Rewrite the Apocalypse dream (by Dee Cari) novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 This makeshift family

AT 59

Finished

The pickup truck’s engine hummed steadily, a grounding vibration in the quiet cabin as the highway gave way to the winding, unpaved backroads of the Aurora countryside. Outside, the night was ink-black, the thick canopy of pine trees swallowing the truck’s headlights.

In the passenger seat, Joanna sat with her hands resting loosely in her lap. To anyone else, she looked perfectly relaxed, but her mind was a tempest of spatial coordinates, structural dimensions, and a quiet, fierce determination to keep the three people in this truck alive.

From the backseat, Jolie’s lively voice shattered the silence. “Alright, honestly? This is officially the coolest road trip I’ve ever been on. Granted, my last road trip was to a canning convention, but still. Midnight bunker burying really scratches a very specific, apocalyptic itch.”

Jake’s hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel, his eyes darting to the rearview mirror. “Keep your voice down, Jolie. Sound travels differently out here.”

“Oh, come on, Captain Killjoy,” Jolie laughed, leaning forward to poke the shoulder of his leather jacket. “We’re miles from civilization. Unless the local deer are planning to snitch on our zoning violations, I think we’re safe.”

“Noise discipline is a habit,” Jake grunted, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward in the dim light of the dashboard. “You break it when it’s safe, you break it when it matters.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. Is that what they taught you in the elite forces? ‘Do not giggle while burying multi-ton metal boxes’?” Jolie rolled her eyes playfully. “Honestly, Jake, with a attitude like that, I’m surprised they didn’t kick you out of the military just for being a buzzkill.”

Jake didn’t miss a beat. “Actually, they kept me around because I don’t give away our tactical positions to complain about my internet bill.”

“Excuse me! That is a very valid utility expense!” Jolie gasped dramatically, turning to Raven. “Raven, tell him. Tell him that having high-speed fiber optic is a human right, especially before a global collapse.”

Raven reached into her small canvas backpack and pulled out a neatly wrapped package, her sweet voice instantly melting the mock-rivalry in the cab. “I brought lemon bars,” she said softly, holding one out to Jolie, then leaning forward to offer one to Jake. “For energy. You’ve been driving a lot, Jake.”

Jake’s expression softened instantly. He took the lemon bar with a quiet, appreciative nod. “Thanks, kiddo. At least someone in the back seat is contributing to the mission’s logistics instead of just heckling the driver.”

“Oh, please,” Jolie scoffed, happily taking her own bar. “My heckling is crucial for morale. Without me, you and Joanna would just sit there communicating in silent, stoic nods for six

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Chapter 55 This makeshift family

hours. It’s a public service.”

59

Finished

Joanna watched the exchange, a warm, quiet spark blooming in her chest. She rarely let her emotions show on her face-holding her cards close to her chest was a survival mechanism she had perfected-but looking at them now, she realized just how deeply she cared for this makeshift family. They weren’t just assets in a survival plan; they were her reason to keep fighting.

“We’re coming up on the first property,” Joanna announced, her voice calm and steady. “Get ready.”

The first property was a heavily forested five-acre plot nestled in a valley just over the Aurora line. Jake maneuvered the truck through a gap in the treeline, navigating a rough dirt trail until they reached a wide, cleared area.

In the center of the clearing sat a massive, yawning crater in the earth, perfectly excavated and waiting.

Jake killed the engine. The silence of the forest rushed in to greet them.

“Alright,” Jake said, stepping out of the truck and immediately checking the perimeter. “No lights except the headlamps. Keep them angled down. Joanna, let’s see the goods.”

Joanna walked to the edge of the deep trench. She closed her eyes, connecting with the vast, quiet expanse of her upgraded pocket dimension. With a subtle wave of her hand, the air above the crater rippled.

A low, resonant hum vibrated through the ground as the first pair of customized shipping containers materialized. The impact was a dull, heavy vibration that shook the soles of their boots. The containers fit into the excavated crater with absolute, millimeter-precision.

“Showoff,” Jolie whispered, her eyes wide with awe. “I don’t care how many times I see you do that, it’s basically magic.”

“It’s physics,” Joanna said, a rare, playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Just… highly advanced, pocket-sized physics.”

“Let’s check the levels,” Jake said, already sliding down the dirt bank of the trench with a heavy spirit level in hand. He climbed onto the roof of the containers, checking the alignment of the steel plates. After a moment, he looked up and gave Joanna a thumbs-up. “Perfect. They’re level. Let’s get the earth over them.”

Joanna didn’t waste a second. She reached into her dimension once more and pulled out the massive industrial bulldozer she had stored away weeks ago. The yellow metal beast materialized on the edge of the clearing, its tread-marks sinking into the fresh dirt.

Jake climbed into the cab of the bulldozer, starting the engine with a low, muffled roar. With

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Chapter 55 This makeshift family

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