Epilogue
Chapter Six: The Sky Is Falling
I really hated writing this chapter, and feel free to beat me up. I told you this was going to be a dark fic.
The morning brought sunlight, but no cheer. Adrian found that there were few people on the streets. Probably frightened, he thought, and with good reason. He was still distraught over the events of last night, and proceed to his classroom at Meridiana High in a daze. A shadow of worry crossed his mind when Lucas still hadn't arrived at first bell, but halfway through first period, he was greeted with the sight of a tired biology teacher making his way to his locked classroom.
Adrian was too distant to get much done in class, so, leaving the students with a worksheet, he exited his room and headed for Lucas'. I thought you'd be out today. Some of the teachers are, you know.
Yeah, the scared ones. Lucas looked up from his desk. Sorry to worry you, Adrian. Truth is, I really hadn't planned to come, but I needed to take care of a few things before this place shuts down.
Adrian's surprise was genuine. Shuts down?
Indefinitely. Oliver called everyone last night. He's so upset over the attack that he thinks we'll all be safer out of school.
Safe is a relative term.
Yeah, I know. Didn't he call you?
Adrian looked from side to side. Probably. I was out last night, though. I must have missed him. He smiled briefly. Too tired to check my answering machine, I guess.
Ah well, what can you do? Lucas grinned. He's announcing it during homeroom, at any rate, and then the kids are free to go.
I'll bet they don't take it seriously and spend the rest of the day cluttering the streets.
Kids are kids. They can't help being dumb, Lucas laughed.
The hallways after homeroom were as loud as ever, the students as obnoxious. And the teachers had their hands full. Stop running! I heard that word, Mr. Danvers! Oh break it up! Get out of here before I call the police.
Adrian and Lucas, not in the mood to be hall monitors, headed out together for a cup of coffee. Lucas, why exactly were you late this morning?
It's a long story, and it involves my ex-wife.
Adrian nearly choked. You were married?
And that's hard to believe, somehow?
Er. Not at all! Come on, Adrian laughed, I'll buy you coffee.
'bout time! was Lucas' response.
Lori Anderson and her gang had other plans. Coffee was for the teachers, not for students without school. With a free afternoon ahead of her, the possibilities were endless, and Lori didn't plan to waste her day in the same, dilapidated alley. Come on, braindeads, think of somewhere to go!
We could go get something to eat...
Or start a mosh pit!
Lori smacked the forehead of the unfortunate follower who had suggested this. Are you crazy? She crossed her arms. I don't want the police after us again!
grumbled the boy, YOU think of something.
I will! Lori snapped, and sat down on a bench to think. Got it, she declared in a few moments. We'll take the long way to the waterfront and see if we can find any boat junk.
An' what's so great about that? Me mum says if I bring home anymore useless junk', I have to move to the garage with it.
Good idea. Take the stink with ya.
A brief fight followed, which Lori broke up with a few sharp kicks. Ohh, FINE. We'll just go scout the outskirts of town, then, and pick a fight with some coot.
The outskirts were just as Lori had remembered: falling apart. No one walked the streets, they just sat in corners, mumbling and fiddling with their few clothes. The boys had a strange desire to pick at these people, but at glares from Lori settled for punching each other in the shoulder.
one said after a half hour of walking, what are we looking for?
I dunno, she confessed.
Ah geez.
Hold up- Lori tilted her head in the hot sun, listening. She lowered her voice. Get behind something. There's a whole lot of people coming. She ducked behind a stand of rotten oranges, covering her nose at the smell. Two boys scattered across the street, one leaping into a dumpster, the other ducking into an open doorway. Her closest friend ducked around the edge of her building. Lori... You think it's something bad?
Gotta be. They don't hold parades down here... Shh. She focused on the street in front of her, straining to see any sort of movement.
A loud boom startled her, and she flung herself back against the wall. What the hell- She got up and looked out. More explosions rung in her ears, as well as the rat-a-tats of machine guns. Oh no oh no oh no...
The boys across the street could no longer be seen. Lori glanced behind her. Hey, Jitter? You okay?
Nuh uh, came the frightened whisper. The fuck's going on, Lori? What the fuck's going on?
Lori looked up again and almost screamed. Aren't those the goons... hey! Those guys captured me! Jitter? Jitter, we might be in real trouble now... She watched in horror as a woman holding a child peered out from the house in front of her. The strange creatures didn't stop to ask questions, and it didn't seem to matter who the people were; mother and child were peppered with bullet wounds, both slamming back and falling to the dusty ground, where the blood pooled. Jitter, don't look.
I'm tryin', I can't stop....
BOOM. Lori saw a flash of fiery light, then a brilliant white flooded her vision. She shaded her eyes and squinted. The house was collapsing, almost in slow motion. Then, in a rush, the dust and rubble blew over them, coating the oranges in a fine layer of filth. Lori coughed violently once or twice. Jitter had pulled back behind the wall, shielding himself from the dust. he called, you okay?
Yeah, I'm just- Oh NO! One of the Technos was aiming at the building across the street. Jitter, they're going to- BOOM. The doorway that had been a refuge minutes before was now a crumbling deathtrap. Rafters and stone crashed to the ground, leaving almost nothing behind but a pile of rubble. Lori coughed and strained frantically to see any signs of life, but the dumpster had been buried along with the house.
Oh, no, no no! Lori wiped at her dusty cheeks. Jitter, we gotta get outta here, we just have to!
But Lori- What about Rift? Rift and Mike, Lori, they're in there
We're next! Lori leaped to her feet and grabbed Jitter's arm.
The two took off running, Jitter looking back towards the destruction. Uh- Lori, I think they're- His next words were cut off by the fierce rat-a-tats of the M-16s. Jitter kept up a few paces, then simply dropped to the ground, a hand over his side. Lori turned back to him and knelt beside him.
No, no, come on Jitter, get up!
Can't... you get out of here, Lori, you get out of here.
Jitter slumped forward, his breathing ragged as he lay in the dust.
No, I'm not going anywhere. Lori bent herself over him, a last gesture of protection for a friend as the bullets snapped and zinged past her. I'm not going anywhere.
A searing pain cut into her shoulder and upper torso, but quickly numbed. Lori couldn't be hurt anymore.
Jitter © Ptah Aegyptus
