The Year Without Summer: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller Read online

  The Year Without Summer

  Jack Hunt

  Direct Response Publishing

  Contents

  Also by Jack Hunt

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  A Plea

  Reading Team

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2018 by Jack Hunt

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The Year Without Summer is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Jack Hunt

  Click here to receive special offers, bonus content, and news about new Jack Hunt’s books. Sign up for the newsletter.

  The Agora Virus series

  Phobia

  Anxiety

  Strain

  The War Buds series

  War Buds 1

  War Buds 2

  War Buds 3

  Camp Zero series

  State of Panic

  State of Shock

  State of Decay

  Renegades series

  The Renegades

  The Renegades Book 2: Aftermath

  The Renegades Book 3: Fortress

  The Renegades Book 4: Colony

  The Renegades Book 5: United

  The Wild Ones Duology

  The Wild Ones Book 1

  The Wild Ones Book 2

  The EMP Survival series

  Days of Panic

  Days of Chaos

  Days of Danger

  Days of Terror

  The Against All Odds Duology

  As We Fall

  As We Break

  Mavericks series

  Mavericks: Hunters Moon

  Time Agents series

  Killing Time

  Single Novels

  Blackout

  Defiant

  Darkest Hour

  Final Impact

  For my Family

  Prologue

  Near Cody, Wyoming

  A scream echoed at the mouth of Shoshone Canyon.

  Instinctively Logan Miller lifted his head from inside the truck and squinted into the darkness. He smiled as his friend and co-worker Hayden Ryan slung his girlfriend over his shoulder, slapping her ass playfully while threatening to carry her to the water’s edge and throw her in.

  “Put me down!” Allison yelled repeatedly.

  Logan’s fiancée Jenna came to Allison’s aid.

  Hayden glanced back and hollered, “Hey Logan, what do you think?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Logan cranked the volume on the radio before he hopped out of his black F150 and left the door open so the steady hum of tunes could be heard. They’d been at the quiet spot for the better part of an hour knocking back beers, barbecuing and basking in the warm summer evening. It was a favorite with tourists and locals alike due to its immense beauty. Nearby the sloshing of the Shoshone River beckoned them into its crystal waters while a crescent moon created shadows that danced off the red banks of the 100-mile-long river in Northern Wyoming.

  Half an hour later, the aroma of cooked steaks, and pine trees lingered in the air as they sat around the fire pit swapping park ranger stories. And man, did he have a lot to tell. In the eleven years he’d held the position of deputy ranger in Yellowstone National Park, he’d performed all manner of duties from law enforcement, firefighting, and directing traffic around bison jams through to pursuing troublemakers on horseback, pissing on wildfires, saving endangered turtles, and frequently helping lost hikers get home. But by far catching perverts spying on bikini-clad sunbathers was a highlight. It was almost becoming a full-time job. They must have thought that because the park was so vast they could get away with it. Crazy.

  “I’m not kidding, it happens all the time. I swear Yellowstone is a magnet for perverts. Isn’t that right, Hayden?”

  Hayden nodded, taking another swig of his beer and keeping a firm grip on Allison who was draped around him. They were still in the honeymoon phase, unable to keep their hands off each other. Jenna had set them up on a blind date two months ago and for some strange reason Allison took to Hayden’s odd sense of humor. For a fellow ranger, Hayden was a wiry man, just shy of thirty years of age, clean shaven, blond, a little over five foot nine and with sharp features. Both of them had always wanted to find a way to be out in the wilderness and get paid for it — being a ranger gave them that experience, and much more.

  “I thought you just offered guided tours around the park?” Allison asked.

  Hayden chuckled. “No, darling, we are a one-man show covering over 2.2 million acres. Yep, this national park is like a small country. It’s a wild ride. Best job in the world though.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss. Their slurping noises made Jenna roll her eyes.

  “Yeah, if you enjoy being insulted and assaulted,” Logan added.

  “So it is dangerous?” Allison asked turning to Logan.

  Hayden tapped the air with his finger. “Without a doubt. In fact a ranger is twelve times more likely to die on the job than an FBI agent.” He said it with a hint of glee, like it was some badge of honor.

  Of course he was right but Hayden enjoyed fluffing his feathers and making it seem that it was more glamorous than it really was. The truth was harder to swallow.

  “You know what some of the drunk tourists call us?” Logan paused for effect. “The Pine Pigs.”

  Hayden groaned. “Really, man?” He brought up his index finger and thumb. “I was this close.”

  By this close, he meant having Allison eating out of his hand. Her last boyfriend had been with the DEA so Hayden had big boots to fill. Logan laughed and got up to get another beer from the cooler.

  “You want another?” he asked Jenna.

  She threw up a hand. “Nah, I think I’ve had enough for one night.”

  Logan frowned. “It’s your vacation. It’s okay to have some downtime.”

  She interlocked her fingers and stretched out her arms. “I’m actually thinking of turning in early.”

  “Boring. Skinny-dip, anyone?” Hayden bounced Allison off his knee, slapped her butt and she let out a squeal before he began to strip. He tossed his underwear and they landed near Logan’s feet.

  “Hayden. Seriously?” Logan asked placing his hand playfully over Jenna’s eyes.

  “She’s a big girl. Aren’t you, Jenna?”

  “Less of the big,” she shot back, her lip curling up.

  “Besides, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, am I right, Jenna?”

  “That depends…” Jenna turned to Logan.

  Hayden wasn’t listening. Neither of them had any mo
desty. Both Hayden and Allison were already peeling their T-shirts off and stumbling down the steep bank towards the water’s edge. Logan remained seated, leaning forward and prodding the fire with a stick. Hot ashes glowed and black smoke spiraled up. The wood popped and crackled. He glanced over to Jenna.

  “You never told me what you did was dangerous,” she said.

  They’d been together for over four years before he’d popped the question. He’d met her while she was camping with a group of friends. One of them had taken a fall in the canyon and the Technical Rescue Team had been called out to get her. Fortunately she only suffered a broken leg and a few minor scratches and bruises.

  He shot her a sideways glance. “You’ve never asked.”

  There were still so many misconceptions about National Park Rangers and the kind of danger their job placed them in — being assaulted was just one. He just wasn’t one to talk about it, unlike Hayden who would exaggerate any chance he got. In the distance they could hear the other two splashing water.

  “Come on, guys, the water is warm,” Hayden cried out.

  Logan jerked his head towards the river. “You want to go?”

  “Maybe in a minute.” Jenna got up and crouched down beside him placing a hand on top of his back. “You know my father thinks I’m crazy marrying you.”

  He offered back a confused expression. “Why?”

  “Why do you think? You work on top of a ticking time bomb.”

  He grimaced then laughed. “He’s not back to that again, is he? Honestly, you should tell him to treat what he finds online with a healthy dose of skepticism. There is so much misinformation being touted it’s unreal. Jenna, the caldera hasn’t had a major volcanic eruption in 640,000 years.”

  “Actually the last was 70,000 years ago,” Jenna said.

  Logan shook his head. “Okay, my bad. I forgot about the flow that formed the Pitchstone Plateau. But c’mon, it wasn’t even close to the one before that.”

  She opened her mouth as if she was about to say something and Logan beat her to the punch. “And before you say it… yes, the geysers might blow off some water and steam from time to time but that’s all it is — water and steam, not magma. In fact if there is going to be an explosion it will be a hydrothermal eruption. Seriously, there’s nothing to worry about. The USGS has the place hooked up with all kinds of instruments. And the University of Utah keeps track of all the earthquakes. The first sign of trouble and they’d let us know.”

  She scoffed. “Like they did the with the last earthquake in 2014. What was that? A 4.8 magnitude.”

  “Yeah, and nothing happened. Besides it was one out of two thousand that year.”

  “And what about the 7.2 magnitude in 1959?” Jenna asked.

  “Strong, and I admit there were a few casualties with that one but the caldera didn’t erupt.”

  Jenna stared into the fire. “Still. I can understand why he’s worried.”

  Logan let out a laugh. “We aren’t even married yet and he thinks you’re going to be widowed. You need to let him know that everything is okay. Yellowstone gets close to 3,000 earthquakes a year and most of them are too small to be felt. It’s normal.”

  “Like Mount St. Helens in the ’80s was normal?”

  Logan tossed the stick into the fire and turned in his seat.

  “Jenna, what’s the matter? You having second thoughts about us?”

  She was quick to smother that. “No,” she said shaking her head and then sighing. “I just worry, that’s all. My father wondered if you would consider taking a position on the East Coast on Cape Cod.”

  He snorted. “Oh, so that’s what this is about. He wants you to live near him?”

  She stared off into the fire and fine lines formed on her forehead. “No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. You know how parents are. They’re getting older and want to make sure…” she trailed off. Her parents were good people. Really good. But like anyone worried for their kid, they acted a little paranoid after hearing what he did for a living.

  Logan allowed silence to stretch between them.

  Jenna stood up and grabbed his hand hoping to lift the mood.

  “Come on, let’s forget the conversation and go take a swim.”

  She was quick to change the subject as they made their way down to join the others. By the time they reached the water, Hayden was coming out hobbling and grimacing. He plopped down on a large boulder and began rubbing his ankle.

  “You okay, bud?” Logan hollered as they made their way over. He noticed he was bleeding, and had scraped up the bottom of his leg.

  Hayden grimaced. “I twisted my ankle and scraped the damn thing up.” He rubbed around the area that was bleeding. “I swear the last time I came here the bottom wasn’t this rocky.”

  Logan looked over to where Allison was serenely floating on her back as Jenna stripped off, flashing her naked butt before running and diving into the water. Both of them looked on, admiring the view.

  Hayden puffed out his cheeks and made a sound. “That Jenna of yours. She’s a keeper for sure,” Hayden said. “Dear me, I swear ten minutes earlier and it might have been me scooping her up.”

  “Don’t get any thoughts,” Logan replied with a smile. “Stay here, I’ll go grab the med kit.”

  In his line of work it had become second nature to carry a first-aid kit in his truck. It was nothing special, just the basics like bandages, safety pins, gauze and so on. When he returned he tossed a pair of dark briefs in Hayden’s naked lap. “Put these on first before I start treating that leg.”

  “Cheers, buddy, you’re a real Florence Nightingale.”

  “I’ve been called many things but that’s a first.”

  They both chuckled as he patched him up. Meanwhile Jenna and Allison were splashing water and having a whale of a time.

  “How’s it going with Allison?” Logan asked him.

  “Ah, it’s all right. Not sure she’s bring her home to mother material but she’s a lot of fun.”

  Logan was down on one knee finishing up bandaging his ankle. “Be nice to her, Hayden, otherwise you’ll bring the wrath of Jenna down on you. And you don’t want that.”

  “Oh no? Do I detect trouble in paradise?”

  “No, it’s just her old man, you know — fueling her with fear about Yellowstone erupting.”

  Hayden rolled his eyes. “Again?”

  “Yeah but…”

  A scream interrupted his train of thought, however this time it didn’t sound playful. Logan jerked his head to see Allison screaming and Jenna struggling to remain above the water.

  “Jenna!” Logan jumped into action. Without thought to his own safety he hurried down to the water’s edge, splashing through the water until he launched himself into the depths. The girls had waded downriver a fair distance. At night it was hard to see as the only light came from the moon and stars. Allison was making her way back to shore, screaming hysterically the closer he got. He hadn’t made it within twenty feet from where he’d last seen Jenna go under when he had to stop. The water was heating up, gurgling and burping, roiling up like a Jacuzzi. The smell of sulfurous gas was overwhelming. The river had been referred to as the stinking water or stinking river due to the hydrothermal features that it had at one time. Those had subsided a long time ago, making it rare to see sinkholes or hot springs, or even smell sulfur.

  “Jenna!” Logan yelled out her name as he tried to reach her. He couldn’t get close because the water was overheating. He could already feel his skin beginning to burn. From the banks of the river Hayden and Allison yelled for him to get out. His eyes scanned the surface of the nearby boiling water one more time before he had no choice but to head back to the safety of the shore. Tears streaked his cheeks as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

  But he couldn’t.

  All he knew was she was gone.

  Chapter 1

  8 Months Later

  Catherine Shaw knew the gravity of danger long before she arrived
. Crawling towards the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park, the AWD cherry-red SUV jerked as it came to a grinding stop then started again. There had been bumper-to-bumper tourist traffic for the past forty minutes as campers lined Highway 89 just outside of Gardiner, Montana. It was a quaint little town in the heart of Yellowstone’s northern range. She removed her aviator shades to wipe sleep dust out the corner of her eye. Catherine flipped down the sun visor and adjusted her dark, shoulder-length hair. Ahead, she could now see what was causing the jam; a herd of bison had taken up the road. Apparently it was a common sight, that and elk meandering across the rolling landscape. The sky was a deep blue with a few white clouds drifting slowly above the Absaroka, Bridger, Gallatin and Crazy Mountains. While the vehicle idled, she watched a burly man hop out of his truck and check the connection to his 33-foot Airstream RV. He gave it a kick, and cursed at the thing before getting back inside the cab. She chuckled. She’d considered renting one for the week but opted for a tent as it was cheaper.

  She shot a sideways glance to her son Jordan. He had jet-black hair that draped down to his jawline and was sporting a thin long-sleeved shirt, distressed jeans and a pair of white Nikes. His earphones were in and his head rested against the window. She’d told him he would get heatstroke but he refused to listen. Thirteen going on fourteen and he thought he knew everything. It didn’t help that his father had filled his head with a bunch of lies about her. They had joint custody but it hadn’t come without a battle through the courts. Richard had used his connections as a police officer to try and paint a picture of her being an unfit parent — never around, was the phrase he used. There was a smidgen of truth in it, and of course it had played a role in why they had divorced four years ago but unfit? That was below the belt. She was a damn fine mother, but obviously not up to Richard’s standards. Richard’s mother had stayed at home while his father worked, so he thought she should do the same. But that wasn’t her. Her career as a volcanologist for the U.S. Geological Survey had taken her all over the world. She had worked her ass off to gain the respect of her peers and climb the bureaucratic ladder, and even though she took maternity leave when Jordan was born, she wasn’t the type to stay at home fluffing pillows and making sure dinner was on the table at six. But that’s not to say she didn’t adore her kid.