"Noah," Alex says, sitting across from him at the kitchen table. "Do you understand what is going on?"
She has a few candles lit to counteract the darkness of the kitchen. It's only slightly after noon, and looking out the window you would think it was after seven PM. The little bit of light there is dull and not enough to light up the house.
"Not really," Noah says. "Our teacher didn't know. Everyone was panicking and parents started coming in to pick up their kids. I heard something about the moon."
Alex nods. She plays with the sleeve of her sweatshirt nervously. She had changed immediately upon getting home, as it was colder and she wanted out of her work clothes right away.
"That's right. We know the moon was hit by an asteroid. Apparently it pushed it closer to earth. What exactly that means we don't know yet. But what we do know is that some things are going to change. Maybe a lot."
Noah takes a drink from his juice box. "My teacher said there were tidal waves that destroyed buildings. That some people died. Is that true?"
Alex doesn't know how much she should reveal to Noah. He's a smart kid, and she's sure he is going to want to know the truth. But she also knows that Olivia is going to want to be present for some of these conversations so she keeps the details as minimal as possible.
"Yes, honey. It's true."
Noah looks at her. "Do you know anyone who died?"
Alex smiles. "I - I'm not sure yet. One of the waves reached my office. Phones aren't working so I can't call my friends right now to see if they are okay. So I'm choosing to believe they are okay, like us."
Noah looks down at the table top. "So do you have to work tomorrow? You and mom?"
Alex swallows. "No, honey. It's going to be awhile before we have to work again."
If ever…
Alex saw the wave. She knows if they hadn't gotten out when they did, they would be dead. She knows some of her friends and colleagues are dead. She knows the office building and courthouse are destroyed, as well as most of downtown.
Olivia had told her before she left to take Casey home that everyone got out of the precinct but it was believed to have been hit. She had promised when she got home they would try and find out more information on their friends and those they care about.
"We may have to do things differently for awhile. I don't know how long. No one does. But we will find out soon. Everyone will know something soon."
"When will we have power again?" Noah asks.
"That's one we don't know. Hopefully soon, but we have to find our radio and listen and try to get some information. We will do that together when your mom gets home." She watches Noah play with his napkin. "Are you hungry?" He nods. "Would you like a sandwich?" Again he nods.
She fixes a lunch meat sandwich for Noah and herself, and one for Olivia for when she returns. She figures she might as well use up the meat. As long as the electricity is out they won't be able to keep anything in the fridge for very long.
Alex has just sat down with Noah again when she hears Olivia pull into the garage. She quickly gets back to her feet and grabs a can of soda from the fridge - Pepsi, Olivia's favorite - and puts it down next to her sandwich.
She hears Olivia's keys at the garage door, and then the sound of someone crying as the door opens. She's immediately on alert and jumps to her feet quickly. She hears the door open and then close again, and the crying is getting louder.
She's about to walk to the door to see what's going on when Olivia walks through the kitchen. She has Casey with her, and it's her who is crying. Olivia tosses her keys on the table and holds up her hand to Alex, signaling her not to ask any questions. Alex nods and watches Olivia walk Casey towards the hallway.
Olivia walks down the hallway with her hand on Casey's back, leading her towards the guest room. "It's okay," she keeps saying, over and over again.
Casey is sobbing, and her cries can be heard until Olivia walks her into the guest room and shuts the door.
Alex sits back down with Noah.
"What happened to her?" he asks in concern.
"I'm not sure, honey. But everything is okay." She nods at his plate, redirecting his attention. "Is your sandwich good?" Noah nods in response.
Olivia steps into the hallway, motioning at Alex to join her so they can talk in private.
"What happened?" Alex asks as soon as she joins her.
Olivia sighs. "We couldn't even get to her building. Everything was washed away. There was nothing left. Her mother was there when it happened. She's pretty hysterical. I didn't know what else to do so I brought her back here with me."
Alex feels badly. Despite not liking Casey, she isn't a monster and doesn't want to see anyone lose someone they love. "That's - that's really awful. I'm so sorry."
Olivia nods. "I couldn't just leave her there, Alex."
Alex shakes her head. "No, of course not. We have the room. It's okay."
"We should find out if anyone else needs help. We have the room for our friends if they need us."
Alex nods in approval. "I was going to try and find the radio and if we have batteries see if there is any news. Did you want us to come with you?"
Olivia shakes her head. "No. Try to keep things as normal as possible for Noah. I don't even know if I'll be able to check on everyone but I'm going to try. I see you fed him; thank you. Can you check on Casey in a bit?" Alex nods.
"Just…just be careful, okay?" Alex cautions, locking eyes with Olivia. "I don't know what I would do if…"
Instead of answering, Olivia leans in and hugs her girlfriend tightly. It's the kind of hug that's deliberate, and one they don't want to break apart from. When they finally do break apart, Olivia kisses Alex and quickly goes to Noah to let him know she will be back.
Alex tries to get Olivia to eat her sandwich before she goes, but she is in too much of a hurry to see if any of their friends need help and to see if she can get any information on what is going on.
After Olivia leaves again, Alex goes in search of the radio. She knows they have one. She checks the hallway closets, her and Olivia's bedroom, the living room…every there she can think of. But it's nowhere to be found.
"Noah?" Alex says as she finds him sitting on the couch reading a comic book with what little light they have in the living room. "Have you seen the radio?"
"Probably in the boxes I helped mom carry to the basement." He puts his book down and stands. "I'll help you look."
Alex grabs the flashlight from kitchen counter drawer and gives it to Noah and turns on phone flashlight for herself.
The basement has always freaked Alex out, even when there is an overhead light. It's drafty, dark, has a weird smell, and looks like it could be hiding sinister forces bent on destroying her.
Okay, maybe she's seen one too many movies.
They start digging through boxes. Alex finds things she had no idea they kept; a box of clothes that were definitely unfortunate choices for her and makes her wince when she rediscovers them.
"Is mom's friend okay?" Noah asks and it takes Alex a moment to figure out he's talking about Casey.
"Yes, honey. But her mom died so she's very upset. So I want you to be nice to her, okay? She's going to stay with us for a little bit."
Noah rips into another box. "That's very sad. I'll tell her I'm sorry when she's feeling better. She's nice. She's watched me before."
Alex ruffles Noah's hair. "You're such a good boy."
They find the radio a short while later and Noah rummages through the kitchen drawers until he finds some batteries. Alex is hesitant about trying to find a station in front of Noah, so she decides to wait until Olivia is home to try and tune in.
Alex and Noah pass the time by playing a board game by candlelight and Noah winning every round. He thinks it's absolutely hilarious that he beats Alex every time, and she can't help but laugh at his excitement.
"Do I have to do my homework?" he suddenly asks.
"We don't know what's going to happen with school right now. But no, I'm saying you don't have to worry about your homework today."
Noah likes that answer. He excused himself to his room to play his Nintendo Switch until the battery runs out, and Alex decides she better make Casey something to eat and check up on her. She had promised Olivia, after all.
"Casey?" Alex calls out, knocking gently on the door to the guest room. She waits a few seconds and then opens it, being careful not to drop the sandwich off the plate.
Casey is in the guest bed, but she sits up when Alex enters. She wipes her eyes on the sweatshirt she's wearing - one of Olivia's NYPD hoodies.
She definitely looks rough. Alex can tell she's been crying. Her eyes are puffy and red, and there are several tissues wadded up on the nightstand.
Alex forces a smile. "Hey. I brought you some food. I know you probably aren't hungry, but…at least it's something."
Casey takes the plate from Alex and quietly thanks her.
Alex has never been good in these situations. She can be sympathetic but it's hard for her to find comforting words when someone needs to hear it. Especially someone she isn't close to.
"I'm very sorry about your mother. And your apartment," Alex says. "Olivia told me. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need. And if you need to talk about it, I'm here."
But please don't need to talk about it. Please.
Casey puts the plate on the nightstand next to the bed. "Thank you."
Alex nods, taking it as her cue to leave. "I'll let you be. If you need anything, let one of us know. Olivia went to check on the rest of our friends but when she gets back we're going to try and tune a station on the radio."
Casey doesn't seem very interested in socializing so Alex leaves the guest room, closing the door behind her. It's going to be awkward having her there, but what can they do, really? You can't throw someone out on the street. Alex decides she will just have to find a way to get along with her, at least while she's in their house.
2.
Olivia had been gone for over three hours. Alex was becoming nervous. Her phone still did not have a signal so she had no way to contact her. Noah had asked where his mom was and Alex just told him she was out helping people. And she hoped against all hope that was the truth.
She curled up on the couch with a sherpa blanket. It was cold. much too cold for May. They still had no electricity and therefore no heat. She hoped the power would come back on before it got too unbearably cold or else they would be in trouble.
She leaned against the throw pillow and attempted to close her eyes. Maybe she could take a nap and Olivia would be back by the time she woke up. But she kept fidgeting, her nerves making it impossible to sleep.
She finally started to drift off - or at least she thinks she did - when she's awakened by someone standing in front of the couch.
She's startled and sits upright, only calming herself when she discovers it's Casey. She pulls herself into a proper sitting position. She hadn't expected to see her out of the guest room.
"Is there something I can do for you?" Alex asks.
Casey nods at the radio sitting on the end table. "Did you get any news?"
Alex looks at the radio and clears her throat. "I haven't tried yet. I was going to wait for Olivia."
"We probably shouldn't wait too long," Casey says. "Do you mind if I try?"
Alex all but glares at her. "Yes, I do mind. I don't know how good the batteries are. I want to wait for Olivia."
Casey doesn't argue with her. Instead she sits down in the chair across from the couch and looks out the window.
Alex doesn't know what to say to her. She wants to be sensitive given she just lost her mother, but at the same time she won't put up with Casey trying to pick fights. They aren't at work right now and she doesn't have to tolerate it.
Olivia returns before Alex gets a chance to say anything. She has no one with her, and hurriedly rushes into the house. She sees Casey and Alex in the living room and immediately calls for Casey to join her in the hallway, just out of earshot of Alex. Casey does as she is asked, and Alex stands, straining to hear what they are talking about.
She takes the whispering all of two minutes before she barges into the hallway, interrupting their conversation. Casey is holding a hand gun and she quickly tucks it into her belt loop.
"What's the secret? What did you find?"
Olivia looks at Casey and then at Alex. Casey excuses herself so they can speak in private, and Alex's attention is solely on Olivia. "What was that about?"
"I gave Casey a gun. I know you don't like them, Alex, but we need another person armed and Casey knows how to shoot."
Alex frowns. "Why is that so important?"
"Things are expected to get bad. There is already looting everywhere. Talk of food shortages, trucks not being able to deliver due to the tsunamis and manufacturing plants not being able to operate with no electricity. Crops are going to be affected by decreased sunlight. People may get desperate, Alex. Try to steal from other people. We just have to be prepared."
Alex swallows. If she was scared before, now she's petrified. "How did you find all this out?"
"The radio in the car," Olivia quickly explains. "There won't be any gas either after the pumps are dry. We have to get what we can, and quickly."
Alex runs her hands through her hair. She can't believe this; it's like a movie. It can't be real life.
"Did you find anyone? Any of our friends?"
"Elliot and his family are fine, at least for now. There was...nothing left of Amanda's building. It was in the same state as Casey's." She has tears in her eyes, but continues. "Finn gave me some extra guns and ammo. He's going to try and go north and find his son, make sure he's okay. I couldn't locate anyone else. Nothing is left of the precinct...I'm going to go to PD tomorrow and find out if they need officers or what exactly they plan to do."
It's a lot of information, and Alex's head is spinning. She tries to take it all in, to absorb it all and try and make it make sense. But none of it does.
"We are expected to be without electricity for awhile. We need to go get food and supplies before the stores can't remain open."
"Can they really close?" Alex asks. "People need to eat."
"When the food runs out and they have no product they won't have a choice. Most have solar generators, if any at all. If we don't have consistent power there is no way to remain open. We all have to go and get as many supplies as possible. All of us."
Olivia starts to walk away, but Alex catches her wrist and forces her to look at her.
Olivia looks like she has aged ten years in one day. Alex knows her like the back of her hand, and her face radiates stress and worry. Olivia is always the glue that holds everyone together. But Alex knows she doesn't have to be.
"Liv," she says. "Take a breath and slow down. We have time. You need to sit down and eat. You can't solve the world's problems in one night. Please. I know how you get."
Olivia's eyes shine tears but she refuses to let them fall. "I can't solve the world's problems, no. But I can make things easier for my son, my girlfriend and me. And that's what I'm going to do." She squeezes Alex's hand. "We do not have time to wait, Alex. I'm sorry."
Alex stands like a robot while Olivia goes and rounds up Noah and Casey. She can't believe what she's just heard. If Olivia is that worried, that urgent - then it must be bad.
Noah and Casey come into the kitchen with Olivia. "Casey, I'm so sorry to ask this of you right now, but we need your help." Casey nods and Olivia tosses her the keys to Alex's Volvo. "We need to take both cars and fill up the tanks. We have a gas can in the shed; Casey, grab that before you go."
She nods. "Let's go to the same store. The first place we find. Get anything you can. Preferably non-persihable food and drinks. Casey, you are in charge of getting basic supplies. Medicine, toilet paper, tampons, extra clothes...anything we can use. Me and Alex will get the food."
Casey heads out the door ahead of everyone else to grab the gas can and to get Alex's car out of the garage. Alex, Noah and Olivia pile out after her.
"This is crazy." Alex shakes her head. "Crazy, Olivia! We aren't going to run out of anything. Everyone is overreacting."
They climb into Olivia's SUV and Olivia waits until Casey has the Volvo pulled out and is behind her before she starts down the road.
"I'd rather be overprepared," Olivia tells her.
They pass the first gas station they come to. The line for the pumps is all the way down the road, and people are yelling angrily at each other. People are out of their vehicles and there appears to be fights. It's complete chaos.
"It's going to be like that at every one," Alex points out, biting her bottom lip. It's a habit she used to do when she had anxiety. She catches Olivia's eye. "It's going to be the same everywhere, Liv."
Olivia knows, but she keeps driving. They have to try; they just have to. They have no other options.
Noah remains quiet in the back and Olivia asks if he is okay, smiling at him in the mirror. He nods, but remains quiet.
They pull into the overflowing lot of the local grocery store. There are no parking spots, so Olivia motions for Casey to pull up next to her. She opens her window and leans out. "Go around the back. We'll find a spot."
And they do. They park next to the dumpster, one of the only available spots. Casey is out of the car first, locking it with the fob and standing waiting for the others to get out.
"Leave your purses," Casey says quickly as they get out. Olivia looks confused for a moment and then nods in understanding. She grabs only her wallet and shoves it into her jacket pocket.
"Why?" Alex asks, clutching hers. Olivia grabs it away from her without a word, takes her wallet, and proceeds to lock it in the car with hers. "Why are we leaving the purses?"
Olivia doesn't answer but when Alex asks again, Casey does. "Because someone will steal them."
Alex looks at Casey to respond but before she can, Olivia puts her hands on Noah and Alex's back and the four of them start walking around the building.
Alex can't stop thinking about what Casey said. People should be trying to help each other right now, not trying to steal from them.
People are coming and going, cart fulls of items being taken out of the store. Alex wonders if there will be anything left for them.
There's a handwritten sign as soon as they enter the store that reads "Each cart = $200." Power is on here, no doubt a generator.
They stop just inside the door and Olivia looks at Casey. "Have your gun?" Casey just nods.
It's then that Alex realizes both Olivia and Casey have their guns in their belt loops, concealed by their jackets. It makes her feel uneasy.
"You guys are acting like this is the end of the world."
Neither Olivia or Casey say anything and they split up, Casey going one way and Olivia, Alex and Noah staying together in the grocery section. They start throwing items into their two carts, not even paying full attention to what any of it is.
Noah asks for several things until Olivia tells him, "Whatever you want, honey. Don't ask, just put it in the cart."
The shelves are looking pretty bare but their carts are filling up well. In the canned goods aisle, a woman actually takes canned peaches right out of Alex's hand. Alex stands there, shocked, until Olivia tells her to keep going.
They hit the cereal aisle, Olivia just knocking boxes into the carts. Alex grabs as many protein and granola bars as she can and also grabs cookies and crackers. Noah has gathered juice boxes and gummy bears. They keep going, aisle to aisle, grabbing what they can, until their carts are filled.
They go to the front where the frazzled cashiers are taking money tossed at them and yelling at those who are running out of the store without paying, but they can do little to stop them. They stand and wait their turn and then Olivia throws her credit card down on the counter.
The male cashier shakes her head. "Cash only. Networks are down. We can't process cards."
"What?" Olivia says. She flips through her wallet, coming up with only forty in cash. "Alex, what cash do you have?"
"I don't carry cash. You know that."
Olivia is in a panic. They need these items. She's about to plead with the cashier when Casey appears behind her. "What's going on?"
"Cash only," Olivia says, spinning around to face Casey. She's already going through her wallet and she pulls out a large wad of cash, counting it quickly and throwing down six hundred dollars on the counter. Olivia is about to say something when Casey nudges her and tells her to go.
They break into a run once outside the store, pushing the carts around the building to where they parked. Thankfully their cars are still secure.
Olivia opens her hatch and throws a glance at Casey, who is already throwing items into the back of the Volvo. "I owe you one, Casey."
"Don't worry about it," is all Casey says, concentrating on getting as much into the car as she can. "Nicest car I've ever driven," she adds, trying to lighten the mood.
Alex, Olivia and Noah load their car up and then go over to help Casey. They toss item after item into the back. She got tooth paste, aspirin, vitamins, paper towel, toilet paper and various other items.
They close the doors on the Volvo once it's loaded, and they are startled to see a woman carrying a baby standing by the cars.
"Please. I need help," she pleads. "I don't have any cash. We need diapers and formula. Please. Can you spare anything? You have so much…"
The four of them exchange glances and Casey quickly goes through her wallet, handing the woman a fifty dollar bill. "It's all I have left. I'm sorry."
She pockets the money and looks at the cars. "Can you give me some stuff? I saw how much you brought out. Please."
Olivia directs Noah and Alex to the car. "I'm sorry. We have our own family to take care of. I am very sorry."
"Olivia," Alex says, surprised by her behavior. She was always the first to want to help someone. "We can give her - "
Olivia cuts her off. "No - we can't." She looks at Casey. "Let's go." Casey nods and gets into the Volvo, and Olivia follows suit.
The woman walks around to the driver's side and knocks on the window. Olivia locks the doors and starts to back up, ignoring the woman's desperate pleas.
"Mom," Noah says from the back. "Why can't we help that lady?"
Olivia starts to cry, not knowing how to explain to her son why they have to leave a woman and her baby standing by a dumpster while they head home with two car fulls worth of groceries.
hope you stay tuned! I have a LOT planned for this story