The fallout

Part two:the survivors

Cami hugged her sisters, Taylor and Brooklyn tight. They'd heard gunshots, screaming, sobbing. Not your average December 5th. Not that December 5th is anything but average. Stationed in a cafe basement in Dayville, Oregon, they had no idea what had just happened, but what the did know was that it was absolutely not safe. Taylor, 12, peeked her head above the flap, everything was silent. I eaten meals of late night diners were still left on the tables, the whole place ransacked, a window shattered. Dead bodies. She gagged and ducked back down. The smell was awful, and she hated blood. Brooklyn, who was 5, was still crying. As Cami attempted to console her again, Taylor set her jaw, held her nose and climbed to the top. Seeing no one, she beckoned silently for Cami and Brooklyn to come up. Cami, 17, picked up her smashed car keys of the now cracked floor. Outside, her car was smashed too, the windows broken, the door off. Sighing, she turned to her sisters. "We're gonna find who did this" she gestured around the cafe "and we're gonna stop them."

Taylor nodded, but was still busy recounting the past hour. It was midnight, and she'd stayed up to read. It's not like she could sleep, Cami was snoring too loud. Also, Cami has just scared the bejeezus out of her by telling her about the news where people had been going from town to town, killing all the adults and taking the children to god knows where. Gay was why when she saw the people in black with guns breaking in, she didn't believe it at first.  It was only when there was a woman breaking in that she realised. In a flash she woke Cami and Brooklyn, but by then they were coming up the stairs. The window was opened, and they climbed out onto the roof, just as their parents woke up to the horror, Cami had got them into their car, and drove away as fast as possible in the other direction, ending up at the current cafe. Bad choice. Moments later that cafe was attacked, and they were forced (by Cami) into the musty dark basement. From there, they heard it all.  The screaming, the gunshots.  The fear. They'd slept in that basement, and now it was 7:00 in the morning, according to Camis watch. Creeping out into the streets, they were met with a strange silence. The dead people in the streets were still, the blood dry. Taylor covered Brooklyn's eyes, but the child had already seen and started bawling. Cami stares at her car. The engine was out, and smashed. They took no chances. Making their way through the streets, all the houses windows were smashed, doors ripped of hinges, cars destroyed. Shells of explosives littered the places where some houses had been completely destroyed. Picking their way through the rubble, Cami was hot with a sudden realisation. What would they do now? The news would report this, for sure. But what about her sisters? They would be separated for sure. No, they had to stick together.

Lost in thought, it was only when they were a few feet away when they saw the people. About five of them, one girl about 23, two teen boys at about 17, another girl who was around 15, and a fifth girl who looked to be around 13. They were sifting through the rubble, obviously looking for survivors, but given the recent events, Cami did not trust them. In fact, she probably wouldn't have gone near them if Taylor hadn't yelled "Hey!" And ran towards them. Hearing her, the five strangers turned towards them, staring. Sighing, Cami picked up Brooklyn and carried her over to where Taylor was standing with the people. She prayed to god that everything would be ok...

(Year 2003)