Chapter 8 The EBS (Emergency Broadcast System)
"Awww now isn't that sweet everybody. It looks like little miss nobody has a crush on my best friend and look she even put a picture of herself in the card too. Maybe Kaleb would like to carry her picture around."
Everyone in the cafeteria snickered at Josh's comment. My face deepened to blood red heating up with embarrassment. I looked to Kaleb with tears streaming down my face. Kaleb walked up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder he said solemnly,
"I am so sorry about all the trouble you went through in making me a card. But the thing is I already have a crush on your cousin. I was going to ask her out today. I wanted to tell her that she's strong, brave and a go getter. She never lets anything stand in her way. She's never afraid of anything and she isn't afraid to say what's on her mind. While you are sweet, kind, and a little funny sometimes, I've had a crush on your cousin for a few years now. If I had met you first then I would have considered it. But things didn't work out that way. I'm so sorry. I can't bring myself to love you."
With that Kaleb picked up his tray of food and walked out.
"You see little miss nobody, this is why you don't go crushing on the popular kids. You better stay away from my best friend. I can't have him dating a nobody like you, and to show you my appreciation for asking I'm gonna leave you with a little gift."
Josh bent down and picked up his half eaten chocolate pudding and he pulled the top of my dress out and poured his pudding all over my chest. Laughing like a mad man he shouted,
"oh look little miss nobody turned into little miss no boobs. She ain't even wearing a bra yet. Her chest looks flatter than mine."
Kids everywhere were laughing, hooting, and chanting "no boobs, no boobs, no boobs," as Josh threw the empty pudding cup at me and walked away after his best friend. A moment later my cousin Sarah appeared in front of me with angry tears in her eyes. She reached out and slapped me across the face a loud ringing sounded throughout the cafeteria, she shouted,
"how can you embarrass me like that? Now the whole school knows I'm related to you and worse yet Josh knows that Kaleb likes me now. Josh will do anything to make his friend happy, that means not dating me so Kaleb can date me first. Because of you I just lost my one and only chance I had with Josh. Man I hate you. I wish my family never took you in!!!"
The next moment the intercom came on calling Sarah to the office along with several other students including Josh and Kaleb.
With a scream of rage she stomped off in anger to the office. Shaking and trembling I held my cheek that was still burning from the slap I had received. I ran from the cafeteria, my heart breaking into pieces. I ran from the school toward home as fast as I could. The first guy I ever confessed my feeling to, had a crush on my cousin of course he would. Everyone loved my cousin.
She was little miss perfect, she was strikingly beautiful and got everything she ever wanted. I on the other hand was always in her shadow. No one ever noticed me because of her. No one ever remembered me, no one even knew my name. I will forever and always be unwanted and unloved by everyone. Including the boy I had my first crush on.
Once the cafeteria cleared the King stepped through the window, anger boiling in his chest. He bent down and picked up the picture the female child had tried to give to the male. If those children hadn't been called away, he would have killed them all where they stood. What Kaleb did to his Queen would have been considered high treason and he would have lost his life for committing the ultimate sin, breaking a female's heart. Not to mention that blond male who tormented his Queen, and her cousin who couldn't seem to stop striking his Queen and ruining her beautiful face.
He stared at her photo, "this simple photograph can not capture her true beauty," he whispered. she was barely smiling when it was taken. Just as Ihloi appeared behind him he slipped the photo of her into his chest pocket, wishing she would have given it to him instead. He would have been filled with joy to be gifted with something like this from his Queen, something the males here seemed to take for granted.
"Sire, I just received your message, what happened? Where is the female child running off too? Please tell me she didn't reject you?"
"She read something she wasn't supposed to see, I don't know how the humans know so much about us but she found out the gist of why I'm here and she fell ill at the news. When I tried to comfort her she screamed and ran away spooked from my touch. I must go find her, and convince her I mean her no harm."
He was regretting showing her how to spell, so she could do research. It was all his fault that he had to start back at square one.
"Ihloi ready the ships and the medical team. The sun is about to give in t-minus one hour. I need the medical team on stand by so when the Queen boards the ship they are ready to sedate her for the journey through the wormhole. Her body won't be able to withstand the space jump. We need to be able to sedate her into a hypersleep and complete the jump before the sun blows,"
the High King ordered, anger seeping from his voice. Images of the pain on his Queen's face tormented his heart. He couldn't stop thinking about what he just saw taking place in the school cafeteria.
"Yes your Highness right away," Ihloi saluted knowing the task at hand was going to be a dangerous one.
"As for the situation update with the boy, he has sealed his own fate. He will not be going with us. He has broken my Queen's heart and for that his life will not be spared. As for the other boy I hope he roasts in hell for what he did to my Queen. If it weren't for not being allowed to meddle in the affairs of humans I would have killed him myself."
Back in Kosea we would have strung him up, chopped his privates off and burned him alive as his punishment.
Ihloi turned on his heels and took off to ready the ships, many of them had already taken flight back to the mothership and were awaiting their departure for the space jump through the wormhole. The King took off in search for his Queen hoping he would be able to find her in time. Right now I have a Queen to rescue. She no longer has any attachments left to this planet. I won't have to worry about her missing anyone from this planet and we won't have to worry about human males on our ship anymore. She is now all mine. I will not let anyone else harm her ever again.
"Let's bring you home my Queen. I can't wait another minute longer, to hold you in my arms and protect you with my life. Glancing at the Sun in the sky the King flew at the speed of light following the female's scent in the direction she had ran from the school, with many scenarios racing through his mind in how he was going to approach her without frightening her even further.
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Aunt Marge and Uncle Marvin were sitting at home trying their best but failing at trying to cool off as they sat in the living room with portable handheld fans held directly in their face.
"What is wrong with that bloody sun? It feels like someone put the damn thing in our backyard as a new party decoration and forgot to turn it off," Marvin huffed his skin crackling under the heat. Leaning over he turned a dial on the radio and turned the volume up up zeroing in on the local news station.
Weatherman on the Radio
We are experiencing severe droughts all
over the world "Crackle" Reports are
coming out from NASA that the Sun is
sending Solar Flares toward Earth. "Crackle"
these Flares are causing worldwide heat
waves, and food shortages. Military bunkers
have been prepared for the public. "Crackle"
"It's so hard to hear a damn thing on this cheap piece of junk. There is too much static," Marvin grumbled as he tossed the radio in the recliner next to him.
"I want to make some lunch but we have to portion out what little rations we have left until we can get more next week. We are going to have to share it when she runs out of her bread,"
Marge grumbled as she came to sit down next to Marvin on the couch. In the next instant the TV flipped on of its own accord with no warning blaring out a screech similar to an Amber Alert, but instead with a lower tone and what appeared on the TV was the Presidential Seal and the words Emergency Broadcast.
Emergency Broadcast Message
Issued by the United States Government
This is not a Drill
This is an emergency alert message
This is not a test. This warning is for
the following area states located on the
East side of the United States and the
surrounding areas. Solar flares have been
approaching Earth. These flares of mass
destruction could potentially destroy major
cities and entire countries. Your family has
been pre-selected to enter one of the
military bunkers designed to withstand a
Solar Flare. Only the names we call out
may enter the bunker.
Marvin Anderson
Margorie Anderson
Sarah Anderson
Take no one but the names listed
Bringing others is prohibited. They will be
turned away. You have one hour before a
military vehicle will come to collect you. Take
only one bag for each member. You have one
hour. This is not a drill .
Aunt Marge looked at Marvin panic stricken in her eyes.
"Is this for real? Are we in danger? What is happening? Do we pack? What about Sarah? They didn't list our niece. What's going to happen,"
Marge started pacing the living room biting her nails. Marvin stood up,
"you heard the tv it is not a drill, we need to pack, I'll go pick Sarah up from school, you pack us each a bag,"
with a face as pale as a ghost Marvin grabbed his car keys off the hook and fumbled with his shoes.
"What about our niece? We can't leave her behind. She will die if we leave her here.
"We don't have a choice you heard the message they said bring no one who is listed. Her name wasn't listed so we can't bring her. It's either we go and she stays or no one goes and we all chance dying. I'm not about ready to let you or Sarah die because of a brat like her. I won't let anything happen to you or Sarah. So go pack I'll be back as soon as I can."
With that Marvin walked out slamming the front door slamming behind his as he jumped into the car and sped the mile up the road to the school.
"Call for Sarah I am checking her out of school today. We have an emergency appointment to go to," Marvin huffed as he waited for the office lady to call.
"It's almost lunch time did you want me to call her down after she eats lunch?
"No, just hurry up and call for Sarah."
"Did you want me to call for her cousin as well Mr. Anderson?"
"No,no thanks she will be walking home today to take care of the dog," Marvin barked impatiently.
"Ok one moment," the lady frowned as she pushed the intercom button.
"Miss Anderson to the office please, Miss Anderson to the office please. There you go she should be here in a minute. A moment later Sarah walked into the office obviously flustered with tears in her eyes. She cried out,
"daddy my cousin embarrassed me today. She ruined my chances with Josh. Today was just the worst," Sarah cried not knowing the day was going to get a lot worse.
"Come on we got to go now," her dad yelled as he grabbed Sarah by the hand and almost ran/half sprinted to the car tugging her behind him.
"Ow your hurting me daddy let go," Sarah cried as she kicked her fathers heels.
"Not now get in the car. Your mom is at home packing our things. We are going to a military bunker. The sun can lash out at any moment and kill us. So we got to go now."
With that my Uncle half tossed her into the back seat and stomped on the gas speeding back to the house. Sarah and Marvin crashed through the front door a few minutes later to see that Marge was piling the bags by the front door.
"Sorry sweetie no time to change what I've packed. So I made sure to grab your favorites. The military car should be here in about ten minutes."
They all waited by the front door anxiously awaiting for their ride to safety. In a few minutes military personnel were seen tromping all over Marge's beautiful lawn.
"Knock knock knock" the military person pounded on the door forcefully. Aunt Marge opened the door carrying the bags outside.
"We need to see ID's. Only one bag per person. Only the names listed will be allowed to come. Your family has been pre-selected because of your professions. We need doctors and scientists incase parts of the Earth gets destroyed and we need to rebuild."
Aunt Marge showed the ID's as the man strapped a wrist band to each of their wrists.
"Do not remove these bands. This is your life line and you will not be allowed in the bunker without it. Alright you're all clear let's move out."
"Daddy what about FIFI? I can't just leave her here!" Sarah wailed in distress.
"Sorry ma'am no pets allowed those are the rules," the solider urged shoving them toward the Hummer.
"Daddy make them let me take her!" she screamed outraged.
"Ma'am we are running out of time either you stay here with the dog or you can come with us and live."
"Leave the damn dog I'm not losing my life over a mutt, we will buy you a new one when all this mess is over,"
Marvin barked shoving Sarah into the hummer. Her jaw dropped, she had never been on the receiving end of her dad's cruelty before. Tears streamed down her face as the evil soldier loaded up their bags. Just before leaving Marvin Scribbled a quick note and left it on the table for his niece to find before he left his house for the last time. The family of three climbed into the car and without another word left their niece behind to fend for herself praying they would make it to the bunker in time.
——————————————————————————
I ran blindly toward my house, my tears evaporating off my face. I ran as fast as I could until I got back to the house. My shoes were burning under my feet but I didn't care. All I could think about was how humiliated I was, my face still smarting from the slap, and worst of all from my broken heart. This is just one cruel world and fate has yet again dealt me the worst deck imaginable.
Coming up to the house I stopped dead in my tracks. Something was off. The yard was all torn up with boot tracks crisscrossing up and down. The front door stood ajar almost as if it was abandoned. I walked into the house to find that it looked like someone ransacked the place. Clothes were everywhere cupboards were thrown open and drawers left ajar. The place was a mess. Did someone break in, was my first guess until I saw a note left for me on the kitchen table. I picked up the note and read,
We were selected to go to a military
bunker and you weren't. Sorry kiddo
you are on your own. If we make it out
alive please take care of FIFI. We weren't
allowed to take her with us. Signed Uncle
Marvin.
The TV flipped on for a second time spooking me to death as the Amber Alert sound went off. I turned toward the tv to find out what was happening.
Emergency Broadcast Message
Issued by the United States Government
This is not a Drill
This is an emergency alert message
This is not a test. This warning is for
the following area states located on the
East side of the United States and the
surrounding areas. Solar flares have been
approaching Earth. These flares of mass
destruction could potentially destroy major
cities and entire countries. Your family has
been pre-selected to enter one of the
military bunkers designed to withstand a
Solar Flare. Only the names we call out
may enter the bunker.
Marvin Anderson
Margorie Anderson
Sarah Anderson
Take no one but the names listed. Bringing
others is prohibited. They will be turned
away. You have one hour before a military
vehicle will come to collect you. Take only
one bag for each member. You have one
hour. This is not a drill .
My heart plummeted for the second time that day as realization struck me. My name wasn't on the list to be saved. Just like before with the food rations my name wasn't on the list either. It's almost as if I didn't exist in this world anymore almost like I was forgotten. The note I was holding fell out of my hand, I turned and ran out of the house. Tears flowing again, I screamed out. "Why am I not wanted, why does no one love me, why am I always forgotten? Why am I even alive," I cried out to the sky.
Did the universe really hate me that much. What did I ever do to deserve this? I felt like my heart was going to explode. My muscles were screaming from dehydration and not getting enough sleep last night, dehydration from the extreme heat wave and from all the running I've been doing lately. But I didn't care how bad I ached. I just wanted to know why I was even alive? My body was on the verge of collapsing from the constant turmoil of events today.
My heart crushed under all the hurt of this world. My heart can not withstand anymore pain, a black stain of darkness began to envelope my heart with each passing minute I remained on this Earth. I felt like the weight of the world was crashing down on me, like a tidal wave that couldn't be stopped, I had completely forgotten my guardian angel in the heat of the moment. All I could think about was how I was left abandoned by my own flesh and blood, kicked to the curb, and left to die. I can't ever recall for a single moment when my Aunt and Uncle ever cared about me.
Why didn't they just send me to foster care so that I could have had a chance to live with a normal family, one who would have loved to have me as their daughter? My heart bled just thinking about how I was used for all these years, taken advantage of, beaten, and treated like a slave just to be dumped when I was no longer needed. My fate was a cruel punishment worse than death.
The King followed the female's scent back to her house, knowing that he was back at square one he had to find out the female's name if he ever stood a chance at wooing her. The blond boy's words echoed through his mind, little miss nobody, he gritted his teeth, even though he hated to admit it but the boy was on to something, this might be just the key he needed to unlock her heart. No one on Earth ever called her by name, not even once.
If he can just figure out what her name is then maybe, just maybe she will see him as someone who will cherish and love her and not someone who will harm her. Coming upon the house his eyes widened with shock, the house was immaculate when he was here last and now the yard was completely destroyed, flying through the open front door he saw that the entire house had been ransacked. Drawers were askew and clothes were thrown everywhere.
Landing on his feet he heard a piece of paper crumpling under foot, bending down he picked up the paper, recalling what little English he learned he slowly deciphered the note. A brilliant blue ball of flame erupted from his palm. He set the note on fire, his fury boiling over, her family abandoned the child to save their own skins.
"Those damn vile humans," he growled. "May their souls forever roast for eternity."
He quickly flew up the stairs to her bedroom kicking the door off its hinges, he quickly ransacked her room. He looked for every scrap of paper, and grabbed all her diaries off her desk. He flipped through them one by one desperately searching for anything that would resemble a name. Ihloi climbed through the window just then.
"Sire the ships are ready, have you found the female child yet?"
"No, I'm searching for something keep quiet."
"Sire we don't have much time, the Sun is about to give at any moment, you must find the child."
"Ihloi I said keep quiet," the King barked.
Tossing each diary aside he picked up the last one in the stack, when he flipped it open he gasped, there written over a million times and circled were the words written, "my name is Chelsey." It looked like the entire diary was filled with nothing but her name written over and over. Some of the pages were gouged tearing through ten pages at a time as if she was trying to engrave her name onto the paper. It felt like a knife had stabbed his heart, just how much torment did she have to be in to gouge the paper like so?
He tossed the diary to Ihloi, "I found what I was looking for, now I must find Chelsey, and bring her home. Her name rang forth on his tongue like honey sending spasms down his spine. Ihloi flipped through the diary gripping his heart. The sight of the female child's diary will forever be engraved in his memory. The King brought forth his blue flames and set fire to the entire house, wanting to burn the remains of the filthy stains of her family from his memory. As they flew out of the house he clutched his heart,
"Sire are you alright?" He asked with concern, the King seemed to be in pain.
"Her heart, my Queen's heart, I sense a darkness spreading in her heart! When she was laying with me our hearts connected and I could feel the purity of her heart, but just a moment ago I sensed her heart changing. A dark stain has appeared on her heart."
Ihloi seemed worried, if his King was able to sense a change in her heart then it must be bad, only a true love in its purest form, a match made in the stars would allow the King to be able to sense the changes in the female's heart before mating.
"We must hurry, I must remove that stain before it spreads. He flew even faster wanting to save Chelsey from the darkness that was enveloping her heart, she needed him now more than ever.