Don't Whistle Past the Graveyard

Ch. Five

We were so engrossed in the news stories that seemed to come one after the other that we didn't realize how much time had passed until the door opened behind us, making me jump.

Shane leaned his head back onto the top of the couch to see who had come in. "Hey bro."

I turned to see a younger guy in a Navy uniform walking through the door. He looked like a more delicate version of Shane, his mouth a little softer and with a perfectly straight nose.

Kyle's never been as confrontational as Shane. 

He had light brown hair instead of dark and green eyes instead of Shane's grey-blue.

Toeing his shoes off, he said, "Man, what is going on? I passed like four wrecks on the way here." He looked up and paused, staring at me. I raised a hand in a sort of half wave. Turning to Shane, Kyle said, "Who's she? Why's she here?"

Shane grimaced and said, "Nice, Kyle. Real classy. She speaks English you know."

Kyle blinked, but just kept looking at his brother. Shane sighed, looking at me apologetically before saying, "Kyle this is Raleigh Wells. She's my—"

"Your therapist. I know. But why's she here?" Kyle was still standing by the door, just watching me.

"Jeez. You weren't kidding," I muttered to Shane before smiling at Kyle as brightly as I could manage. "Hi. Shane said I could hang here until they open up the base again. I hope you don't mind?"

Kyle looked back and forth between Shane, myself and the floor. A slight blush crept up his neck, which I thought was kind of cute, and he mumbled, "I guess so." Then he went down the hall, heading toward his room.

I turned and looked at Shane, raising an eyebrow, kind of amused by my first ever meeting with his brother. Shane covered his face with both hands before running them through his hair, making it stick up just a little.

He turned to me with an exasperated kind of smile and said, "See why I warned you?"

I nodded with a laugh, and got up to put my glass in the sink. Shane put his feet up on the coffee table, an arm stretching over the back of the couch. I sat back down, sitting forward slightly so that I wouldn't brush his arm.

Shane started to say more, but Kyle came back in, now dressed in grey sweats and a blue Navy t-shirt. He flopped down into the recliner, still casting suspicious looks at me every now and then.

Shane looked at Kyle, frowning slightly. But before he could reprimand his little brother, a chime came from the TV, letting us know that there was yet another breaking news story.

We were all silent as the blond man we'd watched earlier said, "We are now getting word that the military have begun setting up road blocks, cutting off entrance to all major cities on the eastern seaboard."

Shane turned to Kyle. "Did you know anything about this?"

Kyle shook his head, mouth opening slightly in surprise. "No."

Shane looked at me before turning his attention back to the TV, brow furrowing.

The blond man continued, "In the past hour, the violent attacks that we've been keeping track of have escalated, and a state of emergency has been declared in all major cities. Some cities have been victimized by riots and looting in the ensuing chaos."

Shane, Kyle and I all looked at each other, then turned back to the TV. I shrank back into the cushions, the warmth from Shane's arm comforting across my shoulders.

"The police and military are trying to maintain control and are asking people to remain in their homes as a nationwide curfew has been put into effect. All citizens are ordered to remain indoors between 6:00 pm and 5:00 am."