Hypersonic Missiles

Ada

I looked at the caravan, it's plastic sides smeared with dirt and weather stains. A window that had been smashed, presumably during the rock slide, was taped up.

From the outside it certainly didn't look inhabitable. Didn't look like anyone lived there. But when the lad tapped on the door I watched the handle move seemingly of its own accord, the door opening just enough to let us in.

I hesitated, following behind the boy quietly, bracing myself for the inevitable discovery that I'd been conned. That my naivety was about to get me in trouble.

I shook as I stepped in, my eyes widening at what I saw.

Four lads were sitting around, sipping from chipped mugs, weapons on the table. One was studying the mechanism of a gun. Another was organising ammunition.
The third lad was half asleep, just starring at the ceiling. The fourth was watching through a crack in the window.

He spoke before any of the others.

"Who's this Sam?" he asked.

That was when the others heads snapped up. All eyes suddenly on me and the lad who had brought me here.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, scared and feeling exposed. I didn't want to speak up now but they were looking to us so expectantly I began to fear I was going to have to.

"And what the fuck happened to her hand?" he was smirking a little, the corners of his lips slightly tugged into an almost smile, but despite his soft Irish accent and the quiet, lilted way he spoke, his eyes were dark and guarded and I could tell he was looking at me like I was the bad news.

"She was on the Tyne bridge earlier so a brought her back here..." said the lad who stood beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder now as he pushed me a step forward so that I could no longer hide away behind him.

When they got a proper look at me one of the others chuckled.

"Are you kiddin Eli, that's who you were mitherin about," they sniggered, their own eyes warm when they rested on me. The stranger smiled but with Eli still starring me down, his jaw tight, his eyes untrusting, I didn't feel like smiling myself.

Still felt petrified that things would turn sour any moment.

"Pleasure to meet you lass what's your name?" they asked, watching me expectantly. They were all watching me expectantly now.

I hesitated, feeling all to exposed to them now.

I hadn't spoken to another person since the morning my dad had left home for work, the day the second meteor shower struck. He'd never come home, I'd not spoken to another soul since.

"M... Ada," I said quietly, shivering as I spoke, wishing desperately that my meds had run out a day later, that Id taken myself to that bridge even an hour later than I had. So that I'd be spared this horror now.

"Hi Ada," smiled the other boy gently, the warmest looking of the four, "I'm Rob," he said, "this is Eli," he said before gesturing to the lad who was sitting still half in a daydream, sleepy looking, "Johnny..." then he nodded to the lad still focused on the weapons which were lined up in the table. "Josh, and well, I spose you've already met Sam..." he said, his grin cracking then, almost laughing as he spoke.

I turned just enough to look back at the boy who had caught me up on the bridge, saw his own self concious smile tugging at his lips then as he scratched the back of his neck a little awkwardly. His laugh a little awkward too.

"Aye sorry about that titch, a guess introductions weren't really me priority like," he grinned leaving me to look back at him a little uncertainly.

I was waiting for things to turn. Waiting for them to close in on me.