The Calling by Branwen OShea

Author:Branwen OShea
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ice age apocalypse, young adult science fiction, science fantasy, climate fiction books, multiple point of view novels
Publisher: Sigma Orionis Publishing
Published: 2020-12-29T00:00:00+00:00

ALL THAT NIGHT, ATSUSHI waited for Liam to fall asleep and his parents to go to bed. His parents had sent them to bed early, so they could discuss the day’s horror while emptying a bottle of something strong. When his father finally shuffled into bed, his mother stayed up and fiddled around in the kitchen, making tea and sobbing. She hadn’t exactly been friends with Josefina, but they had all known each other since birth, and every death hammered another nail into humanity’s casket.

When he snuck across the living room at 4:00 a.m. to reach the front door, he was horrified to find his mother still seated in the kitchen, watching him.

“Oh, there you are,” he said, trying to cover for his failed escape. “I was worried about you.”

She wiped her tears, apparently too upset to argue with the likelihood of his lie. He’d never been uncaring toward her, but it was hard to care for parents who cared little for him. “Let’s all go get a few hours of sleep before the day starts,” she murmured.

And so, he was stuck in his module until they both went to work and Liam left for an impromptu no-school party at one of his friends’ home. Finally alone and fearing no one had brought Girak any food, he grabbed his bulky sweater and rushed to the cafeteria.

Since the only transportable food was rolls, he snagged five, wrapped them hastily in his sweater, and then grabbed a mug of tea. Turning to leave, he nearly ran into his classmate, Sera.

“Watch out,” she grumbled, her hair a mess and clearly having just crawled out of bed. She eyed the caffeinated tea he’d grabbed for Girak and pouted. “That’s not the last one, is it?”

“No, you’re good.” He shifted to hide the bulk in his sweater.

“You heard about Educator Girak?” she asked, yawning as she found a mug.

He stiffened. “Yeah. Listen, I gotta go meet someone at the Records Room.” He strode away before she could share the morning’s gossip about the Giraks.

He scurried toward Girak’s module, keeping his head down to avoid being asked where he was going or dragged into a discussion about them. What if Girak didn’t want his help? What if, when Girak opened the door, he only saw the annoying kid who’d upset his wife?

When he reached the hallway, he waited until everyone was gone and then knocked with his elbow, his only free body part not holding stashed food. No one answered.

Was he too injured to answer the door? Atsushi knocked again. And again. Still nothing.

He didn’t risk all this to not even see him. He pounded. “Hey, are you in there?”

Shuffling feet approached the door, and then the door slid open to the dark pit within. “At—thushi?” croaked a man’s voice.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Atsushi stepped into the darkness before the door closed behind him. “Where are you?”

There was a light on somewhere in the back, but everything was so dim that he nearly missed the hunched silhouette leaning on the wall.

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