Driving across the countryside, Michael and Ziphorah were tired after a long day of work. She had dealt with crazy toddlers all day and he had dealt with barely working machines from the 80's and lazy coworkers throughout the day. Zippy never really cooked anymore and Mike didn't feel like cooking another meal again tonight.
"Would you want to eat out tonight Zippy? We could go to a sit down place and play board games" said Michael.
Zippy sighed. "That cuts into the money we're saving for a house. I want a house. We can't raise a family in a lousy RV" she said.
Annoyed, Michael said, "Okay, well would you mind cooking supper tonight?"
"Yes, I mind. I'm tired" she said. With a slight growl, she said, "fine, we can eat out. Where do you want to go?"
"Perhaps we could go to..." Michael paused as the civil alert sirens started to blare. It was midnight, and the weather was calm and the sky was clear, so it couldn't be a test or a storm.
Suddenly the city they were driving away from lit up like the dawn and the sky was white blue for a moment, then faded to black. The car was still running somehow, the EMP wasn't strong enough at this distance to take out the electronics.
"Zippy, pull over, we've got to get to a ditch!"
"I know! I know!" Zippy said.
Driving off the side of the road into the ditch, they stopped and huddled down together. More bright flashes, more dawn light at midnight, more sounds of distant continuous thunder.
"My kids!" Zippy said with tears flowing from her eyes, "they're gone! They're all gone! I feel so bad about scolding Jaden about, what was it about?! I don't even remember, but I was angry at him and now he's gone! My students are all gone!"
Mike hugged Zippy. "I'm sorry my love. Can't say I feel the same about my coworkers, but yeah, I'm sorry the kids are probably gone."
"They're gone, they're all gone!" Zippy cried.
Mike just kept hugging her, words wouldn't help. The flashes had stopped and everything was silent. There were clouds looming above the cities around them. Red and barely visible from the glow of fires below on this moonless night.
At least there was no wind. The clouds were full of radioactive fallout, so they were just as deadly as the initial blast.
"Zippy, could you turn the ignition and see if the car will still run?"
"What?! Why would you care about the car right now?!" Zippy said.
"It beats walking" said Michael.
"Fine" Zippy said as she started the car. "It works, there are you happy?"
"I'm happy you're still alive and with me. I love you" said Michael.
She cried and hugged him, "I love you too!"
02 Oct 2016, 9:41 pm
