WiFi

Chapter 17

I woke to the sound of screams.

And the clogging stench of smoke.

And the ringing of gunfire.

I rolled over to face Myla in panic, trying desperately to wake her, "Myla!"

But she didn't move and I thought for a heart-stopping moment that something has happened to her.

"Myla!" I shook her again and her eyelids flickered breifly, but it was enough to calm my frantic heart, "Myla, wake up!" I shook her again and she rolled over, mumbling something incoherant under her breath.

I rolled my eyes at her inability to comprehend what was going on around her, "Myla if you don't wake up right now something is going to happen to us."

She rolled back towards me, eyes half open she yawned, "I think you burnt the pancakes, Mil."

I groaned in frustration as I grabbed her head in my hands, "Myla, get up right now there's guns going off!"

She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and then it sunk in, "People are screaming," she gasped, trying frantically to get out of bed but landing on her bum in a tangled mess of sheets instead.

At another time I would have laughed and found her look of surprise amusing but not right now, not with whatever was going on outside. I helped her stand and she brushed the invisible dust off her as I let go to look out the window.

There were fires everywhere, and people in black suits running around with guns, shooting them at anyone they saw in the streets. Even here, outside Myla's house, which was as suburban as this city could get there were screaming residents watching as their friends and family got mowed down my bullets. Windows had smashed and the glass lay in shards on the tarmac, Boards were strewn everywhere in small pieces and blood ran through the gutters like water.

Myla came to stand next to me and gasped as the scene invaded her eyes, I dropped the curtain and turned to face her. Her eyes had gone red and were glassy with tears that threatened to draw on her face, "Oh Milo." she gasped, "Those people, my neighbors, they're dead. Even the children."

I pulled her into my arms and let her cry into my shirt, the damp from her tears already reaching my skin, stroking her hair I said, "It's okay, it's going to be okay."

She pulled back with anger in her eyes, and a sort of strong look that made you think she could take on the world, "We have to stop them," she announced, voice still wavering, "We have to get out of here and find out who these people are and what they're doing here."

A shout came from outside, "Everyone still in their houses come out! We will not harm you if you pose no threat to us!"

I scoffed as I looked out the window, "They're going to kill us if we go out there."

Myla nodded in agreement, "Let's go get my parents, they'll know what to do."

So we made our way downstairs as silently as we could, avoiding any windows for fear of visibility, and made it to the kitchen where Myla's parents usually were at this time of day.

"They're not here." she muttered, fear seeping through her voice.

I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "They'll be here somewhere I'll go check the other rooms, don't move."

She nodded and I stroked her cheek gently before dashing off in search of her parents.

After the quick hunt for Mr and Mrs Morris on the bottom floor proved unsuccessful, I jogged up the steps, taking two at a time until I reached the second floor. I ducked my head into every room and found nothing, worry began to infest inside my gut and I checked the last room, already expecting the worst.