When the World Ends

24; Angel

Being alone this long was truly strange. I had the whole apartment to myself. 'What if Daye dies?' had been repeating in my head over and over for hours as I paced the short distance in front of the couch. He couldn't. We need a leader. Clutching the blood-stained towel to my chest, I make an about-face at the edge of the couch and pause, glancing around the room. 

     "Being a nervous wreck isn't going to help anybody." I say aloud, dropping the hand towel onto the dining room table as I pass it. Heading into my room, I try and distract myself by putting away my clothes. I had bought more than I thought I would! Laying out the clothes in piles on my bed separated by style, I begin putting them into their places. When I'm done, I sneak a look at the clock, sighing in defeat when I see that only an hour has passed. Tugging the phone Daye had given me from my pocket, I stare down at my reflection in the black screen. I can think of one thing and one thing only: I don't know how to use this. 

Marching out of my room, I tug open the main door and step into the hall, glancing in both directions. Double checking that the door is unlocked so I can get back in, I walk along the hall to the next door. Knocking gently, I wait. No answer. I try the next door, knocking more firmly. Again, no answer. At the end of the hall, I pause and lean forward, glancing up the staircase. 

A young man with fluffy blond hair pauses mid-step, looking down at me. Pulling his hand out of his hair, he shoves it into his pants pocket, offering me a sly smile. "Hello, pretty lady."

I glance behind me, and then back at him, pointing a finger at myself. 

     "Mhm." He says, coming down the next three stairs. "You look lost." Stopping at the second stair from the bottom, he glances out the window to his left. 

     "I-I'm not lost," I stutter, finally finding my words. "But I could use some help." I hold up the phone in my hand. 

     "With... your phone?" He questions, raising a brow.

I nod, tapping the screen. "I was given this cell phone but I have no idea how to use it."

The young man eyes me suspiciously. "Either you were born yesterday or you must be one of the serfs the Elector released. Everyone our age knows how to use cell phones."

I bite the inside of my cheek. I need help, not to be ridiculed. Sighing, I say, "You're not wrong, but thanks, I guess. I'll figure it out." Turning to walk away, I make it two steps before a strong hand closes around my upper arm. Spinning around, I find myself nearly nose to nose with the blond haired stranger. 

     "I didn't say I wouldn't help you." He chides, gazing into my eyes. 

I shrink under his touch and step back, trying to pull my arm free. "Please let go," I say, trying to stay level-headed. 

The man stares at me for a moment longer than he should have before dropping his hand from my arm. As soon as I feel his grip loosen, I turn and dart down the hall, practically leaping back into the apartment. Scrambling to lock the door, I turn and glance through the peephole. All I can see is the slender frame of the man moving past the door, continuing down the hall. Chest heaving, I hold up the phone. Bringing the screen to life, I stare down at all the little icons. One of them has to reach Astrid!

Swiping through the screen after screen of app icons, I spot one shaped like a phone. Obviously if you want to make a call, you use a phone. Tapping on the icon, I gasp when a list of contacts pop up. I did it! Being a slave at the academy, you would think we would have worked with the technology to increase production. ...You would be wrong, too. Daye's father kept us away from technology. Even just this small action is a big feat! I only had seven or so contacts. Daye, of course, Astrid, Alfred, Bethany and a few contractors. Tapping again on Astrid's name, three options pop up. Selecting the one that says 'call', I feel even more accomplished when the screen switches to a number keypad and then fades to black. Holding the phone up to my ear, I breathe a sigh of relief when the call clicks through.