Invasion

40

After Donna left, Maya sat staring at a poster of Mammoth Cave on the wall across from her. She stood up and then sat down again, closing her eyes and trying to make sense of the situation.

Honestly, she didn’t know Donna. The story about Cincinnati had sounded hopeful, and yet, Donna had no way of proving it was true. For all Maya knew, Cincinnati could be nothing but a burning pile of rubble right now. As calculating and systematically destructive as the aliens had seemed to be, how could they have left a city like Cincinnati standing? Especially by now, Maya would have thought that they’d have found a way to obliterate it even without the need for a dome.

But what if everything Donna had said was true? What if Cincinnati was the last stronghold within a thousand miles? Left standing for a reason she didn’t yet know? Maya understood that they couldn’t continue to wander the highways, stopping at random rest stops and gas stations to try to find shelter from the threats in the skies. How long was that going to work before their luck ran out?

She took a deep breath and stood. She shoved her hands into her pockets, something she often did when she was anxious, and paced to the opposite side of the room. There, she split the blinds on the window with two fingers and peered outside.

From the window, Maya had a clear view south. Flashes lit the clouds like lightning, spreading from one horizon to the other. The aliens had filled the skies over Fort Campbell and were continuing their assault northward. Maya shuddered to think about what might have happened if she had followed Gerald’s advice and stayed. She thought of all the people she’d seen disintegrated before her eyes by sophisticated, alien weaponry. Cameron naturally came to her mind. The way the woman had pushed Maya out of the way and sacrificed her own life for the rest of the group.

Maya then considered what things might have been like if they’d stayed in the fort. She saw her kids crying, reaching out for her as an alien stood behind them with its weapon pointed at their backs.

Before the ugly daydream could get worse, Maya shut the blinds and stepped away from the window. Sweat ran down her face and she gasped for air, closing her eyes and seeking calm within herself.

And as the dark thoughts faded, her decision became clear. She stood up straight and walked out of the office.

Maya looked to her left, to where Reno sat with John and the kids. He stood up and dusted off the front of his pants as he stared at Maya. She saw Gerald again sitting in the same spot he’d been before, looking her way now with his elbows folded over his knees. And, ahead of her, Donna stood talking to one of the men in her own group. Most of the others were lying down, some sleeping and others just attempting to get some rest.

Pushing a lock of hair from her face, Maya nodded at Donna as she walked over to Aiden and Laura. She could feel eyes on her as she sat down next to them.

“Everything all right, Mom?” Aiden asked.

Maya smiled. “Everything will be. Get some rest, because we’re leaving here in a couple of hours.”

“Where are we going?” Reno asked.

Maya looked over her shoulder to see Donna still staring at her.

“We’re going to Cincinnati.”