When Charles Miller received the call on his Pip-Boy that he had been chosen, he could hardly believe it. Finally, his years of work as an engineer had been recognized. He and his wife, Barbara, would finally have a place secured in a vault, safe from the threat of nuclear war.

Brimming with pride and hope for the future, Charles left his home for the orientation meeting, imagining the security that awaited them if war happened. But when he arrived, joining twenty-nine others in a sleek corporate conference room, his hope began to crumble.

The CEO of RobCo stood before them with grim news: nuclear war was not just a possibility… it was hours away. And the vault door was closing.

Our second evening was almost as good, spent in the Forth, just up Pink Lane from our hotel, because we had a visitor. We had just given our food order at the bar when Maz squealed, LC looking terrified for a few seconds as Ish calmed her, before turning to offer a hand to our new arrival after he had released Maz from his hug and finished wiping his eyes.

“Neil. Be welcome, mate. Be so bloody welcome! Carolyn?”

She started, almost as if slapped.

“Ish?”