Rations
People packed
the church tonight for the town council. Marissa’s gaze briefly fell on her
younger siblings. One, two, three, four, five. Good, she hadn’t lost any of
them to the crowd. Her parents squeezed into one bench, but she hesitated to
sit.
These meetings
had continued one night a week for months, and the heavy uncertainty froze her
in place, or it could just be the cold. Despite the battery-operated heaters,
breaths plumed visibly in front of the townspeople, but she noticed one group
missing.
The young
men.
Where were
the ones she grew up with? Jimmy, Lane, and Barron were here last week. Had
they too left for District 40? Were they really all gone?
“Marissa, sit
down.” Her mother jerked her hand, and she plopped into the seat like a fat
raindrop.
Elder McGee
rose from his chair at the pulpit and whistled the crowd into a semblance of
order.
Mother kept
her hand in Marissa’s. The skin felt like old leather, soft and weathered. The
years since the apocalypse hadn’t made things easy on any of them. Now with the
marrying aged men gone what would become of herself, the town?
McGee parted
his lips as he allowed his gaze to fall upon each townsperson. Despite his age,
he commanded attention. “Our town is in dire trouble. Look around you. Our last
young men have left for the cities and the New Atlantic. Everyone will have to
work harder and pitch in. Since winter approaches, we’ll have to ration our
food.”
His words dried
the spit upon her tongue. Ration our food, no young men, and winter was coming.
The worse cold hadn’t even hit them yet. She tucked a strand of hair behind her
ear as she thought of her family. There were eight of them in that two-roomed
house. How would they live?
Survive?
“We’ll do as
we’ve always done. Neighbors helping neighbors. A new curfew is in place. Be in
your homes by sundown. Head on now, ya hear.” With a nod he dismissed them.
Months ago,
they would’ve revolted, at least questioned him. Now, they rose from the
benches, heads bowed, and left with mere grumbles.
Marissa
wanted to scream, shout, tear the room apart. Instead, she stood knowing why
the men left, knowing why she too would have to leave her home.
But when?
11 comments:
Ooh, intense. I do wonder what will become of them.
Felt my heart race, what had caused this, how would it end? Great job!
Oh poor Marissa! I would definitely read more.
Is there more of this, Cherie? Please say yes :-)
Oh, I do like this! It does feel like a snippet from a longer work though, hope we'll see more of it!
Wow, this is excellent. I felt so much tension while I was reading. Really want to read more about Marissa! :)
Very intense. I love your flash fridays.
This was so good. You really wonder what's going to become of them all at the end. :)
Ooo! I loved this! Great scene setting!
8 girls/women under one roof? ah! that in itself would make me want to leave. wonder how long she will last.
nice flash!
To answer the rhetorical close: the sooner, the better.
I am now unable to imagine your protagonists in anything except the Flash's costume.
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