The ground and walls around them began to shake as yet another bomb dropped. Camryn was sitting in Payton’s lap, clinging to her shirt and hiding her face in her shoulder. The poor girl was trembling in fear.
“It’ll be okay, Camryn,” she said quietly and stroked her hair.
“Do you think Mom and Dad are gonna be okay?” Logan asked, turning a flashlight around in his hand to find where the button to turn it on was located.
“I really hope so,” Alex sighed.
They had gone out earlier that day to deliver food to some of their family in Chicago. Their mother’s side of the family was very rich, but even they were short on supply after prices went up.
Dust fell from the ceiling as the ground shook again.
“I don’t like this, Payton..” Camryn mumbled before hugging her older sister tighter.
“It’ll be over soon.”
“How do you know for sure?”
Logan squealed as the flashlight finally turned on, shining right into his eyes.
“And that is why you don’t look directly at the bulb,” Alex said with a cackle. He’d always taken pride in being smarter than him.
“Oh shut up, Alex. Anyways, maybe you can think about it as if it’s a tornado, Camryn!”
“I don’t like tornadoes either..” her voice had a slight shake to it.
“Well sure, but they’re more familiar, aren’t they?”
Living in tornado alley, it wasn’t uncommon for them to get tornadoes every year. Their county specifically had the highest amount.
“I guess so..”
“And so then you can-” he glanced over at the wall and gasped. “GUYS LOOK AT THE BUG.”
“That is not helping, Logan.”
“BUT LOOK HOW CUTE IT IS.” he walked over and put it in his hand, holding it up close to his face to inspect it. “It’s adorable!”
“It’s a bug.”
“A cute bug!”
“Isn’t that what you called Melody once before she got mad?” Payton giggled.
“Oh no, we do not talk about Melody..”
“Listen, you’re gonna stay away from Logan!” Camryn mocked, giggling as well.
“Imagine getting jealous because of your boyfriend’s sister,” Alex cackled again.
“Sweet home Alabama!”
“I’m so glad she’s gone… she sucked, y’know!”
“Yes, we all know you didn’t like her, Camryn,” Logan laughed before going through the food supply in the bunker. They thankfully had a good amount left from the last time they restocked it.
The 17 year old had only been down here a few times, and they were only ever for tornadoes. They usually hit whilst everyone was at work, and so he would have to hide in the bunkers at the orchards or factories, depending on which job he’d gotten that day.
Suddenly, a notification popped up on each of their watches. Everybody is given one once they start work, and they’re usually used for the latest news, phone calls (though many refuse to use it for that due to it being listened in on), and important announcements from Ophelia herself. They also told you which job you were assigned with.
Payton tapped her screen and a small hologram appeared above it. It was the lady who always did the newscasts
“There’s been a report of a bombing in the Schaumburg area. It seems the war’s really started off with a bang, huh, Alan?” she giggled and looked at her co-worker as the camera shifted to him.
“Sure did, Fiona!”
Logan was appalled as to how they were managing to make a joke of this on live television. The news outlets were always known for inappropriately making light of devastating situations, but this just seemed low. Maybe they did it to desensitize the audience as they did so often in the past, or maybe they were simply ignorant. Either way, it was gross and left a sick feeling in his stomach.
The two were in a fit of laughter as they continued to crack jokes for the next two minutes. Eventually, however, they composed themselves and carried on with delivering the news.
“Thankfully, it seems the bombers have passed, and it should be safe to carry on with your night! Be careful, and don’t get blown away, folks!” she winked at the camera, and with that, the hologram shut off.
Logan sighed before making his way to the stairs. “That was gross.”
“Why are they always like this?”
He pushed open the heavy bunker door and began to climb out. “No idea, I dunno how they just-” he stopped as he saw the landscape in front of him.
A war really has begun.
End of chapter
Continue to next chapter Chapter Four: LeavingPoints:
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“I don’t like this, Payton..” Camryn mumbled before hugging her older sister tighter.
“It’ll be over soon.”
“How do you know for sure?”
Logan squealed as the flashlight finally turned on, shining right into his eyes.
“And that is why you don’t look directly at the bulb,” Alex said with a cackle. He’d always taken pride in being smarter than him.
I know I've mentioned this before, but you do a great job at going from serious to humorous. You can go from biting your nails to chuckling.
“And so then you can-” he glanced over at the wall and gasped. “GUYS LOOK AT THE BUG.”
“That is not helping, Logan.”
“BUT LOOK HOW CUTE IT IS.” he walked over and put it in his hand, holding it up close to his face to inspect it. “It’s adorable!”
“It’s a bug.”
“A cute bug!”
This part was very funny. We get to learn about Logan's obsession with bugs. With the past chapters, we now know that Logan loves cake and bugs.
“There’s been a report of a bombing in the Schaumburg area. It seems the war’s really started off with a bang, huh, Alan?” she giggled and looked at her co-worker as the camera shifted to him.
“Sure did, Fiona!”
Logan was appalled as to how they were managing to make a joke of this on live television. The news outlets were always known for inappropriately making light of devastating situations, but this just seemed low. Maybe they did it to desensitize the audience as they did so often in the past, or maybe they were simply ignorant. Either way, it was gross and left a sick feeling in his stomach.
I like this sick humor we see. This hints that the government doesn't care much about the well-being of their people.
He pushed open the heavy bunker door and began to climb out. “No idea, I dunno how they just-” he stopped as he saw the landscape in front of him.
A war really has begun.
Ooooh. I love the tension you left in the cliffhanger! I can't wait for the next chapter!
Back again! I love this series! I like how Camryn was talking about going to war but is now scared of bombs. It shows the true nature of a 10-year old. I also like how there was a bit of humor in such a serious situation,
"Logan squealed as the flashlight finally turned on, shining right into his eyes.
“And that is why you don’t look directly at the bulb,” Alex said with a cackle. He’d always taken pride in being smarter than him.
“Oh shut up, Alex. Anyways, maybe you can think about it as if it’s a tornado, Camryn!”"
I love how Logan had the bright idea to put the flashlight in his eyes.
The part when they were talking about the bug and it ended up becoming about Melody.
'“BUT LOOK HOW CUTE IT IS.” he walked over and put it in his hand, holding it up close to his face to inspect it. “It’s adorable!”
“It’s a bug.”
“A cute bug!”
“Isn’t that what you called Melody once before she got mad?” Payton giggled.
“Oh no, we do not talk about Melody..”
“Listen, you’re gonna stay away from Logan!” Camryn mocked, giggling as well.
“Imagine getting jealous because of your boyfriend’s sister,” Alex cackled again.
“Sweet home Alabama!”
“I’m so glad she’s gone… she sucked, y’know!”'
Went from bug to Melody to sweet home Alabama! I was practically dying. I really enjoyed this chapter as I did with all of the other chapters. I can't wait to see the other chapters!
Have a good day/night!