Commune Series by Joshua Gayou

For dinosaurs, it was a big rock. For humans: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). When the Earth is hit by the greatest CME in recorded history (several times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859), the combined societies of the planet’s most developed nations struggle to adapt to a life thrust back into the Dark Ages... moreFor dinosaurs, it was a big rock. For humans: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). When the Earth is hit by the greatest CME in recorded history (several times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859), the combined societies of the planet’s most developed nations struggle to adapt to a life thrust back into the Dark Ages. In the United States, the military scrambles to speed the nation’s recovery on multiple fronts including putting down riots, establishing relief camps, delivering medical aid, and bringing communication and travel back on line. Just as a real foothold is established in retaking the skies (utilizing existing commercial aircraft supplemented by military resources and ground control systems), a mysterious virus takes hold of the population, spreading globally over the very flight routes that the survivors fought so hard to rebuild. The communicability and mortality rates are devastating, leaving only small pockets of survivors scattered throughout the countryside. Commune Book One is the story of one small group of survivors who must adapt to a primitive, hostile world or die. As they learn the rules of this new era, they must decide how far they’re willing to go to continue living, continually asking themselves the same question daily: is survival worth the loss of humanity? less

Survival can be a lonely existence…or not. The reality of the situation always comes down to a simple decision: what kind of world do you want to build? The survivors have come to settle in the mountains of Wyoming, fighting day in and day out to establish a home for themselves in a near-empty world. Things are good at first; scavenging is a workable, short term solution that seems to be providing all they need. But they know that it’s only a matter of time before the food runs out... moreSurvival can be a lonely existence…or not. The reality of the situation always comes down to a simple decision: what kind of world do you want to build? The survivors have come to settle in the mountains of Wyoming, fighting day in and day out to establish a home for themselves in a near-empty world. Things are good at first; scavenging is a workable, short term solution that seems to be providing all they need. But they know that it’s only a matter of time before the food runs out. They need to scramble to find a sustainable solution before the clock stops and, for a little handful of people up in the mountains, the odds don’t seem very favorable. Further south, a new band of people migrates across the map, running on fumes and searching desperately for a place to settle. All around them, as resources run thin, the world grows colder and more violent. It’s getting worse out there, always getting worse, and it’s starting to look like survival might just depend on how violent they’re willing to get… less

Hunker Down and let the world go to Hell. Having been bolstered with supplies sufficient to carry them through the winter, the survivors of the Jackson commune must now hunker down and endure the bitter Wyoming winter. But as they flourish, hungry eyes are set upon them throughout the west... moreHunker Down and let the world go to Hell. Having been bolstered with supplies sufficient to carry them through the winter, the survivors of the Jackson commune must now hunker down and endure the bitter Wyoming winter. But as they flourish, hungry eyes are set upon them throughout the west. The leftovers of the US Military encamped in the last known surviving tent city, the Elysium Fields of Arizona, hear word of large number of survivors in Wyoming who have begun to rebuild civilization with plans for farming and real shelter. Their commander, Otto Warren, sees this as a chance to take control of a base for exploring the Pacific Northwest. While in Nevada, a clan of ruthless scavengers grows ever larger, each day bringing them a step closer to collapsing under their own weight. They need more, and the settlement in Wyoming just might be the perfect place to hit. Resources are becoming scarcer by the day as the world trudges on, and the Jackson commune is sitting on prime real estate. less

The philosopher asks: faced with the mutually exclusive choice between moral principle and the survival of your family, which is the correct path?Philosophers love to pose such questions, and in the day-to-day struggle, such thinkers rarely attain to a level of relevance rivaling that of the simple hunger pang. Their careful considerations dissipate under the leveled gun. We do not feel their disapproving gaze when The Others draw near.When the world sends doom, the survivors do not hesitate... moreThe philosopher asks: faced with the mutually exclusive choice between moral principle and the survival of your family, which is the correct path?Philosophers love to pose such questions, and in the day-to-day struggle, such thinkers rarely attain to a level of relevance rivaling that of the simple hunger pang. Their careful considerations dissipate under the leveled gun. We do not feel their disapproving gaze when The Others draw near.When the world sends doom, the survivors do not hesitate. The survivors do what is necessary. less