{"id":111,"date":"2011-04-18T00:18:56","date_gmt":"2011-04-18T04:18:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=111"},"modified":"2011-04-18T00:18:56","modified_gmt":"2011-04-18T04:18:56","slug":"day-zero-chapter-1-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=111","title":{"rendered":"Day Zero – Chapter 1 – 04"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The wind was worse out in the open, away from the sheltering trees of the ravines, whistling between buildings, down along the brickwork pathways of the campus.\u00a0 The clocktower was listing sideways.\u00a0 Kellin grimaced.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026that\u2019s probably not good, huh?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory followed her gaze and shook his head, pursing his lips half thoughtfully.\u00a0 \u201cNope.\u00a0 Nope, probably not good at all.\u00a0 Think we need to avoid this section until it comes down.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kellin nodded.\u00a0 Drew nudged her.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s keep moving.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Together, the trio forged onward, moving quickly along the pathways of campus, skirting wide of buildings along the campus\u2019s main drag rather than moving along the ravine\u2019s edge.\u00a0 They were checking the parking lots, after all, to do a count of how many people should be around.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The field house was mostly a pile of wreckage and rubble, twisted metal and shattered glass, but the parking lots around it were mercifully empty, it appeared, which made Kellin exhale a sigh of relief.\u00a0 Gods, but I hope there\u2019s not many.\u00a0 I hope there\u2019s not many.\u00a0 <\/em>Please let there not be many.<\/em>\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t looking forward to burying anyone, though she already knew they were going to\u2014and probably many\u2014in the hours and days and weeks to come.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In the years to come.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They continued along the concrete sidewalk, stopping as the ground began to heave.\u00a0 The trio grasped for each other, hanging on for balance.\u00a0 Kellin went down, and Drew took a knee to steady Rory before he joined Kellin on the ground.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The feeling of ley lines twisting made her stomach flip-flop, and for a moment she thought she was going to offer everything she\u2019d eaten that day up to the grass nearby.\u00a0 Kellin swallowed hard, covering her eyes with her hand, trying to breathe through her nose so she wouldn\u2019t vomit.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Drew squeezed her shoulder.\u00a0 His face was pinched, pale\u2014clearly he was having the same problems.\u00a0 A glance at Rory revealed that while he struggled to keep a straight face, he was suffering from the same wrenching feelings as they were.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is bad,\u201d Kellin whispered.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory nodded grimly.\u00a0 If he was feeling it with the same intensity as they, it was very<\/em> bad.\u00a0 For all sides, and all stripes.\u00a0 As the tremors eased, he reached down, pulling Kellin to her feet and steadying her gently.\u00a0 \u201cCome on.\u00a0 Sooner we get all this done, sooner we can get back to the others and give them<\/em> a hand.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced toward Mackinaw Hall, one of the largest buildings on campus, and grimaced, pointing.\u00a0 \u201cLook.\u00a0 Part of the south corner\u2019s come down.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cColumns in the courtyard are probably down, too,\u201d Drew murmured.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kellin nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWe knew that this section was probably the most solid but not,\u201d she mumbled, scrubbing a hand over her eyes.\u00a0 Something destabilizing below.\u00a0 Pilings can\u2019t fix that.\u00a0 They weren\u2019t building these things to be seismically sound, anyhow.\u00a0 Why worry about that crap this far away from a major fault line?\u00a0 Something devastating would have to happen for us to get quakes here.<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Something like this.<\/em>\u00a0 She exhaled shakily.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go, guys.\u00a0 You\u2019re right.\u00a0 We need to get this done so we can move on to the next thing.\u00a0 Whatever that\u2019s going to be.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Drew grunted.\u00a0 They moved on, heading toward the resident parking lots on the so-called \u201cfreshman\u201d end of campus.\u00a0 Several of the dorms were already collapsed\u2014Neimeyer looked like something had crashed into it, Frey was rubble, Stafford collapsed as well, and the buildings nearest to the treeline were simply gone<\/em>, buried as rubble and under fallen trees.\u00a0 A few scattered cars were in the parking lots nearest to the dorms\u2014some of them belonged to the friends and were checked off a mental list each of the three were keeping of approximately how many people might still be yet to be found on the campus\u2014alive or otherwise.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There was one car, an old silver BMW, settled in a corner parking spot not far from where they were standing.\u00a0 Kellin stared at it for a few long moments.\u00a0 It was naggingly familiar, though she couldn\u2019t quite place it.\u00a0 Her frown grew as she wrestled with her own mind, pushing the impressions she was catching from the ravines, from the world around her, of twisting leylines and shifting energies, to the back of her mind as she tried to remember.\u00a0 Finally, it clicked.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026that\u2019s Thom\u2019s car.\u201d\u00a0 Why is Thom\u2019s car still here?\u00a0 He was driving to Chicago this weekend to see his folks.\u00a0 And he\u2019s got that interview Monday for that job down there\u2026why the hell would his car still be here?<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cDid he take the train down from Holland to the city, Drew?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Drew looked at her, blinking.\u00a0 \u201cWho?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThom!\u00a0 His car\u2019s still here.\u00a0 Did you drive him to the station?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThom didn\u2019t go to Chicago this weekend.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Why wouldn\u2019t he go?\u00a0 That interview\u2026he made it sound like his big shot at being someone and something.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cWhat about his interview?\u00a0 Seeing his parents?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Drew shrugged a little.\u00a0 \u201cHe called them Thursday night and said that he had something come up, had to reschedule.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how the rest of that conversation went.\u00a0 He seemed\u2026out of sorts, I guess.\u201d\u00a0 He scratched the back of his head.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I asked him, though, he said that Chicago wasn\u2019t going anywhere, and neither were his parents.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to miss Marin leaving.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory glanced back at them.\u00a0 \u201cWasn\u2019t that why he was going to go to the city this weekend and stay \u2018til Tuesday in the first place?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Drew shrugged again.\u00a0 \u201cGuess he couldn\u2019t bring himself to miss saying goodbye.\u00a0 Even to Marin.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Especially to Marin.<\/em>\u00a0 Kellin grimaced.\u00a0 \u201cWe have to find him if he\u2019s still here.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWith any luck, he\u2019ll find us.\u00a0 He usually does.\u201d\u00a0 Rory hopped down off the curb.\u00a0 \u201cCome on.\u00a0 More lots to check.\u00a0 Should check Kleiner while we\u2019re here.\u00a0 See if there\u2019s anyone there.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat if there is and they\u2019re dead?\u201d\u00a0 Kellin tried to catch the words as they slipped out of her mouth, to no avail.\u00a0 Her tongue had gotten away from her\u2014again.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory stopped, turning toward her slowly.\u00a0 He exhaled, then shrugged slightly.\u00a0 \u201cThen I guess we bury them.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWas afraid you\u2019d say that.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The fa\u00e7ade cracked and he grimaced.\u00a0 \u201cBetter than leaving them to rot, Kel.\u00a0 Come on.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get this over with.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The wind was worse out in the open, away from the sheltering trees of the ravines, whistling between buildings, down along the brickwork pathways of the campus.\u00a0 The clocktower was listing sideways.\u00a0 Kellin grimaced. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026that\u2019s probably not good, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-01","category-day-zero"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-1N","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}