𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒 - 𝘚𝘊𝘖𝘙𝘊𝘏 𝘛𝘙𝘐𝘈𝘓𝘚

14 ~ 𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙

Lottie

They came at dinnertime on a Wednesday. For me, it was completely unexpected. To my parents, not so much.

They had been tense all day – snapping at each other randomly, and paling at the slightest sound. I just observed quietly; sometimes days were like this. But my little brother, Jamie, didn't know what was happening. Whenever my parents started yelling, Jamie would start to cry, and it was chaos until everyone managed to calm down.

"Green beans, Maisie?" my mother offered, holding up the bowl. I smiled; I loved the way my mother said my name, with so much love. I've loved my name ever since I read it as the main character's name in my favorite book; after reading that story, I vowed never to let anyone take away who I was, and that was also why my name was so important to me.

"No, thank you, Mommy," I said sweetly. "I can't take seconds; we need to save food."

My mother looked scandalized. "Who told you that? You need to eat, darling-"

"Daddy did," I said innocently. My mother whipped around to glare at my father, who had frozen with his fork halfway to his mouth like a deer in headlights.

"You did what?" My mother said venomously.

"To be frank, dear," my father began sheepishly. "We are in an apocalypse. We can't just go to the grocery store and buy food anymore."

My mother looked like she was trying to find a way to argue by the way her mouth was opening and closing, but eventually she sat in a chair with a devastated sigh. "I can't believe I have to live in a world where my children can't eat."

"I don't need to eat any more, mommy," I assured her. "I've had enough." She gave me a watery smile and reached over to tuck my hair behind my ear.

"My sweet, selfless girl," she said. "I'm so proud of you, you know that? I love you, and I am so proud."

My brows drew together. "Why are you telling me this, mommy?" I asked. My mother hesitated, sharing a glance with my father before giving me a smile that I knew was forced.

"Can't I tell my daughter I love her witho-"

There was a knock on the door, and everything went still. Even Jamie, who had been squirming in his dining chair. My mother and father shared terrified looks as they rose slowly from their chairs.

There hadn't been a knock on the door for months.

"Get up, Maisie," my mother whispered. I obeyed, and we both watched as my father made his way slowly to the front door to our tiny apartment. He peeked though the peephole, and pulled away, sucking in a breath.

"It's them," he said softly, and my mother's face, if possible, went paler. She knelt so we were face to face. Her dark brown eyes met my matching ones. Everyone always told me how much I looked like her. I couldn't see it. My mother was beautiful, and I was not.

"Maisie, I need you to listen to me very carefully," my mother whispered. I didn't know why she was speaking so softly. It was scaring me. "Do you remember what to do if there is a fire in the house?"

I nodded. I did remember; I remembered my mother and father drilling the escape route into my head over and over, especially after the sun flares hit.

"Okay. I need you to take your brother and go. Quickly now!"

The urgency in my mother's voice made me obey without questioning her. I gently lifted Jamie from his chair and set him on the ground, seizing his hand. "Can you follow me, Jamie?" I asked him kindly. There were tears in my little brother's eyes – he was upset because everyone else was. He refused to move. "Jamie," I said. "We're playing tag," I lied. "Mommy is 'it'. You don't want to get caught, do you?"