Divided

administration has fled into hiding. They’re in survival mode just like everyone else. The guards are
disappearing. There is no more protection on the streets.”
What? My gasp was quickly smothered. We’re unprotected? But Wes and I were just watching them
from my window mere days ago. How is that even possible?
A larger hand slipped into mine, its touch causing my eyes to drift back to Derrick’s. Yet, I couldn’t
understand what I saw. How could he appear so calm?
It’s going to be okay, he mouthed before his focus returned to our parents.
Mama seemed to wilt onto the bed, her expression empty of the false optimism she normally projected.
“Travis was right. We need to leave, Samuel.”
“Don’t go there, Jasmine. Travis freaked out, and Greg was repeating a rumor, not a fact. The truth is,
we don’t know that there is a place outside the city that’s safer than where we are now. It’s been seven
months since the lights went out. Hell, even back when we could watch the news, you saw how the
streets of the big cities were. Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, they were all overrun by gangs. Looting,
killing, and God only knows what else. Do you really want to take a chance of running into that?”
And if they came here? I wanted to argue. What would we do then?
“No--” Mama began before she stopped. Graceful shoulders sunk from the weight of her worries. Long
black hair, like a curtain, fell forward to hide her expression before she simply broke.
Mama, don’t cry, I wanted to whisper. I had never heard that sound before, never witnessed so much
distress.
Her image blurred, a haunting question plaguing me. Was our future that hopeless?
Dad took a seat beside her, his hand caressing her back. “Baby, you know that we have the kids to think
of.”
“I know.”
“Plus, even if we could make it with Derrick and Cassie, what about the twins?” Dad reasoned. “Lexi
clings to you at the idea of darkness.”
“Sam--”
“Amanda still has me looking for monsters under the bed. And Maxie is too little to even understand
what’s going on.” Dad’s hand guided her chin until his eyes met hers. “How are we supposed to travel
through that kind of mayhem, and guarantee their safety?”
“And how--” her voice cracked “--can you guarantee their safety if we stay here?”
His hand fell, frustration causing him to rise from the bed, but Mama’s touch on his arm stopped him.
“I just can’t shake this feeling, Samuel. I can’t get rid of this feeling that something awful is about to
happen.”
God, she can feel it too?
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