RADIATION

A nuclear holocaust puts four students to the test.

                                  RADIATION.                            

A SHORT BY J.D.ROBINSON.

2048. Washington D.C.

President Florence Ganz III and several members of congress retreated six stories down to the nuclear bunker. The emergency broadcast system was in affect all throughout the fifty states. Emergency sirens blared all throughout the land. Streets were deserted,stores were closed,public transportation was halted. Various motor vehicles were stranded along streets and highways.

And then-it happened. A nuclear detonation. For the first time in it's history,the United states had been hit by a nuclear device. The mushroom cloud seemed to cover most of the land as darkness took charge. Soon to follow was the acid rain. Then, Radiation...

University of Georgia-Athens.

Four students were alone in a dorm basement. It was well insulated. The four were living on the bare minimum. David Bloch 20 years of age,captain of the football team. Klu Tswana 19,exchange student from the Philippines studying Bio chemistry. Akita Jones,21, class president,student advocate,and law student,and Alan Clinton 19,political studies.

It had been four weeks since the detonations They remained in the basement for an additional two weeks. The supplies were running low. Water was down to a half gallon. Can goods were down to three cans of pork-n-beans,and a can of corn. They had a transistor radio and all four had smartphones which in the year 2048 worked as Skype phones as well as portable televisions. There was an eerie silence as the four just sat and looked at one another.

“So?” asked David- Alan looked up with inquisitive eyes. The other three also looked at David. “So what?” questioned Alan.

“How long has it been?. Don't you think it's safe for us to get out of here?” Alan was unsure of the answer. He looked at Akita.”Does the radio still work?” Akita picked up the transistor radio and turned it on. She scanned all the stations,but there was nothing but static. The other three took out their smartphones in an attempt to get some form of reception. To no avail. Suddenly Akita found a station that was transmitting. It was the voice of the President.

“My fellow Americans. Dark days have befallen us. Our enemies have thrust-ed us into another unwanted war. Hours of negotiations have proven only one thing-that our enemies have no regard for human life. Four weeks ago our nation was struck by three nuclear devices that has devastated our land,and has taken countless lives. We countered with several nuclear devises of our own. Followed by countless air strikes,while tens of thousands of American soldiers have taken control of several enemy countries,with the assistance of our allies. I can only hope that many of our citizens were able to find adequate shelter...”

The radio goes dead.

DAMN!!- shouts Akita.

“So what does that mean-can we get out of this hell hole?” ask David. “I don't know” replies Alan inserting the voice of calm.

Finally Klu makes a statement. “It's been four weeks. The radiation levels are by no means gone,but it should be safe enough to go out”. The other three look at her with skepticism. “Oh come on-she adds- you're college students. You're telling me you don't have a clue about the affects of radiation?”

“No” David responds almost embarrassed.

Klu lets out a big sigh,throws her hand up in the air,stands and heads for the basement door,and is startled by the collective NO!! of the other three.

“WE CAN'T STAY IN HERE FOREVER!!” she counters apprehensively opening the door and stepping out. She stands and gawks in awe. The other three slowly walk out and stand behind her. Now all four were staring in awe at the devastation. They felt as if they were lucky,because it seemed that the basement was inches away from being destroyed. Slowly they made their way from the basement through the debris,up to the main floor. There were no words,nothing to compare it to,because the three had never seen anything this ravaging. There was a sickening smell of death and destruction the four had never thought was even imaginable. They finally made it to the main floor.

Their eyes widened as they took it all in. It seemed as if they were frozen in time. Their legs were heavy, they felt their hearts beating. They had no idea what to do next. Slowly Alan walked up next to Klu who began to breakdown in tears. Both David and Akita were letting the tears flow as well. Suddenly it all began to sink in.

Friends,colleagues,family. Anyone. All gone. No more study groups,lab experiments,political debates,college football games, Saturday night beer parties,nothing was certain anymore. Not even their own existence. Alan took a few steps forward,stopped,wiped the tears from his eyes,turned and glared in the eyes of the other three. All four of them shared the same level of pain,and although he had no idea of what to do next,he knew that they had to do something,if they wanted to live.

“I guess I don't have to tell you that we can't stay here. I also can't tell you that we need to stay together-but I feel if we do that we would have a better chance of..”

“BETTER CHANCE OF WHAT?!”-David interjects. “YOU KNOW JUST AS MUCH AS WE DO-WHICH IS NOTHING-SO WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU!?”

“SHUT UP YOU STUPID JOCK!” Akita adds. “There's no more football season. No more of anything! It's about surviving now,so just keep your stupid mouth shut!”

Alan continues- “ I don't blame you David. You're afraid. We're all afraid,but we have to see this through. We're almost out of food. We have not enough water. If we stay here we die. If we split up our chances of surviving decrease. I can't guarantee anything,but a chance.”

Klu looks at the other two and says-”I'm in.”

Akita-”Me too.”

David was reluctant. He felt that he was stronger,more athletic. He didn't want to have to carry these guys- “Good luck then.” He walked off. Klu was about to run after him when Akita stopped her.

“let him go. Arrogance is not a good survival tool.” She then turned to Alan. “So. How do we proceed?”- Alan really didn't know,but he did know that they had to find food and water.

“Follow me”.

The three proceeded forward,taking in the devastation. There were bodies of those who never made to shelter. The building looked as if it was about to collapse at any moment.

“We need to find supplies. We need to get to the cafeteria,or at least find a vending machine.”

“I can't make heads or tails of where we're at.” said Akita looking around at all the carnage.

“The cafeteria isn't in this building-added Klu- But there has to be some vending machines not all that far”.

“That is if they weren't tossed around like the rest of the campus.” Alan said.

“S**t. I didn't think about that. Said Akita. Once again Alan turned and looked at the two women.

“We have to move forward”.

“Well-right now you're the man of the house-so lead the way.” Akita said.

Alan appreciated her attempt to break the tension. He knew that although things were looking quite bleak,that they would have to regain hope and confidence. He marched forward with the two behind him. They had to climb over obstacles,and at times parts of the building began to collapse. They were literally walking through a concrete jungle. They had to walk over decapitated bodies,which wasn't easy. The girls at times had to stop and puke. Alan wasn't exempt from the stomach turning images,yet they had no choice. Finally luck. Klu spotted not one,but two vending machines. One was filled with drinks and tipped over on it's side. The other had a assortment of candy,chips,and cookies. It was on it's back and the glass was broken. The three made their way to the machines,and were just about to plunder when a question popped into Alan's head. He hesitated.

“We just survived a nuclear holocaust,but how much has this stuff been affected?”

“What do mean?-asked Akita- The packages are sealed. The bottles are sealed.” She took a bottle of soda and shook it.-”Look. It's still carbonated!” she added.

“Which means absolutely nothing” countered Klu.-” I think we need to make our way to the cafeteria. There are can goods,and other food that can survive the radiation.”

“Damn girl-I'm hungry.”

Klu shrugged-”Then eat it.”

Akita drops the bags in disgust. Alan suggest that they make their way to the cafeteria building. With all the carnage it was hard to tell just where the building was located. Klu pointed in the direction where she felt the cafeteria was located. That's when Akita noticed something.

“Holy s**t-look at that.” She points to the ground not far from Klu. Alan looks down as well,as the three watched a swarm of cockroaches. It appeared as if they were feeding on a body.

“I didn't know cockroaches were carnivores.” commented Alan. Klu watched the colony intensely.

“A cockroach will eat practically anything” she adds.

“Anything huh-Akita interjects-Guess that means we should be moving-and fast”.

The two were confused.- “Why?”-they asked in unison. Akita pointed and the two turned only to become frozen with fear,surprise,and amazement. They found themselves looking at what seemed to be a cockroaches antennas.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Alan. The creature was hidden behind a mountain of rubble,but it was obvious that whatever it was-it was huge.

Klu took a step forward. “That's a cockroach. A giant one,most likely affected by the radiation.”

“So how long are we going to stand here and wait to be introduced?” asked Akita. That's when the monster cockroach raised itself above the rubble. Calmly Alan stated that it may be time to retreat. Klu pointed to a building to right and the three moved as fast as they could. The monster cockroach appeared not to notice them.

The three were able to hide behind the rubble,and make their way to another building . For a minute they felt as if they hadn't left the building they were in. The carnage was just as bad,and they couldn't make heads or tails of where they were at.

“Oh great” began Akita-”out of one dungeon into another”. Alan looked back at her with a look of understanding. Suddenly Klu shouts out as she notices what building they were in. “Hey. I think we're here.” “Here where?” asked Alan. Akita didn't know whether to run or wait for a response. “We're in building D. The cafeteria is in this building”. “Wow. I always knew where the cafeteria was,but never knew what building it was in” Alan commented. “I never knew the buildings had letters” added Akita.

Klu stares at Akita with a look of disbelief.

“How did you get from class to class not knowing what building was what?”. She asked. Akita shrugged. “I got by”.

“Come on-said Alan. Let's see if we can find the cafeteria”. This wasn't going to be an easy task due to the devastation surrounding them.

Klu felt that even with the devastation,she could lead the other two towards the cafeteria.

“I think it's in this direction” she said.

“How can you tell?” asked Alan-” I remember the staircase leading to the basement floor”.Akita stepped forward. “Yeah. I remember that staircase as well. The cafeteria is down the hall to the right”.

Klu was confused. “You remember that,but you don't know the building letters?” Akita shrugged. “Like I said. I got by”.

Klu began to move forward with the other two right behind. Suddenly there was a crackling sound. The three looked up to not a second to soon. “GET BACK” Yelled Alan as the ceiling came crashing down. Dust from the debris filled the air and the three began to cough. They had just managed to get out of harms way. As the smoke from the debris slowly cleared,the three slowly got back on their feet. Unfortunately their hopes of reaching the cafeteria would be dashed as their path towards the cafeteria would be blocked by the ceiling debris. Klu let out a sigh of disappointment. Alan stood without a word as he wiped himself off. “Well I don't know about you two but I'm still hungry” added Akita. Klu looked at Alan. “What now?” Alan really had no idea,but he did know that they had to either make it to the cafeteria,or as he looked around at the crumbling building,began to feel as if it may be safer to just get out. Klu noticed the look on Alan's face.

“Whats wrong” she asked concerned. Alan answered with a soft voice of worry. “I don't think we can stay here. This building may collapse any moment”. Klu looked up at the ceiling and at the walls. “But we need food” added Akita. “She's right” said Klu. “I know she's right,but look at that rubble in front of us. The rest of the ceiling might drop any moment,and the walls would then cave in”. “So what should we do?” Klu asked. Alan was becoming more and more nervous over the prospect of their survival. “We have to get out of here-Now”.

“Um-Excuse me Please-Akita interjected-But are you two forgetting that giant cockalocka out there looking for something to munch on”. “I don't think we have much of a choice” was Alan's rebuttal.

“Well you take your white meat out there if you wanna,but I happen to know that cockroaches love dark meat”. “Now just how would you know something like that” asked Klu with a look of sarcasm.

Honey I'm from the Bronx. The cockroaches ate at the table with us”. Alan was confused at how Akita could be so nonchalant considering the severity of their situation. Klu just cracked a slight smile. Then the building began to rumble,and once again chunks of the ceiling began to fall. At the same point the wall to their left came crashing down.

Akita didn't hesitate as she moved to her left in an attempt to get out. Klu and Alan were right behind. The three managed to make it out just seconds before the left wall came crashing down. Now they were exposed and were looking around for giant cockroaches. All three had noticed something that they thought they would never be able to do. They became indifferent to the carnage,the bodies,the smell,the danger. It had simply became all about their survival.

Alan told the other two that they would have to arm themselves. “You see a gun shop”? Asked Akita as only she could. “That's not what I mean” replied Alan looking around and find a piece of wood almost in the shape of a baseball bat. He reached over and picked it up. Klu and Akita looked in disbelief. “Who would think that in 2048,we would be reverting back to 2000bc”. Akita looked around,took a few steps and picked up a slew of thing. She threw some back into the rubble,but kept two,three,or four other things,like rocks,sticks,even filling her pockets with debris.

“What are you doing”? Asked Klu. “Listen girl. He got one stick. What happens if it breaks,or like you said,cockroaches eat almost anything” “So”?-”So I'm gonna make sure I got backup”. Klu looked at Alan who simply shrugged. “We need to keep moving” said Alan. “Where”? Asked Klu. Suddenly the ground began to shake somewhat violently. The three looked all around confused. Suddenly Akita cried out,”COCKROACH”!!!!! It wasn't clear if it was the same giant cockroach that they had seen before,but there was no time to do an inventory. “Quick-this way”! Said Alan moving back towards the rubble of building D. Alan found a space behind the rubble and the three hid and waited. He giant roach once again seemed not to notice them. Akita suddenly stepped out in plain view of the giant cockroach,and with stick in hand yelled,”THAT'S RIGHT-YOU BETTER RUN”!!!!

Alan got her attention and pointed down to her feet. Akita looked down to see a swarm of cockroaches marching over her feet. Some began to climb up her pants. She let out a blood curdling scream and began frantically brushing them off her clothes while moving her legs up and down like pistons in a formula one race car. Alan ran up and pulled her back behind the rubble. Klu focused her attention on the roach colony which appeared to be following the monster roach as if it were their mother. She turned to the other two. “I don't think that they have any interest in us” she commented. “Didn't you say that they eat just about anything”? Alan asked still brushing roaches off Akita's back. “Yeah but we're not dead” she replied. “Not dead. B***h how the hell do you explain what just happen?- those little b*****s damn sure looked like they were looking for a meal”?

“Well first thing Akita is you have a big mouth”Klu commented. “The second thing is the that you were simply in their path. They were following their mother”. “So you don't think they're a threat to us”? Asked Alan. “On the contrary Klu continued, There may be a possibility to tame them”. “Oh now I know you a crazy b***h. Tame a cockroach”?? blurted Akita. “I thought you were from the Bronx and ate with cockroaches”? Klu countered. “What the hell you think you gonna do-ride that monster”??

“Maybe”. “B***h you had too much of this damn radiation”. The two began a back and forth that Alan had enough of. “Alright settle down ladies”!! -We still need to find food,water,and shelter so we can figure out what the hell to do”. Alan decided he had to take charge,even though he had no idea what the next move should be.

The three came to the conclusion that the best thing to do would be to leave the campus. Klu stated that it may be possible to find bugs and plants that could sustain them until they found some real sustenance. Akita wasn't happy with the idea,but they were only getting weaker. Now wasn't the time to be choosy. If Klu was correct and the giant cockroach,or roaches weren't aggressive,maybe they could move on until the city limits,or anywhere they could find food. They began their journey which was by no means easy. It was as if they were journeying through mountains and rough terrain. At one point Akita felt an itch on the back of her head. She scratched it and pulled out a wad of hair. She stopped in her tracks with the other not realizing. She looked at the hair in her hand and suddenly the surreal became real. This she couldn't shake off with her comedic,Bronx toughness. No amount of toughness was going to fight off death and that's what Akita saw in her hand. A slow death.

Klu noticed Akita was lagging. She stopped Alan and pointed behind. Akita had lagged a good ten yards. Against his better judgment, Alan yelled out to her. It was if she'd gone deaf. He yelled out her name once more. At this point Akita sat on a pile of rubble. Both Klu and Alan were confused,but could sense that something was wrong. The two began walking back towards her. One after the other the two called out her name. They could feel that something just wasn't right. They moved closer calling her name,but not shouting or yelling,but their voices took on a tone of inquisitive compassion. Akita sat glaring down at the rubble,almost hypnotic. She didn't move, causing the two to wonder if she was even alive. They slowly advanced.

“Go back” Akita advised in a voice that was foreign to the both of them.

“You okay”? Asked Klu almost afraid of a response.

“I'm fine. Just keep going. I'll catch up to you”. Klu and Alan just looked at one another bewildered. Alan motioned for Klu to continue. He would stay and see if he could find out what was wrong with Akita.

Alan didn't want to say anything to her,but he also didn't want to leave her there. His was a political studies major,and there was no better time to be diplomatic.

“Akita. What is it? He asked in an almost touching voice.

I'll be fine-you two just keep it moving she replied waving him off. “I'll catch up”.

“Akita. Whatever it is. We can get through it-together”.

Akita chuckled. “Yeah we'll get through it” she replied. Then she looked up at Alan. There was an emptiness in her eyes. They lacked the brightness of that defiant Bronx woman he had come to know. Now there was this uncertainty,and fear. They looked as if she had given up. Her eyes began to swell as if she was about to cry. She stood up slowly,never taking her eyes of Alan. She reached in her pocket while grabbing her club. She threw dirt at Alan and raised her club. Her voice went from passive to aggressive.

“I said. Keep it-MOVING”!!

Alan became perplexed. He had no words. He glared at her trying to find something. Trying to find the real Akita. She threw more dirt in his face. He threw his hands up in defense,yet wasn't ready to quit on her. Looking at her he noticed that her fingers held strands of her hair. It then became apparent to him. He knew it could only be one thing. The two stood and stared at one another almost in a Mexican stand off. Alan knew that no amount of diplomacy would win this. He was searching for words. He wanted to tell her that things would be okay,but he knew that it would only be an empty promise. So without words he turned and began to walk back to Klu. Akita,with club in hand slowly sat back down upon the rubble.

Klu watched the encounter from a slight distance. She too knew that it had to be something deathly wrong for Akita to act this way. She had no idea just how correct her intuition was. Alan walked to her,put his hand on her shoulder,whispered in her ear,which at that point,Klu wanted to make a mad dash back to Akita. Alan held her back and told her that it would most likely be to no avail and that they had to move on.

With heavy hearts the two ventured on. They were starving,thirsty, their mouths were so dry that it became difficult to speak. The sky was hazy,and day seemed like night. The two couldn't tell what day it was,or what time of day it was. Due to the massive destruction all about the land,the two had no idea in just what direction they were headed. At one point Klu collapsed from hunger and exhaustion. Alan wanted to convince her that they had to keep moving,but he himself was too exhausted. He sat next to Klu,and the two fell asleep.

They were awaken later by a loud rumble. They couldn't tell whether they had slept through the night,or just a couple of hours. There was no sun,no stars. Nothing. As exhausted,hungry,and thirsty as they were, their survival instincts took over. Alan looked around,and saw what may have been a highway,or maybe just part of a highway that had been blown into that area by the detonation. He noticed an underpass and didn't hesitate to grab a totally exhausted Klu and practically drag her to the underpass. Alan told Klu who was so exhausted that she was at the point of delirium to stay low. The rumbling became so intense that the two shook violently. Fear entered their hearts. Since the detonation,the temperature had varied from an uncomfortable chill,to an impossible heat. At times it changed from what seemed to be minute to minute,or could it have been hour to hour,or even day to day.

Klu shrieked as the rumbling became even more intense. They stayed close to one another as Alan looked and saw what seemed to be a number of giant cockroaches. Not a second later they were followed by swarm of what must have been tens of thousands of baby cockroaches. Many of them raced by and even crawled over the two. Alan looked over at Klu and saw that she was in no shape to brush off the little ones. He knelt over her and began brushing them off. What seemed to take hours only took a few minutes before the giant cockroaches and their offspring went by. Afterwards Alan noticed a small field of grass and plants. He stood and gazed at what could be life saving sustenance. Klu seemed to be bouncing between wake and sleep. Alan knelt over and gently shook her.

“Klu. Klu wake up” he said in a gentle voice. Klu opened her eyes and gasped. “It's me-Alan”. Klu stared. Alan thought that she was still in a state of wake-sleep. “I found a field of plants”he continued. pointed at his face. He was confused. He took his right hand and wiped across the right side of his face. He then looked at his hand and saw blood and skin. Klu was thrown back into a full state of awareness. “My god-are you alright”?-”Never mind that. Look” he pointed. Klu looked and her eyes widened. She slowly rose to her feet and began walking to the field with Alan following,still wiping his face. Klu moved cautiously,looking,slightly touching,and smelling the plants. “My god” she said,somewhat pleasantly surprised. She knelt down at one of the plants. Alan was impatiently waiting for a verdict. She looked further across the field which may have been about twenty yards long and fifteen feet wide. She then looked back at Alan with a smile which he returned. “Well?-is it edible? “are you kidding”? she responded with a wide smile- Do you know what this is? Plantains,chickweed,dandelions,even the grass is edible,Not only are they edible,but they can provide water”. Alan forgot at that moment that radiation was slowly eating away his skin. She looked at him again,this time with some concern. “We need something to cut the roots so that we can drain the moisture”.

“We can sharpen a piece of wood,or maybe a rock,but what about the radiation”? Klu paused.

“Alan. It's obvious that all of us have been poisoned by the radiation. Does that mean we give up like Akita”? He sadly smiled. “Okay, You tell me which ones to pull out of the ground,and you go find something to cut the roots”. Klu was about to pick out the plants to be rooted when she noticed something strange.

“Whats wrong”? Alan asked. “whats wrong? Look around. You mentioned radiation. The whole country's been tossed on it's side-yet this field is practically pristine”. Alan looked around only to confirm Klu's keen observation. “How is that possible”? She asked. “I don't know,but I don't like it”. “Maybe it's like when a tornado hits. You know. It destroys everything in it's path,but leaves one house standing”. “I would like to think your right,but you can't compare a tornado to a nuclear holocaust”. You wanna know something else? He added- Look at the carnage around this field. It's a circle surrounding it. It seems this field was man made”. Klu looked around to see just what Alan saw.

“This is eerie she said, but how could this place be man made? the detonation was just a four weeks or so ago”

Alan shrugged. “ I have no idea. Maybe it is a radiation thing.” So what do we do now”? Asked Klu.

Alan let out a sigh. His head was reeling. “Listen. We have to eat and we need water,otherwise we won't last much Longer. You go stay under the rubble while I go and pick some of these things. Klu stopped him in his tracks. “Let me do it. I know what to pick”. Alan wasn't sure that he wanted Klu to put herself in harms way. Then again they were constantly in harms way. “How about we both just start picking as much as we can carry,and get the heck out of here. I'm beginning to get paranoid”.

The two began picking when shots ran out. They didn't get much before being force to make a mad dash back to the underpass. A load angry voice rang out.

“YA'LL STAY OFF MY FIELD”!!!

The two were breathing heavy,their hearts pounding. They knew that they were in a dangerous situation,but the hunger and thirst took over. Klu frantically began to cut the bottoms of the stems to drain as much water as she could,which was close to nothing. They split the rest and devoured it all like cavemen after a kill. Even though eating plants can taste disgusting,the two felt as if they had just sampled a steak dinner,(emphasis on the word sampled). That little bit just made them even more cannibalistic,or should I say herbalistic.

The two sat in the underpass contemplating just what their next move would be. They were still hungry and thirsty. “We have to think of something” said Klu. “I know,I know,but what?- if we don't find sustenance soon we'll wither away.”

“Well now,wouldn't that be ashamed”. They turned,startled to see a burly five foot six,elderly gentleman with a raggedy beard pointing a twelve gauge shotgun at them. The two were frozen with fright. They were speechless staring down the barrel of a shotgun. He had a strong southern accent.

“Now didn't I tell you two to stay of my field”. Alan regained some composure. “I'm sorry sir. We thought the field was...Well the field not the underpass”.

“It's all Mine”. Said the man holding the shotgun. Klu was still in a state of fear. She sat shaking,watching the interaction between the two. “We're sorry”. Said Alan in an attempt to defuse the situation.

“”What brings y'all to these parts anyways”. Alan was confused at the question. Did this guy not know that there was a nuclear detonation? He began to search for words,but he didn't want to take too long for fear that this guy's trigger finger might get itchy. He glanced at Klu searching for an answer. That's when Klu looked at the guy with the shotgun and said,”The bomb”. The elderly gentleman kept pointing his shotgun while taking on an angry look. Seems Klu may have said the wrong thing. Alan stood slightly in front of Klu. If this guy was going to pull the trigger. He would have to kill Him first. The old man then lowered the shotgun. He grunted before replying-”Yeah. Hell of a big bang wasn't it? Well let's get you two cleaned up and some food in your belly”. Alan and Klu felt as if their hearts had just dropped to their stomachs,but they were somewhat relieved. He lead the two through the field and outside the circle to what looked like a simple manhole cover. He opened the cover and allowed the two to enter first before closing the cover. There was a ladder that looked as if it went for miles into the earth. Slowly and cautiously Alan went down first,then Klu,and then the old man. They must've gone down ten feet before Alan saw candle light. He stepped off the later,Klu right behind him,then the old man.

The two couldn't believe what they were looking at. There was furniture,and a candle lit chandelier. There was a wood stove,and a shower with a curtain. Next to the shower was a old fashion water pump,and next to that a sink. The two felt almost like Alice in wonderland. There were old artifacts and photos. This place was almost like any other home except for the fact that there was no electricity,and it was ten feet underground. The old man walked over to a dresser in the corner where he opened one of the drawers,took out a couple of bath towels and tossed one each to Alan and Klu. “You go first little lady” he said. Klu hesitated. “Is there a place to change”? She asked causing Alan to nudge her and give her a look as if to say,”Don't blow it”. The old man glared at her.”Forget it” she said conceding. She walked over to the shower,got in and proceeding to disrobe. The shower was surprisingly clean. There was a bar of soap that seemed to be made from some sort of plant. The water was surprisingly warm. The old man gestured to Alan to take a seat at the self made wooden table which stood just about in the middle of the room.

“What's your name son”? “Alan”. The old man looked at him. Alan couldn't tell what the old man was thinking. He always looked somewhat angry. “Alan. That was my sons name”. The old man reached over and grabbed a frame picture of what must've been his family. He sat at the table across from Alan. “We started on this place twenty five years ago. Took us fifteen years to finish it. The only thing we couldn't do was electrify the place”-”You mean put in electricity”? Asked Alan. The old man got up and walked over to a shelf where he took out a bottle of whiskey and three glasses. He walked back to the table,put a glass in front of Alan and poured a generous shot. It was all so surreal to Alan. Klu came out of the shower,clean and dressed. “Come sit with us little lady”. He poured a generous shot of booze for her. He then,with his head gestured for Alan to take his turn. Alan stood up from the table. Klu gave him an inquisitive Look. Alan gave her a cautious smile. He then walked over to the shower,walked in and disrobed. He hung his clothes on the shower curtain. “Cheers little lady”, The old man raised his glass as did Klu. Klu wasn't much of a drinker,but felt as if now was the time. The old man downed his glass,let out a big “Ahhhh”,and poured a couple more shots. In the background the sound of the shower almost relaxed Klu. The shower was almost therapeutic,as was the sound of the shower. The whiskey gave her comfort. The old man sat across from her staring. That made her nervous again. She saw the framed picture,picked it up and looked at it. She looked at the old man. “Your family I guess”? Yep. My wife and son”. “I heard you say your son's name was Alan”. The old man paused. He poured himself another glass. “He was a good boy. He was in the Air Force” he said,his voice raising. Klu was noticing a sympathetic side of the gentleman. She offered her hand. “My name is Klu”. The two shook hands. “Klu. What kind of name is that? He asked. “My parents came here from the Philippines”. The old man remained silent. Alan finished his shower and went back to the table. Klu continued.”Thank you for letting us take a shower,and just being hospitable”. The old man got up. “T'aint nothing. Y'all help yourself to the whiskey. I'm gonna rustle up something to munch on”. Alan sat back in his chair.

“What's your name-if you don't mind me asking”? Klu continued. The old man looked at her. “Clancy”. He then continued to take out a pot. He then opened a cupboard. Klu and Alan couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was filled with can goods. “So-ah-Clancy. What made you build this place”? Alan asked. Clancy was rattling pots and pans. “ I did four tours back in the day in Afghanistan. I was thirty five. Me and my son knew that this day was coming. Iran,South Korea. It was just a matter of time”. “So what happened to your family”? Klu asked softly. Clancy took out a huge box of matches, got some paper and lit the wood stove. He then turned towards the two. He slowly walked back to the table,poured a glass,and drank it in one gulp. “My wife died of cancer back in '38. Alan died a year ago His plane went down over Iran”. He lowered his head. Then went back to cooking.

Clancy finished cooking the meal,and bought a plate each for Klu and Alan. The two expected to see vegetables and plants,but were joyfully surprised to see meat on their plates. Clancy got his plate and returned to the table and sat with the two. He poured more whiskey for everyone. The two were hesitant to start. Clancy sensed that there was still distrust coming from the two.

“I ain't gonna poison you kids. Eat up”. The two began. “So. Where were you two when the bang happened?”. Alan looked up at Klu. We were students at the University” answered Alan. “This is really good Clancy. What kind of meat is this”? “Raccoon”. The two slightly gagged. “Too spicy”? They both shook their heads no. Clancy chuckled. “So” he continued. “Where you from Alan”? “Me? I'm from Seattle sir”. “And you ah-Kl u. God knows I'll never get used to that name”. “I'm from New York” she replied. “I heard that place was the first to get hit”. Klu stopped. “How do you know that” she asked. “I got myself one of them-shortwave radios. Here let me show you” Clancy got up and walked over to a writers desk. There was cover that he removed,and there it was. He turned it on. The two were stunned. “How do you get reception ten feet underground?” “They work on a different RF frequency said Klu, You can get reception almost anywhere”. There was a broadcast coming through. Alan got up,walked over and stood next to Clancy There was static coming from the shortwave,then a voice came through.

“MARTIAL LAW IS STILL IN EFFECT. NATIONAL GUARD AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE FULL JURISDICTION. CURFEW REMAINS TO BE AT 10PM.LOCAL HOSPITALS ARE OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY,BUT WE DO WARN THAT DUE TO THE INFLUX OF RADIATION VICTIMS,WAIT TIMES CAN BE EXTENSIVE. THERE ARE FOOD PANTRIES IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES. AUGUSTA,ATLANTA,ATHENS,CELLPHONES ARE NOT OPERATIVE.COMPUTERS MUST HAVE AUTHORIZATION”.

Clancy turned it off. How far is the hospital from here”? Alan asked. “A good ten miles” said Clancy. Alan Looked at Klu.”You hear that”? He noticed that Klu was pulling strains of hair from her head that was simply falling out. Alan turned his attention back to Clancy. “I'm sorry Mr. Clancy”- “I said Clancy I ain't say nothing about Mr.” “You've been really nice Clancy,but we shouldn't over stay our welcome”. Clancy slightly smiled and put his hands on Alan's shoulders. Alan could see that Clancy was lonely,and missed his family. “I'll make y'all a travel bag” he said taking their plates from the table,and heading towards the kitchen. “The hospital's about 10 miles due west. Y'all got to be careful. There's a bunch of poachers out there. Since the bang,people have changed. It ain't safe”. Alan went over, and sat next to Klu who managed to smile slightly with a tear in her eye.

Clancy gave them a shoulder-bag complete with food, water and whiskey. He then lead them to the ladder. Klu was about to go first when she turned and gave Clancy a big hug. Thank you Clancy. You're a good man”. Clancy smiled and simply said,”Take care of yourself little lady”. Klu then started up the ladder. Alan was about to follow when Clancy grabbed him by the arm. He then handed Alan a 45 glock pistol.

“You got fifteen rounds. Make 'em count. Now get outta here,and take care of that little lady son”.

Alan smiled,gave him a hug,and headed up the ladder.

The two walked about five miles before taking a break. They hadn't seen any giant cockroaches. The sky was still hazy. It seemed as if the haziness would never dissipate. Maybe this was to be the state of the world existence from this point on. No sun. No difference between night and day. Just haziness. They sat by a tree which was pretty much out in the open. Alan reached into the shoulder-bag and took out the container of food.

He offered Klu some. “Anything but the meat” she said. “I can't believe I ate Raccoon. They're such sweet animals” she added. “We don't live in that world anymore Klu”. She looked at Alan. She was about to say something when Alan took the pistol out from behind his pants. “Oh my god” she blurted at the sight of it. “Clancy gave you that”??. Alan looked at her. “Who else”? “You know how to shoot that thing”? She asked. “I never even held a gun before”. Klu reached and moved Alan's hand away. “That's the safety. Always point either up or down while checking it. Looks like a glock 45. fifteen rounds. You have to load the chamber” Alan was in awe. “I guess that shocked reaction was nothing but a ruse”. She slightly smiled.”My father was a cop”.

After Klu gave Alan a quick gun lesson, the two continued on their way. As they walked,Klu asked Alan if he felt that he would ever see his family and friends again. Alan took a few to respond. “I can only hope for the best,but I'm prepared for the worst” was his answer. “How about you”. “You heard what Clancy said. New York was the first to get hit”. Alan glanced at her. Although she didn't directly answer the question. He knew what she meant. They ventured on. They came upon a wooded area,or what once was a wooded area. Many of the trees were reduced to splinters and chunks. There was a mixture of fallen trees and rubble. “How far away do you think we are”? Asked Klu. “I have no idea” he answered. “I have no idea where west is”. Klu looked at him annoyed. “It's a good thing for you that we happen to be going west” Alan stopped in his tracks. “How do you know that?- wait. Your father was a cop”. She smiled smug.

The two walked and came upon another field. This one wasn't as pristine as Clancy's. There was a concrete house in the short distance. It had been somewhat demolished by the bang. The two cautiously approached. They could see that there was no door. They stopped, and looked at each other. “What do you think”? Asked Alan. “I don't know” Klu answered. Then there was a click. Alan felt cold metal on the back of his head.

“I'll tell you what to think” said the male voice. “Think that your luck has just run out. Now put your hands up”.

The two complied. Their backs were to the assailant. He searched them and found the glock. “Well. I see your prepared,or at least was”. He took the shoulder-bag and told them to turn around. They couldn't believe their eyes. It was David. Unshaven,dirty, almost bald. It seemed that he was quite hungry as he took the container with food,laid it down still pointing his gun. He knelt down, opened it and began eating.

“David”? Asked Klu.

“Nice to see you again Klu,Alan”.

“You look..Well said Alan. Hungry”?

“Don't be a smart a*s. Said David. “You were always a smart a*s”. David opened the water bottle and drank just about all of it. He then saw the whiskey.-”Well. Look-look”.

“I thoughts jocks didn't drink” said Alan. David punched him to the ground as he took a big swig. “Whats up with your face a*s hole”? Alan shook it off,got back to his feet and kind of chuckled. David kept pointing the gun at him. “You don't have to do this David said Klu. We're not far from the hospital. We all can get help,food,regain our lives in some way. Come on. You know us”. “Nice try Klu,or should I say clueless”. “So what now” asked Alan seeing that David was in desperation. He could see that David had a wound on his thigh. “You need to get that taken care of” he said. “SHUT UP SMART A*S”!!. He began breathing harder. He was becoming unstable,escalating. His hand began to shake. The two were worried that he would just shoot unintentionally.

“David. David please” pleaded Klu. “I SAID SHUT-UP”!!

Suddenly the ground shook. David looked around,Alan jumped,grabbed Davids hand and the two hit the ground. They began fighting over the gun. Klu was looking for a way to help Alan. It would all be to no avail. David was just too strong. He stood up with the gun still in his hand,pointing it again at the two. “Oh you two are done” he said. The two stood waiting for David to put an end to it all. Then came a loud rumble followed by a big boom. The ground shook so violently that it knocked the three of them off their feet. Once again Alan thought about getting the gun,and once again David had the upper hand.

There was a short moment of darkness as the three looked up. A giant cockroach was overhead and landed just feet away. David still tried to hold the two hostage until he heard a voice shouting out.

“HEY-YOU STUPID JOCK. PUT THE GUN DOWN,OR FEEL THE WRATH OF THE BOOGIE DOWN BRONX!!.

They were stunned. It was Akita. They were even more stunned when they saw her sitting on the back of the giant cockroach. They looked up speechless to see a wide smiling,bald Akita sitting at the head of the cockroach,holding it's antennas. Klu rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Alan just starred. David dropped the gun and his jaw. It almost looked as if she was riding a thoroughbred horse.

“HEY KLU. YOU WERE RIGHT. THESE THINGS ARE AS TAME AS BUNNY RABBITS. I'M GONNA TAKE ONE HOME-Wherever that is”. She began to have a little trouble handling it. She jumped off,fell flat on her face,got up,brushed herself off, and walked towards the three. They remained speechless. “Y'all looked like you ain't never seen a sister on a cockroach before”. She walked over to David,picked up the gun and saw the bottle. She picked it up,and took a drink without knowing what was in it. “Wow!!. That's some good s**t!! She slapped Alan in the chest. “So how y'all do-in? What's a matter-roach got your tongue? Sorry,that was bad joke”.

Klu began to stutter-”How-how”??? “How now brown cow” Akita finished,taking another swig. Alan and David just stared. “You know these things can fly”? “Well they can't fly” said Klu. “They can jump”.Akita walked over,put her arm around Klu and said-When something that big jumps,they are flying sweetheart”. “How'd you tame that thing”? Alan asked. “It's a long story,but I told you I'd catch up. So. Were we going”? David was trembling. His voice was gone. “We were heading for the hospital” said Klu meekly. Akita took another swig. “Hospital it is”. Alan grabbed Akita by the arm. “How do you-how do you steer that thing”?. Akita pointed to the antennas. “Those things are like bicycle handle bars,now let's go”! Akita began walking off. Alan and Klu rubbed their eyes just to make sure it wasn't a mirage. David stood still,watching. Akita walked up to the monster,climb up the leg and sat right behind the antennas. “Come on! Klu and Alan glared at one another. They shrugged and Klu went first,climbing up the leg which was like climbing a tree. Alan followed. They sat right behind Akita. They were about to leave when Akita looked at David. “Hey. You coming”?!!...