The Last Hurrah Book Novels & Stories

Atlas reached out with a numb hand and clicked the radio off. The silence that followed was absolute, terrifying, and profound. The last fragile thread of hope that had sustained us through the nightmare of the Keep snapped in an instant. No armies were coming to save us. There was no safe territory waiting over the mountains. The entire world was burning, devoured by the same grotesque horror that had taken Sia, Timmy, and Marcus. Vanya sank onto a wooden stool, burying her face in her hands as silent, hopeless tears spilled through her eyes. Kenny stared at the black radio with wide, hollow eyes, his shoulders slumping under the weight of total despair.

"At this point, everything is a trap." Carefully, Liam pulled the book from the shelf. Nothing happened. He opened it. Inside... The pages had been cut away. Hidden in the center was a small brass key. Emma gasped. "Another key." Liam picked it up. Unlike the silver key they had found earlier, this one was engraved with a single word. Truth. Before either of them could examine it further... The lights suddenly went out. Complete darkness swallowed the room. Emma instinctively moved closer to Liam.

ᴵ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵗʰᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵐʸ ˡᵃˢᵗ ᵇʳⁱᵈᵍᵉ, ˢᵒ ʳᵉᶠʳᵉˢʰⁱⁿᵍ ᵀʰᵉ ᵇʳᵉᵉᶻᵉ ᵇˡᵒʷˢ ᵐʸ ᵉᵇᵒⁿʸ ʰᵃⁱʳ ᵃⁿᵈ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵒⁿᵉ ˡᵃˢᵗ ˢᵗᵉᵖ, ˡ'ˡˡ...

He lowered his head and said softly, "Daddy, I can't wake Mommy up. Can you give me your quill?" Casper's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously asked. "What do you mean you can't wake her up? Didn't your mother only donate 400cc worth of blood..." "Casper!" Sydney suddenly cut him off. Casper turned his head, a look of shock on his face. "What is it?" Sydney stiffened and awkwardly changed the subject as she felt Casper's inquisitive look. "Today is New Year's Eve. If Adam gets home late, Winnie will get worried. All he wants is a quill, right? You should hurry and give it to him. Let's not disturb their New Year's celebration."

A dusty scrapbook falls from the shelf behind me, falling open on the floor. When I turn to look at it, my heart aches as I stare at one of the last photos I ever took with my dad. Is this your way of saying hi, Daddy? I hold the book in my hands like it’s a precious artifact. Carefully turning the pages and reliving some of my fondest memories. My tears begin to stain the pages. I quickly pack the book away with other keepsakes. I need some fresh air. Ashton’s POV: The club is packed. The music is torturing my eardrums. The smell of smoke and alcohol fills the air. Oh, and let’s not forget to mention that there are strippers down below on the lower level.

When he noticed me, he froze, then reached over and turned down the burner. My gaze moved past them and landed on the countertop. The metal box had been opened. My mother’s handwritten recipe pages had been spread across the greasy board as a backdrop for the video. Bianca’s hand, with my diamond ring on it, was pressing down on the yellowed paper. I walked over, moved the phone tripod aside, and reached out to close the recipe book. “Jenna, it’s not what you think!” Bianca was flustered when she saw my expression.