The Survivor Chronicles: Book 1, The Upheaval by Erica Stevens Page B

workers had located a bullhorn; they were bellowing orders to remain calm, for everyone to stay put, and to aide others when they could. Riley barely registered the words over the incessant screams. “It’s the end of the world,” she realized.
     
    Xander glanced at her over his shoulder. “And here I always thought you were a ‘glass half full’ kind of girl.”
     
    She planted her hands on her hips. “Well, what do you think is going on, then?” she demanded.
     
    He shrugged as he managed a wan smile. “I try not to think D; it’s how I make it through college.”
     
    She blinked at him in confusion. “D?”
     
    She slapped his hand away as he attempted to flick one of her ears. It took everything she had not to punch him again as she jerked her arm free of his grasp and stormed a few feet in front of him. His chuckle only served to infuriate her more.
     
    “Carol!” she screamed, fury pitching her voice higher than she thought possible. She pushed through people, barreling onward with far less finesse than Xander had exhibited. “Carol!”
     
    Through her anger, apprehension began to coil within her gut. It slithered like a snake up her chest and constricted around her heart. Where was Carol? Panic was starting to rise up inside of her as she pushed through the crowd. Carol had been her best friend for as long as Riley could remember. Carol was the sister she’d never had, she had to find her. She had to be okay.
     
    Riley burst free of the crowd, her gaze frantically searched over the area where she had left Carol with Bobby and Lee. The substantial split in the earth ran through here too, it had opened a large gouge into the land that was a good three hundred feet wide and unfathomably deep. She could only stand and stare, mouth gaping, and her heart creating a drumbeat. There were two people struggling from the hole, picking themselves out of the pit with the help of others, but she didn’t recognize either of them.
     
    Riley spun, her gaze shot frantically over the crowd. “Carol!” she screamed as Xander pushed his way free and stopped to stare in dismayed silence. “Carol!”
     
    Xander pushed her gently aside as he made his way to the chasm. Riley refused to go any closer to the hideous thing, not one step. Xander leaned over to peer down at it before stepping back to search the crowd again. Riley fought the urge to plunge her way back in, and shove through the bloody people and disordered mob in search of Carol. She didn’t know where to go though, and as much as Xander irritated her beyond belief, he was all she had right now and she wasn’t going to leave him behind.
     
    She spotted Bobby being herded onward by a group of emergency personal to an area far from the gorge. Riley shouted to Xander before hurrying after Bobby. She seized hold of Bobby's arm when she reached him and jerked him back toward her.
     
    “Riley,” he breathed in relief and embraced her quickly. They’d never been overly close in high school, but after Bobby had graduated school, and started working with his father, he’d come into the hardware store where she worked more often. They’d become a lot friendlier and exchanged updates on their not-so-exciting lives.
     
    Bobby held her arms as he stepped back. “Where’s Carol?” she inquired, dreading the answer.
     
    He shook his head, his brown eyes sad and distant. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It all happened so fast, one minute we were just standing there and the next… Well, the next it was just… screaming. I saw her run; I think she was with Lee, still.” His gaze slid past her, he released her arms as Xander joined them. “I’m pretty sure she’s still alive.”
     
    Relief filled her; her shoulders slumped as she searched the crowd surging around them. “Go with the flow,” Xander murmured. “Carol will go with the others to look for us.”
     
    Riley fell into step with Bobby and Xander; she searched the mob frantically as she