On The Verge

Chapter Two

Elizabeth Year 2116

The world seems so small.

But its not. 

Everything is so confusing.

Why did they ban technology?

What happened to my parents?

Why does Brandon keep looking at me like that?

Why are they disposing of Apple products like they are toxic waste?

I look over at Brandon, who has been staring at me this whole time. I smile at him and he smiles halfheartedly back. I look away and down at my feet, but I know he is still looking at me with that same expression on his face. 

Sighing, I think, 'Something is always wrong.' 

Mackenzie heard that her parents were killed at work, and that the reason they are taking electronics is because of Apple. As a silent rebellion she decides from here on out she wants to be called Mac. She says its mostly to be a silent revenge for their parent's death.

Brandon says we need to leave our homes before anything happens to us. Mac and I disagree. 

"Nothings gonna happen!" I exclaim in protest. I wish I could swallow the words back down after seeing Brandon's worried look in his dull blue eyes.

"You can never be too sure." He replies looking down at the ground. 

We all sit in my living room staring at where my TV used to be. 

I still am comprehending what happened today, it hurts my head if I think too much. The tears are long gone, filled with this endless ache. Some say grief can eat you alive. Back then, I didn't believe them...

But now I do.

Maybe Brandon's right. 

We should leave before something else happens. He seemed so sure something else was coming, that this was only the beginning. 

What if the reason they killed our parents has something to do with us?

If they find us...

Will they kill us?

That thought echoes in my mind and before I know it, I'm saying, 

"I'm in. We should leave before something else happens."

I look up and my gaze lands on Mac, her eyes wide, I blink my eyes and glance at Brandon as he is saying, "We should head out in two days." 

Brandon claps his hands together and stands. "I should head home. Let you uh... grieve."

I want to say he should't but then he would think I am into him.

Which I am...

So I watch him leave. 

"I will be back at precisely noon." Brandon says, opening the door. 

I nod and he turns and closes the door. 

Mac comes back later that day, we look around my house knowing we might never come back from this. But as I look around more closely, I think to myself, 'What is there to miss?'

The floors are dusty, the stairs are creaky.

The blinds stopped working long ago, and no electronics.

I look at her, "Why were we so quick to trust him?" 

Mac shakes her head, "trust who?..." 

I raise my eyebrows, and she gasps in realization. "Oh... Brandon. Uh... I don't know. More than likely the way he was looking at you. His eyes were filled with more sadness than I've ever seen eyes be filled with."