Page 23 of Longing for Liberty
“What is he talking about?” he asked as I shook my head, my stomach plummeting. Another text came.
“And nukes from somewhere in the Midwest?? The news here says parts of Canada, Mexico, and California were just hit. You need to get out!”
“Oh my God,” I whispered. That couldn’t be right.
Jeremy’s brows were drawn in a perplexed expression as he pulled the car over to read the texts more carefully. We were reading them when both of our phones suddenly blasted with jarring alerts.
The screen flashed with a message:
United States Government Alert: Remain calm. Follow all rules of the road as you return to your homes immediately and await instructions. You have one hour to clear all streets and public places. This is a mandatory curfew. Return to your residence immediately.
“I need to call my mom.” I tried to click out of the message, but it was stuck. When it finally went away, I frantically opened my phone app, but the call wouldn’t go through. What the hell was going on?
“I have no signal,” Jeremy said. “I can’t text Aidan back.”
“Me neither. No calls.” I checked. “No apps or internet.”
“Let me try my hotspot…” Jeremy pulled down the screen, then shook his head. “Nothing! What the fuck?”
Another blaring alert made me yelp this time and almost drop my phone. I fumbled to read the new message.
United States Government Alert: The country is under attack. All borders are closed and air traffic is halted. Return to your homes immediately and await further instructions. You have one hour. Anyone in public after the one-hour curfew will be detained.
No. No, no, no, nononono?—
All of the blood from my head seemed to drain out, making me dizzy.
“Libby?” His voice was panicked, a sound I’d only heard once before when Rainey was choking on a grape, and he’d yelled my name right before he ran over and did the Heimlich.
He reached for my hand, but I pulled away, yanking open the door and stumbling out just in time to lose my morning coffee all over the sidewalk.
* * *
United States Government Alert:Your area is being evacuated. All citizens will be temporarily moved to safe zones until the threat passes. Report to your local high school immediately. Bring only what you need. One lap-bag each. No guns or weapons are permitted. This is a mandatory temporary evacuation. You have one hour. Any citizen resisting evacuation will be detained. If you are physically unable to evacuate or you have pets, place a cloth over your doorknob or front door. Help for the disabled and pets is being dispatched. All able-bodied must evacuate.
That was the alert that hit when we walked through our front door.
I was not okay.
The kids. My babies.
I still hadn’t spoken to my mom, whose house was across town, and I had no idea when we’d be able to meet up with them. Every street corner had flashing police lights, and it looked like military personnel had been dispatched.
We each threw two changes of clothes, some toiletries, snacks, and bottles of water into bags before running outside. Damari and Paola were also at their car, trying to strap their kids in. We ran over to them. I heard Jeremy telling Damari about the texts from Aidan.
I hugged Paola, who had tears in her eyes when I pulled away.
“Have you talked to your mom yet?” she asked.
I shook my head, my face pinched, and she squeezed my hand.
“I’m sure everything is okay.”
I nodded a little too hard. “Yeah. Of course. Do you guys have everything?”
Damari patted the hood of their SUV. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll follow you,” Jeremy told him.
