The Metropolis

Chapter 4

JASON.

the sound of helicopters flying over the college wakes me. I watch to see if they're dropping bombs. something drops from the sky, but it's not a bomb. I examine the falling objects- soldiers. I don't know why the soldiers are here.
"they must be searching for survivors." Claud says adjusting his backpack under his head. I nod. we both watch the soldiers fall.
"I counted 12." I say. "should we let them know we're in the forest?"
"well, what if they aren't the states soldiers. what if they're terrorist?"
I haven't thought about that. I figured since the bombing, they would think everyone would be dead. from the looks of our campus you would think so yourself.
I see Skye run out of the forest.
"what is he doing?" Claud says aggravated.
Claud must know something we all don't know about our country and I'm going to figure it out.
"hey! hey!" skye shouts at the soldiers. the soldiers are all in black matching uniforms and grab their guns. "there's a group of us in the woods!" the skye yells at them running towards them. they point their guns at Skye. I look at Claud who's shaking his head.
"he shouldn't of ran out there. they'll shoot him on sight."
why would the soldiers shoot him? what did he do? well he didn't do anything, and maybe that's why Claud is mad.
"how many of you guys are in the woods?" the chief shouts. you can tell he is the chief by his coat. the others soldiers coats are plain black, but this guys coat has gold shoulder pads on the outside. Claud and I are sat by a fire that's barely burning. we can't hear anything else of the conversation, but we try to be super quiet thinking we will hear something. Skye runs back into the woods and over to us.
"what the heck was that Skye?" Claud says aggravated.
"they needed to know we're okay. I thought maybe they'd have a safer and warmer place for us. turns out they do! the chief said they'd take up to Washington. he called it the metropolis." Skye says cocky. Claud just shakes his head.
"chill out, claw. you don't have to go on the plane if you don't want to.
"it's not that I don't want to go on the plane, Skye. it's that you know that I know things about this bombing! those soldiers could have been terrorist and you could have rat us all out of the safest place we have for now."
I don't listen to whatever Claud says next, what does he know about the bombing?
"well they weren't terrorist, Claud. they were soldiers. the kind that protect our country and protect us! how selfish of you!" Skye stands up and walks off. I look away from Claud and look at the slow burn of the fire.
"sorry that you saw that, Jason." Claud says running his fingers through his hair.
"it's no big deal!"
"I'm sorry you had to hear everything that was said. it's just better that not everyone knows." Claud replies referring to him mentioning what he knows about the bombing.
"I totally understand, man. it's safer that way." I don't know if I even believe what I just said, but Claud's secrets are his business. I stand up and wipe the grass off my jeans.
"I'm going to go to the campus." I say to Claud, he just nods at me.
~~~~
I look at the remanding of a circle building at the entrance of the school. not once have I actually been in this building.
"why aren't you here now?" I yell at Jackson. I wish he could bare this situation with me or even help me bare it.
"you okay?" I hear a girl say behind me. I turn around to see that it was the same girl who told me to run when I was to ignorant to.
"yeah! are you okay?" I lied but it was for her sake. my problems aren't anyone's business.
"I'm actually scared to be out in the open like this." she replies. we aren't out in the open at all actually. rumble of the school buildings surround us. we could easily hide if a plane flies over us.
"you're safe." I say to assured her and run my fingers through my dark hair.
"who were you yelling at?"
"hmm..? oh, no one."
she laughs. "okay, sure. you weren't yelling at anyone. I'm the crazy one, right?" she says walking closer to me.
"you said it. not me." I say putting my hands in my pockets.
"what's your name?"
"Jason, Jason Lee. yours?" this is the first time I actually told someone my real first name.
"Lou, just Lou."
"well just Lou, it was lovely to meet you." I say bowing.
"it was my pleasure." Lou says bowing back. we both laugh.
"let's head back, shall we."
"okay, but first you have to tell me who you were yelling at or... I'll cry!"
"what makes you think I care if you cry or not?" I say walking away. Lou snorts at my comment.
"fine I'll tell you, I was yelling at my brother."
"Where'd your brother go?"
"my brothers dead."
"oh..." Lou's smile transforms into a straight line. "how'd he die?" she adds walking towards me and sits down on a pile of bricks. I take a seat by her.
"he died in a really bad car wreck."
"my mom died in a car wreck, too." she says. I know she doesn't say this to tell me her problems but to be helpful or to show me she understands.
"I know, Jason," she says trying to get me to look at her and I do. "you beat yourself over it because there was no way you could have helped him the way he has helped you in your life." she adds. I nod.
"is that what you did? beat yourself up over it, I mean."
Lou nods. "still do."
"me too."
she smiles at me. this is the first time I've opened up to someone here. my roommate doesn't even know I have a dead brother.
"did you hear the news? we're flying to the Washington or should I say the metropolis tomorrow!" Lou says with so much excited, she does this to change the subject.
"really?"
"yeah, that's where all the survivors are going. that's the only not bombed state."
"how do you know?" I say looking away from the rubble that surrounds us and up at her.
"that's what the rumor is around here." she says smiling.
it doesn't take two looks at her to see that she's attractive, only one. her jet black hair slightly laying on her shoulders and her blue eyes that turn gray when the sun doesn't hit her face.
"what? why are you staring at me like that?"
"like what?"
"hey Lou." a guy in a gray hoodie and sweats say to her.
"hey Aaron." she says looking up at him.
"I was wondering where you went. what are you doing?" Aaron says looking at me. just by that look I know that he likes her.
"I wanted to see what the outcome of the bombing was."
that's exactly why I am out here and I've only seen a small part of it.
"hey," I say nudging her, "I'm going to go see more of the school. talk to you later!" I say standing up and pulling my gray shirt down.
"no, she won't be doing that." Aaron says.
"is there a problem with her talking to me?" I say turning around and looking at him.
"yeah," Aaron says stepping closer to me, "there is actually."
I don't want to fight him, but she doesn't deserve to be controlled.
"you deserve better, Lou." I say walking away.
"common lets go." Aaron says behind me. "can you believe this guy?" he adds.
I snort at that comment. I walk towards my dorm hall. it's hard to make out which building is which. all that's left of anything is just thrown all over the place. I only notice my dorm hall by the color of the bricks. I noticed it every time I walked into the dorm -they're a light grey instead of red. it's the only dorm like this. I hear running footsteps behind me. I turn around - just Al. I take deep breath.
"hey jas! I forgot to tell you," Al says out of breath, "they're taking us to Washington tomorrow. there is supposed to be a safe ground for all the survivors there." he adds.
I know this, but for his sake I will act like I don't.
"oh, really?" I reply walking towards him.
"yeah, they're coming tomorrow morning. Claud said he saw you walk towards to school so I thought I would tell you. I know you'd probably be out here for the rest of the day."
maybe he does know me more than I think he does because that was my plan. I didn't feel like gathering wood, going hunting, or looking for a freshwater pound.
"they found some food. we're about to all have lunch if you would like to come back to the woods with us." Al says.
"yeah, I'll come later though. save me something?"
"sure." Al says starting to walk back.
I wonder how many people survived - my parents? are they okay? my grandparents? how are they?