Max

1

Nothing was ever in tune. People just blindly grabbed at whatever there was: communism, health foods, zen, surfing, ballet, hypnotism, group encounters, orgies, biking, herbs, Catholicism, weight-lifting, travel, withdrawal, vegetarianism, India, painting, writing, sculpting, composing, conducting, backpacking, yoga, copulating, gambling, drinking, hanging around, frozen yogurt, Beethoven, Back, Buddha, Christ, TM, H, carrot juice, suicide, handmade suits, jet travel, New York City, and then it all evaporated and fell apart. People had to find things to do while waiting to die. I guess it was nice to have a choice.

2017

The bombs fell from overhead, shackling the city of New York in pounds of gun powder and radiation. We flocked, as a large crowd to the underground tunnels that were meant to protect us. The soldiers grasped large guns and huge red buttons with walkie-talkies so they could communicate.

I clung to mama's hand as one of the soldiers ushered us toward one of the underground. The ground shook as another bomb landed a little ways to the East.

"Are we going to die?" I asked mama, cocking my head to the side and examining the large white mist that was heading toward us. The blast had sunk a large building to the ground. We watched it from a distance, moving quickly as we were instructed to do so.

"You're not going to die." The soldier answered. His voice hard and wet. "I got you."

Mama picked me up, swinging me onto her hip as the soldier opened the capsule with his large hands, holding it as we made our way down the stairs and into the underground.

"It's too full!" Another solider screamed, scanning our faces. A look of panic crossed mama's face as she clung to my small body, pulling me against her side as she stared at the soldiers.

"I don't give a damn. There's only two." Our solider instituted. "It's not a fucking lot. Sit the hell down, Sergeant." The other soldier took orders, placing his feet on the floor as he sat in one of the only available chairs.

The room was crowded. Large shelves filled with canned food and loads of bread and pots towered over us as mama sat us in a little corner. We watched as our soldier made his way to the chair across from the other solider, claiming it as he sat. Mama watched in awe as a carrying mother sat one of her children in the arms of the solider as she sat next to him. Three other children lay, cowering at her feet. The solider held the baby up, expecting the infant. He nodded to the woman and handed the baby back into her care, placing him gently in her arms.

"Are we going to die?" A deep voice echoed throughout the underground. The sounds of replies and yells followed suit. Our solider raised his hands, offering silence. The room quieted.

"You will not die," The solider responded. "As long as you follow our rules and do as we say. Any sign of rebellion against us and the upper power will guarantee your death."

No one responded.

Another bomb dropped somewhere over top of us, shaking the underground and all it's inhabitants. Women screamed, mama held me closer than ever, almost suffocating me.

The shrill sound of a war plane burned overhead.

We were going to die.

"It'll be okay, baby." Mama whispered into my ear as tears rolled down her cheeks.

I missed daddy.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Charlene." Mama repeated. "Jasper would want you safe. I love you, baby. I love you so much."

She knew we were going to die, too.

"I love you too, mama." I whispered, throwing my arms around her neck and barging my face in her collarbone. "We'll be alright."

The lie burnt my tongue.

We were never going to be alright.

The solum tears rolled down my cheeks, mixing in with mama's hair as she held me.

Another bomb dropped, shaking the ground again, knocking me out of mama's arms and to the packed earth of the ground. A little light shown from the ceiling of the underground.

"A hole!" A man yelled.

Screaming.

That's all we heard. The screaming.

Mothers clang to babies as fathers pulled out little lamps, illuminating the wee hole.

Another bomb dropped, knocking us all to the ground. The soldiers stood, staring at the hole.

"Evacuate!" Our solider yelled into the walkie. "We gotta hole!"

Another bomb dropped right over us, opening the hole even more. Enough so now that a person could fall through.

We're gonna die.

Mama closed her eyes and picked me up, whispering to me she loved me, over and over some more.

Another bomb; The hole deepened.

The sound of the planes flying over head continued, growing louder.

It was right over mama and I. The sound of the belly of the plane opened sent goosebumps down our skin. I kissed mama's cheek, pulling her close. We could hear the bomb slide against the hard metal, a sick sound. The bomb cascaded out. It was slow motion. Moving like a train stuck on the tracks. The bomb fell through the hole. We all scrambled to the corners, someone punched mama in the mouth, throwing me backwards. I let out a cry as everything went up in flames.

Then it went dark.