December 11th, 2021 would have been an ordinary Saturday in Lake Bianca, FL, if I wasn’t spreading gravel at St. Anthony’s Catholic. St. Anthony’s had a policy of letting screw-ups like myself cut suspensions, detentions, and things like that short if you did a bit of yard work for them. Luckily the courtyard we were assigned to was smaller than anticipated, and I was with some friends, rather than the random people they usually send you with By lunch time, we were free. The rest of the day, Marcus, Zach, Phil & I sat around our usual picnic table, in the shade by the gym. The grass around us was still a dazzling emerald green. My side of the table faced the baseball field, and over Phil’s head I saw Spanish Moss dancing in the soft wind.
	“Can’t believe I got suspended over that crap.”
	“I mean, you threw Andrew, I dunno what you expected…”
	Zach, chuckling, took out his sandwich (turkey & american cheese with mustard, as always) out of his lunch bag, and grinned at Phil co-conspiratorially. We were talking about an incident we caused just last Friday; Andrew was a (no longer) rumored drug dealer who Zach had thrown against the whiteboard in the computer lab, which landed all four of us out here.
	“Fucking moron had it coming.”
	“Why, cuz you heard he’s a dealer?”
	“No, cuz he’s a dealer messing with Cassie.”
	Cassie was Zach’s longtime crush. He’d probably been hot for her since before I met him; she was the main object of worship in his life. She was really cute, olive skin, nice figure, and kind, if not a little aloof. She hung out with a certain clique that had their polar shoulders turned ever so slightly, fatally, in everyone but Zach’s opinion, in our own’s direction. It was during lunch Levi, a Junior in JROTC with him, told him that someone saw Cassie and Andrew together coming out a bathroom. It just so happened all four of us had computer lab with Andrew the very next period. It also happened that Andrew is a 5’2 skeleton, and Zach was a 6’3 jarhead-to-be who vowed to enlist in the Marines the day after he graduated. After he was thrown, 2 of his buddies ran up on Zach so quick Marcus almost didn’t get there in time to help. By some miracle another rushed in too, from the hall. I gave a few good jabs but he shoved me down, and was about to stomp me against a desk when Phil socked him in the windpipe. I had a perfect angle. Phlegm never looked so beautiful. All of this happened in about 20 seconds, and by the time we’d been broken up it’d been a minute. We were in deep shit; that kid who rushed in’s was breathing funny, they had to rush him to the hospital. Andrew left for the hospital too, but outside a few broken ribs, he was fine. If they hadn’t found drugs in their lockers we’d’ve definitely been expelled. As it was they let us off with 2 weeks suspension, but that had us in trouble too; we were missing out on midterms.
	Everyone but Zach cracked up and probably laughed for what felt like an hour before Marcus slammed his hand on the table with glee and cackle-shouted - 
	“YOU BEEN TRYIN’ TO GIT WITH HER SINCE 8TH GRAYDE, SIMP! YOU OUGHTA BE QUARANTINED! WE ALREADY CAUGHT SUSPENSIONS, I DON’T WANNA CATCH ONEITIS!”
	Marcus collapsed into another fit of giggles (with Phil & I close behind) and almost fell off the bench. Zach, who was a shade of red usually reserved for cherries, tried to cut through the banter.
	“The fuck is oneitis? Y’all’re jus’ jealous you haven’t had a woman that wasn’t ya mother in ya lives.”
	It was Phil’s turn to smile now, “You say that, but when I think about the CD incident back in Freshman year I don’t mind so much”
	I laughed and threw my hands over my face. “The mixtape? Jesus Christ.”
	“Look, I was 15. You guys were doing stupid crap too. Remember when Marcus wore-“
	“ARRIGHT ARRIGHT!”
	“I’m not done ye-“
	“MOVIN’ ON!”
__
	We finished up with lunch, and walked to the parking lot. Marcus & Zach were still going back & forth, only now they were talking about hunting or something. Whatever. I went up to Phil, who was putting his shovel in his trunk or something.
	“Still on for tonight?” I asked.
	“Yeah.”
	“You buying stuff? Should I bring cash?”
	“Didn’t you get the mail? I’m brewing stuff. Shit’ll be low-key tonight, bring your own stuff if you want, though.”
	“Mmkay. See ya.”
	“Yeah.” He turned over to where Marucs & Zach were still lagging behind. “MARCUS! WE SAID WE’D BE BACK BY 2!” Phil had carpooled with Marcus, since they lived close, and pretty far away from the school.
	“FINE!” He jogged over to the truck and looked over at me. “See ya , Luke.”
	“See ya.”
__
	“Hey Mom?”
	“Yeah?”
	“Headed over to Phil’s house tonight, you mind filling up the gas tank?”
	“No problem, I was just headed out for groceries anyways.”
	“All right, see you.”
	“I’m not headed out right now.”
	“Oh. Whoops.”
	I walked over to my room and fiddled with a radio on my muddled desk until she left about a half an hour later. I ended up taking a break, and making a sandwich and waiting until my mom came home. When she did, I helped her bring the groceries back in, and when I finished, I asked her if I could go out yet.
	“Wait until after dinner.”
	“I already ate.”
	“Oh. Well, have fun at Phil’s then. Drive safely!”
	“Don’t worry Mom, I will.”
___
	Anyone that lives, or has lived in Florida for a while knows that driving is a necessary evil. Most of the roads don’t exceed 50 or 55 mph, and everything seems so far away, though in another state (and probably in most other countries) it’d seem like you’d get there in no time. The roads themselves were not much better. In trademark Floridian humidity, Concrete and Asphalt were some of the only materials you could *really* be sure wouldn’t erode in 10 years, but give it 25, 35, 45 years (and most seemed like they’d been around that long) and it really wasn’t as nice anymore. I had to deal with all of this in my drive to Phil’s house. Took me about an hour to get there, and if not for the tangerine glow of of the streetlights on pale grey concrete roads I might have fallen asleep. 
	When I pulled into his driveway, it was about 7:45. Phil’s house had a huge front lawn, filled with pines trees so tall and skinny you could still see the front of his house. His house itself wasn’t that large, but it occupied a huge piece of property. I stepped out of my mom’s car and hopped up his back door and into his porch.
	“AYYYY LUKE!” Marcus was stepping out on the porch, with a solo cup in his hand, grinning like a mad man with his arms outstretched. Behind him I saw Zach & Phil in the window of a weathered eggshell-colored door. 
	“Luke, come in, ur like, haff an hour late, bro.”
	I walked in to the living room. Persian-style rugs lined the floor, looking elegant against the stained wooden floor and the cinnabarian walls For some incomprehensible reason, the fireplace was lit, making the room incredibly warm. The whole room seemed to have a fiery theme, in a comfortable way.
	“You guys finally got ‘round to fixing that hole whoever-it-was made in the wall?”
	“Not even a week ago. Mom was pissed.”
	“Wonder why? Pour me a drink.”
	Phil got out a plastic pitcher filled with a clear-ish liquid that reeked of alcohol, and a red solo cup. I made a mental note I’d have to call my mom before I got too plastered.
__
	We stayed up all night, and I think it was the second or third amount of fun I’d ever had, ever. We moved down to Phil’s basement to play some video games, play some “nu-trap” or whatever Phil called it, and drink Phil’s brew. It was just after midnight when Zach passed out, much to our amusement.
	“HE GONE!”
	“Hahaaa…” I’d tried not to have too much, but at Phil’s insistence, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to climb up the stairs again, and I wasn’t that much a lightweight. I tried to remember whether or not I called my mom and whether I could get reception.
	When he was done trashing Marcus in Super Smash Bros 5, Phil threw his controller down and stood up with half a horrible wobble.
	“I’ll shhow you guys somethink cool inna bit…” Phil wandered upstairs, to who knows where.
	“BETTER NOT BE YOUR DICK!”
	When he got back downstairs he had a stupid grin on his face, and an all-black pistol that he swung around.
	“PEWPEWPyuuuu…AHAHAHaaaaa…”
	“AYY! WHATCH WHERE YA POINT DAT”
	Phil gave a crazy chuckle. and put his hands on his hips. “C’mon Marc. ‘M jus’ plain. ’S jus’ a gun. Dad got me it on las’ Saddurday. Got like, 15 bulles innit.” He sat down on the couch to my right.
	“Maan, can I holdit?” I’d never held a handgun before, and I’d decided that there was no better time than right then to try.
	“Yeah, jussasec.”
	I turned back to the TV. Marcus was playing another fighting game. It looked like it was Mortal Kombat again, or something, I’m not sure. I wasn’t a huge fan of Mortal Kombat, but to tell the truth Phil had showed me it two weeks ago an-
	The world blew up. The world blew up. The loudest sound I ever heard, the loudest sound I’ll ever hear exploded just to my left. It must’ve took me at least a minute to come to my senses. When I did I felt warm, and wet, particularly on the left side. I’d thought Phil had thrown up on me, and was about to yell “’S’GROSS M-“ until I saw my arm painted with blood and a few small brain chunks. Now it was my turn to throw up, liquor scorched my insides. Marcus must’ve too, because I tried to get up and slipped on something and landed in Phil’s blood.
	“WHAHT THE FUCKK!”
	Marcus was beside himself. Screaming and hollering all kinds of shit, he grabbed me and dragged me upstairs like a rag doll, as if he hadn’t drank at all. I didn’t completely come to until like 5 minutes later. I was lying on couch. Marcus was bawling his eyes out on the phone somewhere above me, in the kitchen. Where was Phil? I last saw him in the basement… in the basement he’d…tears burnt in my eyes. 
	I was like this for what felt like an hour. You don’t really know how to process someone close passing away, never talking to them again until it happens. It’s a unique every time… I’m not sure I can put it down into words. Just know (as if you didn’t) its a feeling that doesn’t really leave you. I thought I knew it when my granddad passed when I was 9, but… it stays until you die, probably.
	I sat up on the couch and before I had the chance to look forward the world fell apart again. It was like the whole world was in this huge car wreck. I flew head over heals onto my hands and fell back down on one of the Persian rugs, which I threw up on. I got to my feet, somehow, and Marcus charged into the room.
	“WE GOTTA GO!”
	I stumbled outside and ran to my car. Somehow, I still had my car keys on my person, and for reasons even less explainable, Marcus was following me. He hopped in the passenger seat, and I took off down the road. He was trying to explain something to me but I wasn’t focused on him. I wasn’t focused on anything. I was just trying to push my car as fast as I could go.
	Fortunately, drunk me left the emergency brake on, preventing total disaster. Marcus and I knocked our heads against the dashboard. I opened the door and fell out again.
	I stood up and looked out and saw… smoke? Smoke? Why? And why so much? The car alarm made my head hurt. I swerved my head to the right. 
	WEEOWWEEOWEEWOWEOW 
	Flashing blue and red lights appeared on the horizon. Maybe the cops could help? I still had a grain of hope left. They’d understand, surely, after the earthquake and everything; I still had a few grains of hope that my life could continue left.
	The policemen pulled up, but the police car was instead a van, and the 2 men who ran out of it were not dressed like ordinary policemen. They wore navy blue, sorta tactical looking vests, with helmets both with the words POLICE stamped on in white. One was older, fairly overweight and holding a rifle, pointed at the floor, I noticed. His partner was a foot taller, and lighter.
	“OK, y’all put your hands on your head, now. Read ‘em his rights, Brian.”
	“Right. Ok, you two have a right-
	I managed to conceal my slurring a bit and ask them where they were taking us. 		“You haven’t heard? Horrible earthquake out in Yellowstone, California, whole world’s been shook up. You’re lucky we’re out east of that. All civilians are being taken to our facility just 15 miles northeast, it’s the only place we can be sure the water will be safe. Now…”
	In the last 20 minutes, I’d been more scared than I’d ever been in my life. Martial law would’ve made me shit my pants, and either kill myself, succumb to despair and come with them, or try to fight off a bunch of Remington-weilding SWAT jocks, if I’d chosen to stay home. Even now, in the starless night sky with 2 friends dying in the span of minutes… I looked at Marcus.
	“C’mon, Luke. W-we gotta go. They’ll take care ‘f us.”
	“Y’all keep quiet.”
	I would have argued, maybe, in a different situation. I nodded. Stood still while the tall one droned on for a few more seconds, and then bade the 2 of us into the back of his car. I looked up at the sky. Couldn’t see anything beyond the smoke.