Read Breakdown: Season One for Free Online

works…the house had been painstakingly cared for and brought back from the brink in a time when a lot of owners would have just scrapped it. The home had a beautiful sort of character. Everything was lit by candle or kerosene lantern. It took Thom back in time a hundred years or more. The windows were covered with layers of thick, black cloth. Blackout curtains.
    More than the fixtures, though, the house had a lived-in feel of barely managed chaos that comes with living with small children. Toys were scattered in designated areas and were noticeably absent from others, such as the kitchen. Thom had to smile, thinking back to this time in his life, when Anna was a precocious toddler running around, asking question after question, soaking up every experience, every spoken word, like a sponge.
    He realized that if he was going to be living in a world as drastically changed as this one had become, he’d need to be like a child again, eager to learn, asking questions and modeling the behavior of survivors.
    They walked into the living room, and Thomas noticed a wood-burning stove in the corner where most homes would have had a television. He sat down on a comfortable couch that was definitely purchased with kids in mind; cushiony, with fabric that masked stains.
    As soon as Thom sat down, he regretted it. The weariness of walking such a long distance suddenly caught up with him. With the adrenaline gone, every ache seemed to hit at once. The boots he’d worn had surely been more effective than his office shoes, but the thin dress socks did little to pad against the rubbing against his skin. That, combined with the fact that he wasn’t in the best shape of his life, made it tempting to make this couch Thom’s new permanent residency.
    “Juliana, it’s time to go to bed. Brush your teeth like you do when we’re camping. Just a little bit of water from the glass by the sink and spit. Then rinse with another small mouthful. Don’t use the sink, and if you need to go potty, use the old training chair you used to go on, okay? It’s important that we save as much water as we can right now.”
    Without even watching to see if she’d obey, John stepped into the kitchen, and Thomas overheard muffled conversation.
    Juliana just nodded, bounding off into the bathroom. Thom could hear her start brushing. Was Anna ever this obedient?
    He grinned, and his thoughts must have shone on his face because John jumped right in, “She’s being good because we have company. Usually, it’s a fight to get her to bed. She likes you and wants to impress.” He smiled. “Plus, she knows the consequences of acting out in front of others.”
    Thom nodded. John seemed like a fair man. A good man.
    A beautiful woman with golden caramel skin and dark hair entered from the kitchen holding two mugs.
    “Thom, I’d like you to meet my wife, Talia.”
    Thom rose to shake her hand, and she set the mugs down and wrapped him in a hug.
    “John told me what you did to help them get home. Thank you.”
    Thom could feel his face start to flush. It had been a long while since he’d hugged a woman other than his Anna.
    “You’re welcome, Talia, but really it was John who saved the day. I wouldn’t even have realized we were being followed. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened if he and Juliana hadn’t been there to help me.”
    She smiled softly, revealing two perfect dimples in her cheeks. “Please, sit, and take a mug. It’s milk. I figure it’ll be one of the first things to spoil, and I don’t want the calories going to waste.”
    There were a few noises from the hallway, and Juliana appeared, ready to be tucked in. She ran over and gave Thom a quick hug goodnight before Talia went to tuck her in for the night.
    “Thom, I’d like to talk with you about what it is I think is going on out there. Give you a fair playing field before you head out into the unknown to get Anna.”
    He nodded. “I’d like to hear what you