1968

Chapter Eleven: June 20th, 1968

Lorelei's point of view:

The night was quiet when I woke up at around midnight. I lifted my body over my cot and let my legs hang on the floor. I leaned down and rubbed my eyes, sighing as I wished I could have a little more sleep. No one else woke up for another seven hours, why was it that I had to be the early riser? This didn't happen, I never woke up earlier than I had to. It could have been just a turbulent night of sleep, but I thought something was wrong, a deep pit in my stomach harbouring those feelings.

I opened up the tent and poked my head out to see if anything was going on outside. Everything appeared to be quite normal. The fires we had lit were beginning to die out and everyone was in their tents still asleep. Something just didn't seem right to me and dad told me if I felt that way that it was most likely true. Maybe I should go and get him? He always told me if something was wrong to go and get him so he could help. I decided that I would and I quietly stepped out of the tent.

I walked over to my parents' tent and silently opened it up. Both of them were asleep in their separate cots, too small to fit the both of them one one. I tiptoed over to him and shook him awake. His eyes opened slowly and when he saw me he sat up.

"What's wrong?" He asked tiredly.

"I don't know. You told me to wake you up if I felt like something bad was going to happen," I whispered back. He cleared his throat and nodded. We left the tent as he picked up his gun so we wouldn't wake up mom.

"It doesn't seem like anything is wrong. Are you sure you feel like that or are you just tired? It could be the anticipation of being here and not at home," he explained. I shook my head and sighed.

"No, I feel it. I don't know what it is but I know this isn't right. Should I wake up Jacob?" I asked. He nodded and said for to grab all our weapons as well. He went off to wake up mom when I went back to the tent.

"Jacob!" I said as I shook him awake. He abruptly opened his eyes as if I had startled him somewhat.

"Lorelei go away, I'm trying to sleep," he complained. I shook my head and kept shaking him when he closed his eyes again.

"Dad says you have to wake up. I think something is going to happen. He says to ready your weapons as well and pack up your bag with supplies in case we need to run off," I explained. He nodded and quickly got up when he heard me say that. I grabbed all of the weapons I could carry and wrapped a belt of explosives and ammunition around my waist. I began to pack my bag with water and some of the food I had stored inside. Jacob did the same thing and when both of us were ready we went back to mom and dad. They had their supplies gathered as well.

"Alright, I want all four of us separated at all ends of the clearing. Make sure your radios are on in case anything goes on. Everyone ready?" Dad said as we all gathered together.

"Wait, what about everyone else?" I asked. Dad shook his head.

"We'll get to that. Until then, get over to the bottom right corner. Lorelei, you take the top right. Your mother and I will take the left side," he demanded. All of us nodded and went to where he told us. I loaded up my machine gun and my handguns, keeping them in the holsters along my hips. I stood against a large tree, shutting my eyes as I felt my heart begin to beat and my chest feeling heavy. Don't be scared, Lorelei, snap out of it. Stay in reality so you can do this. I mentally pressured myself to keep my composure as the quiet of the night became overwhelming. However, within five more minutes of standing there, I began to hear something from a distance away.

"This is Lorelei, I'm starting to hear something coming from the west entrance of the base, over," I said quietly through the radio for everyone else to hear. That was around where my parents were. Jacob and I sat on the far side of it, which meant we would be the last to see it.