Desolation ✔️

Chapter 1: Quarantine

"You can't be here," he shouts, jabbing his finger inches from my face.

I resist the urge to clobber him in the mouth and shove my way through. He can't tell me where I can and can't go, even if he is part of the SWAT.

"I live down that street! Gray house! Let me through!" I shout. Carter levels his hands on my shoulders but I shake him off. He'll stand by my side (or in this case, behind me), but he's not one to cause a scene. If someone with authority far beyond his own tells him to do something, he'll do it. He respects people, which is one of the reasons I love him. But right now, I can't be compliant with him; not when my parents are on the other side of the quarantine, inside with the chaos and danger.

"I'm sorry Miss, but my job is to keep as many people safe as possible. Get back in your car and drive towards the safe house."

Is he that stupid? Does he even have family? Has he ever feared losing them? "You can't tell me what I will and will not risk. This is my choice! If I want to risk my life and enter that danger, I will!"

"Scarlett," Carter mumbles behind me.

I turn to look at him. His soft caramel-hair sweeps over his forehead and brushes his lashes. Concern and fear flood his brown eyes. "Let's just go. Let them do their job. They know what they're doing."

Coming from him, I believe it might be true. His reassurance is another thing I love. But does he really believe it, or is it just to keep us safe from both the danger in our neighborhood and the impatient SWAT dude?

It's probably for our safety. Not theirs.

It's been weeks since I've seen them and we hardly returned home a few hours ago. I need to see them tonight.

"Listen to your brother and get outta here!" the man shouts, his forehead creased with anger. I yank my eyes away from Carter's and glare back at the man.

"I live there!" I gesture in the direction of my house, but he doesn't flinch. Doesn't bother looking back. Just keeps his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes stone-like. "And he's not my brother!"

"Ash! I need back up!" The man moves towards me, arms outstretched, but I duck under his arms and run.

I hear Carter shuffle behind me along with several other sets of shoes, but I keep moving towards our neighborhood, my feet pounding against the concrete, sweat beading on my forehead. My lungs ache for air and my hands shake and Carter calls out my name like it's a life-line rather than a target, but I keep running.

The broken streetlights drown the sidewalks in darkness. It's probably just past midnight, but everyone's lights are on. And the whole place is a disaster.

Across the street from me, an officer shouts over a hysterical woman dressed in work clothes (still?) and something dark appears smeared across her stomach. What the hell? He aims his gun at her head and yells, "Stay back!"

A few houses down, a man tugs his two young children towards a screeching car. The kids cry and hold each other's hands like the world will come apart if they let go. Hell, maybe it will. I notice their feet are bare and they're dressed in pajamas. The dad grabs the girl by her arm and yanks her roughly into the back seat before tossing the smaller boy in like a rag doll.

Has everyone gone mad?

"Carter!" I grab him once he passes me. "Do you see this?"

He shakes his head slowly as his eyes gloss over with fear and the same amount of confusion I feel inside. "Something's wrong." He points towards the SWAT who refused to allow us to enter. They're now...running away from us, towards their trucks. Another truck pulls up along the road and blocks it off and several armed people block the opening. My stomach churns.