Midnight Disaster ~FINALIST Watty Awards 2012~

Chapter 30 (Revised 4/12/2020)

"Are they doing anything in particular?" I asked, a variety of scenarios running through my mind.

"No, they're just...standing there like they're waiting for something."

"Probably for us to go outside again," Cameron said, shooting me a glance from the corner of his eye.

"It won't be long before they figure out we're not going to try that again," I said.

"Then what?" Clarissa asked, folding her arms over her chest.

None of us said the words out loud, but it was obvious just the same. If we didn't go out, they would try to come in.

"You don't think they can actually get in, do you?" Clarissa asked in a throaty whisper. Her eyes were wide, too wide, and I felt like I was losing myself in their depths.

I pulled my gaze away, studying the building around us. It seemed formidable enough, but Miles and his species weren't weak creatures. With enough of them, who knew what they could do? After all, they had subdued an entire town in the course of a night.

"Something's wrong," a voice called toward us.

Clarissa turned, and I stepped up on my tiptoes to see over her shoulder. Kelly stood out among the others, shoulders steeled and gaze pointed in our direction. I didn't know if she had been listening in our conversation or had given her best guess based on body language, but her words had everyone's attention on us once again.

She must've realized that because she approached, ducking out of sight behind the supply boxes. "How can I help?"

"I...it's..." I trailed off, reaching up to scratch the back of my neck. "We don't know what to do. I mean what can we do?"

Kelly's face scrunched as if she had eaten something unpleasant. "There is no 'we' only you. Stop relying on others."

I was dumbfounded, unable to think of a solid response. Cameron didn't feel the same. He took a step closer to her, face screwed up in a way I wasn't used to seeing on him. "Okay, that's enough," he said. "You had your little show earlier, but why do you insist on kicking Maya when she's down? Are you trying to send her out there to her death?"

"No. I'm trying to get a plan into motion that will keep us safe. The walls protect us for now, but I'm not dumb, and neither are the rest of them. Eventually, they will get in here, whether it be through the doors and windows or digging tunnels underneath the building."

Clarissa's eyes went wide. "Could they do that?" When Kelly didn't answer, she turned to us. "Would they do that?"

"Only time will tell," Cameron said.

"And time is a resource that we are running out of," Kelly said.

I was angry then. Who was this girl to stand before me so matter-of-fact. If I had been the one to deliver an omen to her, I bet she wouldn't have taken it nearly as calmly as I had.

"So what do you propose we do?" I snarled. "You want me to go out there into the slaughter? Maybe I should dress up? Do a little dance for them too?"

"Yes," she replied simply.

"I need you to walk away right now," Cameron said, voice calm though there was rage brewing across his features.

"I say this because the alien was your friend," Kelly said. "He might've come here with a plan, but I think deep down, he cares something for you. Or else you would be dead too." Her eyes lingered on the ugly wound on my shoulder.

"It was luck that got me out of there."

"Believe what you will," Kelly said. Without a goodbye, she turned to walk back across the room, taking her place.

"Kelly really believes that you can do it," Clarissa said.

That should've made me feel better, but it didn't. The more she spoke, the more I started to believe that she was truly, actually, insane.

"She thinks I'm Wonder Woman," I sneered. "I can't just walk out there among all of those demons.

Cameron licked his lips but looked away.

I narrowed my eyes and turned on him. "What is it?"

"Well, it's just..." He held his palms out as if he knew I wasn't going to like whatever it was he had to say. "Clarissa said it looks like they're waiting for something, right? What if they are? What if they're waiting for us to try to make some kind of truce?"

"Could it really be that easy?" I asked.

"Maybe, maybe not," Clarissa said. "The truth is, those aliens came here for a reason."

"Yeah, to feed."

"Maybe there's more to it than that," Cameron said.

My insides felt twisted, as if someone had reached in through my ribs and gripped a handful of my organs. I couldn't lie about how afraid I was at the thought of going out there alone, but what if they were right? What if all of this could be ended with a simple conversation?

I didn't say anything else as I sunk to the floor in our sleeping spot, head in my hands. A moment later, Cameron sat beside me. I didn't hear Clarissa's retreating footsteps so I guessed she still hovered nearby.

They weren't going to push me either way, and for that, I was grateful.

Across the room I could pick up the sound of a soft whispers. "I'm hungry," the voice said.

The response was almost instant. "We're out of food!"

I winced and looked up from my hands. The calm a moment ago was replaced with finger-pointing and shouting. Everyone wanted to blame someone else for taking more than their fair share, but the truth was, we hadn't had a fair share of food to begin with.

"You're lying!" someone accused.

"Look for yourself!" someone shot back.

"Have you checked all the boxes?" Cameron asked, trying his best to be helpful.

He was largely ignored as the shouts turned to shoves and fist fights. Clarissa sat down next to me then, looking suddenly smaller than she usually did.

If we were out of food, that meant that someone was going to have to go out for supplies sooner rather than later. I didn't see the brawling bodies as I stared across the community center. My eyes were on the door. Maybe this was a sign that Kelly was right.

When it came down to it, I would probably be the one chosen to get supplies anyway, right? Either way I looked at it, I would have to go outside, I would have to see Miles again. It'd be better on my own terms than having my fate decided for me.

Kelly decided this for you, a voice reminded me.

Cameron hadn't said a word as he watched the changes in emotion flit across my face. At last he asked, "Do you have an idea?"

I nodded once, not looking at him as I stood to my feet. "I know what I need to do."

"How can we help," Clarissa said, rising to her feet beside me.

"Keep everyone safe," I replied, pushing past her.

"Wait! Maya! What are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"Exactly what Kelly said needs to be done," I called over my shoulder.