The Event

Chapter 18.

I clomped off of the motel porch into freshly fallen snow and stomped angrily across the small parking lot and across the street over to a small shed where the fire wood is kept. Granted, I'm not the strongest and it will likely take me like five trips to even carry in enough wood to use in the five fire places in the nicer suits on the second floor we've all moved into, but I volunteered anyway.

I didn't bother waiting for anyone to agree.

I'd pushed away from my empty plate in the dining room and clomped right out here in my grey track pants, black sweater and Tommy's enormous boots.

Kayne and KaRayna might want me and everyone else to believe that we can get everything together in time to cut off Brent and Will before they ruin everything, but my hope is not high. I'm tired of believing things will get better or work out only to be reminded that this isn't the way the world works anymore. Not that it ever did to begin with. I don't know why I'm surprised. I'm an ordinary girl who got abandoned by her father, had a mom who liked my brother more than me, only ever had one friend, and just so happened to outlive the end of the world, but not before seeing some sights that are sure to haunt my dreams for however long I've got left.

Where does a girl like me get off thinking things will change?

Now? I mean, really.

I laughed at my stupidity as I stacked up the first three logs in front of me and then bent over to try and scoop them up into my arms. "Dammit." I cussed under my breath when I barely moved them, and only enough to make the one on top roll off. I tried again, this time picking up one at a time and when I leaned over to grab the last one, I couldn't get my short arms around it.

I threw them all down on the ground and I sat down on the damp wooden floor.

I hated Brent and Will for ruining my moment. It had been like I could almost see us actually coming back from all we'd been through. Our small little group becoming a family that with the help of the Mundi would rebuild the world and defeat the evil galactic space trash. That had all been a giant stupid joke though. We weren't meant to live beyond this, and all we are doing is delaying the inevitable.

Aliens come, people die.

That's all there is to it.

"Rowan?" I jumped, grabbing my chest when Kayne appeared in the door way, looking back and forth from the logs strewn across the floor to me. "What's wrong?"

I laughed loudly, pulling my knees up in front of me and resting my forehead against them. "Is that a serious fucking question?" I continued to laugh even though nothing was funny. "Everything is wrong. Literally, no exaggeration, everything."

Kayne took a step closer, then another, kneeling at my side. He paused, then I felt his hand on my back. "I'm sorry, Rowan." He whispered softly.

"Yeah, well, you should be." I snapped, sitting up fast.

He pulled his hand back, resting it back on his own leg as he stared down at the ground. His eyes lingered over to a yellowish brown leaf near his foot and he reached out with his finger and pressed on the center, making it crack into dried pieces.

"I really am, Rowan." He sighed. "I don't know if I ever did tell you that. I'm sorry for what's happened here, and I'm sorry that it's all affected you. If I could go back, change things, I would do it."

I sighed, feeling guilty for making him feel guilty, but then mad all over again for feeling that way. "Yeah, I know." I decided to say instead of my inner monologue of despair and annoyance.