Police sirens reigned supreme. Officers and civilians ran were rampant, jogging around, shouting names and pushing others inside school and city buses. Men in riot uniforms carrying large guns that could probably punch a nice sized hole through a wall helped others climb into the buses, while glancing over their shoulders as if they were watching for something.
From behind Riley came her neighbors, holding sleeping bags and frantically talking through their phones. She saw her next door neighbor, Corey, carrying his cat in his hands, occasionally kissing it on the head, telling it things would be ok. Being the only person in her building whose name she knew, Riley called out to him.
"Hey Corey!" She waved him down. He looked up at her, looking like he hadn't slept all night. As he was pushed down the river of people, he stopped by Riley. "Corey, what's going on?" She asked.
"They're evacuating the city." He said, stroking his cat's head. This was news to Riley. What could be happening that was so bad the city needed to be evacuated? Could it be a terrorist attack? That was the only thing that made sense.
"What for?"
"I don't know, but it can't be good. They have some serious equipment out their, stuff that looks like it should be used it Iraq or something."
"How long have they been doing this?"
"All night. They started at two in the morning. Ever since then they've been loading the buses up and taking us to some place."
"Where?"
Corey shrugged and got back in line. Was that old guy with the cardboard sign down the street right? Was the government actually harvesting humans? She slapped herself across the face again, only a little bit harder. That was probably the dumbest things she could have ever thought of. Although no one heard it, the fact that she considered that truth for even a second was embarrassing.
"Ma'am?" Riley jolted back to reality. Someone was calling to her. She looked up. It was one of those men with the large guns, looking like he was ready to fight World War Three. A large black helmet covered his head, and a black mask covered everything below his eyes. Thick body armour that probably weighed a hundred pounds was all over his body, and a frightening machine gun was in his hands. "Ma'am?" He said again.
"Yes?"
"You're gonna have to come with us. We're evacuating the city."
"What for?"
"There's a terrorist attack happening at the edge of the city. We want everyone out so they can be dealt with."
Needless to say, Riley was scared. A terrorist attack? This was the type of thing she would hear or see on the news, something she'd watch and think "Oh that sucks" and never think about it again. But never in a million years would she ever think it would happen to her. Maybe it was because she thought that her life was much too bland for something of this caliber.
In a sick demented sort of way, Riley could twist this into a way she could enjoy. Any situation could be a good one with the right mindset. Like she said before, her life was bland. If it was a spice, it would be flour. This whole scenario might be what she would tell her grandchildren when she's as wrinkled as an elephant slowly dying on a rocking chair, that she was involved in whatever terrorist attack this would be known as five years from now.
"Ma'am?" the soldier asked her a third time, growing a little more impatient. Riley shook herself back to full consciousness.
"Oh, sorry."
"You'll come with me into that bus out there ok? We need to get to a safe space."
"Where is that?"
"The convention center. It's about a fifteen to twenty minute drive from here."
She nodded. "Can I go pack some things first?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, but we need to go." the soldier said, taking Riley's hand and lightly pulling the reluctant college student outside the apartment complex and into the bus. Well, as if she wasn't already thinking about whether this would be exciting or not, she was just denied getting things that had actual sentimental value or overall usefulness. Now, in the event of a terrorist attack, all she had was her backpack full of notes. And not even for anything interesting, like art history or something. It was chemistry, which she didn't even know why she was taking it.
Children crying flooded her ears the instant she stepped on the bus. Already, she wanted off. If she had to choose between a violent death or staying here for another second, then may God strike her down. Every seat was taken, except for one in the back. The far back, where all the popular kids used to sit on every field trip when Riley was in middle school. Seeing as that was her only option, she began to maneuver her way down there, trudging past the sleeping and duffel bags that were spilling off the seats, past the screaming children, and eventually making it the last seat. She flopped down, looking out the window and into her apartment window, taking a last look at it before she left.
Finally, the last of the people in her building squeezed their way onto the bus, with Riley being squished between the window and two others. Two soldiers stood up front, and Riley recognized one as the one who brought her out, seeing as he was holding the same scary looking gun. In no time, the bus was moving, and she closed her eyes, falling asleep, waiting for something interesting to wake her.
