The Crossing
New York Times bestselling author of The ReturnedStay and die, or run and survive.Twins Virginia and Tommy Matthews have been on their own since they were orphaned at the age of five, surviving a merciless foster care system by relying on each other. Twelve years later, the world begins to collapse around them as a deadly contagion steadily wipes out entire populations and a devastating world war rages on. When Tommy is drafted for the war, the twins are faced with a choice: accept their fate of almost certain death, or dodge the draft. Virginia and Tommy flee into the dark night.Armed with only a pistol and their fierce will to survive, the twins set forth in search of a new beginning. Encountering a colorful cast of characters along the way, Tommy and Virginia must navigate the dangers and wonders of this changed world as they try to outrun the demons of their past.With deft imagination and breathless prose, The Crossing is a riveting tale of loyalty, sacrifice and the burdens we carry with us into the darkness of the unknown.Readers love Jason Mott:“This is a deserving read and a solid addition to this genre”“A well written book.”“This was an intriguing novel, with a premise unique in the dystopian books I’ve read.”“an engrossing read.”“It's adventuresome, but also intellectually complex”“highly recommended”
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Stay and die, or run and survive.
Twins Virginia and Tommy Matthews have been on their own since they were orphaned at the age of five, surviving a merciless foster care system by relying on each other. Twelve years later, the world begins to collapse around them as a deadly contagion steadily wipes out entire populations and a devastating world war rages on. When Tommy is drafted for the war, the twins are faced with a choice: accept their fate of almost certain death, or dodge the draft. Virginia and Tommy flee into the dark night.
Armed with only a pistol and their fierce will to survive, the twins set forth in search of a new beginning. Encountering a colorful cast of characters along the way, Tommy and Virginia must navigate the dangers and wonders of this changed world as they try to outrun the demons of their past.
With deft imagination and breathless prose, The Crossing is a riveting tale of loyalty, sacrifice and the burdens we carry with us into the darkness of the unknown.
JASON MOTT is the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of The Returned, which was adapted for a network television drama series. A Pushcart Prize nominee, Jason holds a BA in fiction and an MFA in poetry. He currently lives in North Carolina.
The Crossing
Jason Mott
An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018
Copyright © Jason Mott 2018
Jason Mott asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the authorâs imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Ebook Edition © May 2018 ISBN: 9781474083669
âSpellbinding.ââPeople
â[A] poignant story of loss and love.ââBookpage
âLovely⦠A revelation.ââBookreporter.com
âWhite-hot.ââEntertainment Weekly
âExceptionalâ¦Riveting.ââPublishers Weekly, starred review
âCompulsively readable.ââThe Washington Post
âExtraordinary.ââDouglas Preston
âBeautifully writtenâ¦Breathtaking.ââKirkus Reviews, starred review
âA deft meditation on loss.ââAimee Bender
âAmbitious and heartfelt.ââThe Dallas Morning News
âA beautiful meditation on what it means to be human.ââBooklist, starred review
âAn impressive debut.ââUSA TODAY
Contents
The whole world was dying but still everyone made time for one last war. The Disease had entered its tenth year and the war had entered its fifth and there didnât seem to be any cure in sight for either of them. Some people said that because of the nature of The Disease, the older generation, seeing that their end was finally near, decided to settle all the old scores. One final global bar fight before last call.
The world had already lost twenty percent of its population by the time Tommy and I began our trip. The Disease took the oldâkilling some, simply putting others into a long, soft slumberâand the war took the young and everyone else tried to lose themselves in whatever they could: drugs, alcohol, sex, science, art, poetry. Everyone had impetus and direction now that everything was falling apart.
When it all first began, Tommy and I were too young for the war and far too young for The Disease, so we only walked in the shadow of it all, watching and waiting for our turn. Our parents were already dead and we didnât have any other family. Weâd never live long enough to catch The Disease, so we viewed it with a detached interest and sympathy.
The Disease started in Russia, but because Russia tends to be tight-lipped about what happens within its borders, itâs been difficult for anyone to say just how long it had been happening before the rest of the world found out about it. The UK was the first country beyond Russia to notice the outbreak. It began in a retirement home in London where one morning the staff went to their patientsâ rooms to find all of them asleep and unable to be awakened. Within hours there were reports coming in from other countries about the extremely elderly falling asleep and never waking.
