Numerical Apocalypse

eleven

I frowned. “A nuclear power plant in Skatonia malfunctioned and-”

“Wait, no.” Theo interrupted me, frowning.

Lena raised her eyebrows.

“So….. I was searching for a news article to try and find out more about the things, and I came across a website that had an article with a first-hand report of what happened. I’m not sure what happened to the author, and I didn’t read it all, but basically someone caused the explosion on purpose. They were trying a new type of power conversion the day it blew up.” Theo stared at the sky. “I wonder-”

My parent's SUV pulled up to the curb before he finished his thought.

My mom jumped out. "Alexandra!"

I smiled. "Hello."

She grabbed my shoulders and studied my face. "Are you okay? What happened?" My mom frowned at Theo's hoodie on my shoulders. "Did you get a new jacket?"

I shook my head. “Theo loaned it to me.”

My dad frowned, looking Theo up and down.

I sighed, knowing what was coming. “Only because all of mine are currently in the hotel’s washing machine.”

Theo nodded, staring at the ground as he scuffed his sneaker on the pavement.

“Well, let’s go inside, shall we?” My mom hooked her arm through mine, pulling me into the hotel lobby before I could protest.

The doors closed behind us, leaving Theo and my dad outside.

I shook my head. “What’s Dad doing?”

My mom grinned at me. “Grilling poor Theo, no doubt.”

Lena shot up from her seat. “I’ll go save him.”

Once she was gone, my mom looked me in the eye, her hazel eyes serious. “Now. I want to hear everything.”

I nodded.

I finished my story when Lena came back in, my dad and a pink-faced Theo following.

My mom looked up at my dad. “Alexandra got hurt because she went off from the group, and-”

“I was following Ms. Thana’s orders,” I argued, crossing my arms. I felt the pain reliever wearing off when pain shot through my bandaged side.

My dad inhaled as if considering his words.

Seeing the tension, Lena and Theo started to edge away.

 “Last I checked, Ms. Thana wasn’t your parent.”

I let my head fall back to rest on the couch behind me. “I’m perfectly able to take care of myself. I’m almost 17, for crying out loud.”

My mom sighed.

It took me a moment to notice the sadness on her features.

“Honestly, Alexandra, we just want you to be safe.” She grinned. “And I know it sounds cliche, but you’re growing up too fast.”

“I’m still growing up, though, aren’t I?” I pointed out.

My dad nodded reluctantly. “That’s true.”

“I guess what we want, Alexandra, is for there to be a better way of communication,” my mom said. “Like, we hadn’t heard anything from you for almost twenty-four hours when I called.”

I stared at my shoes. “I was basically unconscious for that long.”

My dad nodded slowly. “Okay…”