Just Hold Hands

Chapter 5

Theo lightly tossed her stone back and forth between her hands. Before her was the television, her family on either side of her. Her mother was snoring, her sister was doing algebra homework. The man on the screen was greying, and his dark hands shook as he held the microphone. The news banner under him read: Small Alien Ships Discovered Over North America. The reporter continued, "—that appear to be byproducts of all alien ships, particularly the smaller ships, recently discovered to bear an uncanny resemblance to North American planes and helicopters. Any civilians who find such stones are encouraged to seek out their nearest government building, such as a town hall or post office, as they may bear clues to these aliens' nature." Glancing at Catherine, Theo slipped the stone into her sweatshirt's pocket. "A reward may be produced for the discovery of these stones. They're described as white, smooth, and opalescent."

Theo gasped sharply.

"What?" Catherine asked.

"Nothing, just remembered some homework, gonna get my computer."

Theo lightly hopped up the wooden stairs, grabbed her computer off her desk down the hall, and went back down, the laptop tucked under her arm.

The reporter on the news had changed, now featuring a platinum blonde woman in a pale pink dress. She was standing amongst rubble. "Breaking," she said, as Theo froze midway down the stairs, "the spaceships have fired on New York, the largest city in the United States by population." The reporter's breath shook. "The attack lasted only one minute, but the death toll is already estimated in the thousands. The weapons used are being investigated as we speak."

Theo sat down on the stair she was teetering from. Below her, she saw her sister shake their mother awake and whisper in her ear. "Meanwhile," the reporter continued, "the larger Pacific ships have conducted a similar one-minute attack on Tokyo, the largest city in the world. The death toll is estimated to be even larger than that of New York."

Theo placed her laptop on the dining table on her way to the couch. From behind her mother and sister, she reached over them to grab the remote off the cushion between them. Theo pointed it at the receiver and turned off the TV.

"You're done," she said.

"We need to know," Catherine protested, her eyeliner smudged.

"Google it, then. I don't need to hear this."

Theo took the remote with her back upstairs to her room. She flung her door open and slammed it behind her. Not far from it, against the wall, was her bed, covered in the same purple blankets she'd picked in fifth grade. She threw herself onto it, blinking back the weight in her eyes. Taking short, raggedy breaths, she scrolled until she found Kate's groupchat on her phone and opened Nora's contact. She paused for a moment, then hit the icon to send her a message.

Hey, she started. How's it going?

She stared at the message, regretting taking any initiative. She closed her eyes tightly, until she felt her phone vibrate.

omg, theo!!! i'm good :))) how are you?

Good! Did you see the news?

yupppp

fucking crazy

Yeah :// I've been trying to ignore it

good idea, i hate sitting at home knowing there's nothing i can do

Yeah exactly

My mom has the news on all the time I can't escape

wanna meet somewhere? we can walk, you like to walk right?