The Earthquake Drill
Lizzie awoke with the sun in her eyes.
"Wake up!" Matt said, bringing the blinds all the way up in her bedroom.
"Maaatt!" Lizzie exclaimed, grumpy as can be. "Why'd you do that?!"
"Mom said I could wake you up. 'Lizzie has a biiig day!' " Matt mimicked.
"Ughh. You're the WORST." Lizzie breathed, rolling back into her warm pillow. She was exhausted. After staying up until 1 AM working on Mrs. Singer's toughest albegra homework yet, Lizzie wasn't ready to meet the day with only six hours of precious sleep.
"Your funeral!" Matt chimed as he bounded out the door, bubbly and mischievous as always.
Lizzie begrudgingly rolled out of bed, putting her feet in her snuggly warm slippers before they could touch the cold morning floor. As she trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, Lizzie's mom, Jo, called from the stove.
"Morning honey! Bacon or sausage?" she yelled.
"Neither," Lizzie firmly stated. "I don't eat meat anymore."
"Riiiight, right." I'm sorry, I forgot," Jo remembered. "My little activist!"
"Mom, stop," Lizzie said.
"No it's true. We're very proud of you for taking a stand for something you believe in," said Lizzie's dad Sam above his newspaper. "I'll have her bacon," he told Jo.
Lizzie crumpled down into her chair at the kitchen table. She was still struggling to wipe the cobwebs out of her eyes. "Mom can I have some coffee?"
Jo hesitated for a second.
"Please? Just this once. I'm so tired," Lizzie pleaded.
"Well alright. Just a little," Jo relented. She poured Lizzie half a cup. "See, I can be a cool Mom."
"Yeah, you're a real winner," Lizzie said under her breath, as she put milk and sugar into her coffee.
"Can I have some?" asked Matt.
"Not until you're older," said Sam, neglecting to look up from his morning paper, still munching on his last remnants of bacon.
"So are you excited for your big day Lizzie?" asked Jo.
"Stop calling it that! It's no big deal," Lizzie stated.
"Well, I think it's cool. Super top secret and whatnot," Jo said with an excited chuckle.
"We'll see," Lizzie said, trying to play it calm without betraying her nervous sense of anticipation.
"Hey, we better get going. I'll take you guys," said Sam as he looked at his watch.
Lizzie, Matt, and Sam gathered their things and made their way to the front door.
"Alright, have a good day everyone. I love you all!" said Jo.
"Bye Mom!" Lizzie said as she gave Jo a hug.
"Good luck!" Jo whispered.
Lizzie found Miranda by her locker, struggling to fit her backpack into the crowded cave of books, pieces of paper, markers, binders, empty bags of chips, soda cans, candy wrappers, and Backstreet Boys posters.
"Hey Miranda," Lizzie said.
"Hey, how's it goin'. You finish Singer's death assignment last night?" Miranda wondered.
"Barely. But I skipped like three or four questions, so not really," Lizzie admitted.
"Yeah, it was hard. Maybe we can do the rest at recess," Miranda suggested.
"Or just copy Gordo…" said Lizzie.
"Haha, or that," Miranda agreed.
"Where is he?" asked Lizzie.
"Beats me," said Miranda.
They made their way to Social Studies. As she entered the classroom door, Lizzie started to feel her heart pounding. She was getting nervous. Her teacher, Ms. Jaques, noticed Lizzie walking in and gave her a wink. Lizzie smiled self consciously, then averted her eyes and sat down at her desk.
After fifteen minutes had passed and morning announcements were over, Lizzie knew she'd be getting the signal soon. She had barely been able to concentrate on the lesson. Something about Thursgood Morsel or whatnot.
Where is Gordo? Hopefully he's okay. I want him to see…
Suddenly a hand belonging to Ms. Jaques placed a folded piece of paper down on her desk. It was the signal. She secretly unfolded it, hiding its contents in her lap.
"Excuse me, may I go to the bathroom?" asked Lizzie.
"Of course," said Ms. Jaques, her smiling diagonal eyes filled with a knowing twinkle.
Lizzie got up, looked around the room, and walked out. Instead of going to the bathroom however, she went to the secret room she was told to enter.
Inside were a handful of other students from various grades. She didn't really know any of them. Suddenly the school nurse noticed Lizzie was there, and walked over.
"Hi Lizzie!" she said. "You ready? You remember what you're supposed to do?"
"Yeah, think so," Lizzie said.
"Good," the nurse said. "Now let me put your makeup on."
Lizzie lied on the ground in one of the unused classrooms where she was told to stay. Her head felt sticky and warm from the fake blood. She felt alone.
Well this is fun. Not. Why did I agree to this?
Suddenly the fire alarm started ringing.
Phew. That took longer than I thought. Hopefully this will be done soon.
Lizzie heard classrooms emptying out as the clamors and thumps of students walking down the hallway and out to the quad echoed around her.
Some time passed and silence returned. No one seemed to notice she was missing.
Not even Miranda! And where is Gordo?
Lizzie started moving ever so slightly. Her eyes were to remain closed she remembered, but curiosity got the best of her. It was hard not to be fidgety.
Time stretched on for what felt like forever.
Shouldn't someone have found me by now? Maybe I should just go back. The drill might be over.
All of a sudden Lizzie heard hurried sprinting from outside the door.
"Lizzie!" Lizzie!"
It was Gordo! I'm not supposed to say anything…but I really want to! Why hasn't anyone from the rescue team found me yet? Good thing this isn't a real crisis.
Gordo barreled through the door with a crazed look on his face. "Lizzie! Oh my gosh, I knew I shouldn't have been late today!"
He ran over and kneeled beside Lizzie. She quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious, as she was instructed to do.
"Oh Lizzie, are you alright? Say something!" Gordo worried. "God, it's all my fault. I'm sorry for making my yamaka into a frisbee!"
Lizzie opened one eye just a smidge, enough to see Gordo pleading to the heavens.
This is kinda fun actually.
"Help! Someone! Lizzie is in here!" Gordo yelled. He looked down at her, then reached for her hand. "Oh Lizzie…please be okay. I…didn't get to tell you so many things."
He looked at her for a moment, then bent down and gently kissed her forehead. "I…really like—"
—"There you are!"
The assistant principal entered the room. Lizzie quickly hid the huge involuntary smile stretched across her face. Luckily neither of them saw.
"Found the last one!" the assistant principal yelled into her walkie-talkie. "Okay Lizzie, drill's over. "Gordo what are you doing in here?"
Gordo was shocked. "I—uh…just playing my part, is all. Drill's done?
"Oh. Yes we're done. Good job you two," said the assistant principal, perplexed as she looked them over once more before walking out of the doorway.
Lizzie shyly looked up at Gordo.
"So. You were in on it too. Good job," said Gordo, trying to sound normal.
"Yeah," Lizzie laughed, doing the same.
They both got up. "That blood looks real," Gordo said, relieved.
"I should probably go wash it off," said Lizzie, feeling awkward.
"You should keep it! We'll make a zombie movie. BRAIIINSSS!" Gordo joked.
"Haha. Sounds fun," said Lizzie.
They nervously stared at each other.
"Well…I'll see ya later," Gordo offered with a cumbersome 'one-two' pat on her shoulder before quickly walking out of the room.
Lizzie looked down the hall as Gordo hurriedly paced around a corner.
Later that night as the family sat around the table for dinner, Jo stared very intently at her daughter. "Well…?" she asked.
"What?" Lizzie wondered, mouth full of pesto pasta and broccoli.
"Oh, c'mon. Tell us about your earthquake drill! How'd it go?"
Lizzie considered for a moment, then grinned from ear to ear.
"Best day ever."