Devastation Erupts Read online

  Jeff wanders back to the living room. From the slight shuffling noise, I’m guessing he’s relocating cushions and bags, organizing them around the fold-out bed that’s monopolizing a chunk of space.

  A few minutes later, a set of footsteps join him in the living room and whispering voices carry to the kitchen, although I can’t make out any of the words. Rossana strains the pasta while Riley delivers the salad to the table.

  As if an imaginary dinner bell has rung, the guys amble through the kitchen toward the connected dining room. They choose seats along the sides of the sturdy oak surface, leaving the head of the table open for our host.

  When the pasta, sauce, and bread arrive, the clanking of serving utensils on plates is the only sound for a few minutes.

  “Everything looks wonderful,” Jeff announces, eyes smiling as wide as his lips.

  “And I bet it tastes even better,” Aidan adds, although his words are flat, and his eyes lack luster.

  With a soft smile, Rossana thanks them. She forks a few noodles before asking, “So, you were traveling across the country recently?” Aidan and Jeff exchange a glance before Jeff answers.

  “Well, along the East Coast really. We went from Pennsylvania to Delaware and Virginia and then back up. As soon as everything clears up, we’ll head back to Pennsylvania. That’s home for all of us,” he waves his fork in a slow circle so that its imaginary loop encompasses all four of us.

  Gulping down a bite, she casually asks, “So, along your travels, did you notice anything strange?” My narrowed eyes meet Riley’s. What’s normal anymore?

  “Strange, how?” I ask, unclear of where this conversation is going. She lays her fork on the table beside the plate and leans forward as if sharing a secret.

  “I spend a great deal of time outdoors,” she explains. Funny, her pale skin doesn’t imply that she regularly soaks up the sun’s rays. Brushing aside the observation, I refocus my attention but before she can continue, Riley interrupts.

  “That reminds me! The pictures in our room,” she smiles, proud of the connection she’s made. “It’s like you brought the outdoors inside. They’re just stunning,” she gushes.

  “Thank you, I actually shot those,” Rossana says humbly. “I’m a photographer. My favorite subject is animals in their natural habitat.” Her eyes sweep across us cautiously as if she’s weighing how much more to say.

  “Well you’re very talented,” Riley says, raising her glass for a sip of water. “They’re amazing.”

  “Yeah, I’ve seen some pretty amazing things for my work over the years,” Rossana shares, a darkness washing over her distant eyes. “But in more recent months, I’ve started seeing some strange things too.”

  Chapter 50

  A chill wraps around my soul. Resting the fork on her plate, Riley wraps one hand around the other, asking, “What kind of things?” The lights flicker for just a moment and alarm settles at the base of my spine. We all pause in anticipation of losing electricity, but it must have just been a hiccup.

  The delicious food before me suddenly loses its flavor. I subtly push the plate away, toward the center of the table, aligning all of my senses to the conversation.

  “Well,” Rossana starts, “I started noticing, not too long after the earthquake, that the trees around here seemed to drop their leaves early. Like, really early. And their trunks. Some of them started to darken and wither, as if they were dying.”

  “I noticed the leaves falling early too,” I add. “But that was farther south.” She glances at me before continuing.

  “And the animals, I’ve gone to the same spots for years to take photos, but subjects are becoming fewer and farther between,” she narrows her eyes, curiosity warring with frustration. “And the few I have seen acted…more aggressive than they normally would.”

  Jeff plunks his pointer finger down on the table, startling all of us.

  “Our friend.” His words are shaky. He closes his eyes for a few seconds before continuing with a stronger voice. “Our friend had a tick on him. We didn’t even know how long it was there, but by the time we saw it, it was pretty full with his blood.” He rubs the scruff grazing his chin.

  “But the weird thing about it was that the bullseye mark, you know how people can get that?” After Rossana nods intently, he continues. “It was black. Instead of a pink or red, it was dark as night.”

  Aidan’s eyes focus on no one, as if he’s talking to himself. “It’s like it was pure poison.” Slightly louder, he adds, “He died a few days later. We couldn’t get to a hospital or anything. There was nowhere to get help.”

  My eyes mist over at the memory. Riley stares at her plate. She wasn’t there when Wes died. She barely knew him. I barely knew him too, but in the short time that I did, he became a friend and a surrogate family member.

  “I’m sorry about your friend,” Rossana says softly. Then, looking around the table at each of us, she adds, “A lot of things fell apart in a short period of time. I’m sure you did what you could. It’s not your fault things turned out the way they did.”

  Gulping down emotions threatening to spill, Riley clears her throat and speaks. “I saw something too. When I was…I saw someone get bitten by fire ants, hundreds of them.” She’s talking about Dan. She still hasn’t told me everything that happened when he and Jim kidnapped her. I don’t ask, but when she does talk about it, I try to show that I’m willing to listen.

  “Anyway,” she shakes her head slightly. “I’d never seen anyone with bites like that before, but this was…I can’t imagine that’s what it’s like for everyone.” She shudders at the memory. “He had red bumps all over his body, with bulging white bubbles. His eyes got so swollen they were practically shut. He went from barely being able to move to his whole body convulsing.”

  “I don’t know,” she admits, “Maybe that’s a normal reaction, but I’ve never seen anything like it.” Rossana reaches toward Riley and places a palm on my sister’s arm. “Was your friend okay?”

  “Oh, well, yeah,” Riley adds almost as an afterthought. “We got to the base and the doctors there were able to help him. We were really lucky.” She flashes a sorrowful look at Aidan and Jeff.

  “Well, that’s good,” Rossana says solemnly. “And now, I guess we just wait for the ash to fall and settle to see what comes next.”

  After we all help clean up the kitchen, the four of us take turns showering and then settle in the lower level to relax before bed. Rossana wishes us a goodnight before she retreats to her bedroom, the satellite phone in hand. I’m guessing she’s awaiting another check-in with the sergeant.

  Jeff plays tug-of-war with Millie, attempting to pry a toy made of thick red rope from her mouth. She loves the challenge but doesn’t relent her grip. Riley snuggles in the recliner by the fire, her eyes drifting between them and the billowing flames.

  Capitalizing on the hint of privacy the distraction provides, I settle into the couch beside Aidan. When he turns toward me, I whisper, “Is everything okay? You seemed really distracted at dinner.”

  His surprised eyes turn grateful, as if he genuinely appreciates my concern. He rubs his chin, evaluating how much to share. The blue pools of his eyes turn serious when he says, “My dad kinda changed our plans. I should really tell the others.” He runs a hand through his hair, sending tufts in every direction. “I didn’t want to mention it at dinner. Rossana has her own problems and she doesn’t need to worry about our plans.” Worry about our plans? I don’t like where this is going.

  Chapter 51

  When Jeff finally tires of letting Millie win their game, he plops onto the open recliner. Aidan glances at me and I throw him a nod of encouragement. Now’s as good a time as any to hear his news.

  “So, guys,” he begins, drawing Riley’s and Jeff’s attention. “I called Jasmine. I told her about what’s happening so that her family can prepare. I just wanted you to know that. After that, I talked to my dad.”

  Relief shudders through me. I’m gl
ad he told Jasmine’s family. They deserve to know. Although how many other people out there deserve to know too? I’d say just about all of them—except for Ace.

  Jeff shifts in his chair, mild interest washing over his demeanor. “What’d he say?”

  “Well,” Aidan releases a deep breath. “He was hoping we’d be back by now. But since we’re not…he agrees that we should stay put until the ash settles.”

  Okay, that’s not so bad. That’s exactly what we were going to do anyway.

  “But, instead of just going home, he’s taking my mom and sisters somewhere that he thinks is safer.” Aidan’s eyes drift over each of us. “He talked to your parents, too, Jeff. And they all agreed. We should just meet up with them and kind of hide out for a few weeks, or until things start to clear up.”

  Riley’s worried eyes flash my way. Our next step is finding our aunt. I figured we’d see what she thinks we should do. She’s the closest thing we have to a parent right now.

  “Where are they going?” Jeff asks. “I mean, I’m fine with it, whatever it is they’re planning.”

  “Couturier Caverns,” Aidan replies. “It’s not far from home, and my dad thinks we should go underground until the ash clears. He’s been gathering supplies and today they’re taking everything there. He says we should just meet them there as soon as we can.”

  Jeff nods thoughtfully. But Aidan’s answer just opens up a new round of questions for me.

  “How is he planning to get in there? I mean, are you all going to just break in?” I cross my arms, attempting to compress the misplaced annoyance creeping through my veins. They’re making plans without us—which, of course they are—but the reality stings. They still have parents to return to. The four of us are not a family, and every trip we’ve made together has been to fulfill a temporary goal. I have to accept that we’re destined to part ways.

  Confusion swirls in Aidan’s eyes and he speaks slowly. “It’s near where we grew up.” He swirls a finger between him and Jeff. “I was kind of…I guess you could say…obsessed with the place as a kid. My parents got to know the owner because we spent so much time there. They became friends.”

  “Oh, then you guys have a great plan,” I admit, trying to conceal my jealousy.

  Aidan flashes me a dopey grin. “Well, I was kind of hoping it was your plan too. My dad said you two should come with us. I mean, I don’t know if you were planning to go home but you’d probably be safer with us.”

  My heart swells, warming any residual bitterness into oblivion. Fidgeting her hands, Riley shrugs. “We’ve got to go see if our aunt is okay. She has our dog and she’s our closest relative…but…could she come with us if she agrees?” She hitches a shoulder up, tilting her head my way.

  “Yes! That’s a great idea,” I agree. “I’m sure we can convince her! And it’s not too far from our house either. I remember going there on a field trip as a kid.”

  “Good,” Aidan says, beaming. “Then it’s settled.”

  Jeff claps his hands together once and adds, “And that dog of yours, you should bring him along too. If I’m gonna be trapped underground for who-knows-how-long, I could use a little canine companionship.” He rubs Millie’s ears as she gazes at him with sleepy eyes.

  We sit in thought-consumed silence for a while, each of us envisioning the days that lie just ahead.

  After several minutes, Millie’s ears twitch and her tail thumps the floor. She hears the approaching footsteps before the rest of us do. Rossana breezes down the steps, stopping just before me and Aidan.

  She thrusts the satellite phone toward us. “Someone would like to speak with you. All of you.” When Aidan tentatively takes the phone from her hand, she turns and strides up the steps, leaving us in privacy.

  “Hello?” I say, glancing at the others.

  “Hello,” the deep voice is easily recognizable. I smile, realizing this is the first time he hasn’t identified himself when he answered the phone.

  “I hear you’re all preparing to depart soon, and I wanted to talk to you before you go. Rossana’s going to give you a ham radio. Do not lose it. Keep it with you, wherever you go and turn it on a few times a day to see what messages you pick up. Can you do that?”

  Our voices overlap in an eagerness to respond.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  “We will.”

  “Good.” He sounds pleased. “Now, remember…try to always have a fail-safe. If you have any backup plan to make sure a mission doesn’t fail, do it! Whatever it takes, do everything you can to ensure your success.” We nod even though he can’t see.

  “Also, I have reason to believe that units will be deployed to locate survivors and,” he coughs as if his mouth doesn’t want to form the words, “round them up.”

  “What do you mean round them up?” Jeff interrupts, his face awash with anger.

  Bowen releases a sigh, fueled by enough tension to carry it clearly through the airwaves.

  “Let’s just say,” he says sharply. “That some of my privileges have been suspended and although I no longer have access to that information, it appears as though military forces will be strongly encouraging citizens to report to designated safe zones.”

  “Safe zones?” Riley questions. “Will people have a choice? I mean some people might—”

  “I don’t know,” Bowen’s voice cuts to a sharp-edged whisper. “Look, if you see any Humvees or military vehicles, avoid them. Get to your homes and stay out of sight.”

  Stunned by his harsh tone, silence swells on our end. Fearful eyes meet each other, searching for reassurance. Riley dazedly reaches a shaky hand to her nose, covering her trembling lower lip.

  “Look, I don’t know what the right answer is here.” Although we can’t see him, I imagine the sergeant’s confident façade crumbling before us. “I just know that this is about taking control. If the eruption is as bad as expected, it’s going to impact the availability of food and natural resources for years to come. And the government is going to establish who gets what resources and when.”

  “Thank you,” Aidan practically croaks, as if he’s speaking through a lump lodged in his throat. His eyes seem to reflect a deeper shade of blue when they’re burdened with unending anxiety. “We know you didn’t have to share all of this with us, and we appreciate it.”

  “Well, I appreciate you finding my wife.” The wall quickly rebuilds itself and Bowen’s confidence returns. “Now, before you hand the phone back to her, make sure you take the ham radio with you. If you don’t know how to use one, tinker around with it and figure it out. It may become a lifeline for you.”

  “Sergeant?” Riley cuts into the conversation. Her voice falters, hesitation slowing her next words. Determination hints in her eyes as she stares intently at the phone. “Do we need to be worried about our trackers?” So that’s where her mind is. “Like, is anyone watching where we’re going? Other than you?”

  The guys exchange glances. I’m the only one here without the tracking device in me, but it’s not like I’m leaving Riley’s side ever again, so I might as well be tracked too.

  “There’s too much happening right now,” the sergeant answers. “They’re watching groupings of trackers and patterns of movement but not individuals. That may change if things get worse, but don’t worry about it right now. Just stay focused on getting home.”

  We release a collective sigh of relief. “Thank you, sergeant,” Riley responds.

  “You’re welcome. Now I’ve got to attend to other matters.” He takes a breath before adding, “But one more thing: take care of yourselves. You may become the ones rebuilding this nation someday.”

  Chapter 52

  The call leaves my insides raw. I ache for the simpler times when Riley and I would dash through a sprinkler on a sweltering summer day, or when we’d soar down a snow-covered hill on matching orange plastic saucers. Back then our parents shouldered the worry. Now it weighs me down like a concrete vest, constricting my lungs
and hampering my every move. The only way to go is forward, but that terrifies me.

  Jeff rises to his feet, stretching. “I think my brain’s done enough thinking for one day. I’m going to bed.”

  Riley yawns in response. “That’s a good idea.” We return the phone to Rossana and bid her goodnight before retreating to our quarters. Almost immediately my aching muscles and weary mind release me from the darkness of the day.

  The numbers on the nightstand’s clock announce a new day but the shadows lurking in the corners cast the illusion of late-night hours. I slip out of bed slowly and pry my fingers between the blinds, peering out into the world. Morning has definitely arrived, but the sun makes no effort to kiss the horizon.

  A shiver slithers down my spine. Blanketed by a thick rolling fog, the sky projects an unforgiving, callous aura. Any other day, I would brush it off as a foggy morning, sure to evaporate as the sun’s powerful rays rise. I would chalk up the swarm of brown leaves choking the lawn to a seasonal change. But today my eyes appraise the hovering clouds of ash, wondering what poisons they harbor and what toxins have already been unleashed.

  Figuring there’s no rush to wake Riley, I tiptoe out of the room. Wandering down the hallway, I peek into the living room. Two non-moving lumps on the sofa bed confirm the guys are still sleeping. The rich, crisp smell of coffee drifts to my nose, luring me to the kitchen.

  Rossana stands staring out the glass sliding door, her hands clasped around a deep brown mug with ribbons of steam drifting from its contents. Millie watches from just a few feet away, curled up in a tan bed with patterns of white dog bones dancing along the fabric.

  “Good morning,” I whisper. Rossana turns toward me with a half-smile that doesn’t reach her solemn green eyes.

  “Morning,” she murmurs, her eyes shifting back outside. “Well, it’s happened.” Ambling across the marbled tile floor, I join her. Raising the mug to her lips, she takes a long sip before continuing.