Doom News

“David, did you remember to pack the bologna and bread?” David was notorious for forgetting the necessities, yet Sarah knew he had surely remembered the fishing pole and an overstuffed tackle box that he had added to over the years. She was busy rolling up her sleeping bag, and wondering where she had put her favorite pair of thermal underwear, the ones that David hated since it was so hard to get them off.

“Yeah babe, AND the cheese!” Dave finished up in the bathroom, and slinked off to the kitchen to grab the food from the fridge, and slip them into the cooler before Sarah noticed. He hated it when she was right, which really was more often than not, so he did his best to ensure Sarah didn't get to gloat too often over her ability to know him better than he sometimes knew himself.

After he was done in the kitchen, David walked to the bedroom where Sarah was finishing the packing. He approached her from behind, and gave a warm embrace. “This'll be great hun. A whole week with just us and Tari. She doesn't seem to get as excited about these trips as she used to.”

“Well Dave, your little girl is starting to grow up. Her friends might not approve of her thinking fishing is as cool as she thought it was when she was 8.”

Dave made a fake sour face. “She'll always be my darling, maybe we can get her to enjoy this at least one last time. Maybe we should have tried for that boy after all.”

Sarah giggled, “Oh stop! Get your shit together, I still have to wake Tari up and get her moving. I swear that kid sleeps more than a dead man.”

“Yeah yeah, ok. I'll be in the garage, packing up the rest of the gear.” David gave her a quick peck on the cheek and sauntered away to the garage.

Sarah had finished rolling the sleeping bag, and tossed it on the bed with the rest of her clothes. She'd have to look for the thermals in a bit. She stepped out to Tari's room, and the door was still shut. With a few light raps on the door, Sarah tried to awaken her comatose daughter. “Tari? Honey it's time to get up! We gotta be on the road in an hour.”

She didn't hear an immediate reply, just some muffled sounds.

“Mmmmphmmm” “I'll be out in a minute mom.” Tari rolled over and looked at the clock. It's green glow read 9:47. I guess that's going to have to do it for my sleeping in today. She clambered out of bed, and threw on a pair of old jeans, she wasn't even sure if they were clean or not, mom was slacking on the laundry. She grabbed one of her favorite tops, a tangerine tank with a bear on it. She wasn't exactly sure why she liked it so much, it was horribly out of style, but that didn't seem to matter. Tari walked to her door and stepped out into the hallway. With a slight whine, Tari spoke to her mother “Mom, do we have to go? Kristen was going to have a slumber party tomorrow.”

“You know your dad lives for this trip sweetie. Let's just try and pretend you are going to have a good time, okay?”

“Whatever.” With a touch of teenage angst at the world, Tari headed for the fridge to see what she could grab to drink. She settled on some old apple cider that needed to be finished off.

David came into the kitchen with his family, already decked out in his fishing jacket. “You guys ready yet or what?” He was beaming, with the cliché fishing hat adorned with all types of fly fishing he hooks he would never use. Tari shot back a weak smile, she hated to disappoint her dad, she knew he just wanted her to be happy and spend some time together. “Are we going to the same spot as last year? That lake was pretty, had some nice cabins too.” Tari wasn't actually thinking of the cabins, she was thinking of the cute boy she had met last trip, the one that tried to kiss her.

“No, I picked a brand new spot this time, further up north.” Tari tried her best to not look disappointed she wouldn't rendezvous with what's-his-name. Sarah walked off, and gathered the rest of the camping supplies, and packed them into the jeep.

The three of them were out in the front porch, locking up and getting ready to pile in. From the distance, there was a strange noise. Not so much a noise, but a wave of pressure. It happened in an instant. There was nothing but intense heat that seemed to spawn from the bowels of the Earth itself. Sarah was mute with terror as she watched the skin blister and peel off her husband and daughter, powerless to do anything but stare with her mouth agape. Flames engulf their bodies, and David stares into Sarah's eyes with a look that begs to know why she could let this happen to them. She breaks free of her trance, and lunges forward to grab her family. As soon as she makes contact, they turn to ash, and float to the ground. She drops to her knees, and lets out an unholy wail.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Darkness. Sarah sat up, coated in a film of salty sweat coming from every pore in her body. The familiar smell of stale air, evaporated gasoline and oil filled her nostrils. It was pitch black, still early in the morning. She fumbled around her makeshift bed of crumpled newspapers and blankets, and her fingers clasped her only real friend during the night, a trusty Maglite. She normally only used it during times of real need, but she convinced herself this was one of those times. With a small twist, a beam of light shone across the room, giving her a quick reprieve from the terror she had just endured.

The dream was recurring, not unfolding the same way every time, but usually ending with her being riddled with guilt. She knew it wasn't her fault that David was gone, but she blamed herself for not being able to protect Tari. She winced. Even the mere thought of the incident makes her body lock up, bearing a semblance to rigor mortis.

Still shaky, she got up from her bed and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had to urinate, and she sure didn't want to do it in her sleeping area. She had to be careful outside, it was a dangerous place. Even though the blast didn't happen like she dreamed it, it did occur, and it changed the world as she knew it in ways she could never fathom. Twisting the light back off, she crept outside her room and onto the concrete platform that used to hold all manner of vehicles as they gassed up for the journeys to any given destination. She could make out the outline of the largely broken BP sign in the near distance against the night sky. It was chilly tonight, she had to be quick. Padding around the perimeter of the abandoned building, she squatted and relieved herself. Jesus, what I wouldn't give for some real toilet paper right now, she mused as she wiped with part of her newspaper bedding.

She walked quietly back to the inside of the building where she had called home for the last few days. The incessant hunger pangs felt worse, but she resisted the urge to eat some of the scraps she had found in the vending machine. Sarah needed to conserve her strength. She was convinced Tari was still alive out there somewhere, and she needed to have all her wits and strength if she was to save her daughter. God help her soul. Sarah laid down and tried to catch a few more hours of dreamless sleep, her stomach growling at her like an angry lion.