Follow The Buzzards

VI

       I heard screams coming from everywhere. People ran through the halls and doors slammed. I understood people being in a panic, above us was a nuclear attack. The images of Dean laying there by the door were painted in my thoughts and I couldn't regroup. The walls echoed and loud thuds boomed through the vault. After all went still, the lights flickered a few times, the screams stopped. I felt horrible. I was stuck with my parents and I couldn't go anywhere. I didn't have an escape anymore.

           I'd hear about my grandparents and how they use to read a lot to get away from reality. Conveniently, the library was just outside my room. I sat in a large cushioned seat and grabbed a book off the ground. I smelt oranges from the lit candle to my right. I opened the book and saw pictures of rainbows and trees. There was a picture of a boy playing with a ball while birds flew by.
        This kids book was published far before I was born. I guess this was the way life was before I existed. It was so happy. All I remembered was officers guarding the streets. Dark clouds and rain. Death, sickness, war. I grew up in a different world. This whole reading thing did nothing but sadden me of the life that I missed out on. I tore the picture of the little boy out of the book and stuffed it in my pocket. I slid the book back on the shelf where it sat alone, seeing all the other books were scattered on the floor. I didn't want to go back 'home' so I stayed on the seat, brought my knees to my chest and tried to sleep.
         I woke up to the sound of pages being flipped. I rubbed my eyes and peaked over the chair to see an old woman reading a novel the size of a brick. She didn't look away from her book while she called me over.
         "Can I help you ma'am?" I asked with my sleepy voice.
          "I just wanted to get a look at you. You remind me of my daughter." She looked at me and examined my face.
           "Maybe I can meet her sometime." I said.
           "I don't think you will for a while." she said looking down.
            "Wheres your daughter?" I asked, rather confused.
            "In heaven, darling. She didn't make it through the doors." she explained with grieve. I felt her pain and I sat next to her. She wouldn't stop looking at me, but I didn't mind.
            Lights flickered again. It makes sense that the place would face difficulties running, who knew what it was running on. Not like they had time to test run anything. The old woman sat there gazing at me in silence. I figured it was time to get going because it was becoming a bit weird around her. I politely placed my book by her side and shot a quick smile before leaving the library. Down the hall was the café. I figured this was where majority of our wing's residents were located because it's been a while since anyone has eaten. I decided to take the time to get some rest, and avoid this new world, I was not fond of it.
             I entered back into my family's living quarters. Fortunately my dad had passed out on the couch, my mother being in the shower. I quietly slipped into my room and shut the lights. I laid there in bed in complete silence. Left alone with my mind, I couldn't help but think how the day had gone. It started with a walk through the dim streets with Dean. Gun shots went of, families were dragged from their homes and treated like wild dogs. I saw people die today, not like how I've seen before, these innocent people were killed by our protectors. I had arrived in this new world, lost my friend, and now I'm alone. Nothing is here for me.
             A loud beep sounded twice, waking me up from my unexpected slumber. I jolted up in shock, partly fear of something being wrong. A voice sounded.
            "This is your evening reminder to report back to your living quarters, anyone seen in the halls, between now and six o'clock A.M. time, will be dealt with personally. Thank you"
           This was fantastic, I was stuck in a crammed living space with the two people I wish I could avoid. At least my safety wasn't in jeapordy, because each room is monitored by cameras, and guards were patrolled just outside.
           It was a quiet night. My parents either don't know I'm here, or they both fell asleep without a care in the world, which was all I could ask for. I sat in bed and looked around. I saw nothing of salient value, everything was metal, cold, hard, and absolutely not comforting. If this is what it would take me to grow stronger, then I'd allow it to destroy me, just so I could make something of my time in here. I curled up once again and laid in the dark, I couldn't sleep any more than I already had so I waiting the night out.