I swear someone broke into my house and stole one of every shoe I owned. It was probably that National Guard asshole who gives me dirty looks every time I leave our compound. Yeah, I bet it was him. Despite the world crashing down around us, he still made time to be a dick.
“Mom! Where’d you put my cleats?” Reaching under the bed, I pulled out a crusty piece of pizza, several pairs of boxers, and a giant ball of gray fuzz. But not the other shoe I needed for football practice this afternoon. “Mom!”
“Stop yelling,” she said calmly from my doorway. “You know, if you’d clean your room every once in a while, it wouldn’t look like a nuclear bomb exploded in here and you just might be able to find something.”
Still crawling around on the floor, I tossed the mix of clean and dirty clothes to the side as I continued to search for my shoe. “Did you put them somewhere?”
“Why would I take your shoes?”
I looked up at her and shook my head. Blonde hair pulled up into a bun, arms crossed, and her body leaning gently against the door frame, my mom had no intention of helping me. In fact, she was trying not to smile.
“Because you enjoy tormenting me?” I mumbled.
“I don’t enjoy tormenting you, Zachary.”
Rolling my eyes at the use of my full name, I stood and grabbed my bag off the bed. “Well, I guess I’ll just go to practice barefoot.”
“Did you check your closet?” my mom asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Of course I did!”
“Really?”
She jerked her chin in that direction and I followed her gaze. There, resting up against the white slated door, sat my football cleat. “Did you just put that there?”
My mom laughed. “Yes, I have the power of telekinesis and I use it specifically to torture you.”
“You definitely have the power of sarcasm,” I groaned, picking up my shoe and shoving it into my overstuffed athletic bag. “Now, thanks to you, I’m going to be late.”
“Don’t blame me for this.”
I walked past my mom and hurried down the stairs. Her light steps followed me into the kitchen where, much to my annoyance, I didn’t see any breakfast. “So now you’re trying to starve me?”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. Here.” She lifted a tote off the counter and shoved it into my hands.
Peeking inside, I saw some dehydrated fruit, dehydrated meat, and a green thing I couldn’t identify. I also noticed the one liter of water. “Where are my other bottles?” I asked. “I have a three-hour practice after school.”
My mom dropped her head and started busying herself with cleaning up a spotless counter. “They’ve cut back on our rations.”
“What?”
“There was a note attached to the door this morning. Your father talked to the guards outside and they explained that our community water tower is running low and the government is behind schedule with their monthly refills.”
“Why? The whole point of them turning our community into a refugee compound was so they could control our consumption.” And our behavior.
“Apparently they underestimated the need.” My mom walked over to the sink, which was now covered with a large piece of plywood, reminding us not to use it. “Or they let too many people in.”
“Why anyone thought the idiots in Washington could manage this disaster is beyond me,” I snapped.
“Zachary! Don’t speak ill of the government. They’re doing the best they can.”
“I’m only repeating what Dad says.”
“Your father works for the government,” my mom added.
“Exactly! And even he can see how fucked up everything is.”
“Language!” She shook a finger at me, trying to be parental.
“Sorry, Mom.” I walked around the counter and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I have to go. Thanks for the food.”
“You driving today?”
Despite all of the crap going on in the world, I’d still managed to get my license a month ago. And since Dad hopped on the government transport each morning and Mom stayed home, I was able to borrow the Jeep and steal a few miles of freedom every day. The trip to and from school felt like my little piece of normalcy.
“Yeah. And I’m late. Vee’s not going to be happy.”
“Well, you both have a good day.”
My mom waved as I hustled out of the kitchen and through the front door. Throwing my bag in the back, I noticed my favorite guard staring at me from the end of the driveway. I saluted and said “At ease, soldier.”
He didn’t move.
I hated how our home had turned into a military state. It wasn’t more than a year or two ago that I remembered living a relatively simple life. Even though other countries were killing each other over the state of the environment, the United States had managed to stay somewhat civil. When several states out west were deemed uninhabitable, cities along the east coast made room for the displaced. The government built desalinization plants and designated compounds where clean drinking water would be delivered on a regular basis.
Our particular gated community outside of Philadelphia had become one of the refuge sites. Now we had armed guardsmen protecting our gates as the threats of national and international terrorism continued to grow. I’d heard that several of the upstream water sources had been hijacked by militia and the like. Most of the water had already been poisoned by industry years ago, but the few good sources left were now being targeted. I wondered if that’s why our rations had been reduced.
“What are you looking at?” snapped the soldier.
I hadn’t realized how long I’d been standing there so I quickly replied, “Just trying to figure out if it’s worth hurting my Jeep to back over you.”
“You’re an ass,” he said.
I gave him my one finger salute and jumped in the car. Revving the gas a few times, I checked the rearview mirror to see if the soldier was going to move. I don’t really know why he hated me so much. We’ve had this thing going on now for several months and it had become part of the routine.
Just as he started to walk away, I gunned it. Flying backward out of the driveway, my squealing tires caught the attention of several guards and refugees camping along the streets. I laughed at their appalled looks and waved as I passed by.
Vee’s house was only two blocks away and we almost always drove together. We’d been friends since middle school and practically inseparable that entire time. Although recently, Vee had been acting weird. We didn’t have many classes together this year, and I’d been so busy with football that we only really saw each other on our ride to school.
I pulled into her driveway and laughed when I saw her burst from the bright red front door. Angry blue eyes glared at me under layers of dark makeup. A ridiculous streak of pink stood out against her black hair and the gothic outfit was something new.
She yanked open the passenger door and threw her bag inside. “You’re late.”
“And you forgot that it’s not Halloween.”
She huffed and climbed in the Jeep. A few seconds later she snapped her head around and raised her eyebrows. “What?”
I chuckled again. “You going to tell me what’s going on here?”
“What are you talking about?”
Reaching over, I lifted the piece of pink hair. “When did you do this?”
She slapped my hand away and crossed her arms. “It’s called fashion, Zach.”
Laughing, I continued. “And what’s with the Beetlejuice eye makeup? You’re scaring me.”
A hint of a smile developed at the corner of her mouth before she snapped her angry façade back into place. “Are we going to sit here all day?”
“Relax, Vee,” I said, putting the Jeep into gear and starting our drive to school.
“Stop calling me that. It’s Vivienne.”
“Whatever,” I said. Shaking my head, I prepared for the backlash. “What’s up with you lately, anyway? You’ve been all cranky and menstrual.” Vee punched my arm so hard I winced.
“Mature, Zach.”
“Hey! You’re the one who just hit me.” My arm started to throb as I turned the steering wheel.
“You deserved it. Why do all you guys think that every time women are in a bad mood it’s because we’re on our period? Did you ever think that maybe we’re just sick of idiots like you?”
“Whoa, Vee. Chill out. Forget I even asked.” I didn’t think I’d ever understand the female race.
Vee sat back in her seat and scowled, so I took note of my surroundings more than I usually would. While tents and campers lined the streets of our compound, as soon as we left the gates, the streets were deserted.
“There’s Doomsday Danny,” I said, driving past the homeless man standing just outside our gates with a sign that read The End Is Now. “Hey, he changed the slogan.”
“I guess the end isn’t coming anymore, it’s here,” said Vee. She turned on the radio to the only station available anymore. The National Disaster Response Authority news channel reported on the state of the world, often times only focusing on the bad. True to nature, the reporter with the monotone voice discussed death and devastation like a robot.
“Nuclear attacks in London, Berlin, and Beijing have destroyed everything within a two mile radius and impacted areas more than twenty miles away. The targets appear to be the desalinization plants, although other political agendas may have been a factor as well.”
“Fucking geniuses,” Vee griped. “Let’s destroy the one thing that will help us. Yeah, that makes sense.”
“No one is taking responsibility right now,” the newscaster continued. “However, sources suspect the paramilitary group Dekania has once again infiltrated the facilities in an effort to spread their hate of governmental control. Death tolls are expected to reach at least one million, and threats of more attacks continue to be a concern.”
Vee slammed her hand against the radio button, silencing the never-ending bad news. “The world is blowing itself up and yet we still have to go to school. We should be out there fighting.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “Fighting what?”
“I don’t know. Government oppression, asshole terrorists, those people that keep poisoning the water supplies—”
“Those are terrorists, Vee,” I said, cutting her off. That earned me an evil glare.
“All of them. We should be fighting against all of them and not wasting our days sitting in a classroom.”
“It’s the only way to maintain order,” I said and Vee snapped her head toward me. Shrugging, I continued. “At least that’s what my dad says. It’s why we haven’t imploded like all of the other societies.”
“It’s only a matter of time,” Vee said. “Besides, don’t you think the government has some hidden agenda?”
“Like keeping us safe and alive?”
“No, Zach. Like keeping us under their thumb and forcing us to comply.”
As I pulled into the school parking lot, I couldn’t help think about how ridiculous she sounded. “The government isn’t evil, Vee. They may not be the most competent of species, but they aren’t out to get us.”
“Whatever,” she snapped again.
Her attitude had taken a nose dive the last few days and when I saw who was walking over to greet her, it all made sense. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groaned.
Nathan Corwin, the king of dark, gloomy, and anti-government, shuffled his way over toward us. Jet black dyed hair that hadn’t been washed in a week, black and gray camouflage pants, and eyes covered in guy-liner identified the idiot as one of the “anarchy kids.” Now Vee’s gloomy outfit made sense. “Please tell me you’re not hanging out with him.”
“So what if I am?”
She slid out of the Jeep and hurried to Nathan. The perpetual frown on his face didn’t change, even as he kissed Vee full on the lips. My stomach turned yet I couldn’t look away.
“You need a ride later?” I shouted, knowing that she didn’t. But the look on wanna-be Gothic Ken doll made it worth asking.
Vee turned to me and glared. “No.”
“All right then. You two be safe.”
Vee flipped me off as Nathan dragged her away toward the school. I didn’t necessarily care who Vee dated, but I really wished she would have at least picked someone I could stand hanging out with. I wouldn’t be sharing my air with Mr. Doom any time soon.
“What’s happening to her?” a voice asked from behind me.
I turned to see Mario, my football and soccer teammate and one of my oldest friends standing there, staring at Vee with shock and lust all mixed together. I think Mario had loved Vee since the first day she’d punched him in the face for calling her a name. “It’s just a phase.”
“Yeah, but those guys are scary.”
Laughing, I grabbed my bag and shut the door. “You really think a bunch of kids dressed in black and wearing makeup are going to fight the government? Please, they’re full of shit.”
“I don’t know,” Mario continued, catching up to me. “I heard that Nathan had something to do with the attack at Whispering Oaks.”
“The compound where the water tower was destroyed last week?”
“Yeah. They say he’s a whiz with homemade bombs.”
While I wanted to pass it off as a joke, something inside of me twisted with fear. If even a small part of that was true, I didn’t want Vee anywhere near him.
As though reading my mind, Mario said, “You should get her away from them.”
“Like I have any control over Vee,” I scoffed.
“Well, you’d have a better chance at it than I would,” he said with a frown. “She doesn’t even know I exist.”
Grinning, I threw my arm over his shoulder and trapped him in a choke hold. “Sure she does. You’re the one she likes to punch in the nose.”
Mario scrambled out from under my arm and rubbed his hands through his dark, shaggy hair. “Whatever,” he grumbled, making sure every last strand was in place.
“Zach!”
Mario and I directed our attention to the bubbly, blonde cheerleader making her way over to me. Her bright pink sweater barely covered her ample cleavage, and the tight jeans didn’t even try to hide the rest of her assets.
“Hi Kayla,” I groaned. Mario just stared, mouth wide open and eyes glued to her chest. “You’re drooling,” I whispered to him.
Kayla bounced to a stop in front of me and wrapped her hands around my waist. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she cooed. Lifting up on her toes, she kissed my lips. I didn’t kiss back.
“Why were you waiting for me?” I felt Mario nudge me in the arm.
Kayla wrinkled her brow and tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“We broke up last week,” I said.
“Did we?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t recall that.” Her hand squeezed my ass and she pulled me closer. “I don’t think we broke up. Besides, we can’t.”
“Why not?” I asked, trying to pull free of her grasp without making a scene. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vee standing near the entrance. Despite the sullen Nathan hanging all over her, blue eyes bore into Kayla’s back.
“Because you’re the football star and I’m the head cheerleader. We’re supposed to be together. It’s one of the cardinal rules of high school.”
“What about the wrestler I saw you sucking face with last week?” I asked.
“Ooh, good one,” Mario added, then cowered when Kayla glared at him.
“That meant nothing, sweetie. You’re my boyfriend.”
Just as I was about to say something I might regret later, the warning bell rang. Thankful, for the first time ever, that classes were starting, I walked toward the door. Kayla continued to rub against my body and Mario chuckled by my other side.
Vee disappeared around the corner and once inside, Kayla turned down the opposite hallway for class. But not before giving me another kiss.
“I think you have a stalker,” Mario teased.
“What part of ‘I don’t want to be around you anymore’ doesn’t she get?” Quickly shoving my bag into my locker, I grabbed the books I needed. “Besides, she’s so annoying.”
“Yeah, but she’s hot,” Mario said.
“Yeah.”
“And she’s sexy.” He started to drool again.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe? Didn’t you say that she was willing to try—”
The final bell rang, cutting off Mario’s question about my sex life and making me regret even telling him some of the stuff Kayla and I had done.
“All right, later man.” Mario gave me fist bump and ran down the hall.
As I entered my first class of the day, I thought about Vee and how she might have been right. School really did suck.
