“Jack,” The boy said sticking his hand out. He had finally stood from his spot on the sidewalk where he sat alone. Most children had dozed off to sleep on the floor; the few who remained were sitting silently, rocking back and forth.
“Arial,” she shook his hand, it was rough and callused. Lina introduced herself and shook his hand.
“What do you think will happen to us?” He asked, though he didn’t really seem to care.
“Well,” began Arial, scratching her head, “I’m assuming that in a few more hours men in haphazard suits will come collect us all, de-contaminate us, and place us in a foster home.”
“I figured…”
“Are you from around here? I haven’t seen you at school before.” Arial asked.
“No, well… kinda. I was born here, not New York City, but pretty close. I’ve lived in New York, Virginia, and everywhere in-between.”
“Did your parents have a job that forced you to move?” Lina inquired.
“Something like that,” he said with a slight smile. After that no one talked. They just sat there, consumed by their thoughts. They stayed this way, sitting on the curb silently, for about ten minutes.
“I’m scared. Mommy won’t wake up,” The little girl said. She had walked up to them searching for answers, which Arial, Lina, and Jack couldn’t answer. The little girl was wearing a stripped pink and purple dress and clean white shoes. Her bright blonde hair was down, except for the little square of hair that was pulled into a pony on top of her head. Arial and Jack didn’t know what to say, they were horrible with kids.
“Come here,” Lina said sweetly. “It’s going to be alright, some really nice men will come and get us soon, and then mommy will be better. I’m Lina, what’s your name?”
“I’m Allison Terri Jane Fitzgerald.”
“Can I call you Ali?”
“Yeah, I guess that’s alright. Whats your name?” She said pointing at Arial.
“I’m Arial,” She said, trying to imitate the gentle little-kid-voice Lina used.
“Are you the real princess? Where’s your tail?” Arial laughed, it wasn’t the first time she had heard this. Her bright red hair and pale white skin made it hard not to think about princesses while looking at her.
“Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret okay?” The little eyes got wide and she nodded her head in awe.
“What about you?”
“Jack,” He said, not even attempting a little kid voice. Another little kid, older than Ali, but still young, walked over and introduced himself. Then another, and another, and another, until no kids were sitting by themselves. When it came to picking where to sit, Lina was the popular pick of the girls under seven and Jack was the popular pick of the boys under seven. Any other kids decided to stick with Arial, which baffled her. Lina was in deep conversation with the six or so little girls, and Jack was wrestling the boys.
“So, um…” Arial stuttered. She was the school president, leader of five afterschool clubs, head of the dance team, and the most popular girl at the school, but she couldn’t handle a small group of kids?
“You’re pretty!” One shouted.
“Um… Thank you,” she blushed, and then mentally scolded herself for it. She was a preschooler! Anyone was pretty to her.
“Are you a princess?” Another asked.
“No,” she laughed, trying to show her confidence. Something about little kids made her palms sweat and her heart beat fast. The girls and boys that were close to her age, the ones over ten, were fine. She got along with them fine, talking about school and what teachers they had, teachers that were now probably dead.
Hours passed. The sun was getting low, but no one had showed up to take them to some safe place.
“Lina, I don’t think anyone is coming.”
“I know. I don’t know what happened, but I think it happened all over the world. Or at least the USA.”
“What’s going on?” Jack asked.
“We have to figure something out, because I don’t think anyone’s coming.” Arial said.
“Right. We need food and water, and shelter too. It’s going to start raining soon.”
“How are we going to make shelter when all the buildings are disintegrated?” Arial asked.
“The same way people did before there were any buildings to disintegrate.”
