The woman was nearly one hundred years old. She taught her grandson everything she knew. He would need it one day. She had actually seen this coming. That was the scary part. Not leaving her, as he watched her set up the guns on something at one point only crazy people would have come up with. He was coming back. There had to be enough time for him to make it back.

“You know what to do,” she said patting the device next to her. “Go.”

All Ahmad could manage was a nod. His mind would always be here but his heart was definitely on the other side of town. He gathered his things and locked the door behind him. The chaos was just starting to kick up. Anything retail would be overran soon and on fire by the end of the night. He stood at the door a moment and heard his grandmother again encouraging him to leave as the barricades came down over the doors and windows in the house. The lights around the property went dark. Once he got into his car, he cut a few wires before starting it. Twelve hours. That was at least three hours ago now. His mind kept racing around a million different thoughts, like flipping through a Bible’s worth of pages, every word seeming to be in red, nothing of comfort. He could get to her. He knew how to get around the mayhem.

Xenia stuffed a few more shirts into her backpack. It was weirdly quiet in her building but she didn’t want to stay around to see which side her neighbors picked in all of this madness. The protests were real this time. It wasn’t just about better pay or affordable housing, it was about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the most real and aggressive way possible. But there were way too many factions. Last time it was just red and blue, for the most part, for the ease of retelling the history. Too many survivors to sell that simplistic lie. Probably why this is happening now. She sighed and looked at her phone. He was on the way. It was risky to even be able to keep anything on. But he knew she’d worry. That was the only thing keeping a smile on her face.

Walking by a few units, some music gave her comfort. The more diverse side of the factions held on to Kendrick Lamar and Michael Jackson, even a little Renaissance and Cowboy Carter seemed to have some staying power. It was the silence that was deafening. The reason the wifi was running so damn slow. The unmistakable blueish computer light glow that tainted every space under doors that definitely had extra locks on them. As soon as she got outside, she took a deep breath. Regular lights, colored lights, all signs of a side more on the path for wanting equity. Screen lights heavily filtered through curtains, new bars, no lights at all, unironically hailed the presence of the opposite.

Distant smoke, just far enough to relax a little, sent her to the gate of the otherwise quiet apartment complex. Familiar lights and a whistle nearly made her drop everything. She hopped in the car and closed the door with a sigh.

“We’re going back for her aren’t we?”

“I already told you —-“

“It’s fine, Ahmad. But we’re going to need to hurry. Look.”

The sky was filled with helicopters. The search lights weren’t on yet but they weren’t needed any more either. That was just for show. Ahmad waited til they flew overhead and cussed under his breath. He’d have to take a long way back around and pray to God that the roads were clear.

Xenia sighed and put her hand over his before he changed gears, “Let me drive.”

“What?”

“Baby, you are clearly in about four different places right now. Where is everyone meeting? Mama ‘Isha’s?”

“Yeah.”

“Cmon. Hurry up,” she said as she opened the door and looked around. He waited until she came to him first and then hugged her heard. Both of them knew one second too long and they wouldn’t make it. She kissed him quick and sent him to the other side of the car. Once they were settled. Ahmad held his breath. One thing Xenia was going to do was drive the hell out of his car. Once the helicopter sounds got quiet. Xenia peeled out and tore down the street.

Xenia sighed as she remembered a very unique lesson she got from her own grandparents. More smoke would provide some cover for the drones. More distance glows of red and yellow began to creep up.

“What’s on your mind,” Ahmad finally asked as she drifted a corner in the abandoned industrial park.

“So, why and how this all started, I kind of know everything. Kind of. And well, look at your phone—“ she waited until he picked it up then looked at her, “yeah, scrambling, because I can and want to.”

“The hell are you—-“

“I’m on the good side. And once we got engaged, I kind of hooked up Mama ‘Isha’s place for ya’ll. Us.”

“She told me, ‘It hasn’t even begun.’ She meant that literally didn’t she?”

“A little.”

“Xenia?!”

“Yes. Literally.” Xenia made a hard turn into an open but abandoned garage and waited. The sound of helicopters brought Ahmad back to reality and out of what he quickly put together was an unnecessary argument. She was one of them. But—-

“Man, don’t even look at me like that. It’s called playing both sides against the middle for a reason. Definitely trying to topple this shit from the inside. But the inside got hot so, I’m helping where I can.”

“Your family—“

“Is in another state for a reason. Listen, the only thing I lied about was my job. I’m going to get you and your family safe. If you’re that mad, I can go.”

“Helicopters’ passed.”

“We good?”

“Yeah. So what else got lied about because of this job?”

“Let’s cross all those bridges when we get to them,” she said with a smile.

D. Ondria

06222024

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