The Sabbath Read online

  “I’m not buying that the explosion in the sky caused all of this. Grandma, something else is going on - and Cory would see it too, if he just took a second and stopped blaming Isabel for their mother’s disappearance. We’re more than capable of finding her if we put our university-educated, critical minded selves to work and not be like the masses who have fallen into the routine of this new life.”

  As Lana finished, she felt relief that she could explain this to someone who didn’t shut her down by saying they have more important things to worry about.

  “You’re smart, and you can find the inconsistencies in the stories that the Government has been giving us. And as for Cory - you have to appeal to him in a way he will be willing to listen, and be able to respond to you in the manner you need. You’re more than capable of doing that; that’s one of your many talents. Honey, don’t let this situation overwhelm you. Don’t lose yourself in all this. You’re stronger than that,” her grandmother finished her lecture-come-motivational speech.

  “Okay. Thanks, Grandma. I’ll figure it out,” Lana said, relieved, and now with a renewed sense of hope.

  “Lana, there’s one more thing. I know I say this every time we talk, but sweetheart, you can always come home and live with Giovanni and me. I would sleep so much better knowing you’re safe. His place is plenty safe, and you wouldn’t have to worry about food or anything…” her grandmother paused, waiting for a response.

  “I know, and I appreciate it Gram - I really do. But Cory needs me here. Besides, who else will keep those two from killing each other? I promise at the first sign of real danger, I will be right there to live with you and Giovanni.”

  Lana always said that to her grandmother when she brought up the topic of her coming to live with them. She loved her grandmother, and even Giovanni had grown on her over the past year; even so, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Cory. Although she had come close to leaving quite often, following arguments between all three of them, she never did.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow, Grandma. Be safe.”

  “Love you, darling.”

  Lana hung up the phone and sat back in her chair. She took a deep breath, still trying to figure out what she would say to Cory when he returned home. She finished her breakfast and then grabbed the trash bag from the kitchen before stepping out of the house.

  Lana’s mind continued to race.

  If we can do all this, why can’t we figure out what’s going on and where all the missing people are? Okay, what should I say to Cory to get him to help me?

  One, the Government hasn’t even addressed the missing people.

  Two, why is the water still contaminated?

  People just don’t disappear like that. The Government must know something. I need to find a connection there. Once I find the connection, I’ll think Cory would…

  A strong male voice interrupted her thoughts.

  “…I tell you! They’re liars! They are paid to deceive and to hide the truth amongst lies. The Government is not to be trusted–they are to blame for all your problems!” shouted an old man at the end of the street.

  He was tall, about 6’2”, with a frighteningly pale complexion, a balding hairline and a full gray beard. Dressed like a bum, he wore tattered clothing and carried a huge camping bag around with him everywhere he went. He spoke with an accent that Lana could not place, but she narrowed it down to South America.

  It had surprised her that he was well spoken and quite smart. Lana never understood why he was ranting about political ideologies instead of quietly trying to survive like everyone else. He was always hanging around Cory’s neighborhood, shouting to anyone willing to acknowledge his presence.

  Come to think of it, he had been around ever since Lana had met Cory four years ago. In a way, he was their neighbor, but homeless as far as she could tell. At first, Lana had assumed he was crazy, but considering their current situation, he might not have been as offset as she had thought.

  Yeah, man, I agree. They are liars!

  Lana threw the garbage into a large dumpster and walked back to Cory’s yard. She slid her thumb over the sensor by the door and unlocked it, then entered the house, but not before glancing back once more at the old man shouting down the street.

  His gaze caught hers, and Lana felt as if he had heard her agree with him. She pulled her eyes away and the door closed behind her, locking automatically.

  Lana shivered as she walked into the living room. That encounter was so odd. She checked on their surveillance system while she waited for Cory to get home.

  Lana was always interested in computers and science. Although there were not a lot of women in her field of chemical engineering, she had always dominated and outshone everyone else in her classes. When The Sabbath hit and violence grew, she used her time to rewire the home alarm devices with some highly classified technology she had gotten from Doug during a raid. Doug, their confidant with the Government, had a crush on her, and she used it to her advantage. He helped her get big company technologies - items like finger sensor locks, bullet-proof film material, small cameras for video surveillance, and sound proofing equipment.

  Lana collected gadgets at every opportunity and altered their original functions to protect Cory’s house, her new home. She ensured that the windows and the exterior walls were bullet and soundproof. The doors opened and closed automatically, but only with Cory’s, Isabel’s or her fingerprints.

  She had turned the house into a bunker. No one entered without proper identification; no stray bullets could cause injuries. To keep people from noticing the technological home they had developed, she ensured the exterior of the house remained the same as it was always had been, raising little suspicion.

  Although Lana hated the situation making this necessary, she enjoyed the unique opportunity it gave her to explore her talents and capabilities. She had never known she was so inclined to technology and had the abilities to create such things. The house became a pet project of hers, and one she was more than proud of.

  It also provided an escape for her when the tension between the three of them became unbearable.

  Instead of focusing on the surveillance tape, Lana found herself uneasy. She decided to watch television, hoping that it would take her mind off her anticipated talk with Cory. Instead, she dozed off halfway through a show.

  6

  When Cory came home, he found Lana lying on the living room sofa. He stood and marveled at the sight. Cory could watch her sleep all day. Lana was his rib, and Cory cared for her deeply. But she scared him.

  Living outside the inner city was a struggle, something that Lana did not have to endure. With one phone call, she could leave at any moment, and the thought tormented Cory.

  To cushion the blow if it were to happen, Cory kept his feelings hidden. But his insecurities were beginning to take its toll as Lana pleaded for him to connect and express himself. Cory wished he could, but every time he tried, he panicked. He didn’t want to burden Lana with his problems, and he feared giving Lana his all when she could walk out on him.

  What happened to ‘I can’t sleep unless you’re by my side,’ he joked, pulling the remote away from Lana’s hand and turning off the TV. He walked to Isabel’s room, and while clutching the doorknob with his right hand, he knocked.

  “Bell, you in there?” he yelled.

  “Yeahhh…”

  Pushing the door open, he found Isabel in bed wrapped up in her blanket.

  “Hey, are you all right?” he asked.

  “Yeah, just a bit under the weather,” she replied.

  It always shocked Cory when people got sick now, when it was all but impossible for them to die. He remembered the first time he caught a cold after The Sabbath and how within two hours it turned into a high fever. It was the worst fever he’d ever had. His body temperature spiked up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. It was like being engulfed with flames. To make matters worse, he had little energy to eat, spending most of his time in and out of consciousne
ss. He shrugged off the horrible memory.

  “Get some rest. I’ll be back to bring you some medicine.”

  He headed into the kitchen and scanned the top of the refrigerator where they kept their medication. Grabbing a bottle of Tylenol, he took out six tablets, blatantly ignoring the bottle’s clear instructions of only taking two. He poured a cup of water into a glass, careful not to spill a single precious drop, and walked back into Isabel’s room.

  “Here, take this,” he said, handing Isabel the drink and the medication. Cory waited until Isabel swallowed each pill before leaving her room.

  I need some fresh air.

  He walked to the living room window and poked his upper body out. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and sighed, embracing the warm breeze. It was a quiet spring night, no later than eight o’clock. Nights like this reminded him how things had been before The Sabbath. Turning his head, he scouted the area for any activity.

  He noticed the familiar old man packing up his things as if he was going home. That crazy old man is still out there. Long before the meteorites, Cory had his fair share of interactions with the man. Every day as Cory left for school, the old man would be there on the corner, talking what sounded like pure nonsense. Cory would do his best to ignore him, but sometimes he rudely insisted the old-timer leave him alone. Cory’s mother, on the other hand, would entertain the old man and his foolishness. He remembered arguing with his mother about why she chose to enable his craziness. Cory chuckled at the memory.

  “Babe…” Lana’s voice called from behind.

  He turned to the sight of her stretching her arms and yawning. He laughed before saying, “Jeez, sleeping beauty has awoken!”

  Lana squinted her eyes and gave Cory a scornful look before deciding she would not go there just then, “Anyways, did you find something?”

  “No,” Cory replied, disappointment evident in his voice.

  Cory had been gone all day looking for work. The raids were becoming too dangerous, and he wanted to find another way to support them. The problem was the jobs available had a long list of candidates, and since his school closed right after The Sabbath, he wasn’t even qualified enough to be considered for the few government jobs left.

  “Don’t worry, you’ll figure something out,” Lana said, trying to cheer him up.

  Cory nodded and walked toward the kitchen. Judging by his mood, Lana wasn’t sure if she should still talk to him about the things that had been bothering her all day. But she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

  “Cory…umm…we need to talk,” she said.

  “Yeah, wassup?” he replied.

  “Well, it’s been over a year, and we haven’t got any answer to what’s going on.”

  “Yeah, so what do you want me to do about it?”

  “I’m just saying - I feel like we should start looking into it ourselves.”

  “Looking into what, the missing people?”

  “Yes.”

  “Lana, not again,” Cory rolled his head. “We’ve talked about this.”

  “Well, we need to talk about it again,” Lana said.

  “Okay. Talk.”

  “Fine. I don’t think we did enough to find your mother.”

  Cory chuckled.

  “Lana, I think those naps have been messing with your head. You don’t remember those nights I didn’t sleep because I was out there looking for her? Or how I was gone for so long that you thought I went missing too?”

  “Yes, I remember, but-”

  “But what?” Cory interrupted, slapping his hand on the kitchen counter. “What do you want me to do? Lana, I spent months looking for her. It wasn’t easy, but I came to terms that she was gone. Why are you trying to make me relive it?”

  Lana took a calming breath.

  “Cory, I know the pain you went through, but we got to try again. I don’t want to wake up every day doing the same ol’ things, hoping one day, the Government will finally tell us the truth,” Lana said, raising her voice.

  Cory sensed her mounting frustration and wasn’t in any mood to argue, so he tried reasoning with her, “Babe, you’re right, but just like last time, we don’t know where to start. So how are we supposed to find answers without the slightest clue as to where to look, huh?”

  “It’ll be different this time. Look at everything we’ve accomplished. We can get the resources to find her.”

  Cory clapped his hands. “Lana, I’m done talking about this.”

  “Well, I’m not. People just don’t disappear into thin air, and last time I checked, there wasn’t an alien abduction in the news. So where are they?”

  Cory stayed quiet. He planned on letting Lana vent for a bit, hoping she would soon calm down. But his silence heightened her frustration.

  She shook her head.

  “God, it’s like you don’t even care! You wake up doing the same things every day for nothing. All this shit you’re doing…you forget your mom hasn’t come home yet. Like, where’s your mom, Cory, where is she?”

  Cory clenched his jaw as veins erupted on his forehead.

  “Are you saying I don’t notice my mom not being here?” Cory said in a low, but stern voice.

  Lana grabbed the edge of shirt and twirled it between her fingers. She tilted her head down, staring at the hardwood but did not say a word.

  Her silence heightened his frustration.

  “Lana?” Cory shouted.

  Lana looked up to Cory with his jaw still clenched and glaring eyes.

  “No,” she barked. “No- I mean yes. It does feel like you forgotten. Why am I even begging you to look for your own mother? You’re not doing anything to find her.”

  “Man, fuck you,” Cory lashed back.

  Lana’s lips started quivering and she couldn’t blink fast enough to keep the tears from escaping.

  “Her room has not changed since she left,” Cory continued with his finger pointing at the stairs. “While you have your rich Grandma you can call at any time. I’m out here busting my ass for you so you can still take your stupid afternoon naps. And now you’re trying to tell me I’m not doing enough? Don’t fucking pretend to know how I feel. I haven’t been able to sleep since she left. So fuck-”

  She slapped him.

  In complete despair, Lana cupped her face in her hands, blocking away the tears and ran past Cory. He was the only one who managed to get the better of her; now that his voice carried so much hatred and anger, it was too much for her to bear. There was a deep sense of numbness in the pit of her stomach.

  Meanwhile, Cory just stood there in awe: mouth wide open and rubbing his jaw. The place went silent until he heard a click - the sound of his bedroom door locking.

  He was unsure of what to do next. The damage was done, but he was too proud to console Lana, regardless of how much it killed him watching her cry.

  “I don’t need this,” he said to himself.

  He paced back and forth, pondering how everything had escalated so fast. At times like this, he would call his boys, but The Sabbath made it nearly impossible to stay in contact. He had no one to turn to.

  I shouldn’t have told her off, but she was asking for it. Saying those things about my mom and then having the nerve to cry… was I in the right? Lost in his thoughts, Cory realized that Lana was right. As time passed, it became easier for him to block out his mother’s disappearance from his mind.

  He pulled out his wallet and took out an old picture of his mother smiling. Why did I stop looking for her? Cory knew the answer though - he allowed himself to believe his responsibilities as a man kept him from searching for his mother. He had to make sure they had everything they needed in case of another disaster. But in actuality, he was afraid of what he might find. He had just learnt to accept his mother’s disappearance. He wasn’t ready to accept something worse happening to his mother.

  He shook his head trying to free his mind, but it kept haunting him. Where do I even look? And won’t the Government bring her back.

&nbs
p; Cory didn’t believe the Government would ensure his mother’s safe return, but it was the only thing he could come up with to keep him from feeling like a terrible son. To avoid going deeper into his thoughts, he reverted his attention back to Lana and how he would fix things between them. Giving her time to cool off was the only way Cory knew how to handle Lana’s outburst, and he prayed this situation wouldn’t be any different.

  He stopped pacing, to open the fridge and count their food supplies. It was enough to last a complete month before they had to go into their cellar to get more. He made himself a quick bite to eat, then stretched out on the living room sofa. The fight came at a horrible time; he was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sink into his bed, but Lana would much rather slap him in the face than open the bedroom door for him. Cory considered sleeping in his mother’s room, but he feared that it would be too much to bear.

  Ain’t this some shit? I have a comfortable bed, but I’m sleeping on the couch! What a wonderful girlfriend she is.

  7

  Lana awoke the next morning, still bitter about the night before.

  Ugh, he’s so dumb, she thought as she lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

  Eventually, she got up and stumbled into the bathroom. She grabbed a bucket of dirty water on the floor and carried it to the kitchen. Glancing out into the living room, she saw Cory was still sleeping a few feet away. Not prepared for any interactions with him, she hurried to get her bath water ready.

  Setting the bucket on the counter and grabbing a strainer and a large pot from the cabinet, she placed the pot on the stove and poured the dirty water into it. Next, she turned the heat on high and leaned against the counter, waiting for the water to boil.

  Asshole, Lana thought, watching as Cory stirred on the sofa.

  After fifteen minutes, the water appeared much cleaner. She poured it back into the bucket, letting it pass through the strainer before tiptoeing back into the bathroom.