A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE APOCALYPSE

CHAPTER 4

-- BRYCE HANSEN'S PERSPECTIVE --

-- 9:07AM OMNISTANDARD TIME --

I wake up to see Backpack in front of me, sleeping. The sunlight seeps through the wooden walls of the cottage and falls pn his face just perfectly.

I get up and hear Scenty cussing Airy out.

"I... can't... send you guys back," he says, like always.

"Why not, Airy?!" Scenty yells.

"The computer's broken," Airy replies.

"Then fix it! I can't believe that you—" I lose interest, as this will clearly be like most arguments we've had about getting sent back, and instead walk near the tub of water, where a domino is working proficiently at... something.

"Hey..." I say awkwardly. He looks up.

"Hello!" I hear him chime.

"Uhm... whatcha working on?" I ask.

"Oh, just a little... house thingy. Keeps me busy," he says.

"To live in?" I question.

"Nah," he replies. "That Airy guy said I'd be home soon."

"And you trust him?"

"Why wouldn't I? He sounds friendly," he explains, with a slightly furrowed brow.

"He's a giant voice coming out of the sky," I say, a sharpness to my words.

"All the more reason to," he says with a shrug.

"What's your name, anyway?" I intend to interrogate.

"Michael," he replies. I simply nod and walk off, without giving him the courtesy of telling him my name back.

-- LIAM PLECAK'S PERSPECTIVE --

-- 10:59AM OMNISTANDARD TIME --

I awake. Soda Bottle is gone. As predicted. Have I really been on the Plane so long that I started hallucinating the people I missed?

Nevermind. He's over by the tub. Walking back here, actually. Oh, god, he's walking back here. I would pretend to fall back asleep, but Soda Bottle knows better. I just quickly sit up, try my best to fix my posture, and wave over at him.

He smiles and waves back, before sitting down across from me. We don't speak a word to each other.