We had been walking for about half an hour, hiking further into the forest. We were far outside the city. My mother sat down a huge duffel bag that I hadn't noticed since I was walking in front. "Where did you get that?" I asked. "I grabbed it from under the stairs before I left. I figured we might need some supplies." I nodded, and unzipped it. Inside, there was a tent, about a dozen bottles of water, a pot, a pack of wooden matches, and a few other supplies. "Wow. How did you get time to get all this stuff?"
"Your... father... had it stored there, in case of emergencies." The sun was beginning to rise. I thought about all the people I left behind. My father, my friends, and... Dane. He had been my best friend. I would go back and get him tonight, but I couldn't tell my mother. She would never allow it. I took out the pot, a match, a bottle of water, and a pack of Mr. Noodles. I tied my hair back and set up a pile of dusty, old twigs to light on fire. My mother looked toward me. "Good idea. I'm going to go look for some more firewood."
"Mom?" She turned. "Yes?"
"What's coming?" She scrunched her eyes. "Jesse, I can't talk about that right now. Tonight." I nodded, slightly irritated that she knew, yet didn't tell me. I could understand though. I made myself some Mr. Noodles. It tasted warm and inviting. I usually didn't like dehydrated noodles, but it tasted wonderful compared to the thought of searching for berries- or worse, meat. I took out the tent and looked at it. It said it would sleep six people, but it looked more like four.
I had it set up within an hour, around the time my mother returned. "There's a blanket in there somewhere, and a pillow, but that's it. I'm sorry we weren't more prepared. "No, it's alright," I said. I didn't want to become angry with her for anything. The last thing we needed was an argument. "How far did you get into the forest?" My mom froze. I didn't understand. Why was she acting so strangely... unless... "YOU DIDN'T GO FURTHER IN, DID YOU?!" She closed her eyes, and rubbed her forehead. "I just wanted to see if anything had begun yet. I-"
"Did you go near our house?"
"I'm sorry, Jesse. I wanted to see it again. I-"
"Why didn't you go in and get more supplies? Grab a newspaper, something!"
"I couldn't."
"Why not?" Whatever was coming... did it have something to do with houses? Or something in them? I thought for a moment, but my mother interrupted me. "Here. Sit down and I'll explain everything." I complied. "Do you know what your father does- did- for a living?"
"He worked for the military."
"Specifically?"
"I don't know," I admitted, "I don't think he ever told me."
"He was helping the government develop... a tool. Something to do with a war on foreign oil."
"Okay... what does that have to do with anything?"
"They made something. Don't ask me how- I have no idea. All he told me when he went to work today is that this might happen- that we might have to leave. That's why I had the duffel bag ready. Anyway, they made something, some kind of spore. It latches onto oil, and when it is exposed to oxygen, it-" she stopped. "Mom, what? It catches fire or something?"
"It explodes." Why would anyone make that? And dad... he had helped? I couldn't accept that. My dad was one of the good guys!"Why would they attack their own country?! We need oil!"
"It isn't for us. It's for them- who they're fighting the war with. But it carries over air. It will get to us eventually."
"How long do we have until it... happens?" My mom shrugged. "I don't know. Your father said that if he couldn't convince them otherwise, they would be releasing it tonight. After that, I don't know how long it could take to reach us. Maybe ten minutes, maybe a day." I nodded. So Dane really was in a lot of danger. It was fine. I would have time to get him, and maybe a few others, before anything grave happened. I wanted to kill myself for not grabbing the cell phone that had been charging on my bedside table. I could call them all... tell them what was coming... But it was too late for that. I couldn't get them all. Not in time. And it's not like they could get away in cars, or anything.
When my mother went to sleep that night, I told her I was going to stay up and get myself some more Mr. Noodles. Instead, I clanged around a pot until I knew she was asleep, then began walking toward my friends, my house, and the life I knew I could never go back to.