At Least I Had Her

We get home and Lexi runs out of the car and goes to unlock the door with my key.

“Thank you, again Mrs. Wright. Dinner was amazing,” I say.

“It’s really no problem, Tyler. Your family has always been friends with us and you’ve been a true friend to Carly. It’s the least we could do,” she says. “If you need anything tonight, don’t be afraid to call. And I’m sure Carly told you we were going to do a cookout tomorrow and if you all would like to come just let Carly know and I’ll come pick you guys up.”

“Awesome. Yeah, we’d definitely like that,” I say back.

“Great! We’ll see you guys tomorrow. Don’t kill your sister tonight,” she says with a little side eye.

“Ha, I’ll try not to,” I say back as I get out of the car.

I finally get in and take my shoes off, locking the door behind. “Alright homework time, Lex.”

“Ugh. No!” she refuses.

I roll my eyes and carry my backpack to the dinner table. My phone vibrates in my pocket and it’s Carly texting me.

Carly: Hope you enjoyed dinner with my crazy parents

Me: They’re not crazy. They’re just...spirited

A few minutes go by and out of nowhere she calls me.

“Got tired of texting already,” I say jokingly.

“Turn on the news. Now!”, she says frantically.

“Carly what’s going on?” I say worried.

“Just do it, Ty.”

I run over to the TV to turn it on.

“Hey! I thought it was ‘homework time’” Lexi says annoyingly but I just ignore her.

“Russians have infiltrated our security system that controls the force field around the U.S. The government says they’ve known this attack was going to happen for months but felt like it was just a threat,” the lady on the news says.

“What the fuck?” I say with the phone still to my ear.

“Call your dad, Ty,” she says and I hear her dad in the background calling her name. “I gotta go.” She sighs “Be safe, Ty,” and then hangs up.

I stare at the tv with so much confusion and fear as the anchor announces that the country has moved into crisis mode. My body feels limp. The sky...I-I knew something wasn’t right. Lexi is just sitting on the couch staring at the woman on the screen like she’ll give all of the answers, but she probably is as much in the dark as we are. I feel my leg shaking but it’s actually just my phone ringing.

“Dad? Dad what the hell is going on?” I say hushed so Lexi can’t hear.

“Language, son,” he says with urgency but I don’t think he cares about my language, he’s just trying to be a father.

“What they’re saying on the tv, is it true? Are the Russians planning an attack on us? It says the government knew about it for weeks and they haven’t done anything to stop it? Someone infiltrated the station controlling the force field? Who would do that?”

“Son, listen to me. Calm down” he says calmly. I take a deep breath. Lexi turns around slowly. I think she’s picked up on it.

“Is that daddy?” I nod and she jumps over the couch and runs towards me, grabbing my hand with the phone. “Daddy, come home please. I’m scared.”

I take my hand back and put the phone on speaker so Lexi can hear, “Seriously dad, come home. We need you here. Lexi needs you here.”

She hugs my waist and I cradle her head closer, more so for my comfort than hers. The news switches to a double screen with a countdown. A warning signal goes off with a timer on it, like the films from decades ago. The Purge. Shit, it’s like the fucking Purge. It says 2 hours. 2 hours, before whatever hits, hits.

“Dad?” I say pleadingly.

“I’ll explain everything when I get home, okay? I’m heading to the airport right now but for now, you need to stay inside. Do not open the door for anything, not even me when I get there,” he says with so much seriousness. But wait.

“Wait, what do you mean you’ll explain when you get here? Did you know? Dad, what the hell is going on?,” I say, more angry than before.

“Language! Not around your sister, okay? You’ll scare her.”

“Dad, she’s already scared! This is blaring on every station!”

I can feel Lexi shudder, breathing heavy under my hand with her eyes fixed on the screen.

“You left us. You knew, an-and y-you left,” I say, flabbergasted. I can’t even think straight right now let alone talk.

“Ty, look. The government is acting as fast as they can. They’re distributing gas masks all over the country as we speak but luckily we’re already prepared. Remember the emergency lock. It’ll keep you guys safe once everything goes down,” he says reassuringly.

“That doesn’t help the fact that you. Are. Not. Here!” I say with more ferocity. Lexi looks up at me with the same sense of anger and fear.

“Hey!” he yells. “I get it, Ty. You’re scared, but you have to be strong for your sister. I’m getting on the last flight out, alright?”

“That’s not going to be enough time” I say, my eyes dead set on the count down, blocking out everything that woman is saying right now. “The countdown is right in front of us. It says it’s happening in 1 hour and 54 minutes.” My voice shakes.

“I’ll make it, son. Just like what I said when I left, no matter what happens… You’ll be fine you hear me? Stay with Lexi. Comfort her. PROTECT her. I have to go okay?

“Dad!”

“As long as you take care of your sister and yourself, you’ll be fine. I love you, son.”

“Dad, wai--” and the phone cuts off before I could say it back.

The one thing I do pay attention to on the tv is that the woman just said that the last flight is leaving Chicago in 10 minutes.

“You hear that, Lex. I think that’s dad’s plane,” I say trying to reassure her that everything will be fine once dad gets back, but I’m praying my non-religious prayer that before everything goes to shit, dad will be at that door.