R. Allinson: The Long Road Home

Hannah nodded. “We’re leaving tonight. Jimmy’s packing up the van now. We’ve been trying to talk Jim’s father into coming with us, but he won’t leave his house.”

“Oh. What are you going to do?”

Hannah shrugged. “What can you do? He’s a grown man, he can make his own choices. We’ve tried. Who knows, maybe he’s right, and it’s all just a big hullabaloo over nothing and we’ll all be left looking foolish.”

Claire raised an eyebrow. “Right…”

“Hey, I hope the man’s right. But in the meantime, I want my children to be safe. And it’s not safe here anymore.”

Claire nodded. “Lisa’s left already. Someone broke into her house yesterday afternoon. It freaked her out.”

“Shit. I don’t blame her. She’s alone isn’t she?”

Claire nodded again. “Yeah. Just her and her daughter, and her dog is a tiny thing and not exactly frightening. Not like yours.”

Hannah smiled faintly, no doubt thinking about her giant German Shepherd. He was one of the friendliest dogs Claire had ever met, but he did look rather intimidating if you didn’t know him, and his bark was deep, booming and terrifying.

“We don’t get door-knockers anymore. Even the Jehovah’s Witnesses stay away since we got Felix.”

Claire smirked. “I should get one, I had five last week.”

Hannah started to laugh, and then stopped, looking confused. Claire shook her head.

“Anyway.” Claire rubbed her eyes. “Sorry. Sometimes… it’s so strange. I can’t stop thinking about it, and then I forget for a minute.”

Hannah nodded. “I know what you mean.”

They walked back into the living room with their mugs. The kids were all behaving themselves. Tristan had decided to stop smashing pots together and was now showing Hazel his toys. Noah was explaining his tea party rules to a confused looking Olive.

The two women stood watching the children play for a few peaceful minutes, sipping their tea.

“Mel and her family went down to the States yesterday,” Hannah said.

Claire glanced over in surprise. “Why?”

“The lottery thing they’ve got going. Mel’s husband is a Yank. They thought they should give it a shot.”

Claire blinked. “Yeah, I don’t blame them.” She’d probably do the same thing if she had the right passport.

“Maybe Canada should build it’s own bunker,” Hannah said. “Somewhere up in the mountains.”

“That’s what my dad’s doing,” Claire stated.

“Really? How big?”

Claire shrugged. “Not very, I don’t think. There’s an old bomb shelter that my great-grandfather built back in the day. Dad said he’s extended it, but I think it’s only big enough for him, Mum and my sister.”

“Wow. That’s… but what if it works?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, think about it. What if the asteroid does end up colliding with us. If we aren’t all killed immediately, if these bunkers work… well, with a million people, the Americans will be all right. They’ll be able to rebuild and repopulate. But what about your sister? Will there be anyone else for her, or will they just be alone?”

Claire shuddered, wondering what kind of life her little sister faced if they survived, then shook her head.

“They need to get through the next few months first. I’ll save worrying about Lucy’s middle-age and dotage on the other side of the asteroid.”

“Sorry, yeah I was just thinking out loud…”

“It’s okay. I’m starting to wonder how many of us are even going to be left to face the asteroid, let alone the aftermath.”

“There’s still time for them to fix this, Claire.”

“Right.” Claire tried to smile. “It’s always at the last minute in the movies too,” she said.

They were silent for a few minutes, both watching the children playing through the open door.

“Do you think it will hurt?” Hannah said after a while.

“What?” Claire looked back at her.

“Dying,” Hannah murmured.

Claire blinked. What would it feel like to have an asteroid land on you? That would probably be quick. You would barely have time to know what was going on. But what if it was something else, like a fire-storm, or suffocating, or drowning in a tsunami, or starving to death weeks later, or… Claire closed her eyes and took a deep breath and forced herself to stop thinking about it.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

EIKO’S parents were ecstatic to see her. They rushed outside as soon as they saw Eiko get out of the truck, not even bothering to put on coats or boots, and enveloped her in a jumble of arms and exclamations. Tom watched as Eiko surrendered to the fuss being made over her, a small smile playing around her lips. Her mother didn’t let go of her arm as she turned to Tom and Mike standing awkwardly by the truck.

“Are you going to introduce us to your friends, Eiko-chan?”

“Yes, of course. Mom, Dad, this is Mike and Tom. They were kind enough to drive me home.”

Eiko’s father stepped towards them with his hand outstretched and shook Tom’s hand enthusiastically, and then Mike’s.

“I can’t thank you enough for bringing our daughter home to us. Please come in, out of this cold, so we can thank you properly.”

Tom noticed they’d started to shiver, but he shook his head.

“No, thank you though,” Tom said, inadequately.

“We would,” Mike interrupted quickly. “But we’re desperate to see our own families. We’ve come a long way, all the way from Vancouver, and it’s been a crazy bunch of days. Tom here’s pretty impatient to see his wife and little boys, you understand?”

“Of course, of course, we understand. You must go to your families. We can’t thank you enough for bringing our daughter safely home.”

“It was nothing, Eiko was good company,” Mike said and smiled at Eiko. Eiko’s father narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Thank you, both. I’m not sure what I would have done if you hadn’t come along,” Eiko said. She pulled free of her mother’s arms and came over to hug each of them.

“Take care of yourself,” Tom said into the top of her head. She stood back and looked up at him. “And you too.”

With another round of thank yous and waves, Eiko and her family retreated back inside to the warmth.

Mike and Tom climbed back into the truck, Mike in the driver’s seat. They looked at each other.

“Don’t worry buddy, I won’t make you wait any longer,” Mike said with a slight grin.

Tom slumped back into his seat in relief.

“Thanks, Mike. I appreciate it.” Tom closed his eyes for a moment. Less than an hour and he’d be home.

Mike started the car and they pulled out onto the road. The road between Barrie and Toronto was fairly quiet; a lot quieter than Tom had expected considering how close to a major city they were getting.

“What are you going to do when we get there?” Mike asked.

Tom opened one eye. “Give Claire and the boys a giant hug. And have a shower.”

Mike snorted.

“I meant after that.”

Tom opened his other eye and looked over at his friend. Mike was frowning out at the road.

“I’m not sure. Lisa and Claire mentioned going to my uncle’s place to lay low for a while.”

Mike nodded.

“What if they don’t fix it? Smash it, whatever?”

Tom let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t want to think about it right now.”

“Sorry, yeah. It’s just…”

“I know, buddy. I know.”

They drove onward. The roads remained clear, until they passed the wrecks of two cars. It looked like one of them had rear-ended the other. Tom peered at the cars. They’d been abandoned. There was no one inside. They steadily drew closer to Toronto. Tom was half glad, half annoyed that Mike was the one driving. Mike was sticking to the speed limit. He didn’t know if he’d have the patience to.