Under Attack

Lockdown

I walked out of the shop with my snacks and carried on walking. For some reason nobody was in our village. No cars. No pedestrians. Not even a stray cat on the side walk. Everyone had disappeared.

My train of thought came to a halt when I get a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to a tall Caucasian male wearing a mask and a hazmat suit.

"Excuse me ma'am what is your name?" He asks.
"M-Maggie" I just about mutter.
"Ma'am I'm going to need you to come with us." He says wrapping his hand around my arm and dragging me towards a white van. Everything was a blur after that. The ride. The walking. I didn't really know where we were going. But the men seemed to be taking it very seriously that I couldn't bring myself to ask. I was driven outside of my town. My county even. I wasn't sure of the reason but they didn't seem very keen on me asking. We reached an iron gate. The men muttered something to the speaker and the gates opened. Scraping against the stony ground and we drove inside. It was a sort of cottage but the size of a mansion. They still hadn't told me where we were or why we're here but nevertheless we're still here.

After what felt like forever the men brought me out of the van and guided me towards the front door. I was greeted by an older gentleman in a fancy suit which I assumed he was the butler. Then he brought me further into the house where my eyes met the fathers. He was a middle aged man with a neatly trimmed beard and he had a book in one hand and a whiskey in the other. My mind wandered through the possibilities of who this family was.

After an hour or two I'd met everyone. The maids were kind, the mum was fake but welcoming and the gardeners were as nice as they can be. Our exploration time was minimal but I was able to see all around the farm. The chickens, the dogs and the sweet horses. I know they look after pigs and cows from a sign I read but I'm guessing they were in the back for slaughtering, since it was that time of year.

We reached a guest room at the top of the house and one of the men sat me down on the bed for a discussion.

"Right..." he started with.
"Maggie,"
"Maggie, this is going to be your new home." I stared blankly at him. My new home? MY NEW HOME?

What the actual hell? I mean, the house was nice and all but living here? What about my parents? My life? What about my friends and family? Is this about the phone call?
My mind flurried with questions. My eyes bulged outside of my head. Me. Living here.

"Why is this happening?" I ask him.
"I'm afraid we can't tell you. But we will be back with a few of your things and this will be your room from now on. The Clive family allowed you to stay here rent free so you don't have to worry about working here..."
"But why can't I stay with my family?"
"Maggie... our team can't seem to find your family anywhere so we decided to enter you into our Children Protection Program. Now since you're 13 you just about made the cut but we will be unable to transfer you anywhere else so make sure to try and make it work with the Clive family."
"Where is my family?"
"W-we don't know..."
"But you're trying to find them? Right?"
"I'm afraid we have other issues we need to deal with but we do know we will keep a look out but for now Maggie you need to stay here." After that they left. I still had to wrap my head around it all. Every part of this was strange and they still hadn't told me what was going on. I plonked my head on my pillow and sighed. Never once had I wished to be at school. But right now. I'd give anything to be in a classroom.