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    VACANCY
    VACANCY
    VACANCY
    Ebook133 pages1 hour

    VACANCY

    By Kailin Gow and Kira G.

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Schitt's Creek Meets Stranger Things AND the Walking Dead...

    I moved with my mother from Hollywood, California to a small town in Texas.
    I thought my life was over, but...
    It was the move that would save our lives when the world suddenly turned crazy!

    **The Last Lodge on Earth Series s a YA Fantasy Action Adventure with a nod to Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Walking Dead and is appropriate for age 14 and up!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSparklesoup Inc.
    Release dateDec 13, 2022
    ISBN9781597481281
    VACANCY
    Author

    Kailin Gow

    It's official! Read about Kailin and her books being adapted into films and tv series here: https://filmdaily.co/obsessions/kailin-gow-loving-summer/ FIND OUT MORE ABOUT KAILIN GOW AT: https://linktr.ee/KailinGow including how to get a free book from her! Kailin Gow is a million-selling international and USA Today Bestselling author of over 680 published books! She writes in many genres under her name and other pen names. She has been an invited speaker on Book Expo America, appeared on CBS News about writing books with social issues, and the Top 15 National radio regularly on women's issues, women in film and Hollywood, and leadership. She holds a Masters in Management from USC and degrees in Social Ecology, Criminology, and Filmmaking. She is an author influencer on Instagram, owns a podcast network with multiple channels, is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, actress, and host. Her books have been made into games, animated short films, and series. Currently, a number of her book series have been optioned, are in development, or pre-production, including her YA Fantasy Sci Fi Thriller FADE (which has been optioned) and Red Genesis (also optioned) by Netflix producers. Kailin Gow is a regular guest in radio and television on women in Hollywood and filmmaking, naming the top Women Execs to Watch. She is a judge in film festivals, writing contests, and is also a voting member in the Academy Awards. AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL MILLION-SELLING AUTHOR, PRODUCER, AND TV PERSONALITY Kailin Gow is an internationally-recognized multi-award-winning multi-genres USA bestselling Asian American author and woman director/filmmaker who has written and published over 400 books under Kailin Gow and her pen names. She is both traditionally-published as well as indie. Considered a digital publishing pioneer, her books have been downloaded over 10 Million times around the world. She is known as one of the most prolific authors internationally who not only writes novels but screenplays fast, but of world-class quality they win prestigious awards like the ALA YALSA Awards and Los Angeles Film Awards. Besides having gone to law school, she holds a Masters Degree in Communications Management from USC and Drama/Film and Social Ecology Degrees from UC Irvine. She has also been a longtime member of TED Talks. She is the first Asian American author to have sold over 1 million books and to be featured on Amazon.com's homepage as an indie Author Success Story. Her success as an Indie Author and advocate for Indie authors during the early Kindle days has inspired many to take a plunge to become authors. The first Asian American woman who is independently published to appear on Amazon's homepage as an Author Success Story, she also represented Amazon as an author spokesperson during Amazon's Kindle Family Launch press conference in Santa Monica and at Book Expo America where she was an invited speaker. A digital publishing pioneer, she was one of the first authors and publisher to publish digitally back in 2001. Prior to becoming a full-time author and filmmaker, she worked as an Exec in Legal and Production at Walt Disney Company, a writer/producer for Cable Television, an Exec at high tech start ups, and Exec at Fortune 100 Hotel and Travel Corporations where she has managed and trained hundreds of employees on world-class service and operations. She has also been a professional model, a tour director, journalist, re-organization consultant, a secret mystery shopper/consultant for top brands, and professional speaker who has been an invited speaker at Book Expo America, Girl Scouts, Asian America Heritage Week, and more! FUTURIST AND SOCIAL INFLUENCER A social influencer, she has over millions of views on her YouTube channel and her Vimeo channel with over 1.5 million views on her Bitter Frost trailer and award-winning animated short film alone. She is a judge on writing contests for writing incubator social sites, has been a member of TED Talks, and is one of the most quoted modern living authors today. She has also been regularly published as a contributor on Fast Company magazine on articles about publishing, leadership, business, and social issues. https://www.fastcompany.com/1800256/social-media-and-future-publishing-industry

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      Book preview

      VACANCY - Kailin Gow

      "I think that this building has just proven to us why it is called the Last Lodge on Earth."

      ~ Grandpa Sam

      Last Lodge on Earth is dedicated to the fighters within us.

      I moved with my mother from Hollywood, California to a small town in Texas.

      I thought my life was over, but...

      It was the move that would save our lives when the world suddenly turned crazy!

      **The Last Lodge on Earth Series s a YA Fantasy Action Adventure with a nod to Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and the Walking Dead and is appropriate for age 14 and up!

      PROLOGUE

      When Sh*t Hits the Fan

      San Angelo, Texas

      Present

      SOME MOVEMENT OVER by the intersection, Kimberly called out.

      Tell us what’s happening, Mom said.

      Three men are crossing the street and...  Oh, my God.  It’s one of them.  A zombie is coming from the other direction, heading straight toward the three men.  Ew, she said with a grimace.  The three men ganged up on the zombie.  They’re...  They’re...  Oh, yes!  They destroyed the bugger.

      I looked at my mom.  People are ready to fight, I said.  We’re not alone in this.

      Oh, damn, Kimberly said.  Three zombies... no five... oh, crap, a dozen of them.  Holding her hands up over her mouth, she cried.  They’re all over the three men.  Oh, my God.

      Turning away from the scene, she leaned over the edge of the bucket and threw up.

      Keep watching, Kimberly, Nick urged.

      Kenzie jumped up on the loader’s huge tire and climbed up to join his sister in the bucket.  They’re heading this way, he shouted.

      How many?

      A dozen.  Maybe two.  He pulled out his slingshot and put a pellet in the pouch.

      Don’t shoot yet, Grandpa warned.  You have to let them get close enough.

      We need to climb up, too, Nick said.  We need a few sharp shooters up there to fend them off.

      Grandpa didn’t hesitate.  He climbed up to the cabin of the bulldozer and climbed onto its roof.  I’ve got them, he said taking aim.

      Should we climb up as well? I said.

      No, Nick said.  We need to stay down here, ready for them if they break through.

      Get ready, Kenzie, Grandpa shouted.  Aim for the guys in front.  Aim between the eyes.

      I’m ready, too, Kimberly said, recovering from her episode.

      Let them get closer, Grandpa said.  Closer.  A little closer.

      They’re almost here, Kenzie said, his voice high with stress.

      Just a few more steps... and...  Grandpa licked his lips, pulled back on the elastic pouch and took aim.

      Kenzie and Kimberly followed suit.

      Ready!  Now!

      I have a hit! Kenzie shouted.

      Me, too.  I got him! Kimberly echoes.

      And, it’s a hit, Grandpa said.

      Yes! Mom and I shouted.

      Load up and take them down the next line, Grandpa said.

      Got him, Kenzie said.

      Crap.  I missed, Kimberly said.

      Another one down. Grandpa quickly reloaded.

      Get ready down there, Kenzie shouted as he shot yet another one.

      We’re ready, Nick said, loading up and taking aim.  He looked to my mom.  Shelby?

      Ready.

      Maura?

      I’d been loaded up for a few minutes.  I’m ready.

      At the very moment that my words passed my lips, the first zombie slithered through a narrow crack in the barricade.

      ONE

      Vacancy

      5 Days Ago – Los Angeles

      MY MOTHER WASN’T HER usual self.  Typically, so radiant and happy, she was now tense and distracted, like her mind and soul were somewhere else.

      She’d been that way a lot lately, sometimes staring off into space, other times staring blankly at the book or newspaper in front of her.

      This lasagna is really great, I said, taking another big bite of the cheesy and tasty lasagna.  I wanted to do anything to break the tension.

      Glad you like it, honey, Mom said with a smile that faded just as quickly as it appeared.

      Is everything okay?  The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t dare ask.  Did I not want to know?

      Did you make anything for dessert, Shelby? I said, eager for something sweet after dinner.

      My mother glared at me.  What did I tell you about calling me by my name?

      I’m sixteen years old, Shelby.  I feel silly calling you Mom.

      And I’m thirty-eight years old and I called my mother Mom until the day she died, and I still call my father Dad... so don’t give me the ‘I’m too old to call you Mom’ argument.

      Fine... Mom.  What about dessert? I said, asking the pertinent question once more.

      Mom looked out the dining room window, staring out into nothing like she so often did these days.

      Mom?

      She looked at me with a tense smile and stood.  Go pack your things, Maura.

      My things?  What things?

      The things that you’ll want to bring with you.

      Bring where?  Mom... what are you saying?

      We’re leaving, she said flatly.  We’re leaving LA.

      What?  Now?

      No questions, she said as she took my plate out from in front of me.  Go.

      Staring at my empty placemat, I stood up and watched my mother as she grabbed a lunch container and slipped my lasagna into it.

      But I didn’t finish eating.  I’m really hungry.  I barely had anything for lunch and...

      You can eat in the car.

      But...

      Maura, she said, her voice stern.

      Nodding, I went to my bedroom with a hundred questions going through my head.

      Despite the tension in the house, the minute I entered my perfectly designed and decorated room, I couldn’t help but smile.

      I’d put so much time into decorating it just so.  The four-poster bed was draped with golden tulle into which I’d twisted tiny white lights that gave me the illusion of looking up at the stars when I went to bed.

      The super thick mattress made my bed so high; I almost needed a step stool to get on.

      I ran my hand over the super light, baby pink duvet that had a sprinkling of tiny white flowers across one side.  I loved that duvet.

      The furniture was all white, from the dresser to the nightstand, to the armoire... all of it.  Beautiful, classic, charming... so me.

      Maura, Mom called from the door, breaking into my thoughts.  Pack.  Take only your favorite outfits and important things.  Whatever will fit in your carry-on suitcase and backpack.

      Yes, Mom.

      Where are we going?  How long will we be gone?  Will I ever see my things again?  My room?  My meticulously decorated room?

      Everything had meaning.  Everything in that room was my favorite.  The art on the walls that I had so painstakingly rendered, a self-portrait in oil, a field of flowers in watercolors, a colorful bird in acrylic.  Did I really have to leave it all behind? 

      The figurines in the curio that I loved so much.  I’d been collecting Beatles memorabilia for years and most of it was on display.  Figurines of Paul, John, George and, my favorite, Ringo, were front and center in their Sergeant Pepper uniforms.  I even had two drumsticks that were said to have once been in Ringo’s hands.

      Mom, I muttered to myself.  How can you ask me to leave all this behind? 

      I turned to the faux mini bear rug at the side of my bed.  Every morning, I lovingly rub my feet on the long fur... so soothing... such a great way to start the day.

      Where do I begin packing?

      I went into the large walk-in closet that I’d transformed into a mini gaming room.  Three monitors were set up in an arch around the gaming console.  There was no way I could bring any of it.

      Would I still be able to compete once we were gone?  I’d become so good and hated the thought of not playing anymore.

      In the corner, beyond the gaming set up, was the beautiful Beatles carry-on hard suitcase that my father, Simon, had given me.

      I pulled it out of the corner and brought it out and plopped it on the bed.  It was one of the last connections that I had with my father.

      Simon Sinclair.  My memories of him faded with every year that he was gone.  I sometimes had a flash of a smile, or the passing scent of his

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