SEPTEMBER 18, 5:30 PM
Arthur walked into the gym in Al Fresca Plaza, Flexin'. He was greeted by the musty smell of sweat and rubber. An attractive anchorwoman was on the hanging digital TV, commenting about the circulating virus with flu-like symptoms. A picture behind her showed an image of a normal girl with a thermometer in her mouth and a bag of ice on her head.
Megan, Arthur's girlfriend, was walking slowly on a treadmill far to the back of the gym. She saw her boyfriend approach and stopped her machine. Arthur casually strolled over to her.
"Not even a sweat?" he asked, snidely.
"That's not fair," pouted Meg. "It's like my body doesn't want to lose weight." She lifted her tank top slightly in response.
"That's not fat," Arthur commented. "That's just healthy."
"I don't like it," muttered Meg. "It jiggles."
Meg's stomach protruded not more than a centimeter from the restrictive waistband below it.
"That's because you don't have any abs," said Arthur. "A treadmill isn't going to help you. You have to do crunches."
"They hurt my neck," remarked Meg.
"That's because you don't do them right." Arthur ruffled her hair, and then pulled her in close for a romantic hug. "Get dressed and we'll meet your parents at the Dark Bean."
"Did they get my birthday present?" asked Meg.
"You'll find out once you get dressed." Arthur patted her back and turned to leave the gym.
Behind them, the anchorwoman stopped talking as a scowl crossed her face. She lifted her hand to rub her temple. Deep lines traced themselves through her heavily powdered face.
5:40 PM
"Hey honey," called Kale from his table in the Food Court. His wife, Donna, looked up from her cell phone and the text message she had been working. She told her son, Davie, to sit down in his chair and stop calling attention to himself.
Megan giggled and led Arthur to her father's table. She took a seat by her father, and Arthur stuck a chair from another table between her and her half-brother. From this angle, he could see the resemblance between Meg and her father. She had his light brown hair and kind face. Davie, though, took nothing from Kale. He had his mom's curly blond hair and red lips.
"Did you get my present?" Meg asked her father, hopefully.
"I sure did," Kale whispered. "Do you want to give it to her, Davie?"
"No," sneered Davie.
"Now now, dear," sighed Donna. "Give Megan her present."
Davie handed Meg a rectangular wrapped package. When Meg grabbed it, he stuck out his tongue. Meg returned the gesture and proceeded to unwrap the present.
"Oh my gosh!" she cried. "I love you, Dad!" She gave him a bear hug.
Arthur reached over to grab the CD she had received. "Detritus? Who the heck are they?"
"They're the best band, ever!" replied Meg. "This is their new album, Love Rocks."
"I see the word play," commented Arthur.
"Alright, kids," said Kale. "Tomorrow's a school day. I think we should leave around… Eight- Thirty?"
"Sure," said Meg. "That's just enough time to visit Players."
"You just got a CD!" said Arthur.
"I need to plan for Christmas," replied Meg.
"Actually," coughed Kale, "I was hoping you'd take Davie to the Space Rider."
"What!?" cried Meg. "Why do I have to?"
"Well, Donna and I need to visit Seon's," said Kale. "We need to pick up this week's groceries."
"That's not fair," wailed Meg. "It's my birthday!"
"Too bad," Davie sneered. "You gotta take me because I can't go by myself."
"You're ten years old," said Meg. "I don't see why you can't stand in line for a stupid roller coaster by yourself."
"Don't say that," remarked Kale. "What if he decides to wander off by himself? Or he could be kidnapped. There might be psychopaths in this mall."
"Dad, this is Willamette, Colorado," stated Meg. "Nothing exciting will ever happen."
Kale opened his mouth to remark, but Donna cut him off.
"Meggie," she said, sweetly, "will you come with me for a second."
Megan rolled her eyes, but stood up to follow her stepmother. "What do you want?"
"Cut the attitude," snarled Donna. "Now, I know it's your birthday and that it's supposed to be a nice date with your little boyfriend, but Davie deserves to have a good time, too. Would it really kill you to take him to the stupid ride while I go buy food for you?"
Megan sighed, but knew she was beaten. "Alright, fine."
6:30 PM
In the twenty minutes that Megan and Arthur stood with Davie for Space Rider, they had managed to go up two steps. At least, Arthur pointed out to Megan around 6:25, they had cleared the playground.
8:15 PM
Megan's cell phone rang. She answered it.
"Honey?" asked her dad? "Can you come to the Entrance Plaza, please?"
"Dad, we're still waiting for Space Rider. Davie's next."
"Honey," Kale said with forced calmness, "you need to hurry."
"Meg!" Arthur called from beside the parked car. "It's our turn."
"I'm coming," she said. "Dad, we'll meet you in a second." She hung up her phone and dropped it into her handbag.
"You okay, Little Lady?" asked Adam the Clown from the exit. "You look a little streeeesssed!" As he said the last part, his red nose stretched a whole foot from his face.
"It's nothing," said Meg.
"It's her birthday," said Davie.
"Oh! Her birthday!" giggled Adam. "That's wonderiffic! How old are you, Little Lady?"
"Seventeen," said Megan.
"Seventeen!?" sputtered Adam. "The Little Lady ain't so little!"
Little kids around Adam began to giggle.
"Am I cleared, now?" asked the man operating the Space Rider.
"Go ahead, Greg," said Adam. "He's a little pissy," he whispered to Meg and Arthur.
The spaceship lifted Meg, Arthur, and Davie onto the track and began to fly over Wonderland Plaza. They flew straight toward a giant pink rabbit, pulling up at the last second. Then they flew over the second level, traveling hundreds of feet over shoppers who were hurrying home.
They exited the ride and traveled to the Entrance Plaza. There was a huge crowd of people at the entrance. A short, chubby black guy in a janitor's suit was standing before the doors. The people were shouting at him to move.
"What's going on?" asked Meg, worriedly.
"Megan!" shouted Kale. He and Donna were on the second floor.
The kids went up to join them. "What's going on, Dad?" Meg asked her father.
"It's bad, outside," said Kale. "People are saying that the flu-like virus is killing them. They say that bio-terrorists are attacking us. That man is urging us to stay in the mall."
"What do you mean?" asked Arthur. "Why can't we go home?"
"There are riots, outside," said Kale. "People are killing themselves and saying that the world is ending. I think we're staying here, tonight."
There was a loud crash at the doors. Megan turned to see the mob of people spill out of the mall. Arthur rushed to the scene and knelt by the janitor. His nametag read Otis.
"Are you okay?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah," grunted Otis. "Some punk just took a swing at me, and then they all just stampeded. I tried to warn 'em, too. Shows what the world's worth."
"Is it really bio-terrorism?" asked Arthur.
"What?" croaked Otis.
"The virus," Arthur elaborated. "Could it really be from terrorists?"
"I don't care about that," said Otis. "All I knows is that there's riots and explosions and I didn't want any of them people to get hurt." He lurched forward and pulled himself to his feet. "If you're staying the night, I could let you stay in the Security Room. This mall is big and only has one entrance. It's much safer than anywhere else, nearby."
Arthur nodded. "That would be great. I'm actually here with my girlfriend and her dad."
"Anyone's welcome," said Otis. "It's just through that door."
That would be the last peaceful night they would share for a long time.
