Chapter 3: Doomsday
Very few people in Hazelnut could sleep that night, and the ones who could were constantly haunted by nightmares. Milo dreamed that he was the only one in town who had not made it into the shelter, and no one had noticed since the crowd was so big. Even worse, Pepper Ann and Nicky swore up and down that they saw Milo go in with them, but since it was filled to capacity, they couldn't stand next to each other. Just as the radiation from the meteor was about to vaporize him, he woke up screaming.
As frightening as Milo's dream was, Nicky's took the cake. In her dream, everyone in town had made it into the shelter, but it wasn't nearly as strong as the mayor had told them. As the meteor approached, the radiation caused the shelter to start melting. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before they would be turned to dust. The instant before they became ashes, she woke up in a cold sweat.
It was four in the morning. Pepper Ann, incredulous, asked a question she had been dying to ask. "How in the name of Astro-Fuzzy can you two sleep when we're about to be squashed by a giant rock?"
"PA, trust me when I say this. Right now, I wish I were an insomniac, like you. Sure, I've been able to sleep, but 'peaceful' is not a word I would use to describe it. 'Restless' is more like it."
Nicky echoed Milo's sentiments. "If I could stay awake, I would. Unfortunately, I so used to going to sleep at nine that it's become automatic. It's only an hour earlier than I usually get up, but like Milo, I have been hurt more than helped by sleep."
Without realizing it, the three closest friends in all of Hazelnut proper had come together in a group hug, shivering and sweating. There was no one else in that particular room, so they tried to soothe each other even after they noticed. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days as they anxiously awaited their town's final moment.
At seven, the three of them were called to the television to watch the news. Sherry Spleen was on location, much to the amazement of everyone within the confines of Nicky's house. The report was no different than the one of four weeks ago, except that it was determined that the meteor would strike in approximately twelve hours. The mayor urged everyone to file into the shelter immediately. No one second-guessed him, and the shelter was nearly filled to capacity by ten. Nine hours to go.
During those nine hours, everyone decided whether they would move or stay and help rebuild. Defying human nature (especially in this day and age), very few of them wanted to leave. Almost everyone vowed to stick around and assist in what they knew would be a Herculean task. At six o'clock that afternoon, the countdown began. The end was near.
TO BE CONTINUED
Very few people in Hazelnut could sleep that night, and the ones who could were constantly haunted by nightmares. Milo dreamed that he was the only one in town who had not made it into the shelter, and no one had noticed since the crowd was so big. Even worse, Pepper Ann and Nicky swore up and down that they saw Milo go in with them, but since it was filled to capacity, they couldn't stand next to each other. Just as the radiation from the meteor was about to vaporize him, he woke up screaming.
As frightening as Milo's dream was, Nicky's took the cake. In her dream, everyone in town had made it into the shelter, but it wasn't nearly as strong as the mayor had told them. As the meteor approached, the radiation caused the shelter to start melting. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before they would be turned to dust. The instant before they became ashes, she woke up in a cold sweat.
It was four in the morning. Pepper Ann, incredulous, asked a question she had been dying to ask. "How in the name of Astro-Fuzzy can you two sleep when we're about to be squashed by a giant rock?"
"PA, trust me when I say this. Right now, I wish I were an insomniac, like you. Sure, I've been able to sleep, but 'peaceful' is not a word I would use to describe it. 'Restless' is more like it."
Nicky echoed Milo's sentiments. "If I could stay awake, I would. Unfortunately, I so used to going to sleep at nine that it's become automatic. It's only an hour earlier than I usually get up, but like Milo, I have been hurt more than helped by sleep."
Without realizing it, the three closest friends in all of Hazelnut proper had come together in a group hug, shivering and sweating. There was no one else in that particular room, so they tried to soothe each other even after they noticed. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days as they anxiously awaited their town's final moment.
At seven, the three of them were called to the television to watch the news. Sherry Spleen was on location, much to the amazement of everyone within the confines of Nicky's house. The report was no different than the one of four weeks ago, except that it was determined that the meteor would strike in approximately twelve hours. The mayor urged everyone to file into the shelter immediately. No one second-guessed him, and the shelter was nearly filled to capacity by ten. Nine hours to go.
During those nine hours, everyone decided whether they would move or stay and help rebuild. Defying human nature (especially in this day and age), very few of them wanted to leave. Almost everyone vowed to stick around and assist in what they knew would be a Herculean task. At six o'clock that afternoon, the countdown began. The end was near.
TO BE CONTINUED