Numerical Apocalypse

fourteen

Theo took a glowing orange jar out of his pocket.

I shook my head, smiling, and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "I should've known."

"The problem is, once I drop this, the whole thing will explode."

I eyed the zombies slowly approaching us. "That's a problem?"

"Yeah, because we'd explode with it." Theo ran a hand through his hair, making the brown strands stand up on their ends.

I could tell he was thinking.

"Where did we leave Ms. Thana's sniper?"

Ms. Thana.

Oh no.

"Uhh, I think I dropped it outside the building."

"Perfect," Theo growled. "And we're running out of time."

He turned to pace, then stopped suddenly and leaned over the railing again. "Could you throw the jar from the door so that it hits the base of this reactor?"

I looked back at the door we'd come from, then at the mutants. "I don't see why not."

"Perfect."

We reached the door with only a few scrapes.

"On the count of three, you throw the jar, then we run."

I nodded, my fingers curled around the smooth glass.

"One."

I watched the mutants edge closer to us, oblivious of the explosion to come.

"Two."

I hefted the jar in my hand, wondering what my number would be if I could see it.

"Three!"

The weight left my hand, and the jar was cruising through the air. I held my breath, hoping it would land in the right spot.

Before I could watch it explode, Theo tugged me out the door. "We have to go!"

I nodded and took off, somewhat embarrassed at myself for getting distracted.

I heard a soft boom.

Theo stopped suddenly before we could catch sight of the main battle. "That couldn't have been it." He pulled his mask off.

I did the same, then turned around to survey the still-standing structure in the late afternoon sun. "You're right."

"I have another jar." Theo met my eyes, the light catching his number.

I glanced at the mutants still pouring out of the building. "Let's go."

We started toward the building.

The last thing I saw was an enormous orange explosion and a grey funnel cloud.

My vision went black.

I could feel shrapnel against my skin, and only had time to hope everyone else was okay before I lost consciousness.

I woke to a hard floor and a sarcastic voice.

"Well, this is a nice change of scenery."

I blinked, surprised I could move. "Where are we?"

"A prison cell." Theo glared at the floor, the dim light in the room catching the 20 over his head.

"Why-?"

He shrugged grumpily and jerked his thumb towards the corner of the room. "Ask Jack."

Our not-so-loyal leader stood on the other side of the bars, surveying us like some sort of inspector.