The Beginning of the End.

“Kari!” shouted a muffled voice. I groaned and pulled my thin covers over my head.

            “Go away,” I mumbled attempting to drift back into the lovely dream I had been having only seconds ago. I struggled to bring back the pleasant images. I saw my mother, her long, golden hair stirring slightly in the crisp autumn air. She smiled, showing her pearly white teeth and held out her slender arms to me. I ran to her and she embraced me. I could smell the perfume she sprayed herself with every morning, the sweet smell of coconut. Her hair tickled my face as she leaned down to speak to me.

            “Kari, my darling, I love you. More than the air I breathe, I love you and I always will.” I lifted my head to look into her shining green eyes. I opened my mouth to answer but again I was yanked out of my dream. This time I was being shaken.

            “Kari get up!” I recognized that voice. My covers fell to the floor as I was dragged out of my warm, cozy bed.

            “Zeno are you insane?” I yelled at my twin brother. In the dim light I could see that his blonde hair was disheveled and his clothes wrinkled.

            “Kari we have to go! Come on!” he shouted pulling me out of my bedroom and down the hall. I stumbled after him. He pulled me into the kitchen and stopped suddenly. I glanced around me, my eyes landing on the digital clock on the oven. 2:53 a.m. That’s when I realized something was terribly wrong. Light was streaming in through the small window across from us. It should have been pitch black outside at 2:00 in the morning.

            “Zeno what’s going on?” I demanded yanking my arm from his grasp. He looked at me as if he hadn’t realized I was there. He started to speak but was interrupted by an explosion that sent us flying. I landed hard on the living room coffee table. I rolled over covering my head with my arms. Stone, wood, glass, and other debris settled around me. I coughed trying to clear my throat of dust and smoke.

            “Kari!” I heard Zeno shout and then I was being pulled to my feet. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I opened my eyes struggling to see through the smoke and dust that floated in the air. I gasped at what I saw. Our house was gone. I could see out into the street now. Men in all black uniforms stood around a large bus that shaking, dazed people were being shoved in to. I recognized one of the people being loaded onto the bus, Finn. He was a tall, handsome boy that I often saw in the hallways at school. He kept to himself most of the time. Now he was covered in dirt and his hair was sticking up, his face was set in a hard grimace. He was holding the hand of a young girl. Tears streamed down her dirt smeared face. He disappeared onto the bus and my gaze swept over the rest of the scared people. I recognized more of my school mates and soon realized something that sent chills down my spine. There were no adults.

            “Hey you two, don’t move!” a deep male voice demanded. My gaze flew to the man who had spoken. He was staring straight at me and Zeno. Zeno’s arms tightened around me.

            “It’s going to be ok, Kari.” he whispered in my ear. Then the men were on us, pulling us apart. I was shoved roughly toward the bus. The man holding me pushed me roughly up the stairs. Zeno followed closely behind. I was met by the frightened faces of fifty or so teenagers and children. The only seat left was in the very back behind a girl I didn’t recognize. As soon as Zeno and I sat down the bus lurched forward.



During the bus ride almost everyone was silent. A few of the younger children cried quietly. I held Zeno’s hand tightly as we rode. A million thoughts flew through my mind. ‘What was going on? Who were those men? Where are they taking us?’  And the one that stood out the most, ‘where were all the adults?’ My mind wandered back to yesterday. It had been a normal day. I had gone to school, goofed around with my friends, come home, done my homework, made fun of my dad’s cooking with Zeno, and then gone to bed. Now it seemed my world was falling apart. Yesterday there had been no hint that something terrible was impending. Now here we were, trapped on a bus, frightened and confused. I was lost in my thoughts when the bus started to slow. We pulled to a stop in front of a huge white building. The bus door snapped open and a tall, muscled man dressed in all black stepped on. He stood still, his dark eyes passing over everyone and finally settling on me. He smiled at me and somewhere in the back of my mind I thought I recognized him. His dark hair was cut short and his face was rather tanned considering it was winter. I squeezed Zeno’s hand harder, silently trying to communicate with him. I wanted see if Zeno thought he recognized the man too. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Zeno nod slightly. As I tried to remember where I’d seen the man before, he finally spoke.

            “I know you all must be wondering what’s going on, and why you’re here instead of asleep in your beds. Come with me and it will all be explained soon.” He turned and began to exit the bus, but stopped and faced us again. He wasn’t smiling anymore.

            “Oh, and if you try and escape, we will kill you.” He nodded once then gestured for the children in the front of the bus to stand. Slowly everyone exited the bus. When I stepped into the frigid air I surveyed the scene around me. The place was crawling with men, all dressed in black and carrying guns. I shivered, wrapping my bare arms around myself. I was still dressed in the clothes I had worn to sleep, white shorts and a yellow tank top. Zeno pulled me close to him attempting to warm me. We were led into the building and soon the man motioned for us to stop. I gasped at the scene in front of me. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.