Our End Of The Lake: Surviving After The 2012 Solar Storm (Prepper Trilogy) by Ron Foster

Martha.
    “Martha get Bill and David a drink, we haven’t had our toast yet.” Ray said warily to his new spouse.
    “Completely slipped my mind in the confusion.” she said rising and opening the screen door to go into the house.
    “What are you toasting, Ray?” Phil said adjusting himself straighter in his chair.
    “Martha and me just got hitched.” he said sheepishly.
    “I’ll be damned! When was the wedding? I didn’t hear anything about it.” Phil responded with interest.
    “About 5 minutes, before you fell out on the front lawn. I will tell you about that later, you were telling us that there was something we needed to know.” he said looking worriedly at Phil.
    “You got a plague of locusts heading your way, Ray.” and he settled back to tell his story, as Martha came back and handed Dump and I our drinks.
    “You don’t get one until you looking better, Phil.” she said apologetically, but firmly.
    “I don’t touch the stuff usually, but I will help celebrate your occasion later. Congratulations, by the way!” he said trying to show more enthusiasm than he felt.
    “Well, getting back to my story. I was sitting in Susie’s Drive in on the outskirts of town, when this shit hit. At first, we all thought it was a power outage, until the cars passing along the road out front started to just slow down and stop. There were folks breaking down everywhere and that Georgia power boy, Silas, said something about EMP to who ever was listening. And we all asked a question or two watching the shocked folks get out their cars in wonderment and start to head towards the diner.’ He stated morosely while rocking back in his chair and looking towards Martha.
    “Darling, I might just need that drink now please, I will be ok.” he reassured.
    “Well, if you can handle it, Ill get it.” she said still looking at him suspiciously, but rising to go mix him one.
    “Well, folks kept coming and coming, until the place was filled up and people were just milling around in the parking lot. Nobody knew what to do and the owner Suzie was freaking out, as people started demanding water and the taps weren’t working.” He paused to take his drink from Martha and then resumed his story.
    “ It was bedlam, I tell you, inside of there with people packing in like sardines and talking all at once, so I thought I best get out of there, before it got out of hand.” he reminisced wincingly.
    “How many people, you figure Phil?” Dump asked looking worried.
    “When I left that parking lot there must have been at least a 150 people and more walking towards it.” he thoughtfully considered.
    “That’s what I wanted to warn you about. I been smelling that Barbeque you been making for the last two miles.” he said seriously looking around at all our faces.
    “I was on the outskirts of Newnan, mind you, no telling how many people will be coming up that exit from the interstate and joining that horde of folks. You guys are off the main drag, but I can’t imagine what all those people are going to do for food and drink.” he said ominously, letting the thought of a mass of refugees descending on our cook out sink in.
    Martha started looking like she was going to lose her composure and cast a frightened look towards the road before speaking.
    “David, you know about mobs and such, what do we do.” she said imploringly and everyone put me on the spot staring in my direction.
    Shit, I ain’t been trained for this I thought . While I tried to carefully frame an answer for my attentive hosts.
    “First thing we do is load what ever long arms we got and keep them handy. Most people will leave you alone by just seeing you armed. We don’t have any idea how many folks will come this way, but if it’s small groups we help who we can, but be adamant about them having to keep moving on.” I said looking for anyone coming up either side of the road.
    “What about that smoker, David? Should we put it out?” Dump said eying the