Remnants — Episode 7

“Get a move on.” Betty felt a stab of pain as the toe of Joe’s boot kicked into the back of her thigh. “You heard what the man said.”

Joe had been watching television, Law & Order or something like it. The program had been interrupted by the station’s weatherman. Someone, he said, had miscalculated. Or else the comet had swerved, some bump in space, whatever. She didn’t exactly get it.

The huge comet everyone had watched grow as it approached was now on a near-collision course. The freak of nature would actually enter Earth’s atmosphere, with unknown consequences. It should skip on by, the man said, but everyone needed to get to a place of shelter.

Just in case, he said.

Betty didn’t understand why that would matter. Probably just to be doing something, she guessed. That’s what they were doing, anyway. She scooped Lorrie up into her arms. The three of them headed for the storm cellar, Joe’s forearms jostling her forward. The muscles in her leg still throbbed from his boot.

Outside, she looked up. The comet had brightened and gotten much larger than just last night. It seemed to shift back and forth in size as she watched.

“Go!” Joe ordered then shoved her. She nearly tripped but managed to regain her balance without losing Lorrie. The baby woke up and began to cry.