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Apocalypse
- Loyal2CrissAngel
Summary:
“…Wait, so you’re telling me that I’m the only human left in the world?” Sadera asked.
“You got it.” Keeda replied. “Everyone else was either shot or died in The Storm.”
This is the story of 17-year-old Sadera Rodriguez who, while out shopping with friends and family in her hometown of Miami, Florida, loses everyone and everything in a terrible storm that forces her to live in another civilization where her entire world is turned upside down.
“Hey Sadera!” Myra, one of Sadera’s girlfriends called. “Sale at Hot Topic!”
“Ooh! I am so there!” Sadera answered. She released Charlie’s waist and took off after her friend.
Five minutes later, Sadera and Myra caught up with the rest of the group, arms loaded with sale items from Hot Topic. Suddenly, there was a loud clap of thunder, causing everyone in the mall to jump.
“That’s strange.” Kaei commented. “The forecast didn’t say anything about rain all week. Even Hurricane Catherine isn‘t supposed to hit us till sometime next week.” Sadera nodded in agreement as a woman’s voice came over the intercom system.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please…” The mall fell silent and the voice continued.
“…Hurricane Catherine is about to make landfall. The roads are currently underwater and we are getting water in on the lower level of the mall. Please move to the upper levels of the mall for safety. We cannot allow anyone to leave until the National Guard arrives and gives the all clear, but seeing as the hurricane is only a category 3, the mall will hold out. Thank you for your cooperation.” For about a minute, there was dead silence. Then, sheer chaos erupted. Panicked shoppers rushed for the escalators and elevators in a desperate attempt to reach higher ground. Sadera and her group had been standing next to the escalators and jumped on before the stampede of terrified shoppers got there.
When they all got to the third level of the mall, Sadera led her group into Famous Barr where they decided to wait out the storm.
“What’s gonna happen to us?” Sadera’s 8-year-old cousin Lexi asked, pulling herself into Sadera’s lap. Sadera wrapped her arms around her cousin and held her close.
“We’re gonna stay here and wait for the storm to pass.” Sadera replied. “And then when the National Guard arrives, we’ll go home.” The words were barely out of her mouth when a huge clap of thunder shook the building and knocked the electricity out. Everyone screamed, but the backup generators kicked on seconds later and the mall was lit once again. Sadera and her group sat in silence, listening to the rain lashing against the sides of the building, the howling winds and the thunder exploding like bombs overhead. Lexi kept her small body pinned to Sadera’s chest in terror and Sadera tried to sing so everyone wouldn’t be so scared, but the storm was so loud and she was so scared herself, the words wouldn’t come out. Then, out of nowhere, Charlie started singing Desperado by The Eagles.
Desperado
Why don’t you come to your senses
You’ve been out ridin’ fences
For so long now
Oh, you’re a hard one
And I know that you’ve got your reasons
These things that are pleasin’ you
Can hurt you somehow
Don’t drive the Queen of Diamonds, boy
She’ll beat you if she’s able
You know the Queen of Hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can’t get
Desperado
Oh, you ain’t gettin’ no younger
Your pain and your hunger
They’re drivin’ you home
And freedom, oh freedom
Well that’s just some people talkin’
Your prison is walkin’ through this world all alone
Don’t your feet get cold in the wintertime
The sky won’t snow and the sun won’t shine
It’s hard to tell the nighttime from the day
You’re losin’ all your highs and lows
Ain’t it funny how the feelin’ goes away
Desperado
Why don’t you come to your senses
Come down from your fences
Open the gate
It may be rainin’ but there’s a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you
You better let somebody love you
Before it’s too late
As Charlie sang in a beautiful voice, Sadera managed to get her voice to cooperate and joined him, then Myra joined and by the last verse, the whole group was singing and silently praying that the storm would pass quickly so they could go home. The last words of the song faded into nothing, leaving the group in silence. Then, it happened. Out of nowhere, twenty National Guard soldiers appeared. The group was relieved to see the soldiers, but Sadera noticed something odd.
“Charlie.” she muttered under her breath. “Look. Those guys are armed to the teeth!” Sure enough, each soldier was dressed in camouflage and carried guns and knives.
“Alright. Women and children against that wall.” one soldier said, pointing to a wall. Sadera, her mom, her girlfriends and Lexi all walked over to the wall and stood with their backs against it.
“Men, up against that wall.” the soldier said, pointing out the other wall. Charlie and the other men backed up against the second wall. Something in Sadera’s mind told her that something wasn’t right here, so she stepped forward and addressed the soldier who had given her the order to stand against the wall.
“Excuse me, sir. But why are we standing here? Shouldn’t we be leaving?” The soldier turned to Sadera.
“Leave? You think you’re going somewhere?”
“Well, yeah.” Sadera answered, her voice shaking slightly. “Aren’t you here to rescue us?” All of the soldiers laughed at Sadera’s words.
“Get back against the wall!” the lead soldier ordered. Confused and a little scared, Sadera stepped back and stood once again with her back flat against the wall.
“So, you think we’re here to rescue you. Ain’t that cute.” the soldier said, pacing before the group. “Well, let me tell you a little secret. We’re not here to rescue you. We’re here on orders to terminate you.” And with that, the soldiers opened fire.
