~z~

Chapter 13

Kin

A distinct buzzing sound obnoxiously infused its way into the atmosphere. The screen of the television was lit up with several colorful blocks. Following that, came a resounding tone that echoed throughout the living room.

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM frantically flashed onscreen. More text scrolled across screen, detailing the situation as not a drill but rather a national emergency. A monotone voice repeated at periodically, prompting viewers to take care when reviewing the instructions regarding further details and important actions to take.

Watching the emergency program, was a middle-aged man and his elderly father. With expressions of disbelief, their eyes were glued to the screen. The middle-aged man finally glanced at his elderly father and noted that the look on his face seemed cold and distant, as if he were in a trance.

"Dad." the middle-aged man quietly called over to his father, who was sat on the other side of the couch.

"W-what is this..?" the elderly father questioned aloud.

"Whatever this is about.. it looks serious. I don't think it's a joke, Dad." the middle-aged man replied. "It even included some evacuation areas, the colleges; Drexel, Temple, Peirce-"

"Henry." the father interrupted without peeling his eyes away from the emergency broadcast.

"Dad?" Henry answered in a concerned tone.

The elderly man finally glanced to his son. "Call your sister."

"Right, yeah." Henry stood up immediately and pulled his phone from his pocket. Within a few seconds, he had her number dialed. He glanced back at his father, who was still sitting in the same place, staring into the television evermore.

"Come on.." Henry impatiently muttered. "Pick up.. please.."

The ringing continued to sound through the phone. Henry glanced back at his father and was somewhat surprised to find him staring right back this time. The frequency of Henry's heartbeats seemed to double each time the noise produced by the phone rang into his ear. "Come on.. pi-"

'Henry?' a voice shot through the phone, causing the man to flinch in surprise. "Maria, thank God. Maria, are you alright? Where are you?"

The elderly father quickly looked to his son. "She's fine? Tell her to come here. She needs to be with us."

"Yes, Dad. Hang on." Henry nodded and turned his attention back to his phone call. "Maria, where are you?"

Henry nodded slightly to himself as he listened to his sister. "Right, right.. I honestly don't know what to make of it." Henry sighed. "I'm beyond puzzled."

Henry continued nodding as he listened to his sister speak. "Yeah, me too. I'm freaking out about it too. It sounds absolutely nuts but they said people were tearing each other apart out there. You need to come to dad's house, Maria. Please."

"I.. I don't know, just come as soon as you can. I don't know what the hell this Quarantine place even is that they're talking about either. Alright, look; we need to keep each other safe if this is as bad as the media claims. Whatever the fuck it is."

"Language." the elderly fathered muttered as he stared into the television.

"Right, sorry." Henry murmured before clearing his throat. "Just come as soon as you can, okay Maria?"

Henry suddenly looked to his father. "Where's mom?"

"She's upstairs, sleeping." the father claimed. "Her heart still isn't doing well. I'm just trying to think how I can really tell her about this as we sit here worrying."

Henry nodded and turned his attention back to his phone call. "She's here. She doesn't know yet, but she's fine."

"Oh, Jesus." he uttered to himself. "Oh, God, Maria.." he continued as his breathing quickened. "Oh my God, I have to go. I have to go now."

"I love you, sis. Be safe." Henry stated as he seemed to stare at the floor from where he stood.

"Bye." he said and hung up. He immediately looked to his father. "I have to go, dad." Henry quickly stated.

"What?" he questioned in a puzzled tone. "Go where? Is Maria in trouble?"

Henry shook his head. "No, she's on her way over. Dad, Abby is still out there. And Jonathan. They're in school, dad. I have to get them."

"Oh lord.." the father muttered. "Poor Abby and Jon are out there yet. I somehow neglected that fact. My mind is going, Henry."

"I was just so goddamn worried about this and that, my mind couldn't jump to it all at once, dad." Henry admitted, almost sitting down on the couch. He stopped himself and spun around. "I have to go to their school and find them. I have to bring them home."

"Then what, Henry?" his father questioned.

"We could go to one of the colleges. Drexel isn't too far away. We'd be safer there than here, apparently." Henry mentioned.

"Safer than our home? Surely it cannot be that bad. That's not possible, Henry." his father dismissed.

"Well, the media never gets this kind of shit right, pardon my language." Henry began. "No, they're always in a rush and naturally make room for inaccuracy and thus error. While I believe there's something crazy going on outside, I don't personally believe it's as drastic as the media suggests. Regardless, I need to go pick up Abby and Jon from school. I'm not risking the lives of my kids for my own picky mindset." he rambled. "And that's why I'm leaving this with you." Henry stated as he slightly lifted his shirt to fully reveal the holstered weapon attached to his side. He quickly pulled it out and flipped it towards his father, ensuring the barrel was not directly facing him. "Take it." he prompted.

His father, rather shocked, managed to shake his head in rejection. "No, absolutely not, Henry. I won't take it."

"Dad, I would feel a lot better about leaving you for a bit if you-"

"No, Henry." his father interrupted. "If you're going out there, you should keep it handy. You need it far more than me."

"Dad, please take it. I'm not risking your life by leaving you unarmed." Henry adamantly stated.

"You'd be risking yours if you didn't keep it." his father added.

"Dad, you know how much I exercise the second Amendment - I have another out in the glovebox of my car." Henry said. "So I need you to take this one. You need one, just to be sure that you'll be safe. So take it."

"You have one in your car?" the father questioned.

Henry nodded. "I do."

His father sighed and hesitantly took the pistol from his son. The weight surprised him but he grasped and examined it. "Alright." he whispered to himself.

"Do you know how to use it?" Henry questioned.

"I should manage." the father muttered.

"Just pull back on the slide if you need to fire it.' Henry reminded him. "And toggle off the switch on the side to turn off the safety."

"I got it." the father stated and placed the pistol aside before standing up. "But.. Henry.."

Henry eyed his father. "Yeah, dad?"

His father immediately hugged him. "Bring them home in one piece."

Henry returned the hug. "I will. I won't let anything happen to my children." he affirmed before he backed up and made this way to the door. "I'll make sure of it, no matter what."

"I know it." his father said. "You definitely will."

"I'll be back in thirty minutes. Open the door for nobody but Maria until I'm back."

"Right." the father answered. Out the corner of his eye, he noticed the television was still blaring its emergency warnings. He grabbed the remote from the couch and flicked off the TV. He sighed and scratched his head. "Henry." he called again suddenly.

Henry opened the door before turning to his elderly father. "Yeah, dad?"

"Be safe." his father advised.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"You better be careful too." his father warned.

"I will. Believe me, dad. I'll be back before you know it."

"Safe and sound?"

"Absolutely."

"You're entirely cert-"

"Dad." Henry interrupted.

His father blinked and stared at his son. "Yes, son?"

"You have my word."

~z~