Chaos 76 [COMPLETE]

Chapter 23

Jack P.O.V

The next morning I woke up next to Madalyn and it was the best feeling ever. I sat up and stretched, looking through the window. A quite ding got my attention and I picked up my phone. 2%... dang. I checked the warning notification.

Last plane leaving U.S. in Los Angeles in 5 hours.

I grimaced, checking the time. 9:00am... take us four hours to get there. We should leave in about half an hour. I shrugged, actually, it would take us only 3 hours with no traffic. Quietly, I pushed myself off the bed, taking care not to wake the beautiful girl sleeping next to me.

The house was quiet except for London, sitting on the kitchen counter, sipping coffee. "Morning sleepyhead."

"When did you get up?" I asked, squinting at the bright light.

She shrugged, glancing at the book she was holding. "Around 7:00. Alex woke me up with his snoring."

I glanced over at the chainsaw sprawled on the couch. I chuckled, "Yeah, he'll do that. Gotta love Alex."

"Mm..." she put the mug to her lips. "Coffee maker is next to the stove."

I made myself a cup and started one for Madalyn. I sat next to London and took her phone, still at 70%. I checked My Space. No posts in the last few days. Huh.

Wonder why.

A sudden snort occurred from the sofa and a loud thud. I burst out laughing as Alex's head popped up, grumbling about tiny couches. He glared up at me. "Shut up."

I turned my laughing into a coughing fit. "Sorry."

"You should be..." he took Madalyn's cup of coffee and glanced at London. "Thanks for making me sleep on the sofa, Lenny."

She frowned. Somehow Alex had a skill for coming up with demeaning nicknames. I heard a creak and saw Madalyn, making her way down the stairs. She smiled at the scene and came over to me, taking my mug. She curled in my arm and sipped the coffee.

"Unfortunately, we're going to need to leave soon." I sighed, showing the notification on my phone.

London sighed. "Can't we just... live here?"

"I wish." Madalyn gave me back my coffee. "But we'll soon run out of food and the electricity bill is high enough already."

Alex nudged her arm. "Ha-ha! You're almost as good as me, eh Mad?"

"Don't call me that."

I took my phone and found the screen black, dead. "Get ready guys. Pack some snacks and a suitcase with clothes. We leave in 30 minutes."

"Shotgun!" Alex shouted and raced up the stairs.

London chased after him. "You can't call shotgun until you're in the garage!"

"Aren't they beautiful kids?" I joked.

Madalyn laughed. "Mm... lovely."

I leaned down to kiss her before asking, quietly, "Do you ever think... I dunno. Have you ever wanted kids and... a family?"

She smiled at me. "Only if it's with you."

Alex P.O.V

"They're kissing!" London giggled. "Uhg... what a cute couple."

We both peeked out at them from the stairs, holding the railing pillars like little kids. "I know right... come on, let's give them a moment."

Jack P.O.V

About 10 minutes later, I was packing snacks and food into a plastic bag. The house was alive with action. Madalyn and Alex had headed over to the other houses to scavenge what they could. They'd only been gone a few minutes but I was already scared for them.

London lifed a suitcase down the stairs. "Man this is heavy..." She dropped it on the floor and stretched. "Hey Jack? Since we're leaving, can we demolish a house? I've always wanted to."

"Lon, we don't have time." I said, not even looking up.

She sighed. "Can I just spray toothpaste on the mirror?"

"Sure." I wasn't even listening to her.

What if things didn't go as planned? What if we didn't make it? What if someone... died? What if- I cursed silently, chiding myself for over thinking. It was just the apocalypse, no big deal.

London came out from a bathroom, giggling and covered in toothpaste. I smiled at her, this might be my last chance to be with my family. I grabbed the toothpaste out of her hand and squeezed it on her. She shrieked with joy and ran to the bathroom, grabbing the shampoo. She sprayed it towards my face. I batted at the air, gasping for breath and getting a mouthful of pomegranate shampoo. I spat and she burst out laughing. I reached for anything and found a bottle of ketchup. Suddenly, London's mouth was heaping with red sauce. She spluttered and it was my turn to laugh. She growled and came at me with a barrage of bath bombs. She got a face full of whip cream in return.

"Well!" A voice said from the doorway. "Somebody's having fun."

Madalyn leaned in the doorway, crossing her arms. Alex whooped and leaped into the fight with a sniper shot of lotion. A moment later, the fight was on again. Madalyn tried to remain mature, hiding her smile, but when I got mustard in her hair she gasped.

"Oh it is on!" She shouted and I dodged a remote aimed at my face.

After a few minutes the fight died down after Alex got completely mummified in toilet paper and Kleenex. As I was stuck with the job of unwrapping him, London finished packing.

"Alright folks!" Madalyn announced, picking pencil shavings out of her hair, "We leave in a couple minutes. We need to remember that this is the apocalypse."

London screwed up her nose. "Wouldn't it be... dystopia? I mean since there is a difference like-"

"I don't care." Madalyn shrugged, cutting her off. "The point is the world is ending so if there's anything you want to do-"

Alex lifted his hand, but Madalyn slapped it.

"-Except another food fight! I refuse to get on a plane with mustard in my hair."

I chuckled, tossing the mummy toilet paper in the floor. No reason to clean up. "I'd like to kiss you again. Is that too much to ask?"

Madalyn smirked. "If we live through this, you can kiss me all you want."

London and I exchanged glances. She mouthed; omg cuuuuuuute! Alex raised his hand again. "Can we listen to... what's her face... she was popular in 2010's? Oh! Taylor swift. Can we listen to her on the was to San Francisco?"

"I call the Aux cord!' London shouted.

I groaned. "Sure. As long as we don't listen to Wildest Dreams... again."