Chapter 7
* * * * * * * * * *
Alicia stood behind Merrill and Graham as they boarded up the windows.
"Can I help?" she asked.
"No," Graham said, "but you and Merrill need to get whatever you need out of the garage house- in case they get in there."
Alicia looked at Merrill, who said, "You heard him. Let's go."
They left the house and Alicia grasped Merrill's hand tightly as they quickly walked across the backyard.
"Merrill?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
He didn't say anything as he let go of her hand and went up the stairs in front of her. She followed behind and as they packed their things, no words were exchanged. Alicia finished before Merrill did, so she waited for him outside and lit a cigarette. He came out a few minutes later and she handed him the cigarette.
"Wanna finish this for me?"
He took it from her, took two drags, and then threw it on the ground.
"Come on, Ali. We don't have all day."
Alicia was becoming angrier each time that Merrill spoke to her. She tried her best to keep up with him as they walked across the backyard, but he purposely walked in front of her. Finally, she caught up with him and grabbed his arm.
"OK, I get it!" she said, "You're pissed because the marriage thing didn't work out today. And I don't know if you've been awake lately, but the world could very well end in the next 24 hours. Have you processed that yet? THE WORLD COULD BE ENDING! I don't need a ring or a legal document to know in my heart that I love you! And if this could be my last hours here on Earth, I want to spend them with you- married or not married."
Alicia left him standing there as she went into the house. He looked down on the ground and saw one of Morgan's baseballs lying there. He picked it up, extended his arm back, and threw it at far as he could into the corn.
'End of the world my ass,' he thought to himself as he picked up his things and went into the house.
"Uncle Merrill, come here!" Morgan yelled, "We're in the closet!"
Merrill put his things down in the kitchen and went to the closet, where Alicia, Morgan, and Bo were watching the TV. Morgan and Bo were sharing the chair, while Alicia was sitting on the floor next to them. Graham appeared at the door as well and they all listened to the TV.
"Tel Aviv joins Nairobi, Lagos and Jerusalem as the latest to confirm the appearance of lights. There are lights in the skies over an estimated two hundred and seventy four cities. That total could be as high as four hundred within the hour."
Alicia covered her mouth with her hand and gasped, "Oh my God. They're everywhere."
Bo climbed off of the chair and curled into a ball in Alicia's lap.
Morgan said, "They think these look like stages immediately proceeding an attack maneuver."
Merrill replied, "It's like War of the Worlds."
"They think it might happen all at once."
The news anchor on TV said, "Hundreds of thousands have flocked to synagogues, churches and temples. Ground forces are being assembled in countries throughout the globe.."
Graham said, "I'm going to get back to the windows."
Merrill, Alicia, Bo, and Morgan stayed in the closet. Merrill kneeled behind the kids.
"Are you guys OK?"
"Some guy had a sign that said it was the end of the world. Nothing really bad is going to happen, is it Uncle Merrill?"
"Don't worry."
Under his breath, Morgan mumbled, "I wish that you were our dad instead."
Alicia replied, "Morgan."
Merrill stared at him and asked, "What did you say?"
Morgan didn't reply.
"I don't want to ever, ever hear you say that again. Ever. You understand?"
He nodded his head, but it was obvious that he didn't mean it. Merrill left and helped Graham board the windows, while Alicia watched TV with the kids. About 45 minutes or so later, Graham appeared at the closet door.
"Everyone come in the family room, please."
Alicia turned off the TV and left the closet with the kids. Everyone was too scared to even sit.
"We'll have to board up the bedroom doors," Graham said.
Morgan asked, "Where are we going to sleep?"
"In here."
"What about Isabelle?"
"We'll keep her in the garage, after dinner."
Merrill said, "I'll make sandwiches."
Bo tugged at his leg.
"I want spaghetti."
"We should eat fast, Bo."
Graham counteracted his brother's decision.
"Spaghetti sounds great. What do you want, Morgan?"
Morgan paused for a moment and then asked, "Anything?"
Graham nodded.
"French toast... and mashed potatoes."
"Now we're talking. How about you, Merrill?"
Merrill looked at Alicia, and then at Graham.
"Chicken teriyaki."
"Alicia?"
"A bowl of Rice Krispies with sugar- with french fries on the side."
"Good choice..I'm going to have a cheeseburger with bacon. Extra bacon."
They all helped with dinner, and then sat down at the table to eat. However, reality hit them when they realized they couldn't avoid their fear- the windows of the dining room where boarded up. The food sat untouched in the middle of the table. Everyone was too scared to eat.
"What's the matter with everyone?" Graham asked, "Eat."
A few moments of awkward silence passed before Morgan said, "I'm scared."
"Me too," replied Bo.
"Me three," Alicia added.
Graham shot her an evil look, as if she were adding fuel to the fire.
"Alicia, you're supposed to comfort the kids, not scare them more."
"I can't help but be scared, Graham. Sorry if it offends you."
Merrill added, "Sorry seems to be your key word today."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You can't fix everything with that one little word."
"Wait! Where did this come from? All I said was that I was scared, and both of you go off on me? This is ridiculous."
"No, I think you're the one being ridiculous."
"You know what I think, Merrill? I think that you can be the most selfish son of a bitch I know when you want to."
"Good, I'm glad you think that, because you know what? Sometimes you can be a stuck-up brat. You think that you're the only one who suffered a loss because of the accident."
Alicia lost all of her composure. She didn't care about the kids or Graham being there, and she struck Merrill across the face with the palm of her hand.
"How dare you say that? You weren't even there when it happened- you were out of town, remember? I'm going to take the accident hard for the rest of my life! My older sister, my pillar of strenght, pushed me out of the way when she saw that truck coming. I heard her hip bone shatter when the truck hit her. I felt the baby stop moving and kicking as I was on the ground bleeding. Not only did I lose my sister, but I lost my daughter as well- so sorry if I can't get over it fast enough for you, Merrill!"
Merrill felt as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He had never wanted to learn the sex of their baby, out of grief and sorrow.
"We..we..were going to have a daughter? A little girl?"
Alicia attempted to get up and leave the room.
Merrill grabbed her arm and said, "Where are you going? You can't go anywhere!"
Morgan said, "Uncle Merrill, you're hurting her!"
"Stay out of this, Morgan!"
Bo was crying and whimpering.
"Stop crying!" Graham exclaimed.
"Don't yell at her!" Morgan snapped back.
"Fine, if you all don't want to eat, then I'm going to have some of everything."
Graham began putting a pile of each dish on his plate. Alicia had left the room and was sitting in the family room, on the couch. Everything suddenly came down on her. The threat of the attack, thinking about the accident, and the fight with Merrill got the best of her, and she broke down crying. It was almost as bad, if not worse, than when she had become upset earlier at the sight of the accident. Merrill heard her and came into the room. He sat beside her as she cried, but she flinched and pushed him away.
"Stay away from me," she sobbed, "I hate you."
"You don't mean that."
"I mean the same way I used to say I loved you."
This hurt Merrill more than words could say.
He bit his lip to avoid from crying as he talked.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he looked into her eyes, "for everything. I'm sorry for not being there the night of the accident. I'm sorry for not playing to the best of my abilities in the minor leagues. I'm sorry for not trying to understand you. And I'm sorry for not giving you the life you deserve."
By the time he said 'deserve,' he was uncontrollably crying. They embraced and sobbed so hard that it was hard for them to catch their breath. They rocked each other back and forth, apologizing over and over again. It was the first time they had ever let out pent-up emotions together. Finally, they let each other go and Merrill gave Alicia a kiss.
"I love you..and I know that you love me. So no matter how mad you ever get at me, I want you to promise me that you'll never, ever, use the word hate again like you did a minute ago."
"I won't..I love you too, Merrill."
He took her in his arms again and said, "It's OK to be scared. Don't tell Graham or the kids, but I am too. I.."
They could hear the static coming from the baby monitor in the other room. They got up and went into the dining room immediately. Graham, who was already up, walked past them and went to the closet. He turned on the TV, only to be met with an emergency broadcast symbol. He looked at his family with a slight glimpse of fear in his eyes.
"It's happening," he whispered.
* * * * * * * * * *
Alicia stood behind Merrill and Graham as they boarded up the windows.
"Can I help?" she asked.
"No," Graham said, "but you and Merrill need to get whatever you need out of the garage house- in case they get in there."
Alicia looked at Merrill, who said, "You heard him. Let's go."
They left the house and Alicia grasped Merrill's hand tightly as they quickly walked across the backyard.
"Merrill?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry."
He didn't say anything as he let go of her hand and went up the stairs in front of her. She followed behind and as they packed their things, no words were exchanged. Alicia finished before Merrill did, so she waited for him outside and lit a cigarette. He came out a few minutes later and she handed him the cigarette.
"Wanna finish this for me?"
He took it from her, took two drags, and then threw it on the ground.
"Come on, Ali. We don't have all day."
Alicia was becoming angrier each time that Merrill spoke to her. She tried her best to keep up with him as they walked across the backyard, but he purposely walked in front of her. Finally, she caught up with him and grabbed his arm.
"OK, I get it!" she said, "You're pissed because the marriage thing didn't work out today. And I don't know if you've been awake lately, but the world could very well end in the next 24 hours. Have you processed that yet? THE WORLD COULD BE ENDING! I don't need a ring or a legal document to know in my heart that I love you! And if this could be my last hours here on Earth, I want to spend them with you- married or not married."
Alicia left him standing there as she went into the house. He looked down on the ground and saw one of Morgan's baseballs lying there. He picked it up, extended his arm back, and threw it at far as he could into the corn.
'End of the world my ass,' he thought to himself as he picked up his things and went into the house.
"Uncle Merrill, come here!" Morgan yelled, "We're in the closet!"
Merrill put his things down in the kitchen and went to the closet, where Alicia, Morgan, and Bo were watching the TV. Morgan and Bo were sharing the chair, while Alicia was sitting on the floor next to them. Graham appeared at the door as well and they all listened to the TV.
"Tel Aviv joins Nairobi, Lagos and Jerusalem as the latest to confirm the appearance of lights. There are lights in the skies over an estimated two hundred and seventy four cities. That total could be as high as four hundred within the hour."
Alicia covered her mouth with her hand and gasped, "Oh my God. They're everywhere."
Bo climbed off of the chair and curled into a ball in Alicia's lap.
Morgan said, "They think these look like stages immediately proceeding an attack maneuver."
Merrill replied, "It's like War of the Worlds."
"They think it might happen all at once."
The news anchor on TV said, "Hundreds of thousands have flocked to synagogues, churches and temples. Ground forces are being assembled in countries throughout the globe.."
Graham said, "I'm going to get back to the windows."
Merrill, Alicia, Bo, and Morgan stayed in the closet. Merrill kneeled behind the kids.
"Are you guys OK?"
"Some guy had a sign that said it was the end of the world. Nothing really bad is going to happen, is it Uncle Merrill?"
"Don't worry."
Under his breath, Morgan mumbled, "I wish that you were our dad instead."
Alicia replied, "Morgan."
Merrill stared at him and asked, "What did you say?"
Morgan didn't reply.
"I don't want to ever, ever hear you say that again. Ever. You understand?"
He nodded his head, but it was obvious that he didn't mean it. Merrill left and helped Graham board the windows, while Alicia watched TV with the kids. About 45 minutes or so later, Graham appeared at the closet door.
"Everyone come in the family room, please."
Alicia turned off the TV and left the closet with the kids. Everyone was too scared to even sit.
"We'll have to board up the bedroom doors," Graham said.
Morgan asked, "Where are we going to sleep?"
"In here."
"What about Isabelle?"
"We'll keep her in the garage, after dinner."
Merrill said, "I'll make sandwiches."
Bo tugged at his leg.
"I want spaghetti."
"We should eat fast, Bo."
Graham counteracted his brother's decision.
"Spaghetti sounds great. What do you want, Morgan?"
Morgan paused for a moment and then asked, "Anything?"
Graham nodded.
"French toast... and mashed potatoes."
"Now we're talking. How about you, Merrill?"
Merrill looked at Alicia, and then at Graham.
"Chicken teriyaki."
"Alicia?"
"A bowl of Rice Krispies with sugar- with french fries on the side."
"Good choice..I'm going to have a cheeseburger with bacon. Extra bacon."
They all helped with dinner, and then sat down at the table to eat. However, reality hit them when they realized they couldn't avoid their fear- the windows of the dining room where boarded up. The food sat untouched in the middle of the table. Everyone was too scared to eat.
"What's the matter with everyone?" Graham asked, "Eat."
A few moments of awkward silence passed before Morgan said, "I'm scared."
"Me too," replied Bo.
"Me three," Alicia added.
Graham shot her an evil look, as if she were adding fuel to the fire.
"Alicia, you're supposed to comfort the kids, not scare them more."
"I can't help but be scared, Graham. Sorry if it offends you."
Merrill added, "Sorry seems to be your key word today."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You can't fix everything with that one little word."
"Wait! Where did this come from? All I said was that I was scared, and both of you go off on me? This is ridiculous."
"No, I think you're the one being ridiculous."
"You know what I think, Merrill? I think that you can be the most selfish son of a bitch I know when you want to."
"Good, I'm glad you think that, because you know what? Sometimes you can be a stuck-up brat. You think that you're the only one who suffered a loss because of the accident."
Alicia lost all of her composure. She didn't care about the kids or Graham being there, and she struck Merrill across the face with the palm of her hand.
"How dare you say that? You weren't even there when it happened- you were out of town, remember? I'm going to take the accident hard for the rest of my life! My older sister, my pillar of strenght, pushed me out of the way when she saw that truck coming. I heard her hip bone shatter when the truck hit her. I felt the baby stop moving and kicking as I was on the ground bleeding. Not only did I lose my sister, but I lost my daughter as well- so sorry if I can't get over it fast enough for you, Merrill!"
Merrill felt as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He had never wanted to learn the sex of their baby, out of grief and sorrow.
"We..we..were going to have a daughter? A little girl?"
Alicia attempted to get up and leave the room.
Merrill grabbed her arm and said, "Where are you going? You can't go anywhere!"
Morgan said, "Uncle Merrill, you're hurting her!"
"Stay out of this, Morgan!"
Bo was crying and whimpering.
"Stop crying!" Graham exclaimed.
"Don't yell at her!" Morgan snapped back.
"Fine, if you all don't want to eat, then I'm going to have some of everything."
Graham began putting a pile of each dish on his plate. Alicia had left the room and was sitting in the family room, on the couch. Everything suddenly came down on her. The threat of the attack, thinking about the accident, and the fight with Merrill got the best of her, and she broke down crying. It was almost as bad, if not worse, than when she had become upset earlier at the sight of the accident. Merrill heard her and came into the room. He sat beside her as she cried, but she flinched and pushed him away.
"Stay away from me," she sobbed, "I hate you."
"You don't mean that."
"I mean the same way I used to say I loved you."
This hurt Merrill more than words could say.
He bit his lip to avoid from crying as he talked.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he looked into her eyes, "for everything. I'm sorry for not being there the night of the accident. I'm sorry for not playing to the best of my abilities in the minor leagues. I'm sorry for not trying to understand you. And I'm sorry for not giving you the life you deserve."
By the time he said 'deserve,' he was uncontrollably crying. They embraced and sobbed so hard that it was hard for them to catch their breath. They rocked each other back and forth, apologizing over and over again. It was the first time they had ever let out pent-up emotions together. Finally, they let each other go and Merrill gave Alicia a kiss.
"I love you..and I know that you love me. So no matter how mad you ever get at me, I want you to promise me that you'll never, ever, use the word hate again like you did a minute ago."
"I won't..I love you too, Merrill."
He took her in his arms again and said, "It's OK to be scared. Don't tell Graham or the kids, but I am too. I.."
They could hear the static coming from the baby monitor in the other room. They got up and went into the dining room immediately. Graham, who was already up, walked past them and went to the closet. He turned on the TV, only to be met with an emergency broadcast symbol. He looked at his family with a slight glimpse of fear in his eyes.
"It's happening," he whispered.