Meteor

by Brad Knight

  “Oh my god, this is all really happening isn’t it?” Cordelia said as the seriousness of the situation began to dawn on her. Brandon just sat there with a bleak expression on his face. It looked as if all of the blood had drained from him.

  Cordelia burst into tears as Troy and Mary both hugged their daughter and tried to comfort her.

  “I’m not ever going to see my boyfriend again, am I?” Cordelia wept.

  “Now, we don’t know that,” Mary said as she hugged her husband and her daughter. “You have to be strong, my dear. We have to count our blessings right now. Things could actually be much worse than they are.” Mary was doing her best to hold her own tears back as she thought about the plight of not only the family, but the whole world.

  Troy moved his daughter’s chin up so that she could face him, and he wiped the tears away from her eyes.

  “Honey, we have a fighting chance at survival. Just think of how it would have been if the meteor had made direct contact with this country. We wouldn’t be standing here right now, alive and well,” Troy said, doing his best to try and help his family to see the bright side of things. Cordelia nodded her head like she understood, but then erupted into tears a few minutes later as she thought about what was to come.

  Mary tried her best to take her family’s mind off of the situation by fixing a dinner of ravioli and salad. The family sat around the table eating in silence, each one playing out different scenarios in their minds, none of them pleasant. Finally, the silence was broken as Brandon asked his father a question.

  “What will happen now, dad?”

  “Now,” Troy said, “we must do all we can to make the best of our situation here in the shelter. In the coming days, others will start to run out of their supplies, and you may hear people trying to get into the shelter, but you don’t have to worry. This shelter is built to withstand any sort of attack or forced entry. As you know, I also have the incinerator should we need it. Hopefully we won’t, but things will become increasingly desperate outside as the days go on.”

  Mary shot him a look as if he were saying too much. Obviously, this explanation was only further upsetting Cordelia, who had barely touched her food.

  “That’s enough, honey,” Mary said as she shot him a furtive glance.

  “They need to be prepared for what might happen. Don’t you think it’s better for them to prepare for it now rather than to be shocked once these things start occurring?” Troy asked her. She did not respond.

  “So can we help some of our friends and neighbors if they ask for it?” Brandon said.

  “This is where things will become difficult for us. We have enough supplies for the four of us to live comfortably for six to seven months without any need for a supply run. Anyone else we take in will put a strain on our resources and shorten the time that we have. So no matter how much people beg us, and they probably will, we cannot allow anyone else inside the shelter, do you understand?” Troy asked them with a look of concern on his face.

  “I understand,” Brandon said, looking as if he were prepared to accept the situation. Cordelia, however, was not so understanding. She burst into tears and ran upstairs to the bedroom while her mother followed her.

  “Honey,” Mary said as she got up to go after her daughter.

  “Hey dad,” Brandon said, as Troy looked at his son.

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks for building this shelter. Whatever you need for us to do, I am willing to do. I don’t know how, but I feel like somehow we will get through this together.”

  “Thank you son, that really means a lot. You are right, we will get through this if we stick together.” Troy hugged his son and smiled at him.

  Mary followed her daughter up the stairs and knocked on the bedroom door, which Cordelia had closed.

  “Honey, open this door,” Mary said as she listened to her daughter crying softly inside. “Honey, I just want to help you.”

  Finally a few seconds later, Cordelia opened the door, sniffing and wiping the tears from her eyes.

  She fell into her mother’s arms and let out even more uncontrollable sobs.

  “There, there, let it all out my dear,” Mary said as she kissed her daughter’s forehead. “You know your father is right. Things could certainly be a lot worse for us than they are. We are still alive and we have supplies to last us a long time. There is still hope for us. Think of those poor Africans that never had a fighting chance at survival.”

  Cordelia looked her in the eyes and nodded.

  Chapter 6

  The next several days, the family fell into a daily routine that helped them maintain some modicum of sanity. Every morning, they would come downstairs and have breakfast together like they had done every morning before the crisis. Then, Troy insisted that both Cordelia and Brandon work on schoolwork so that they wouldn’t get too far behind on their studies. They had most of their school textbooks with them so they were able to use these to keep up with their schooling.

  After lunch, Troy would go over the schoolwork with the children and correct any mistakes that they might have made. In the afternoon, they would have free time that they could spend in a variety of ways, but Troy also set up certain duties for them so that they could busy themselves with chores. He felt that that would help take their minds off what was happening with the outside world.

  Brandon was in charge of inventory of their supplies. He kept strict tabs on water, baking goods, and canned foods so that he could keep his father informed about what they had left and what they would need the most once provisions had gotten low. Luckily, the provisions were holding out much as Troy had planned. Cordelia was in charge of helping with cleaning and planning the meals with her mother.

  Troy focused a lot of his attention on the small garden that he had begun to plant in the spare room at the back of the kitchen. He had envisioned this project many months ago, but had only gathered about half of the seeds that he had planned to collect for his seed vault. He had seeds for tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, salad greens, squash, potatoes and pumpkins, to name a few. Most of the floor was covered with planters that contained small seedlings that had begun to flourish beneath the grow lights.

  The solar generators were still working quite well, but Troy began to get a bit worried when he gazed up at the surrounding landscape through the periscope that he had put in the roof. Although the day could get quite bright, there was a noticeable cloud of debris in the air that seemed to grow thicker with each passing day.

  Finally, one day, it looked as if the sun wasn’t going to come out at all. The generators were still operating at minimum capacity, providing the family with enough power to suit their needs.

  “How’s it looking up there?” Mary asked him as he continued to look out of the periscope.

  “It’s looking rather dark outside. The sky is filled with debris, and it seems to get more and more dark with each passing day,” he said with a look of worry.

  “How long before the generators fail?” Mary said, preparing herself for the worst.

  “They should be able to operate with a minimum amount of sunlight, so if things don’t get too much worse, we should be okay,” he said, trying to provide what little assurance he could muster.

  That night, the family played scrabble with one another and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. Troy as usual won the game, but Mary came very close to his score. Troy was pleased to actually see his family looking happy for the moment. As much as he wanted to turn on the television and get an update, he could not bring himself to do it. He knew that there would be nothing but bad news that would not only spoil their temporary happiness, but it could destroy what little hope was left for them to hold onto.

  That night, Cordelia and Brandon went up to bed without even arguing with each other. Cordelia texted with her boyfriend until late into the night, while Brandon listened to his music at a low volume. Mary sat on the couch with her head on her husband’s shoulder. She looked over at him and
kissed him on the cheek.

  “Want to go to bed?” she said in a suggestive tone.

  “Ready when you are.” He kissed her on the lips.

  The couple went upstairs to their room, pausing to listen to any sounds that came from the other bedroom. They were most pleased when they didn’t hear any arguments.

  “I think they are finally settling in,” Mary said.

  Troy smiled at his wife. “I certainly hope so.” They maintained as much normalcy in their lives as they could at that point.

  As Mary entered the bedroom, she slowly began to undress herself, while Troy watched. She finally got down to her bra and panties and lifted an eyebrow at her husband.

  “Would you like to do the honors to help me finish getting undressed?”

  Troy smiled, walked over to her and began to think how strange it was that it took a natural calamity of monumental scale to help save their marriage. He unfastened her bra and pulled her panties off, one leg at a time. As she sat there naked, he thought about how sexy and beautiful his wife was. He wondered how he could have ever let himself neglect her needs.

  Although his endeavors with the shelter had ultimately helped to save his family, it had also taken time away from what he should have been investing in his marriage. He could see now why she had felt so lonely. He knew in his heart that he was fully ready to forgive her transgressions.

  As he stood by the bed, she anxiously pulled his shirt off of him and began to take off his belt. Her eyes looked up at his in a sultry manner as she unzipped his pants.

  They had to struggle not to make too much noise so that they children wouldn’t hear them. Finally, both of them collapsed together in a sweaty pile on the bed. Troy looked over at his satisfied wife and kissed her on the lips.

  “It’s so nice to have you back again,” Mary said as she looked him in the eyes.

  “It's nice to be back,” he replied, totally understanding what she meant by this.

  ***

  The next morning seemed even darker than the day before, but it was hard to tell if it was just a typical cloudy day, or one that was cloudy because of the excessive debris in the air. While the kids were engaged in their studies, Troy decided to turn on the television to try and get an update on how things were unfolding in the outside world. Mary came in the living room so she could hear as well. The reporter on the news was wearing a protective mask due to the debris in the air around him. He was standing on the balcony of a hotel room while a riot-like scene unfolded in the street below.

  “This is Gordon Thompson reporting for CNN this morning. As you can see, the streets of Washington are rife with rioters and looters. Many neighborhoods are on fire, not just here in the capital, but in cities all over the country as desperation begins to set in. The national guard has begun to march in an attempt to keep the looters from burning the entire city to the ground.

  “Authorities say that the safest best is to stay indoors and lock up tight. If you have a basement or storm shelter, that is the recommended place to seek shelter if you can. Also, the Center for Disease Control is recommending that no one go out of doors without protective masks. The debris and dust that has accumulated in the atmosphere will only get worse, and it can be toxic to anyone who is exposed for a long period of time. Also, we have the pleasure of having the scientist, Dr. Hudson with us again to discuss another situation that is of grave concern as if the accumulating debris and civic unrest weren’t enough. Dr. Hudson, what in your estimation are the biggest concerns that we face going forward?”

  Just then, the sounds of gunfire erupted on the streets below them, forcing the reporter and the scientist to come off of the hotel balcony and into the room.

  “As you can hear, things are really heating up on the streets below us as the national guard attempts to set up a blockade to prevent any further looting and destruction. Back to you, Dr. Hudson.”

  Troy watched as the scientist crossed his arms and solemnly explained the situation. “Yes, well, there are lots of concerns at this point. Let’s start with the debris that is getting thicker by the day. This will be a long, drawn-out situation that could ultimately lead to big climate changes, which could make it difficult indeed for life on Earth. As I stated before, the last time a meteor made this kind of impact, much of life on Earth went extinct due to a period of intense global cooling once the debris that was thrown up into the atmosphere began to block out the rays of the sun. As you can imagine, decreased sunlight will eventually translate into colder temperatures and a change in the growing season for plants. As the plants began to die, we will see a domino effect unfolding for the remainder of life on Earth.”

  The reporter nodded. “That’s unfortunate to hear, Dr. Hudson, but you say there is more immediate threat that we should be turning our attention to?”

  “Yes, Gordon, news has now reached us that many nuclear plants have begun to malfunction due to power issues. Already, toxic waste has begun to leak from reactors in China, Russia, and Japan.”

  The reporter raised his eyebrows. “What is the concern about this toxic waste?”

  “Well, the concern is acid rain,” continued the scientist. “As the sulfur dioxide and other poisonous compounds enter the atmosphere, a chemical reaction takes place that basically produces sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. This form of acid rain is believed to be ten times more harmful than the variety that normally is produced from everyday human pollutants.”

  “So what are you recommending that citizens do to protect themselves, Dr. Hudson?”

  “Well, limiting the amount of time that you spend outdoors is the key. Once again, a protective facemask or preferably a gas mask is needed to keep your lungs from taking in the harmful pollutants. Also, it will be prudent to try and stay out of the rain and seek immediate shelter once the rain begins. With the type of pollutants entering the atmosphere, it will not take long at all before it is virtually unsafe to be outdoors at all. Stay indoors unless you have to venture out for some emergency reason.”

  The reporter faced back towards the camera. “Well there you have it. We have received word that emergency supplies will be flown in to many major cities to help deal with the shortage of food and water that is already beginning to plague our populated areas. Authorities are asking everyone to cease looting and rioting and to help neighbors who are in need, if you have the means to do so. Unfortunately, many people will try and take advantage of this situation and resort to criminal behavior. Authorities say that they will deal with criminals harshly as they attempt to restore some semblance of order to things. Again, as Dr. Hudson recommended, it is best to stay indoors if at all possible, and wear the protective gear, including gas masks if you have to go outside.”

  The reporter paused, before continuing. “Meanwhile, the situation in other countries is just as desperate. Countries that have not been hit with pieces of meteor are sending aid to countries such as China and Russia that need immediate assistance. Africa is still silent at this point, and the few survivors that remain there are believed to be too cut off to report what damage they are witnessing. We will bring more news to you on this growing calamity as it becomes available. This is Gordon Thompson reporting for CNN news.”

  Troy looked at his wife, whose face looked despondent and care-worn.

  “It’s getting worse out there,” she said.

  “Just be thankful we are in here,” he said. “All of the things that they are reporting are no surprise to me. We have to stick with our routine, and make the best of it.”

  “What about our families and friends? I’m sure that they are not as well off as we are. Can’t we help them in some way?” Mary asked.

  Troy got up and walked over to where his wife was sitting, and put both of his hands on her shoulders.

  “Listen to me. Things are going to grow more and more desperate for people on the outside. We may witness some terrible things as we look through the periscope. We may hear some terrible things happening just outside the walls o
f this compound. No matter what you see or hear, we have to keep the doors of this place closed off. We do not want the debris to contaminate our living space, and soon the acid rain will begin to make it downright dangerous to even be outside, even if you do have a gasmask on.”

  Troy continued, “I need you to be strong and to stand by me. We simply don’t have enough supplies to help out other families. If we open our doors to them, it will jeopardize our own safety. I cannot allow that to happen.”

  Mary nodded her head and hugged her husband. “I understand. I’m prepared to do what is necessary for the safety of our family.”

  “Good, we will need to be strong in the coming days,” he said.

  Chapter 7

  It didn't take too long before the neighbors’ supplies began to dwindle. The first family to come knocking at the door of the shelter were the Jenkins. It was of course, ironic that Mrs. Jenkins would come around asking for a hand out after all of the grief that she had given Troy for his constant building and hammering when he was constructing the shelter.

  “Troy, are you there? Mary?” Mrs. Jenkins said in a voice that sounded desperate. “We need some help, we have no supplies left. Do you have anything that you can spare? Please answer me, I know that you are in there,” she said.

  Mary was about to answer her when Troy put his hand over her mouth to prevent her from saying anything.

  “Hello? Hello?” Mrs. Jenkins said as the desperation in her tone seemed to grow.

  Cordelia and Brandon came downstairs as this was going on, and Mary held up her finger to her lips to indicate to them that they needed to remain silent. They both stopped at the bottom of the stairs and listened to the voice of Mrs. Jenkins.

  “Please, Troy, I know I wasn’t supportive of your efforts to build your shelter, but I’m sorry for that, so sorry. We are in need of anything you can provide for us. Anything you can spare,” she said, but she was met only with silence. “May God forgive you for turning your back on your neighbors.” She finally burst into tears and disappeared form the front of the shelter.