She's sitting beside Slate in the passenger seat, watching him mess around with the system. Gideon leaning between them, arms on the heads of the seats.
Lyla is in the bedroom, and Paisley's sitting board at the table with Zekey, starring at an un-opened board game.
"So-"
"Shh." Slate hushes Gideon as his flicking through channels. Nothing so far, just static.
"This is a message broadcast by the government. Do not go outside, do not open your doors for any reason. Make sure all windows and doors are locked.
Emergency personal will be in your area soon.
When the all clear is given, it will be safe to leave your dwelling.
This is a message broadcast by the government. Do not go outside-" Slate flicks to another channel.
"So?"
"It's proably old, Gid and the emergency alert system was never canceled so it's just looping I guess till all tech officially dies."
"Great." Bethany sighs, leaning back. "If Solayo is the reason this happened, do you think the rest of the wider government was in on this?" Gideon asks.
"Judging by meeting and talk to Evelyn, I'd say no. This seems like biological warfare, but done just by a small group, them. You take out mostly everyone, the rest of paralment and you have yourself your own personal dystopian dictatorship. You're the boss and no one can say otherwise or do anything about it."
"Except your friends, and if enough people turn on you."
"But even then, Gid." Slate shrugs. Slate pulls out the map, looking at it. "So..." He keeps switching through channels.
"If anyone is there on the air, listening, please respond. Over."
"Slate, it's like 9 p.m. If there is, they could be sleeping or something."
"Or we truly are one of the last ones alive..."
"Slate, let's get you into bed. We've been at this for hours. Come on." Gideon says, helping Slate up.
While they're in the back, Bethany picks it up, giving it a shot. "Hello, if anyone is there. Can you please just pick up? We're going to die out here.
All you have to do is just pick up and say, hello."
Then is just static, then nothing. The static is gone. "Hello? If anyone is there, please just say hello. That's all you have to do!" The tears start streaming down Beth's face.
"We heard you the first time, I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do to help you."
Someone else on the line, female and sounding much older than them like Evelyn. "Why?"
"I'm sorry."
"Please don't go! Are you the rumored community up-"
But then the static is back, and the women gone. "Shit!" Beth curses, slamming down and she begins to cry more. "You ready for bed?" Gideon asks, coming back. "Aw, hey. Don't cry."
She's crying so hard and he helps her up the hall to the bedroom, leaving behind the radio and closing the door.
"Hello, come in. We read you loud and clear." Says a male voice on the younger side. "Is anyone there? If you need help, we can help you... Over... Hello? I think we lost them, the signal. I'm not sure. See if you can triangulate it again, expand if you have to!"
And then the low static comes back.
---
It's morning, our group eating some of the last food they have left. "We're running out of food, Slate." Lyla tells him, rummaging through the overhead pantry bins.
"I know."
"And medicine."
"I know."
"And-"
"Goddamn it, shut up! I heard you the first time, Lyla!" He yells, slamming down his plate and storms up the front, kicking it back in the drivers seat.
The rest of the group looks at each other. "I'm sorry, I'll clean the plates." Lyla says, when she doubles over, feeling a pain her stomach.
"Are you okay?" Bethany asks.
"Ah, fuck. No."
"Lyla-" Paisley begins.
"Baby-" Gideon begins.
"It's just cramps. I'm sorry, I can't-"
"Go to the bedroom. We'll handle this mess, you take some pain meds, lay down and I'll check you on in a bit."
"Thank you." And she leaves.
"Okay, Paisley. Let's clean up these plates." Gideon tells her. Bethany looks to them. "Go and see your boyfriend." Gideon tells her.
"His not my boyfriend!"
"You sure? I seen the way you both look at each-"
"It's not love, I don't feel anything for him. He cares, he gives a shit. But it's not just about me, it's all of us.
At-least he has some empathy left."
"Do you feel like you feel still?"
"I don't know. You?"
"I don't know."
"Whatever, I'll go check up on him I guess."
She heads up front, taking a seat beside him. "Hey."
"Hey you too." He snaps back.
"Tired?"
"Uh, yeah. I really, really didn't sleep well last night. I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"It's not."
"Whatever."
"I don't know what we're supposed to do in the long run, Beth. You all elected me leader, but I'm not one."
"Yes, you are! You're capable-"
When there is some groaning outside and banging on the exterior. "Fucking now? What is it?" Slate grumps, she stands up and looks out the window. "Same thing it always is, zombies. Quite a fair few actually."
"Come on." He groans, sticking the keys into the ignition and hits the gas. Beth staggers a bit, and manages to sit down in the passenger seat and hang on.
"What's happening?" Gideon calls out. "Zombies!" Slate calls back.
"Okay!"
They head down the open road, cruising.
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