"Gunther, Damien, Faye, Jorge, and Kenny." All five stood up as she said their names. "Now, I want you to be responsible on watching all nine angels in those cribs, understood?"
She sees a glint of mischief in Gunther's eyes as they all nod, "And no funny business Gunther Escala. You're maybe five but that can not apply to our situation right now. Sherry and Jesse are still finding your 'cheese puffs' and your wanted blanky in those roads that you lost."
The boy droops his head low and follows the four other kids who are now mumbling how cute the nine babes are. She sighs and mumbles 'I'm okay' in her breath.
It's been one week since the 'Disappearance' happened in New York and she doesn't know how to put down the feeling being the only adult in the whole city because that would mean every baby or child in the whole city are alone to die. She calms her nerves and checks the other kids in the faculty room. When Lyle heard Josefina's voice on Beth's number, she knew the kids at the preschool were left unattended. She drove slowly to not wake the babies in her van and when she arrived at Zenny's preschool and she saw a six year old George running around naked, she knew that all the personnel were gone.
Lyle got the children to behave for a while as they all cried and explained the things that they saw.
"Miz Bethnye disappeawed wile she calls somebowdy." She stunned at Josefina who now has snot coming down from her nose.
She wants to cry for her colleagues but she's the only strong person present here right now so she holds her emotions and sighs. "She's just away, Josie. She'll be happy if you won't cry anymore, hmm?"
The little girl nods and hugs her leg. "Youw won't gow awai wight? Lik her?"
Lyle holds her up and smiles sadly. "Yes, I won't."
She said and looked aro0und all the kids that still crying tears out, she breathes in loudly and smiled again.
As she got the situation in preschool under control, she then told the two teenagers, who were Sherry and Jesse to get more supplies who surprisingly complied to her request.
Fifty-nine preschoolers from her class and all the classrooms were now in her care and nine babies from the highway. And she is now in her thinking phase as she comes up with a plan to make everything work in the school and for her to keep her sanity intact for all sixty-six kids.
And now she is still sane, maybe?
"Kylar! Sean! Zayn! Kylie! KENDRICK! STOP DESTROYING THE GARDEN!"
Five troublemakers giggles as they ran away from the fully crushed tomatoes that were supposed to be ripe and ready for tomorrow's soup. She screams in frustration and follows their trail. "For the last time, you kid-"
"Suwpwise!!"
"Surprise!"
Lyle stands in stunned at the display in front of her. Josefina holds the poorly baked cake and had the word Happy Birthday which was spelled out wrong. She was held by fifteen year old Jesse who had boyish grin on his face, Sherry on the other had the biggest grin and had Niño in her arms who was clapping because of the confetti and all the other kids at the back holding up 'Happy 20th Birthday Miss Lie'.
"How'd you know my birthday?"
"Josefina towd!" Jefferson exclaims, "And she tent throwh yowr pursesh!"
She raises a brow at Josefina who was now nervously holding the cake while Jesse supports her little arms.
"You know that was wrong of you to go through my purse Josie but you all did this so, let's eat." She smiles sweetly, "But those five who destroyed my garden that was for our supper for tomorrow is cleaning nappies."
She heard five groans and also heard Sherry she'll help them.
They ate cake but not her. Because she had a lot of sweets in her days and she gave them the opportunity to eat a lot of it because it was back to cans tomorrow.
As the sun began to set, she instructs Sherry and Jesse to watch the school and every nook and crany before she leaves with her van to find more surviving kids and her students' homes because some of them have big sisters and brothers who are eleven to fifteen.
And she doesn't hope for the older-older ones because she knows they're gone. She stopped by the first condominium, check and knocked every door to no answers and finally a child spoke in room thirty-nine.
"H-hello?"
"Yes, yes. Hello, Amber? Is that you Amber Dalington? Are you alright?"
"Yes! Wait!"
The girl opens the door and she cries her eyes out as a familiar face makes it to her view. "Miss Lye! It's you! Oh my God! It's you."
She hugs the poor girl and cooed her to let it out. "I'm sorry I was late to pick you up, I'm sorry, shh"
"We were just playing chess after we just arrived from sending Rodney to preschool and then, Ahhh!"
She cries into Lyle's chest and she just breaks down every emotion she's been holding when it happened.
"Shhh.. I know, I know. Okay, Listen to me," She breaks the hug and looked her in the eyes, "Bring some stuff Rodney and you can wear and don't worry Rodney is fine back in the school. Now, when your done stay here and wait for me. I am going to look for other kids in the building to come with us, ok?"
She nod as sniffs, "I think there's a teenager and his brother there in room fifty eight and I remember a lady who was in room fifty six that brings a baby every now and then to walk around the compound."
"Okay, got it. Now go, I'll be back"
Lyle knocks again on each door and as she reaches room fifty six. She smells the odor coming from it and decided to open it still. She turns the flash light she brought on and looked around. She saw the baby cradle and rushed to see the little angel, a little malnourished from not eating for a week but the up and down in its chest was what gave her hope.
She carries the babe and moves to walk and knock on doors again. No responses, she then got to room fifty eight.
She knocks, "Open up-"
"Who the fuck is it!"
She was startled as the baby in her arms, who has started to cry which was a good sign for her.
"What do you want, lady?" The said teenager asked.
"If you ever so calmly talk then you'll get a response from me, dimwit." She raises her brow, "I am a tired and still sane twenty-year old who has been watching sixty-six kids in a preschool for a week so put that fucking tone down young man."
"Yeah, yeah.. What is it?"
"You and your brother need to vacate this building and come to my ever so kind haven preschool so that you two wont starve." When the teen tried to speak she holds her finger up as she bounces the babe to sleep, "Don't you dare lie about your resources because I knew the moment I heard those crinks of wrappers on your floor is that you have been eating junk food for the whole week of your parents being gone and I know your brother is sick because I just heard the twice faint flush of your bathroom toilet which means he has diarrhea because you couldn't cook him a decent meal." She
"O-okay, Lady, seesh."
"Pack up and I mean pack the necessary things like underwear and clothes for you to wear not games nor porn magazines." She glares at him, "Wait for me to come from sixty."
He nods flustered and closes the door. Lyle sighs and looks at the little one inher arms.
After she got no response from room sixty, she tried to opened the door whne she heard a faint cry of a babe or an animal inside. She knocks the door open and searches the room. The cry gets louder and she runs to the door which had a sign that says 'Nursery'.
She saw the crib and sighs in relief as the baby who was in the same state as the other one cries.
YOU ARE READING
The Last Mom
Science Fiction"Justin, Clyde and Bruno. Did you eat the last three packs of choco nuts in our storage bag?" Two of the boys shake their head as they looked nervous at the seething person. The third boy just scoffs, "Why am I in this? I didn't even get to eat one...
