RebeccaThe crisis is deepening in Black Mountain, and from the perspective of the council, it will only get worse. As the rations are being cut yet again, they know that they can only prolong the inevitable for so long. The doctor also proposes that double rations be given to those who are serving in the militia, the police, those who are digging the graves, and those who are doing their best to keep the town up and running. Some have refused their double rations, choosing instead to give it to their starving families.
As the town copes with the thousands of refugees who are streaming to their barricade, and solving the problem on how to move them through the town and onto the other side, there are also other problems coming to the small area.
The medications are finally starting to run out, and some of the remaining medications are starting to go bad. John is seeing this first hand, as his daughter Jennifer who is on insulin, is not responding as she should. Hamid is doing his best to help John as he can, with a bit of ice here and there to keep the insulin that he has for Jennifer safe.
The biggest problem facing the town at the moment is the arrival of the Posse which is headed toward Black Mountain. The Posse has been wreaking havoc through the countryside, and the reports are that they have been killing, pillaging and even resorting to eating human flesh! The town in put on alert, the militia marches through, and the towns defense is now left up to the veterans and college students who have been training.
Will the town of Black Mountain live to fight another day!?
This week we are reading Chapters 8-9
Questions:
- The town mayor refuses to accept the need for rationing, claiming that they have reverted back to the Middle Ages. What would you do in that situation?
- The council is doing what they can to extend life expectancy for everyone, but there are known factors which drive the death toll up. Could you face those factors and make a sound decision, or would you want to try and change the circumstances?
- As the militia prepares for their defense of Black Mountain, what do you think their chances are of saving the town?
http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b593/rebecca_hill24/One20Second20After_zpsgdktzcxb.jpg
I could not put this book down. The author pulled you into the story. . . I found myself rooting for the militia, even while thinking, “There is no way they can overcome such an attack!”
I think there were lots of hard decisions that had to be made. It would be awful to be the one to tell someone, “No, ” to a request for extra food or medicine, when you know the result will most likely be death. The emotional cost of handling all these requests would be overwhelming and the author paints a vivid picture of the pain they experience in doing so.
I have no idea what I would do in this situation . . . it is an unimaginable situation and I hope we never have to find out.
Thanks for picking something that pushed the packet on our comfort!
You are welcome!! I am glad that you are enjoying our read!! It is a hard read, and we are looking at what we might be forced to do, if an EMP was ever to be detonated here. The children are what really got me. It broke my heart!