The Passover

I Regret

It is several days since I last saw Stevie. I am spending time with my family and playing with my eight year old brother Henry since it is his winter vacation. I have missed him so much and have missed out on so much of his life. He is champion chess player at his school and ahead of his class in language and math, taking  junior secondary education classes for geometry.

Today is the day before the estimated date of the solar storm and the lack of magnetic field. My whole family has been scrambling around, preparing. M y grandfather packed all of his beloved books and beloved cigars into the bunker, my brother packed all of his action figures, my grandmother all of her pottery and paint things, my father all of his important journals and notes, and my mother with her cultural recipes.

I watch the sunset; the pink mixing with the marigold, creating a nice salmon color. The cold moves the empty trees. I shiver in my white T-shirt and faded cackies. I hold the pill in my hands, preparing to take it.  The fact that I have no idea what will happen after today scares me. Will I ever see my family again? Will I ever see Stevie? I wish I apologized to him, but I am to prideful. I wish I got to tell him I loved him. I wish I had the chance to hold him. I regret not being able to any of that. I regret.

I should call him, but I know he is already in a bunker with his friends, asleep. Does he regret? I hope not. I hope he sleeps peacefully.

I am surprised when my father comes and places his firm hand upon my should, joining me to watch the sun set behind the ocean.

"Come," my father says, "it is time." I smile, nod, and then follow him to the steel and concrete bunker where I know my mother, brother, and grandparents wait.

I walk down the steps and see my mother sitting on her mat and my brother on his. They have oxygen masks upon their faces. I hear my father sealing the opening and closing the two following steel doors.

"Have you already taken the pill?" I ask my mother. She nods. I know it will only be a matter of time before they're asleep.

We embrace each other and exchange loving words. I sit upon my mat and take the pill swallowing with a packet of water. The entire bunker that had been made as soon as possible is filled with tanks of water and food as well as medical supplies. Everyone holds hands as my father makes a prayer to the unkown. By now, my grandmother has tears streaming down her face as she tries to be strong. My grandfather squeezes her hand. My mother and Henry fall asleep. My grandmother kisses my grandfather's cheek which makes him blush. Then, he kisses her on the forehead before rubbing their noses together. They are so sweet. I watch them fall asleep in each others embrace.

Everything becomes fuzzy right as I black out.