One: There’s An Apocalypse Coming

Aurelia

Aurelia

Deaths.

So many deaths.

I blink, heart sinking as I scan the files I’ve just stumbled upon in my father’s study. Files upon files, deaths upon deaths.

The employees who died as a result of radiation poisoning, meanwhile, their families were lied to about the true cause of death.

My eyes burn, and with shaky hands, I grab the bundle of evidence and rush into my father’s room.

“Did you find your work documents, Aurelia?” He looks up from his phone.

“No.” My whisper is broken. “I found these instead.” The files tumble to the ground in a loud thud.

His gaze drifts to them, lips twisting in displeasure. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

I scoff. “I wasn’t supposed to see that your research has been killing people?!”

“That research is important.” He stands, sighing like it’s just another day. “I’m trying to create clean energy that would power cities. I'm building the technology that will power the next century, Aurelia!”

“People are dying because of it!”

“In research like this, death is only a necessity. Don’t make this a bigger deal than it is.”

My jaw drops.

Realization dawns the longer I stare silently at my father. The crease in his brows, the disinterest in his gaze.

There’s no guilt in his eyes. No remorse.

I swallow thickly, a tear rolling down my cheek. “You d-don’t care. You don’t care that you have taken lives. These people had family. Yet you poisoned them with radiation, and lied about how they died!”

He takes a small step toward me, glasses pushed high up on his nose. “Let’s not get emotional now, Aurelia.”

“Emotional?!” I shake my head and angrily wipe my cheek. “We’ll see who is emotional when I take this up with the police.”

I bend to pick up the files when he steps on my hands, the soles of his shoes crushing my fingers.

Pain flares up in my hands, and I whimper, struggling to pull my hand away.

His eyes darken, voice chilling. “You will do no such thing. You will walk out of this room, and forget you ever saw anything. Understood?”

I nod frantically as my fingers go numb, my engagement ring the only thing safe from his foot.

“Good. Now get out.”

The moment his foot is off my fingers, I hightail it out of there with tears rushing down my face as I make a vow.

I will gather all the evidence, and I will turn my dad in.

I get into my room just in time to hear the news.

“…unusual events have still been occurring behind the scenes. Just last night, a sudden power surge at the general hospital caused a fire. Thankfully, there wasn’t as much damage because the fire department arrived on time.”

Sniffing, I tune them out.

They’ve been predicting some sort of disaster for months now; we’re slowly losing interest.

“Mary,” the news anchor draws the attention of the other. “What do you think is happening in this city?”

“I’ll say these are signs of the apocalypse,” Mary replies. “It’s getting closer as we speak.”

And the TV goes off.

***

[A Month Later]

“How’s wedding preparations going, Lia?” Tessa, my closest friend, grins at me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I’ve been thinking about those deaths. Those individuals who died because of my dad’s research obsession.

Unfortunately, I haven’t gathered enough evidence since he moved the files. Trust me, I’ve been searching.

I’ve searched every cabinet, office, and storage room. Still, nothing.

A small sigh leaves my lips. “Seb’s been having cold feet. He’s been postponing almost everything. The cake tasting, the wedding hall inspection…it’s exhausting.”

“Is it because of the news prediction?”

I roll my eyes. “Oh please, nothing is going to happen. They’ve been predicting this for months, yet nothing has happened.”

“There have been power surges.”

“It’ll surprise you how often other cities have power surges.” I shake my head. “As for the wedding, whenever Sebastian’s ready, we’ll sort it out.”

Truthfully, Seb has been acting weird, and it’ll be foolishness to push it off as ‘cold feet’.

Goodness, there’s a lot on my mind. Those files, the evidence, the wedding…and this ‘end of the world’ rumor.

I’m not the only one who doesn’t believe the rumor, but I know people are building safe havens.

Tessa and I chat while my mind ping-pongs between her and the many other things in my mind.

“So,” Tessa sips her coffee. “Did you—”

Her words are interrupted by a sudden rumble of the ground. The tables shake vigorously, cups falling and breaking.

My stomach sinks as Tessa and I reach for each other, holding ourselves through the quake with wide eyes.

“What is happening?!” Someone screams.

And just then…it stops.

The ground stops shaking, and so do the tables.

I swallow, heart pounding in my chest. “Tessa…”

The news comes on.

“Seems like the world is ending,” the news anchor says.

“Is it really ending if only our city is affected?” Another responds.

“Well, it’s definitely an apocalypse then.”

“Everyone is advised to run over to their underground bunkers. The ground is gonna quake soon, and it will be more powerful than the last—” The power trips off.

In less than a second, everyone is screaming and running out. Crying children are picked up by their parents.

“My phone isn’t working!” Someone screams, terror in their voice.

“Mine too.”

My eyes widen.

So, this is real?

There’s really an apocalypse coming.

Tessa and I run into the crowd. Vehicles honk obnoxiously; people run between them. It’s crazy, and the only thing we can all think about is getting to our bunkers in time.

Do I have a bunker? Did my family build one?

Most people didn’t believe the rumors, but now, it looks like we’re all going to die.

Tessa pulls me into a tight but brief hug. “Be safe, Lia. See you when this is over?”

“Definitely.” I hug her back.

The moment we pull apart, I head into my car and speed through the traffic until I get home.

“Mom!” I push the doors open. “Dad!”

Silence greets me.

My brows furrow in confusion, panic setting in.

“Ashley!” I barge into my sister’s room.

It’s empty, save for a few clothes and shoes.

“Dad!” His office door is open. Unlike him. And when I step in, it’s all cleared out. Everything is gone.

Then, it dawns on me. They…left?

I’m trembling all over. Hands shaking, feet running towards the back of the house as the ground begins to shake again.

This time it’s more violent. I fall but quickly get back up. “Mom! Mom!”

That’s when I see it.

A little metallic bunker is at the end of our yard. I see my dad shoving things inside, and I race towards it.

Relief propels me forward despite the shaking of the ground and the falling of the poles.

“Dad!”

He looks at me and enters, hands holding up the hood. But I reach him just in time, dropping to my knees. “Thank God I found you guys. I was so worried. It’s crazy—” I pause.

I look further inside the bunker to see my parents, Ashley…Sebastian, all standing below my dad. He looks away from me, and so does my mom, tears in her eyes.

“C-can I come in?” I ask gently, trying not to interpret what that look means or what the tears mean. “Dad?”

He shakes his head. “It can only hold four people.”

I look inside, confused.

My parents, Ashley and Sebastian.

Then… I understand what this is.

They’re picking Seb… over me.

“W-what?” My heart cracks, eyes burning. “D-dad? I’m your daughter.”

“You should’ve thought of that when you threatened to turn Dad in to the police.” Ashley snarks loudly, voice echoing..

“You knew?” My voice breaks.

She rolls her eyes. “Oh please, Aurelia.”

“I’m sorry.” A tear escapes. “I…p-lease. M-mom?”

She sniffles and taps my dad. “Honey, come on.”

My dad shakes his head and, with one last look, he says, “I’m sorry, Aurelia.”

And the hood shuts in my face.