1 The End?

"Last week the world was in the worst crisis it has ever seen. We must all come together in these times of crisis...." Says the news lady on the tv screen as I walk past and I stop listening after that. I would turn it off but my mom is engrossed in this news report.

I usually would be watching the news with my mother but the news stations have been running with the same story for a week now. It was about the freak storms that happened all around the world at the same time. Some places were hit pretty hard. The death tolls were just over a million. That includes the whole world and the death toll keeps going up. My heart goes out to those people. But I can only hear about it so much without slipping into a deep depression.

Thankfully we weren't hit that hard. We had a tornado but it didn't touch down that long so nothing was really damaged. We were one of the states that got away pretty well after the disaster. This is why only a week after this tragedy happened I am going back to school. After taking one last look at the television I kissed my mom on the head and then ruffled my little brother's hair. Screaming at my dad goodbye then I was out the door.

As soon as I got out of our two-bedroom house I started walking to my bus stop but something about the disasters was bothering me. Was probably bothering everyone, why did it happen? It was almost impossible for all of those disasters to happen at once. My dad thought it was a sign of the end of the world. So he started buying more food and bought my mom a new bow just for safety. Also making me carry around my military-grade knife. even to school.

I thought my dad was just being paranoid but he always said

"You rather be safe than sorry."

Just as I was thinking about him he ended up calling me.

"Hey, dad what's up?" I said in a cheerful voice.

"Joseph I was wondering if you can come to my garage after school? I can use your help on this Ford Truck so I can be sure that I can make the deadline." his father asked him. I didn't even know why he asked. I usually went there after school every day to help take care of my brother and with the cars. Since my mom works in the office as a temp right now she can't take my three-year-old brother to her job. Plus we can't really afford daycare.

"Sure I will head right there after school. Let me know if Jace wants some snacks and I'll pick them up on the way there." I said to my dad.

"Okay I'll text you and pay you back for the snacks love you," my dad said and then quickly hung up the phone. Knowing that I'll start an argument. I hated when my parents insisted that they pay me for stuff or pay me back for stuff. I'm almost old enough to get a job and once I am old enough I was going to get one and start helping my parents out. Even if they don't want me to.

As I was beginning to think of places to work I got to my bus stop and waved and said hi to everyone at the stop. Five minutes later the bus came and dropped us off at school. As soon as I got into the school, which had over 3000 students, he almost got tackled to the floor by his best friend.

"Bailey what the hell," I said as she was laughing her head off.

"I missed you, Joseph. Why you didn't miss me?" She said while batting her long eyelashes at me.

"Sure I missed you but stop being gross," I said while almost gagging at her attempt to flirt. At first, she starts dying laughing. Which, of course, makes people look at us with weirded-out faces.

"Ahh, that never gets old. But seriously you were so busy bonding with Jace that you didn't make any time for little old me." Bailey said pretending to be hurt. Knowing full well that I never lost contact with her. As she stopped laughing we were able to start walking to the 4th-floor bathroom. We usually head there before school starts so Bailey can get her vapes in without anyone seeing us.

"Yeah, Yeah, so do you know if it's going to be a regular school day, or are they going to have an assembly or something like that?" I asked curiously. I'm asking her, especially because with her network of friends she is always aware of what's going on in school.

"They're going to do an assembly at the end of the day and a moment of silence at the beginning of homeroom. Plus I heard most of the towns and cities are holding a candlelight vigil in honor of those fallen and without homes. Do you want to go with me?" She asked me.

I thought about it for a moment.

" What time does it start?" I couldn't say yes immediately even though I wanted to pray for those families because I already made arrangements with my dad.

"It starts at 8 pm on the dot, but there are going to be food vendors there so we might want to get there a little earlier," she said readily. Probably already knew I was going to ask. As I was about to answer I pushed open the door to the boys' bathroom on the 4th floor and walked in with Bailey.

"Yeah sure, then can you come to walk with me to my dads' garage, and then we can go to the vigil with my dad and little brother," I said already knowing that she will say yes. She loves my family, especially my little brother Jace.

"Sounds like a plan Stan," she says while bringing the vape to her mouth and me cringing at what she just said.