Living at the End of the World

Chapter 1

I woke up to small hands patting my cheeks. I opened my eyes, seeing my five year old son Okan peering at me, his little face troubled. I sat up and stretched, yawning. "What's up, little man?" I ruffled his reddish hair, and his blue-green eyes sparkled for a minute.

"Mommy, there's weird noises." He pointed to the wall, from where creaking and moaning drifted.

I opened my mouth and closed it again. I licked my lips and tried to think up an excuse. "Ah, well, um..."

Before I could say anything, a loud thump thump thump hit the wall. "Hey, shut up! There's kids here!"

"Shut up is a bad word, Katy." Okan looked at the blonde with round, sincere eyes. "Mommy said so."

Katy scoffed. "Well, I'd rather not hear the sound of two assholes mating..."

"Katy, language, please?" I rubbed my temples. "The world may have ended, but I'd really rather not have to hear my son cursing." I sighed and got up off of the pallet I shared with both Katy and Okan. "And I really don't want to hear it from a kid. How do you know what they're doing, anyway?"

Katy glared at me and I raised an eyebrow. "I'm nine, not stupid."

I shook my head and left the room we shared with six other people. "Come on, let's go get breakfast. Wake the others." Besides Okan, Katy and me, there were five kids and one woman in the room. Katy rolled her eyes and did as she was bid. She may be vulgar and smart-assed, but she always did what I told her.

We were in an old motel that sat by itself by a highway, remarkably stable. It had about twenty rooms and two cabins nearby, and the lobby doubled as a cafeteria and sitting room. I took Okan's hand and led him to the lobby, where there was already a small group of people gathered.

A smell of something cooking permeated the air from the kitchen in the back. Katy soon entered, the kids behind her. June was behind them, yawning. I had found her with her little girl Lacey a few months before, and we'd become fast friends. Other than Lacey, there was Leo, a shy eight year old; Jacob, a hyper ten year old; Loretta, a curious six year old; and Bridget, a quiet three year old. I'd found Leo, Jake, Bridget and Lori a couple months before June and Lacey. I'd found Katy a few months after the bombing two years ago.

"Alana!" Jake ran to me and hugged me, grinning.

"Hey bub. You kids hungry?" I smiled and hugged Jake before hugging Lacey, Leo, Lori, and June. I picked Bridget up, and she snuggled into my neck.

"Mommy! Keith says he found bacon!" Okan tugged on my shirt, and I smiled at him. I shifted Bridget so she sat on my hip, and I put my hand on Okan's head.

"Alana, Lori wet the bed again!" Katy folded her arms, glaring at the younger girl. Lori pouted and her chin trembled, and she buried her face in my shirt. "This is the hundredth time, and-"

"Katy, she's six. Lay off a little." Leo frowned and went to stand next to Lori. They were the only two actually related.

"You lay off! I'm gettin' sick of the smell!" Katy scrunched her nose.

"Why do you care anyway, she don't share your bed!" Lacey, a pretty twelve year old with dark waves and piercing blue eyes, stepped up. She and Katy didn't get along much.

I sighed. She was right, though. Katy, Okan, Bridget and I slept on a pallet on the floor; June and Lacey shared one with Lori; Leo and Jake slept on the third pallet. "Alright, alright. Quit fighting." I scowled.

"Leo! Jake! Lori! Okan!" four more kids ran up to us and there were hugs and shoulder punches all around. Katy scowled and went to one of the tables to sit and wait for food.