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by Dk Hall (Author)
In the rugged Appalachian mountains, where coal mining is a way of life passed down through generations, Dale Rogers begins another graveyard shift at Elkhorn Mine #25, despite the grueling work that has taken a toll on his body after two decades underground. As Dale's ten-person crew puts in a late night's work deep within the earth, their worst fears are realized when the recent national news headlines become reality; North Korea has attacked the US.
Nuclear strikes rain down upon Washington DC and the major cities along the East Coast of the US. The resulting EMPs affect the major news and media outlets, leaving the country in the dark. The strikes continue into the heartland, where coal is produced to create steel for the growing American infrastructure, something the country attacking the US doesn't have.
Dale and his crew attempt to escape the deep, dark mine as the tremors shake the foundations, the result is a collapse of the mine, leaving the group trapped underground. They must rely on their skill-sets to try to save themselves, as they realize no one is coming for them.
Emerging into a nightmare aboveground, Dale and those who remain find Appalachia has indeed been struck - the once-lush mountains reduced to smoldering rubble and fallout raining from the sky. The lucky few left alive face the chilling reality that life as they knew it is over.
With limited supplies and no clear plan, the ragtag group of miners bands together to seek shelter from the escalating devastation. They bitterly realize that their unique skillset underground may prove vital to survival in the harsh new world above. Facing dwindling food and water, violent scavenger gangs, and the looming threat of radiation sickness, they must draw on every ounce of Appalachian grit and resilience. But even their resourcefulness may not be enough when a marauding enemy militia gets word of their underground sanctuary.
