/).

  Formatting by Polgarus Studios (http://www.polgarusstudio.com).

  The authors support the work of Pets for Vets, Inc., and the Humane Society of the United States.

  For our four-legged, feathered, and winged friends

  Who often teach their human neighbors on this planet

  What it means to be humane

  Story Synopses

  The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns

  Imagine an earth where water is the new oil, where humanity is reduced to the haves—who live in water-secure cities—and the have-nots: roaming clans who live a life of perpetual thirst in the open desert. Polluk, a Water Finder, and his dog, Shadow, make a living by showing the clans where to dig for life-giving moisture. As Polluk’s water-finding skills begin to fade, only Shadow’s uncanny ability to find water keeps him alive and free. But dogs don’t live as long as their human companions, and with Shadow’s passing, Polluk’s secret is sure to come out.

  When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t (a Breakers short story) by Edward W. Robertson

  The plague takes everything from Raina. Her parents. Her future. Her safety. But it can’t take her will to go on. Knowing there are dogs trapped in the animal hospital where her mom worked, she crosses what remains of Los Angeles to save them—and to find a way forward.

  Protector by Stefan Bolz

  This is a tale of courage and sacrifice, of undying loyalty and of the importance of the pack. At the heart of the story lies the relationship between two cubs—one of them a twelve-year-old boy, the other a young wolf. Neither of them is equipped to survive alone, and one of them will become a legend, remembered for generations to come.

  The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis

  Life on the streets was tough, even for a cat with style and smarts like Santiago. When this aging cat takes refuge in an antique store, he finds more than he’d hoped for. A year later, despite his failing eyesight and sense of smell, Santiago knows that something very bad is about to befall Pompei. How can a cat that can’t speak get his beloved adopted owner out of the city in time?

  Demon and Emily (a Symphony of War short story) by David Adams

  My name is Demon. I’m a good boy. I’m a good boy because my human, Emily, tells me so. One day, terrible lightning and thunder comes to Polema, and even more terrible things follow. Normally when thunder comes, the humans aren’t scared and they comfort me. This time they’re terrified. So now it’s me who has to be brave. I will protect my human, and I will be a good boy. No matter how scary the thunder or the monsters are.

  Keena’s Lament (a Weston Files short story) by Hank Garner

  If you look back through time, you’ll see some calamities recorded as history. Some, relegated to myth and legend, have become part of our collective unconscious. When a Watcher, one of the ancient ones, witnesses the end of the world, he’s hard pressed to care about its price—until his companion, Keena, becomes part of the cost. Can a being who’s nearly immortal learn to value the transient nature of life?

  Tomorrow Found (a Wasteland Saga short story) by Nick Cole

  A nuclear war would kill off much of the world’s population. In the years that follow, friends forged in the crucible of the Wasteland, whether canine or human, would be rare. Here’s a story about loneliness and the wasteland we can find inside ourselves when we’re too long out there. Here’s a story about two friends crossing the terribleness that is the end of the world.

  Pet Shop (an After the Cure short story) by Deirdre Gould

  Life in a shopping mall pet shop was never fun for an unwanted parrot named Surly Shirley. But after the humans disappear and leave Surly and the other animals locked in their cages, she must find a way for them to survive. Just as food and water run short, the humans return. But they aren’t anything like the browsing, cooing customers Surly remembers.

  Kael Takes Wing (a Mayake Chronicles short story) by E.E. Giorgi

  When his mother fails to come home from a night of hunting, a falcon chick, hungry and looking for food, tumbles from his nest. Rescued by cyborgs—one of only two surviving human races in the world—the chick grows into a strong fledgling who longs to return to the freedom of the skies. But to learn to fly, he must first overcome a paralyzing fear of falling … and salve the loneliness left behind by his missing mother.

  The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon

  In the domed city of Icarus, people live easy lives free from the severities of disease, poverty, and unpredictable weather. But for Anya, life is anything but easy. She and many others live outside the dome as Ferals: cast out, disease ridden, vulnerable. Her connection with her clan, even her
family, is troubled at best. But when she meets a bear in the wild, Anya finds friendship and family, even as the Icarites seek to exterminate their outcast brethren once and for all.

  Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow

  In the post-Collapse world, animals are returned to the top of the food chain after nearly all the Humans on the planet have perished. The Budgies and Bats of Davao City are expanding their colonies as nature intended when they stumble upon remnants of the Human population. The decisions made after this discovery will affect all those involved in ways they could never imagine.

  Ghost Light by Steven Savile

  Buttons are pushed. Missiles fly. Mushroom clouds bloom. A plane load of passengers manages to land safely on an isolated road in the Scottish Highlands. Amid the desolation, a handful of passengers begin a quest across England to find whatever hope remains in a landscape desolated by nuclear war. As, one by one, the self-proclaimed Grail Knights fall to fate, one man finds himself guided by a golden-furred phantom in a final quest to go home again.

  Kristy’s Song (a Pennsylvania short story) by Michael Bunker

  In the world of New Pennsylvania, the ongoing battle between the TRACE rebels and the governing Transport Authority means that war is an ever-present reality. Up on the Shelf, under-populated cities—never abandoned because they were never really occupied—stand as decaying memorials to the ongoing war. Kristy, a dog for her time, helps her best friend make contraband runs into and out of New Detroit, but will they both make it home in one piece.

  Unconditional by Chris Pourteau

  The peaceful cool of a fall day is shattered when the Storm of Teeth consumes the world. A little closer to home, a dog watches, terrified, as his human family battles a herd of walking corpses. Forced to leave their pet behind, the family flees for their lives. The dog begins his odyssey through the zombie apocalypse to search for them. But can he find the boy he loves more than life itself?

  Table of Contents

  Foreword to the Collection by Mary Buckham

  The Water Finder’s Shadow by David Bruns

  When You Open the Cages for Those Who Can’t (a Breakers short story) by Edward W. Robertson

  Protector by Stefan Bolz

  The Poetry of Santiago by Jennifer Ellis

  Demon and Emily (a Symphony of War short story) by David Adams

  Keena’s Lament (a Weston Files short story) by Hank Garner

  Tomorrow Found (a Wasteland Saga short story) by Nick Cole

  Pet Shop (an After the Cure short story) by Deirdre Gould

  Kael Takes Wing (a Mayake Chronicles short story) by E.E. Giorgi

  The Bear’s Child by Harlow C. Fallon

  Wings of Paradise by Todd Barselow

  Ghost Light by Steven Savile

  Kristy’s Song (a Pennsylvania short story) by Michael Bunker

  Unconditional by Chris Pourteau

  Acknowledgments

  A Word to Our Readers

  Foreword to the Collection

  by Mary Buckham

  When the visionary author, editor, and producer behind Tails of the Apocalypse, Chris Pourteau, invited me to write a foreword to an anthology he described as The Walking Dead meets The Incredible Journey, I had no idea how 14 authors were going to pull together stories that did not all sound the same. The concept of a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world seen through the eyes of a variety of animals (or the humans in relation to their animals) was not something I’d ever considered. To say I was blown away by not only the power of these stories but by the affirmation of the human-animal connection in them is an understatement.

  The authors hail from around the world, including the U.S., England (by way of Sweden), Canada, and the Philippines, and the animal protagonists in these tales are as varied as their creators. Some of the stories made me reach for the Kleenex box; others had me punching my fist in the air shouting, “Go! Go! Go!” All kept me engrossed and hungry for more. Not an easy feat across an anthology-length work centered upon a common theme.

  Parrots, bats, budgies, wolves, bears, dogs, cats, and more—a variety of cultures from the past, present, and, based on these stories, future—can be found here. The authors acknowledge and celebrate the unique bond between humans and their animal companions, regardless of setting, time, or dystopian circumstance. Sometimes these relationships are about mutual preservation, but often there is more at stake for both human and creature than simple survival. That’s what resonates the loudest for me as a reader—not only the creativity and diversity of the situations our heroes find themselves in, but the underlying emotional intensity of the animal-human bond that these authors have brought out in so many unique ways.

  David Adams, Todd Barselow, Stefan Bolz, David Bruns, Michael Bunker, Nick Cole, Jennifer Ellis, Harlow C. Fallon, Hank Garner, E. E. Giorgi, Deirdre Gould, Chris Pourteau, Edward W. Robertson, and Steven Savile have crafted stories about wolves who save humans, dogs who empower their owners to live up to their potential, a bear who gives a human the will to live—and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. These are stories of protection, sacrifice, empowerment, and, most of all, hope in times and places that need hope more than anything else.

  These are stories that will have you hugging your own pet or going out of your way to help an animal if you are pet-less. They’ll make you reimagine the future and become more aware that the worst of times can bring out the best in us and our most special of partners in life.

  A little over a year ago, I discovered such a partner myself in a feral cat, with whom I’ve since developed a symbiotic relationship that suits us both. Because my husband is very allergic to animals, it’d been years since I’d had a pet around. But when he was away for a few months on business, I happened to notice a pure-white cat who’d often sleep in a patch of sunlight in our backyard. I’d noticed her around the neighborhood for a few years but always assumed she was someone else’s cat. This particular year, though, she spent almost every day in our yard—the only dog- or cat-free zone in the extended neighborhood. She looked very thin, so I started setting some dry cat food out for her. It took days for her to come up on the back porch, and she’d only do so if I wasn’t around. It took six months for her to come onto the porch with the door partially open and a few more months after that before she’d step inside to eat. (I think the winter weather helped her with that decision.) Yet, the first time she curled up in my lap, feeling safe enough that I wouldn’t hurt her, I knew we’d both won. Trust, perseverance, connection—these are the gifts we give one another, and they’re what you’ll find in this collection’s stories.

  But you don’t have to believe me. See for yourself. Then share what you’ve felt with others after reading these tales, and they too can experience the touching stories contained in this wonderful anthology.

  White Cat Living the Good Life.

  Mary Buckham is the USA Today bestselling author of the Writing Active series for writers, which includes Writing Active Setting and Writing Active Hooks. She’s also the co-author of Break into Fiction: 11 Steps to Building a Powerful Story. She doesn’t just teach writers though; she practices what she preaches, writing Urban Fantasy with attitude. Love romance, danger, and kick-ass heroines? Find it in her Alex Noziak or Kelly McAllister series. And follow her at http://www.marybuckham.com/.

  The Water Finder’s Shadow

  by David Bruns

  A Finder without the Gift is nothing—less than nothing. A freeloading, water-consuming drain on their clan.

  I lost my Gift a long time ago. But no one knows that because a friend entered my life at exactly the moment I needed him the most.

  He whined softly on the floor next to me. I knelt down and stroked those long, velvety ears. How many times had I petted that heavy head, held that jowly face, pulled on those wonderful ears? Eighteen years was a long time for man or dog these days, and we both showed our age. His muzzle, once jet black, was snowy with the passing of time. My shaggy hair was mostly gray now and much thi
nner than when he found me.

  “What is it, boy?” I whispered to him. “Do you need to go out?”

  Shadow thumped his tail.

  I gathered him in my arms. In his prime, Shadow had weighed more than fifty pounds; he was barely half that now, a collection of bones and flaccid muscles under a bag of loose hide. He let out a little wheeze when I hoisted him up and I felt a warm wetness run down my arm. Shadow closed his eyes with shame.

  “It’s okay, buddy.” I kissed him softly on the side of his face.

  The chill of the desert air invaded my robe as I squatted down to let Shadow toddle around the yard. His back bowed in the middle, and he walked with stiff legs on a slow circuit around the perimeter of our small enclosure. I bit my lip in joyful sadness when I saw my friend lower his nose to the ground and start sniffing. Always searching for the next Find. His tail wagged slowly as he breathed in the scents of the morning earth.