Permanent Scars

Apocalypse?

November 27, Wednesday. 10:12 p.m.

I'm sitting cross-legged on my bed, strumming my uke, experimenting a new progression. My phone rings and I scramble from the mess of paper and pens on my bed to answer it, all out of breath from my flurry. Many emotions surge upon me, hearing the voice on the other end-Daddy's voice. Try as I may, I'm unable to inflict a myriad of questions and news upon him because he talks over me, willing me to be silent and listen to him, because he has something very important to say. Annoyed and yet eager to find out what it is, I force myself to sit and listen. He does not waste time structuring his point. Rather, he gets right to it, further informing me of this matter's urgency.

   "There's an apocalypse coming. There is no telling exactly when it will hit, but it has already begun to affect many other countries, even a few states. Something is happening to our atmosphere, to the air. It has been reported that in some places, if you go outside without a special apparatus, the air will cause your cells to divide rapidly. This turns your body into a shell, liable to detonate at any moment because it will not be strong enough to hold your insides in."

   "Are you coming home, then?" I ask hopefully.

   "For a short while, yes. But it may be as brief as two nights. I've got a research team and a bunch of other people under my charge. We're investigating the whole affair. It appears to be the result of some nuclear damage, but we aren't quite certain yet. I'll keep you posted as best I can. If not, there's always the media, and you know how word travels around."

  "Yes sir."

   "I want you to stay safe. Just be careful. I'll send you the file we've mocked up based on all the symptoms. That way if you suspect the air is getting poisoned, you can contact me directly and I will get a team down there to make sure our district has the proper supplies. Got that? And if you can't go outside safely-don't. Stay home. Don't open doors, don't open windows. Keep yourself locked up until a solution can be found."

   "Yes sir."

   "I wish I could come home to you, but right now I'm doing what I can to make your world safe."

   "I understand." It's a lie, but I know it's what he wants to hear, and besides I know he doesn't have time to argue with me or explain anything else. "When will you be coming?"

   "Hopefully within the end of this week. Hey, I've got to go now. Love you."

   "Love you too Daddy."

   The line goes dead instantly and I turn back to my paper and pens, jotting down song ideas and sketching random things in the margins of the pages. It's all forced, a manner of distracting myself from the news I was just given.

   I wonder if Adam knows about this, and if he doesn't, how he would react if I told him. I'm sure he does know about it, though. After all, Daddy did sort of imply that it's not private knowledge. Besides, from what I've gathered, despite being very much stuck in his head, Adam seems to be very observant, and I can tell he's highly intelligent. The boy's just got an aura about him that almost screams genius. I highly doubt that he's unaware of what's going on in the world around him.

   Should I text him? He's probably working right now. I don't know how to feel. Geez, I don't know what to think.

   Shaking, dropping everything, I succumb to a panic attack and lie on my side in the fetal position for the entire duration.