Natural Disaster

Chapter 2

The silence that permeated the air was heavy and highly unnatural. It was a pretty small city, but was still busy, and to see it like this was unnerving. Launa and Avi wandered up the street, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of life, occasionally calling out and straining to hear if there was an answer. There was none, the answering silence sending a chill down her spine. She was unused to such quiet, the stillness suffocating.

They decided to check a random house, which may have been their worst decision. Part of the roof had caved in, trapping an unfortunate person right on their middle. Launa bent to check for breath and a pulse, stopping short upon realizing that they had been crushed to death, their lifeless eyes staring upward. Avi realized it about the same time she did, and she heard him retching behind her at the sight of the pool of blood beneath the victim. Launa shook it off and closed their eyes, wishing them a peaceful trip to the afterlife and thanking them for whatever canned goods they might have left behind.

"You’re raiding the house?" Avi asked after he caught his breath, still looking paler than usual.

Launa shrugged. “Might as well. I’m sure he wouldn’t have wanted it to go to waste.” She pulled open the cupboard and cringed at the canned oysters. “Ew.”

They continued on from the house, casting a parting glance over their shoulders at the lifeless body. She’d read and watched stuff about an apocalyptic event and its results, but she never thought she’d live it. Everything seemed to have an overtone of grey to it, and it was all dusty and dry, as though all the life had been sucked out of the town. Avi’s hand gently squeezed her shoulder, breaking her from her thoughts.”You alright?” He asked, concern lacing his too deep voice.

Launa managed a small smile. “Yeah,” she said, rubbing her arms, “I mean, I’m alive and I have decent company. I’d say I’m pretty well-off, by comparison. Are you?”

He mirrored her smile. “About the same, actually.”

They continued on, heading away from the residential area. “I’m gonna pick up some more medicine, if there’s anything left.” She said, gesturing to the grocery store, “Coming with me?”

Avi nodded. “Yeah, someone’s gotta watch your back.”

"I doubt there’s anything or anyone that’s going to pop out and get me." She said with a snort.

"Hey, don’t mock the scary movies," he raised his hands in defense, "by their rules, now that you’ve said that, you’re the first one to die."

Launa couldn’t help the pang of fear. She hated scary movies. Especially that one about the aliens leaving crop circles that could only be killed with water. “Yeah, alright,” she sighed, stepping over the threshold of the collapsing building, “I won’t tempt fate.”

"You’re tempting fate by even going in here, you know that right?" He eyed the doorway warily.

"Thank you, mother."

Avi laughed. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, “Just be careful, okay?”

Launa smiled over her shoulder at him. “Just watch my back.”

They carefully picked their way over the rubble and debris over to where the medicine was located and started shoving painkillers and bandages into her, thankfully, large bag. She mumbled something about needing another one, soon, and he jogged off to fetch a decently sized travel bag.

"So," she piped up, breaking the silence between them, "Avi." He hummed in response, tossing toothbrushes into the bag. "Who names their kid ‘Avi’?" The offended look on his face was amusing, and she scrambled to correct herself. "I mean, is it short for something?"