blackout

"Who's daddy's little girl? You are, yes you are."

"Benjamin, she hasn't even been born yet. Your coddling my stomach."  Nala smiled down to her husband and idly moved her hand to her round tummy.

Suddenly the ground shook, the whole world seemed to be spinning. The lights flickered then their apartment went completely dark.

"Power out. Again." She said, reaching for her purse. "Come on, sweetie let's go before it's too late." Benjamin grabbed his keys from the kitchen counter and headed towards the door of their apartment with his wife. Before they were even out of the threshold the light shook back to life. 40.05 seconds. The longest out yet, Nala was right they'd better hurry.

Outside, people were sticking their heads out of apartment windows, looking down. Padestrians stood frozen on the sidewalks, a few cars were even pulled over in anticipation to another power out.

They still weren't used to it. Even though this was only one of the many outs, New York just hasn't had earthquakes recently and people just still weren't used to the shaking. They were afriad of them.

"Here," Benjamin helped his wife into their van, it wasn't usual for apartment dwellers in this city to have huge vans parked outside, heck it wasn't usual for them to have cars at all but the van was sturdy it would last and it held the supplies they needed. Blankets, formula, baby things crowded the back seat. While clothes and packages of money were loaded into the trunk.

Nala slid her moccasins across the carpet floor  while Benjamin reved their car to life. The combined heat of the car warmer and the moccasins and the gentle constant warmth at her stomache made her feel more at ease.

Even still, she found herself rubbing her protection charm made of oak and twine necklace with the Buffalo eye carved into it. She'd had that since before she was borne, her grandmother carved it for her when she was still in her mothers womb.

 And the Buffalo coincidentally was her Spirit Guide. But then again, her Reservation days where long behind her and she had more important things to think about. Jesus help us. She thought

" Hey,"  Benjamin clasp his free hand over one of hers. "You alright?"

"Just thinking." She murmered. Benjamin nodded and dropped her hand, gripping the wheel with both hands. They were going over the speed limit. Way over.

Benjamin hardly though it mattered, all the rules where about to change in a matter of months, what was one ticket? Besides they were getting onto the highway and the faster they got to his brother's house the better.

 "Exactly how long until we reach Mordici's?" Nala asked.

Benjamin's face slipped into a smile, Nala was never a patient one." Twenty, thirty more minutes. Tops." They drove in uneasy silence for nearly ten more minutes, thinking. Worrying. Watching the beaming reds and radiant white lights of the cars infont of them as they buzzed by across lanes and into the distance like firefly's in the night.

And then It happened.

The lights inside the car slowly begain to dull then fade, the gear and the wheel became usless. Benjamin checked the gas but it was full. Then the car stopped. Nala searched in the rare view waiting for some other car to jam into the back. Nothing.

"I'm going to go check what's going on." Benjamin said as he slide out of the car leaving the door open behind him.

"What is it?" Nala asked. "Benjamin, what's wrong with the car? Benjamin?" Fear seeped into her voice as she whispered his name one more time and cracked the door open.

Nala gasped, tears pricking at her eyes at the sight before her. It was as if the whole world had been frozen for that one moment. Every car on the high way was still,  some people like them were already out of their cars. Frozen in place, either from shock or fear. 

Her eyes widened in realization. "No. This isn't right, it shouldn't be happening. Not yet." Nala muttered to her husband even though her words came out so timidly she was sure he didn't hear.

Then the world was set back into motion, sound exploded in the air around them as planes in the distance began to fall.  Plummenting to the earth, destroying everything beneath. And for the last time the city lights flickered, the ground shook  and the world gave into the darkness. And together along with the rest of the men and women on the highway,  they watched as the sky collapsed.