Meteor

by Brad Knight

  “I sensed the same distance in you,” he replied. “So I felt like I had little choice but to go about my business when you seemed as if you were no longer interested in me.”

  “I think we can chalk it up to one big misunderstanding.” She put her hand up to his cheek.

  He liked the feeling of her hand there, but put it down after a moment. “Be that as it may, it will still take me some time to get over things.”

  After a long silence, Troy sat down on the sofa that he had installed in the front room and switched on the older television that he had connected there.

  “I really don’t know if I want to hear it, but let’s see what’s going on out there now.” Troy used the remote to switch on CNN:

  “This is Molly Fuller reporting for CNN Headline News. Well, despite reports telling the public not to panic about the situation, people have indeed begun to get into full panic mode. As you can see behind me, this grocery store parking lot is full, and sources say that stores like this one are running low and in many cases running out of items as people begin to stock up and prepare for a possible disaster.

  “Reports of violence in many major cities are beginning to trickle in, and some looting has begun in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Authorities are telling people to get home and take shelter as soon as possible, although at this point there is no need to panic. As for the meteor, it is still on track to make impact in the next hour or so. Sources tell us that it is still on a collision course for Africa or the Atlantic Ocean. Scientists are hopeful that it will land in the ocean, which will more than likely turn out to be a much better scenario than if it makes landfall.

  “I’ve just gotten another report of a violent situation that has broken out in Washington DC. Sources there say that a neighborhood is on fire and a riot has broken out in the streets. Apparently it began when the neighborhood grocery stores ran out of supplies. An angry group of people set fire to the store after they were told to leave, due to the fact that the store no longer had any groceries to sell. Police now worry that similar situations will now begin to play themselves out all over the country.

  “Again, they are telling the public to take what provisions you have to prepare for a worst case scenario, but once again urge the public not to panic and take the law into their own hands. We will have more news to you about this situation as it is made available to us. This is Molly Fuller reporting for CNN Headline News.”

  Troy switched off the television and looked at his watch. It was now less than an hour until the impact of the meteor was supposed to take place.

  “You were right all of this time that I thought you were crazy,” Mary said, as she sat down on the sofa beside her husband. “I should have trusted that you knew what you were doing instead of criticizing you.” She put her arm around Troy.

  Troy turned to look at his wife. “None of that matters now. You had no idea that anything like this was going to happen.”

  Mary brushed her husband’s hair back behind his ear. “You did, though. You even had dreams about it.”

  “I thought those were just nightmares, but now I have to wonder if it was some vision of what was to come that I somehow received,” he said. “I never used to believe in things like that, but I really have to wonder now.”

  Just then, they heard the two teenagers arguing with each other as the sound of the Backstreet Boys began to blare from upstairs.

  “Turn that shit off!” they heard Cordelia’s voice shout from upstairs.

  “Well there’s some things that a natural disaster won’t change,” Mary commented, as she and her husband shared a paternal smile. They both went up the stairs to the bedrooms.

  “Alright, what’s the problem up here?” Troy asked them as he looked at the mess of clothes and things that were scattered about the room.

  “Brandon won’t stop playing the stupid Backstreet Boys, and when I complained about it and asked him to turn it down, he started blasting it at full volume,” she said angrily.

  “Is that true, son?” Mary asked him.

  “Well, yeah, I did it because she was being so rude about telling me to turn it down. I wouldn’t have done it if she’d asked me nicely,” Brandon said in his defense.

  “Look,” Troy said, as he got his children’s attention due to the serious tone in his voice, “We have to learn to get used to living in such close quarters with each other. We don’t know exactly how long we are going to be down here. So, I am asking the two of you to stop arguing over petty things. Brandon, play your music in your headphones, and try not to annoy your sister. Cordelia, when you are asking your brother to do something, please try your best not to be rude about it, okay?”

  “Okay,” they both reluctantly agreed.

  “What’s the latest dad?” Brandon asked, trying to get some updates on what was happening in the outside world.

  “Nothing much to report yet. Just some news of people panicking and doing some looting in the major cities. The meteor hasn’t made its impact. I advise they we only listen to the media from time to time. We probably don’t want to sit there and watch this whole thing play out on television or it may get a little bit ugly. It would be best to find other ways to pass the time.”

  “I made sure to get the cards, boggle, scrabble, monopoly, and clue,” suggested Brandon.

  “Boring,” Cordelia said as she went to look for her headphones.

  “If boredom is our main problem, we have it way better than most people do.” Troy looked up at the ceiling. “Your mother and I are going to prepare dinner. I don’t want to hear any more arguing coming from up here, is that understood?”

  “Yes sir,” they both agreed. Each one of them sat on their beds and went off into their own little worlds. Troy and Mary went downstairs.

  “Will the solar generators keep working if there’s any kind of climate disruption?” Mary asked as they went into the kitchen area.

  “They should. Right now, we are still plugged into the grid, which hopefully won’t go down in the first place.” Troy got out some canned vegetables and beans.

  Mary checked the large refrigerator and pulled out a couple of beers. “Troy, what is the worst case scenario? I mean, just how bad can things get out there?”

  “Well, it really all depends on the size and impact location of the meteor, I suppose. I don’t want to scare you, but the last time a meteor this size collided with Earth, it caused a massive global cooling. Debris was thrown up into the sky for decades, blocking out the sun. The lack of sunlight and cooling temperatures caused much of the vegetation to die out, and over half of the species that lived on Earth as well, but once again that is the worst case scenario.”

  Mary looked worried, and Troy did his best to comfort her. He took her head in both of his hands and drew her gaze up to his.

  “Listen, Mary, we have to be strong for the sake of our children. No matter what happens out there or what the news might report, we have to be brave and strong for Cordelia and Brandon. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yes, I will,” Mary reassured him.

  Troy then gave her a small kiss on the lips.

  Chapter 5

  There was still a massive amount of tension surrounding the family as they waited for news about the meteor. The siblings continued to argue and Cordelia continued to pine for her boyfriend. Troy turned on the television to hear the latest news report, but became quickly distracted by the arguing that he heard coming from upstairs.

  “What’s going on up there?” Troy asked his wife, who was busy trying to decide what to make for their dinner.

  “I don’t know, I went up there to break up the last disagreement. It’s your turn,” Mary said, giving her husband a quick smile.

  “Alright, but I really want to see the news report. The meteor should be making its impact any time now.” Troy reluctantly headed up the stairs to check on his kids.

  “I asked you to turn that music down!” Cordelia said.

  “And I asked you to stop weep
ing and muttering about Henry,” Brandon fired back.

  “How can you even hear what I’ve been saying with the music blaring like that? Why don’t you get some taste anyway, no one listens to the Backstreet Boys anymore,” Cordelia said as the tears began to form in her eyes.

  “I don’t care what other people are doing. This is what I want to listen to. Why do you have to be such a bitch?”

  “Dad! Brandon is up here calling me a bitch!” Cordelia said as she jumped to her feet. Her face now had a ruddy complexion.

  “That’s right, I sure did. That boyfriend of yours is such a loser, anyway.” Brandon made an ‘L’ with his index finger and thumb and held it up into Cordelia’s face.

  “He is not a loser. So what if he had to repeat his junior year, I mean everyone makes mistakes,” she said, defensively.

  “Come on Cordelia, he is too, and I’ve seen him flirting with the cheerleaders,” Brandon added.

  “Liar, you have not.”

  “I have too, I saw him whispering to Gina Lansing in the gym, and she really seemed to like what she was hearing,” Brandon said, really trying to egg her on now.

  “Why you…”

  Troy reached the top of the stairs just in time, as Cordelia began to ball up her fists as if she were getting ready to launch an attack against her brother.

  “Just what the hell is going on up here?” Troy asked as he stepped in between the angry siblings.

  “Brandon is being a total a-hole. He’s turned his awful music up so loud in the headphones, it’s still getting on my nerves. Then, he started attacking me for missing my boyfriend. I mean, he doesn’t have to act like that just because he’s some kind of sexual misfit and doesn't have anyone.”

  “Hey bitch, I heard that,” Brandon said as he removed one side of the headphones to listen.

  “Hey Brandon, I will not have you using that kind of language to describe your sister. Now, apologize,” Troy insisted.

  “Not until she apologizes for calling me a sexual misfit,” he said as his brow furrowed up.

  “Cordelia, apologize,” Troy said looking back at his daughter. She just stood there with her arms crossed, wearing a frown. Brandon just sat there acting like he was listening to his music and uninterested in what anyone else was doing.

  “Alright, look, you two. The truth is we don’t know how long we’re going to have to be down here with each other. We need to make the effort to try and get along the best we can. Do you really want to be up here arguing like this for months on end?” he said.

  “Months? Are we really going to be here for months?” Cordelia's face began to look slightly panicked.

  “Honey, the truth is I have no idea at this point. Any minute now that meteor is going to impact with the Earth, and a lot of what happens will depend on how bad that collision turns out to be and where the meteor hits. In the meantime, you have to learn to get along.”

  Brandon looked at his dad and took off his headphones.

  “I’m sorry dad, and Cordelia too,” Brandon said as he turned the music down and managed to show him a slight smile.

  Cordelia looked reluctant to apologize, but Troy kept looking at her, waiting for her to say sorry to her brother.

  “Oh, alright, I’m sorry I called you a sexual misfit,” she said as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

  “It might sound more convincing if you didn’t accompany your apology with an eye-rolling,” Brandon said. Cordelia glared at him.

  “Alright, alright,” Troy said. “We are trying to make peace here, not get the whole argument started all over again.

  “Sorry,” Brandon said.

  Cordelia turned away and began to weep softly again.

  “Honey, are you alright?” Troy asked her as he put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. She turned around and hugged her father.

  “Oh dad, I’m worried about Henry. He doesn’t have a shelter like ours to protect him. He and his family are just trapped in a basement. I’m not sure if they will be able to survive like that. He also says that they don’t have that many supplies. I’m so worried about him and when I’m going to get to see him again,” she said.

  “I know dear. There are going to be lots of people dealing with a situation like that. We should be glad that we have adequate shelter like this and thankful for what we have,” Troy said as he looked her in the eyes.

  “I’m sorry I called you a doomsday prepper, dad. You were right to want to build this shelter all along. People might have thought you were crazy for being so obsessed with it, but I’ll bet many people are wishing they had done what you did,” she said with a slight grin.

  “Thank you, honey. I knew down deep inside that there might come a day like this, and I had to ensure that you, your brother, and your mom were all safe.”

  “What about Henry, dad. I miss him so much. Could he come and stay here with us?” she asked hopefully.

  “Honey, Henry belongs with his family. They need him right now. Besides, we only have enough room and supplies for the family. Adding another person will put a strain on our provisions.”

  “Will I get to see him again?”

  Troy paused for a moment and then replied, “I don’t know, dear, I hope so, I really do.” Troy hugged his daughter again. Brandon just rolled his eyes from where he sat on his bed and put his headphones back on.

  Troy went back downstairs to get another news report and an update on the status of the meteor.

  “Honey, you have to come and hear this,” Mary said as she sat down on the couch and put her fingertips up to her mouth in a worried expression.

  Troy sat down and prepared himself for the latest news. The reporter stood in the desert southwest, wearing a facemask to protect himself from the debris in the air:

  “This is Gordon Thompson reporting for CNN Headline News. The meteor has made its impact with Earth, and unfortunately, the bulk of the meteor has in fact made landfall. The massive object hit the continent of Africa dead on, and scientists say that it is unlikely that there are many survivors. Smaller chunks of the meteor have landed here in the United States, China and Russia. I’m standing about two hundred yards from the site of the impact from one of the smaller chunks of the meteor in the deserts of Utah that is believed to have broken off when the meteor began to burn up slightly as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.”

  The cameras focused on a large crater in the middle of the desert. Large swirling clouds of debris could be seen rising up from the site into the air. The presenter continued.

  “As you can see, it is a very large impact crater. Scientists are telling us that it is the size of four football fields. This is one of the smaller pieces that has made impact. The bulk of the meteor that has landed just south of the Congo Basin is believed to be the size of twenty-five football fields and is believed to have created a crater that is two miles deep. For more insight on this situation we have a scientist, Dr. Hudson from the National Weather Service who is here with us. Dr. Hudson, what is the likely scenario now that the meteor has made its actual impact with Earth?”

  The camera panned to a balding middle-aged man with round glasses. “Well, Gordon, it is not a rosy scenario, to say the least. We here in this country have been lucky that the meteor did not make landfall here, however, globally we will all have to deal with the aftermath of its impact and the implications that will have for our climate.

  “The meteor that collided with Earth during the time of the dinosaurs was slightly larger than this meteor and it created a catastrophic series of event which ultimately blocked out the sunlight when debris blocked out the atmosphere, caused global cooling, and caused the extinction of over half of the life on Earth.

  “As you can see just at the site of this small chunk, loads of debris are already being thrown out into the atmosphere. Satellite imagery coming form the regions above Africa are the haziest that we have ever seen them. The amount of debris is certainly enough to cause serious changes in our climate, but as of yet we do
not how serious. The effects of this impact will be far-reaching and will take time to unfold.

  “Another concern is the malfunction of facilities such as nuclear facilities and the impact that might have. What we are encouraging everyone to do at this point is to take shelter with as many provisions as you can put together. Emergency response crews are out trying to get supplies to people without them. There is also an effort underway in the major cities to evacuate people to more adequate shelter. If you do have to spend any great amount of time outdoors, we are recommending that you use some kind of filtration mask, preferably a gas mask to keep the debris from doing great harm to your lungs.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Hudson, we certainly appreciate the valuable information that you have shared with us today. As you heard him say, take shelter if you can and if you do have to go outside, make sure that you are wearing a gas mask, if you have one, or at least some sort of protection for your lungs due to the amount of debris that has been generated. We have gotten a report in from China and from Russia that large chunks of meteor have made impacts there as well.

  “In Russia, the impact was far to the north of Siberia where few live, but in China, the impact was right in the heart of the city of Shanghai. Millions of people are believed to have perished form the impact alone. Global relief services are banding together to help the people of Shanghai who survived the impact. There are still as of yet no reports coming out of Africa. Sources say that they quote ‘fear the worst’ and that the reason we are not getting any reports is because there is no one left there to report back to us. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available about this catastrophic event. This is Gordon Thompson, reporting for CNN Headline News.”

  Troy shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. As he turned around, he realized that the rest of the family was also sitting there watching the grim report. The reality of the situation began to set in, and he could see that both Mary and Cordelia were about to burst into tears.