“You complaining, kid?” He said with extra emphasis on ‘kid.’
I sighed, “Not complaining, just curious.
The marine furrowed his brow, “Don’t know if you haven’t noticed, but we’re in a pile of shit right now. The President says that anyone who can assist will, including the marines. Maybe your sucky National Guard boys are in a town or seven over, maybe not. Marines and National Guard don’t try to associate too often. Is that the end of question time?”
Defeated, I nodded and looked at the ground. The marine tapped his tablet again a few more times. “Name,” he said as he turned to Chelsea.
“Chelsea Parker,” She said. He flicked his finger around the screen a few more times before nodding and prodding the screen. “All set?” Chelsea asked.
He nodded, “All set. Same as him, carry what you can only. We can’t overcrowd these things. Have a good day,” he began to walk away but I caught him.
“Oh, sir, one more person is with us,” I said as my grandmother appeared from the side of the house. I pointed and he acknowledged. The marine guardsman walked over to my grandmother and gave her his arm. “Suck up,” I whispered. Chelsea laughed.
“Now, ma’am, can you please tell me your name,” he said, far nicer than he did to us.
“Grandma Katz,” She replied. He laughed a little bit to himself before finding her name on the tablet he poked a couple of times then nodded the okay.
“If you could just wait with your grandkids until we are ready to load everyone onto the trucks, that would be great,” he said with a full smile. This guy was good with the elderly.
She thanked the nice military man and stood next to us as we waited for the loading set. I remembered that my stuff was still inside the house, “I’ll be right back,” I said as I made my way back into the house. My duffel bag was sitting on the couch, waiting for me. Right next to it was the cat’s cage, but no cat.
“Coal!” I yelled through the house. I made squeaking noises and little kisses into the air, trying to get her attention, but to no avail. “Probably sleeping,” I said to myself. I checked all of her usual places: behind the television, under the couch, in the window, on my bed, under my bed, but she was not there. there was one more spot that I had ready, above the refrigerator. She would jump up onto the kitchen table, and from there onto the top of the fridge. I do not know why, but she loved the spot. I got on the tops of my toes and looked over, but she still was not there. I decided that it was time to play dirty.
I reached into the cabinet and took out her cat treats, shaking the bag for the sound to ring out through the house. I instantly heard a shuffling and a light meow. I looked up and saw her head poking out from above the cabinets atop the refrigerator. “That’s new,” I said to her as she jumped down. “Get over here,” I said as I grabbed her around the belly. I hoisted her into the air and around my arm as I made my way into the living room with all of our stuff.
“How can you just leave us here?” I heard coming from the street, the sound of a stressed woman. “I have children!”
I put the cat into her cage and locked it, throwing a few treats in to keep her occupied. I snatched up my duffel bag, but left the cat there for now. I did not want to take her until we were about to leave. She scared of the outdoors easily.
I made it outside to see Mrs. Figgins, our neighbor, talking to the marine guardsman with her two children next to her, Sam and Timothy. They were nice people. I had helped with the kids in the mornings, walking them to school since Mrs. Figgins worked in the morning and Mr. Figgins was on a business trip over in Japan. I did not mind and they even paid me, though I would have done it for free, but they insisted.
I walked down the driveway, duffel bag on my shoulder, and dropped it next to the pile of our things, “What’s up?” I whispered to Chelsea. She merely pointed with her face, a dismal look in her eyes.
“You can’t leave us!” Mrs. Figgins yelled again.
The marine shook his head, the look he gave off was one of pity and sorrow, “I’m truly sorry, miss, but we’re full. There isn’t any room for more passengers. We are under strict orders. There’s no point in a rescue mission if the entire mission is endangered by not following already bent protocol. If there was a way, then I would certainly allow it, but right now there is not. I’m sorry,” he looked down as he said it, flicking through his tablet. “We’ll be back in three days. So if you could just sit tight-“
“Sit tight?!” Mrs. Figgins yelled. I had always known her as a mild mannered woman, and very pleasant to be around. She must have been desperate if she was in this condition. “Sit
