Read Darkest Before Dawn (A Guardian's Diary Book 1) for Free Online

from his group? He should have contacted us by now.”
    “Nope, Jimmy and Grayson are working the radio this morning, and nothing has come across yet,” Addy said as she tied her long blonde hair into a tight ponytail. She’d been popular in school because she was outgoing, leggy, and beautiful, where as I was quiet and tended to hide in her shadow. Hey, if they can’t see me, they can’t make fun of me. Not like I cared what they thought; it’s just the taunting and insults can wear on you after a while.
    I left her with a few orders and headed to my room. Inside, I peered at my tired reflection. My hair was getting long, and the once strawberry-blonde hair had turned darker without the sunrays to keep it light. My eyes were the color of the sky on a clear, brisk day. I was medium height, and medium build. Short when compared to Addy’s five foot eight frame. My breasts hadn’t come in till late, and while I’d been a late bloomer, they were at least decent but still easy to hide when needed.
    I peeled off the vest, and worked the pants off until I was able to breathe again. It sucked to hide from the sun. It wasn’t like I wanted to tan; I just wanted to feel it shining on my face, to feel it heat my flesh. I missed being able to walk down the street. I missed simple things, but in the end, those things were huge. I’d always heard people say that most simple things were often the most missed…I hated that it was true.
    I grabbed my shorts and slipped them on before grabbing everything I needed for the shower. We’d begun to make our own soaps and other necessities. It was easier than we had thought, but Maggie, one of the few I’d saved, was an amazing survival fanatic, and knew which herbs and natural greenery worked for what. The soap she made was priceless now.
    Supplies were limited, and we tried to make what we could. It took a good deal of time to collect what we really needed to survive. I mean, how hard was it to grab a handful of flowers from the meadow, compared to walking through a dark store with no idea what was lying in wait to mess with you? 
    Shampoo was harder for her to make, and considering my hair went to the middle of my back, and seriously needed conditioner, I did make those hard runs to obtain it. Most of the girls had chopped their hair off, but I had my own reasons for keeping mine long. Eventually, I would have to cut it, but not today.
    I showered and changed into clean black cargo pants, and a Misfits tank top. I braided my hair and pinned it into a tight bun. I scanned my reflection in the mirror and grunted. I looked tired, and the black circles beneath my eyes were only getting darker with each passing day.
    Dressed and ready for the day, I headed to the media room. Grayson was watching a monitor with Jimmy by his side. No one else was hanging out in there yet so it would hopefully give us a chance to catch up.
    “Ems, check this out,” Grayson smiled as he pointed to a map of the United States that had been spread out on the table. Red pins indicated locations we knew there was people still alive in, as well as blue for supplies we’d left for survivors. “More red.”
    I looked to the marker and narrowed my eyes. “California?”
    “Yes, now can we go away from here?” he begged.
    “You want to just pack up and leave? Because it’s so safe out there, Grayson,” I mumbled. For a preteen, he was a good kid. Often times I would risk it and hook him up with some comic books and other items. His entire room was filled with stuff I’d brought back for him.
    “I would settle for a trip to town,” he whined.
    “No; I told you, not until you are fully trained.”
    “You and me trained with Dad for years, and now he’s gone! You don’t have time to train me anyway; you spend all of your time training the girls!”
    “That’s because they’re older than you are, Grayson! You’re also my responsibility to care for, and I can’t be out there watching after you when