Catastrophe.
Courage.
Family.

Wendel Vogt, the last survivor of the impact. Now stuck in a body that won’t obey him, and left to watch his family try to help him.

When he’s gone, will anyone remember what it was like when the sun set or the courage and sacrifice it took to face not only a corrupt government but a planet that had changed all the rules?

Chapter 1

The day the meteorite struck was forever emblazoned on Wendel’s heart, but even a world-wide apocalypse couldn’t rip his family from him. It’d taken courage to face the new world, but now… Now he had other challenges.

“Papa Wen!” Liesel skipped into his room. “Papa Wen, look what I can do!”

The little blonde held her arms out to the sides and ever so slowly, her face scrunched in concentration, lifted one foot, her balancing act bringing a smile to Wendel’s face.

“That’s good.” He reached for a hug.

Liesel wrapped her arms around his neck, her short hair tickling his cheek. “Up!”

He pushed off from the floor, but his knees wouldn’t budge. When had he grown old?

“You’re too big, honey. I’m sorry. Papa can’t lift you.”

Disappointment and pride warred on his great-granddaughter’s face, but she puffed out her chest, announcing matter-of-factly, “I’ve seen four synods.”

“Four? How could that be?” Wendel didn’t have to fake his amazement. He remembered the moonstep when she was born as clearly as he remembered yesterstep.

Liesel giggled. “You were at my celebration.”

“I was, wasn’t I? Well, I must have lost track of how many synods it’s been.”

She lifted first her thumb, her index finger, the tall middle one, and finally the ring finger as she counted.

“And you can count. Jeeah gave me one smart granddaughter.” Another giggle accompanied his pronouncement as she wiggled out of his arms.

“Papa Wen, tell me a story.”

“A story?”

“Uh-huh. Momma says you tell the bestest stories in the Brightlands.”

“She does, does she?” Wendel mulled it over.

Christina had never been free with praise, but she did love a good story.

“Papa Wen?” Liesel tugged on his sleeve.

“Right, a story.” He pulled out the wooden chair and fluffed the pillow Christina had made for him when his joints first bothered him. “Well, we’ll need a comfortable place to sit. Will this do?”

She nodded, her pigtails bouncing. “I can climb up. I’m big now.”

“That you are.”

Wendel again marveled at how she had grown. He remembered when her momma was the same age. She too had had an independent streak in her—still did for that matter. He sighed. Probably came from him, but if he hadn’t had it… He shook his head. Liesel wanted a story.

“Did I ever tell you about the time I rescued a dragon?”

Liesel’s eyes widened. “A- a dragon?”

“I’ll take that as a no.” Wendel smiled and repositioned her on his leg. “It was after the late rains one synod when your momma wasn’t much older than you. The ground was muddy and—”

“There you are!” Christina scowled. “I’ve been looking all over for you, little girl. I searched all of Hohle, leaving my laundry for your aunt to finish.”

“I’m right here, Momma. Papa Wen was going to tell—”

“How many times have a I told you not to run off?”

Liesel’s face fell.

“Christina, she was here with me. No harm was done.” Wendel wrapped a protective arm around his great-granddaughter.

“Only my sanity and Dorothea’s patience. How many times will she let me run from my chores looking for my daughter?” Christina shook her head, her hair the same flaxen strands as her daughter’s, only much longer.

“But Papa Wen was about to tell me—”

“Listen, Liesel, you needn’t bother Great-grandpa. Come along.”

“She’s fine.” Wendel was loathe to let Liesel go, especially when Christina was in one of her moods.

His granddaughter’s cold blue eyes flashed as she shot him a glare. “You can’t even move around past your bedroom, Grandfather. How are you going to keep track of an active young one?”

Grandfather. How the word had taken an edge of contempt!

“She wanted a story,” he said, trying one final time to reason with her.

“A story.” Christina crossed her arms. “How many times have I told you not to fill her head with fantasy?”

“It’s the truth.” He set Liesel down and stood. “You know as much as I do. You used—”

“Enough, Grandfather.” Christina snatched Liesel into her arms. “You’ll fill her head with the same fables you passed on to me. What good do they do us? They’re as worthless as the Ancients themselves.”

“Christina…” He reached for her but she was gone, stormed from his room, her footsteps echoing along the cavern hallway along with Liesel’s cries.

Wendel stood there like a statue from before the impact. Ancients. Worthless. Did she think he was worthless? He shook his head and collapsed into his chair, resting his elbows on his knees and sinking his face into his hands. Images flashed through his mind—things long forgotten.

Christina used to love to hear the stories of the Ancients. He grimaced. It had taken him many synods to grow accustomed to using the term for those who’d known life before the Impact. Whether he liked it or not, it was what the rest of Hohle, Lochlann, even Ardatz called them—called those who had been his friends and family. Called him.

No one else remained. It was as if he was the knot on Leah’s bracelet that joined the orange with the red. The point where one color started and the other left off. He held the two timelines in his hand: then and now. Was the knot fraying? Would the two come undone, no longer usable?

He sighed, a deep breath which shook his whole frame. When had Christina changed her thinking? How had he failed her? If he’d not passed on the truth of the Impact to his own family, how would others believe? Had it been so long ago that Christina didn’t believe, or was it something more?

At one time in life, he’d have stood up to her, told her what he thought, but now… If she refused to see the truth, the rest of Hohle must also see him as a worthless old man. If that was the case, there was nothing left for him here. It was time for Jeeah to allow him to rest with the “Ancients.” He could see Winston and all the others.

Chapter 2

“Wendel! Wendel Karl Vogt, get up now!” Mom called as she turned on the light. Wendel groaned and lifted the blanket to shield his eyes. “You’ll miss the bus. Breakfast is ready, and you’re not even out of bed yet!” She harrumphed. “And turn off that incessant racquet. Why do you even bother setting it at night?”

Turning over, Wendel slapped at the alarm clock, silencing the blaring beep. What was Mom concerned about? He had ten minutes. Yet out in the hallway, he could hear her harassing Winston to move as well. Giving up in defeat, Wendel tossed the covers aside and swung his feet over the edge of the bed, avoiding empty chip bags and console cords.

He pulled on a pair of jeans lying on the floor, sniffed at a t-shirt, and finding it acceptable, he slid into it. With a glance in the mirror, he straightened his hair and smiled at Koppling’s lopsided grin staring back at him from his shirt. He yawned, cutting the smile short. Well, he had been awake until after midnight playing The Legend of Karnach, but it’d been worth it to get Koppling from the clutches of the evil warlock. There was still the dungeon, castle, and the final boss fight to master, but he’d work his way there.

“Wendel! Winston!” Mom yelled from the recesses of the house.

“Coming!” He slung his backpack and jacket over his shoulder and raced downstairs, avoiding a collision with his younger brother by mere instinct.

“Hey, watch where you’re going,” Winston complained as he repositioned his backpack.

“Sorry,” Wendel mumbled. “Still trying to wake up.”

Winston shook his head and brushed his brown hair into place. “How late this time?”

“Probably around two.” Wendel didn’t stop to chat, but continued his mad dash to the kitchen. “What about you? Were you building your robot?”

“Maybe.” Winston dragged the word out, and Wendel knew he was correct.

Although both brothers loved different hobbies, they had the same passion and often stayed awake late on the interweb conversing and collaborating with friends around the planet.

“Morning, Mom.” Wendel kissed her on the forehead and snatched the plate she held out.

“How are you even going to have time to eat?” Mom shook her head.

Wendel flashed her his most winning smile as he shoveled the ham and egg onto the toast and topped it with a second slice of toast. He grabbed a paper towel and, after wrapping it around his make-shift sandwich, took a bite.

“Wha-la! And we don’t even have to run to make the bus.”

Mom bit back a chuckle. “You are too much like your father. Now, get before I have to take you to school.”

“Love you, Mom,” Wendel called with a wave, as he headed out the door, Winston on his heels.

“You’d think she’d be used to our ways.” Winston bit into his sandwich but quickly held it away from his shirt as egg yolk dripped onto the driveway. “Ugh!”

Wendel chuckled as he stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth so he wouldn’t have the same issue. It wouldn’t be cool to go to school with yolk covering Koppling’s cocky grin or his wild green hair.

He wadded his paper towel and stuffed it in his pocket. “You’d think, but Mom’s had so many synods of keeping Dad in line, she’d not know what to do if she didn’t harp on us.”

Winston ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I wish she didn’t have to be so good at it.”

“Right?” Wendel agreed.

The two brothers didn’t wait long for the red bus. Mr. Schmidt opened the door and greeted them. After a quick good morning, they headed back to their friends. Wendel settled into the seat next to James while Winston headed further back to sit with Peter who was in robotics club with him.

James and Wendel gave each other a tired fist bump.

“Did you get right to sleep after you logged out last night?” James asked.

“Are you kidding?” Wendel groaned. “I had too much adrenaline.”

“Yeah, me too.” The bus hit a pothole, and James steadied himself. “Think we’ll make it to the next level tonight?”

“We can hope.” Wendel settled his backpack at his feet. “Ready for the Chem test?”

“Not everyone’s a walking scientist.” James shook his head, brown hair flopping into his eyes. He pushed it back, patting it into place. “Wish I had your brains.”

“Give yourself a little more credit.”

“There’s a reason I picked a best friend in primary school whose dad was a scientist.” James shoved his hands into his pockets and chuckled. “Knew I’d need the help as I moved through the grades.”

Wendel laughed. “Well, either way, I need your help with writing essays.”

“And reading anything other than a game screen.” James agreed.

“Hey!” Wendel slapped his friend. “I can read. I just have better things to do.”

“Like play Legend of Karnach.”

“Exactly.”

They rode the rest of the way to school in a sleepy daze. Students filed out and crowded into the school. Wendel and James hung out in Mr. Fischer’s room until the four-minute warning bell rang when they scurried to their math class.

Soon Marie, the office manager, turned on the intercom. “Welcome to another day at Margberg Secondary. The game club will have a meeting on Fifth Day during lunch.”

Wendel exchanged a grin with James. They’d not miss it for anything!

“Ms. Roth reminds students the beginning of the term is a good time to focus on your grades. Turn in those essays before it’s too late. Lunch today is noodles and sausage with salad bar and milk.”

Ms. Zimmermann took her place as the clunk of the intercom signaled the end of the announcements. “Yesterday we worked with imaginary numbers—”

“Sorry for the interruption.” Marie came over the intercom again. “Teachers, please tune your devices to EyeCan for an important announcement from President Klein.”

Several students cheered, and Ms. Zimmermann waved for their attention as she turned on the projector and brought up EyeCan. Two newscasters were speaking when the connection blared into the classroom.

“…An unprecedented moment in history.”

“Yes, Ricardo,” a well-groomed lady in a dress-suit smiled into the camera. “President Klein has requested all of the Ostland to tune in.”

“That’s right, Candace.” The camera panned in on Ricardo. “I’m also told not only the Ostland but all five of the continents will be watching this newscast.”

A murmur rose in the classroom. Wendel looked to James who raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Hush, students,” Ms. Zimmermann called over the voices.

Candace waved her hand to encompass a stage outside the President’s residence. “And any moment, President Klein will step out to address all of Ardatz.”

Wendel rolled his eyes. The buildup was more than he could take. Newscasters always blew everything out of proportion. His father had always claimed it was so, and Wendel hadn’t seen anything in his eighteen synods to contradict his father’s words.

“Here he comes.” Ricardo’s voice rose in volume as the camera zoomed in on the stage and a man in his mid-forties with blond hair slicked back in a wave confidently climbed the stairs followed by four other dignitaries. “President Klein of the Ostland, but wait, who’s that with him?”

“It’s…” Candace’s voice caught, and she cleared it. “It’s President Ortiz from Tierrasur, Empress Claudia from the Dytika Empire, Prime Minister Ula from Oshya, and King Marcellus from Nurlock!”

Wendel tapped James on the shoulder. His best friend turned so he could both hear Wendel and see the screen.

“Are you getting vibes of the opening of Legend of Karnach?”

“Kind of.” James grimaced. “They can’t be serious. It’s just a political gimmick.”

President Klein stepped to the microphone. “People of Ardatz, this day we come to you as your leaders to set your hearts at ease, and to give you guidance. The severity of what I have to say to you is such I have called upon the other leaders of Ardatz to join me in this announcement.” He motioned to President Ortiz who stepped forward.

Wendel frowned, there was a flicker to the image of the Tierrasur president. The man wasn’t physically there! It was a projection.

He nudged James, who grinned. “See. A gimmick.”

The ache in Wendel’s chest eased.

“People of Ardatz,” President Ortiz’s words sounded clear even though he was half-way around the globe. “I, too, call upon you to listen with open ears. To apply wisdom and bravery for the days ahead.”

The ache returned, and Wendel’s leg started bouncing. The camera turned away from the darker-skinned president.

“What President Ortiz is trying to say…” Empress Claudia inclined her head. “Is we have agreed to help each other out. Listen to what we say, hold peace in your hearts, and all will be well.”

“What do they mean?” someone asked.

“Hush.” Ms. Zimmermann scowled in the general area of the offending student.

Prime Minister Ula grimaced. “Let me start from the beginning.” The screen filled with the man’s face, his dark eyes calm and yet there was a pinching at their corners, a look Wendel had seen on his dad’s face when a project didn’t go exactly as planned. “Two synods ago, a Dytika scientist noticed that Pikku has been sliding from her orbit.”

The moon? Wendel frowned. He remembered Dad making some comment, but he’d been too busy with the latest Legend of Karnach release to pay close attention. James repositioned in his desk, and Wendel leaned to the left to get a better view.

The camera turned back to President Klein. “We kept an eye on it, watching to be sure Ardatz was safe. At first, it appeared to be nothing of significance, but scientists from Dytika and Nurlock were able to track Pikku’s path. They came to Ostland asking for help in how to counter the degradation of the orbit. Of course, we brought together our best scientists as well.”

Wendel’s stomach knotted. Dad had left for Belris almost a lunar cycle ago. He’d been called for a scientific council meeting.

President Klein serenely looked at the camera, as if there wasn’t a possible cataclysmic event on the horizon. “When you bring together the best minds of all of Ardatz to solve a problem, they do not disappoint, nor have they. A team comprised of Dytika, Nurlockian, Ostlandian, Oshyan, and Teirrasurian scientists, warriors, and technicians have crafted a plan.”

Again, there was the tell-tale flicker of a projection as King Marcellus shifted to attention. “As President Klein said, our people have created a plan. We will send a group to Pikku.”

The students mumbled, and Wendel missed the next section, his mind reeling. Sending people to the moon? Yes, there were unmanned crafts which had made it into orbit, but people?

“Class. Class!” Ms. Zimmermann raised her voice to be heard. “Let’s listen.”

“…were to give Pikku a push.” King Marcellus turned to President Klein.

“And so they have.” Was the president’s smile forced?

James turned around. “See? A gimmick. They just want to scare us so we’ll get good grades this term.”

“Nah,” Wendel said. “Dad’s been gone, and he mentioned something about Pikku when the latest update for Koppling came out.” The tension in Wendel’s chest finally made his gut. “I can’t stay. I’ve got to get Winston and find Mom.”

“Wendel?” James frowned up at him. “Are you alright?”

“I… I gotta go, James. Take care.” He bolted from his seat and from the room, ignoring Ms. Zimmermann’s cries.

He had to find his brother. Dad would want them all together as a family. He raced down the empty hallways, catching snippets of government’s speech, and becoming more and more concerned. Despite the upbeat words, Wendel knew there was more to the information than what was being stated. Dad had drilled it into them if a national emergency happened, they were to meet together at the laboratory. If this wasn’t a national emergency, he didn’t know what was!

He burst into Ms. Roth’s room, ignoring normal protocol. “Winston, let’s go!”

“Mr. Vogt!” Ms. Roth gaped at him. “What is the meaning—”

“Sorry, Ms. Roth. I need my brother. Now!”

Winston was gathering his notebook and pencils.

“Leave it. You won’t need them,” Wendel panted.

“This is the projected path of the splintered moon.” Ricardo’s voice sliced through Wendel’s panic, and he paused long enough to see what was displayed on the screen.

A circle represented the small moon, Pikku, which exploded into multiple pieces, one broke off and a dotted line progressed toward Ardatz. The point of impact would be to the north in Nurlock. Wendel frowned as he waved his brother along. As soon as Winston was within reaching distance, he grabbed his arm, and pulled him along.

“Wendel, I need my backpack. If we’re going to the lab, I need to have my things. We have time yet.”

“But not much.” Wendel’s heart was settling into a steady, rapid rhythm.

Together, the brothers ran through the halls, snatched their backpacks from their lockers, and raced out of the building. Wendel’s phone buzzed. He yanked it from his pocket as he ran.

“Mom! Where are you?”

“Easy, Wendel, I’m pulling up to the school.”

“Good. We’re on the south side where the busses drop us off.”

“Come to the front. We’ve beat the panic.” She whistled.

“Mom?”

“I… I’m fine. We don’t have much time, Wendel.”

“Right.” Wendel sprinted and soon he spotted the familiar green sport utility vehicle idling at the curb.

There was no squabble over who had the front passenger seat. Wendel hopped in with Winston in back.

The radio was on and President Klein’s voice came through as clear as it had in the classroom. “We have shelters in each province. Everyone will be directed to the shelter closest to them. Pack lightly, and make your way to your city hall or town square. We’ll have officers, warriors, and scientists there to guide you through the process of the next week.”

Mother flicked the radio off with a heavy sigh. “If only they would have told us sooner.”

“Sooner?” Wendel frowned, the knot in his stomach tightening. “What do you mean?”

“Dad called. He saw the footage of the explosion. It was time stamped two days ago!”

“What?” Winston leaned forward from the back, his face ashen. “That means…”

“It’ll be here within a day.”

“But…” Wendel’s stomach roiled, and he tried to think straight. “How’s… how’s everyone going to get to those shelters?”

“They’re not.” Mother’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel, her expression grave.

Nurlock was going to be in major trouble. The people in the northern section of Ostland as well. Wendel couldn’t extrapolate out what it’d mean to Marberg itself, but the only way he’d be able to survive this catastrophe would be with the family as a whole.

“What about Dad?” His fingers hurt, and he realized he was clenching his fists. But he couldn’t release them. If he did, he’d scream or pound something.

“We’re meeting him. He convinced the Lieutenant in charge of his group to let him come back to Marberg. His airship will be setting down in a half hour. As long as everyone follows the president’s orders, we’ll be with your dad in no time.”

But already, Wendel noted more traffic. People streamed out of their homes, and instead of going to the center of town, some were doing like them and heading out of town. Wendel tried to block his imagination, but he’d played Global Impact several synods ago and knew what they were facing.

A rock from space was hurtling toward them. It would create a crater as large as Belris that would destroy everything in its wake, and the dust would change weather patterns. If they were fortunate, that would be the extent, but his gut told him there would be more damage. They had to meet Dad. He’d know what to do and how to survive this catastrophe.

Chapter 3

Wendel stared out the dusty windshield, his fists clenching and unclenching. Behind him, Winston tapped a rhythm on the door handle. They’d been following the same vehicle for the past forty-five minutes at a crawl. Wendel wished they could go off road. They’d get there faster.

Mom reached over and squeezed his hand. “Easy, Wendel. We’ll be fine.”

He hoped so, but they were to have meet Dad fifteen minutes ago, and they still had another forty furlongs. At this rate it’d be another hour!

A phone rang, and Wendel jumped. Mom fumbled in her shirt pocket and tossed her phone to him. It rang again. The words Honey Bun streamed across the screen.

“It’s Dad!” He punched the red button. “Hey, we’re stuck in traffic.”

“I can imagine. We’ve landed, but from the air, I could see the line. How far away are you?”

“About forty furlongs.” He tried to sound confident.

“Let me talk to your mom.”

Wendel clicked the phone to speaker. “There you go.”

“Hey, honey, I’m here. Where are you?”

“Right at the outskirts of Marberg.” Mom glanced about, her shoulder’s relaxing at Dad’s voice.

“Are you on ninety-nine?”

“That’s right. Why?”

“Can you cut across to Port Road?”

Mom squinted as she glanced out Wendel’s window. “I’d have to use the low gears, but we do have the Cargo instead of the sedan.”

“Good. Shift it into gear and come across. I’ll meet you. Oh, and honey?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“Love you, too. We’ll be there soon.”

Normally, Wendel would have rolled his eyes or made a joke with Winston about the way his parents openly discussed their devotion to each other, but not now. Not when he knew there would be complete families wiped out by tomorrow this time.

“Hold on,” Mom said, as she shifted a knob and eased the vehicle out of the lane, onto the edge of the road, and finally onto the grass. “Let’s hope there are no officers around.”

They were jostled about as she drove over the uneven ground. Wendel gripped the door handle, trying to not knock his head against the window as Mom maneuvered the vehicle up the incline and down to the creek which separated the highway from the road.

“How are we getting across that?” Wendel gaped at the water.

“We’ll be fine.” But even Mom’s normal bravado was false with the shakiness of her voice.

Taking a firmer grip of the steering wheel, she forged ahead, straight through the water which splashed as high as Wendel’s window, but soon they were on the other side.

“Woo-hoo!” Winston shouted from the back seat, making Wendel jump.

“Cut that out!” Wendel demanded. “You scared the skin off my back.”

“Someone’s got to do it, bro.” Winston chuckled. “I’m surprised Mom’s driving didn’t.”

“Hey!” Mom glanced back at Winston, but quickly returned her focus to her driving as the wheel jerked, and they were jarred about.

“There’s the road!” Wendel pointed out the window. “And there’s Dad!” He exhaled a sigh of relief. Never had he been so glad to see his father!

Soon, Mom had the Cargo in park and was hopping out, running to hug him. Dad pulled her to him and soon included the boys in the fiercest group hug Wendel had ever had.

“Am I glad to see you all!” Dad backed away but kept his hand in Mom’s. “We need to go into town to the shelter. The impact is going to wreak havoc on the planet.”

The joy at meeting Dad dissipated like a pricked balloon. The real reason for their being here, loomed larger than life.

“We don’t have much time.”

“But, Dad,” Winston said with a frown. “The news report indicated we had a day.”

“If we’re lucky.” Dad’s face was grim. “Those shelters were put together hastily. They won’t hold many. We’ll get there and get our place among those who will be safe.”

“What aren’t you telling us?” Wendel climbed back into the Cargo, this time with Dad in the driver seat.

Dad let out a deep sigh but started the vehicle. He didn’t answer until he had backed it around to head into town via Port Road. “The fragment that’s hurtling toward us is as large as Marberg if not larger. It’s going to hit with a force that’ll knock Ardatz for a loop. Our only chance of survival is to be in those bunkers. The side effects of the impact will not only cause weather disturbances, but there’ll be tidal, seismic, and volcanic action as well.”

The words were such that Wendel felt their impact in his chest—as if all those things were crashing down upon him, pinning him in place. Would anyone survive?

He noted the way the fields whipped past; Dad was serious. A chill worked its way through him, and he wished he had a jacket.

“Dad?” Winston’s voice was timid, as if he didn’t want to hear the answer. “Are… Are we going to make it?”

Dad set his jaw firm. “I’ll die before I watch my sons left for that impact to destroy.”

Each word was like a hammer blow to Wendel’s confidence. Dad had been the rock of the family for all of Wendel’s life. How could they continue without Dad?

But Winston settled back in his seat as if Dad was getting them to a robotics tournament, and all would be well once they arrived.

In half the time it’d taken for them to get out to Port Road, they were back into town. The traffic steadily increased as they made their way to the center until there was no movement.

Dad hit his fist against the steering wheel. “Well, time to get out. Grab your bags, boys. We’re going on foot.” He tried to inch the Cargo over to the side of the road, but between the honks of annoyed motorists and those who crawled closer, he gritted his teeth and placed the Cargo in park. “Let’s go.”

He snatched his own pack from the back hatch, and gave each of them a ready bag, stored there for emergencies. “Follow me.”

He headed down the street, leaving the people in the vehicles behind them to honk and yell at them. From the looks of it, they weren’t the only ones who’d seen the futility of the situation. Several other cars were vacant, doors left open.

The closer they got to city hall; the more noise echoed off the buildings around them. Shouts, the din of conversations, all filled the air, mixed with idling engines. They rounded the corner of Main and First to a sight Wendel wouldn’t forget for the rest of his life. A mass of people pressed against the fence surrounding city hall.

“Hey! Wait your turn!” A beefy man reached out and grabbed Mom by the arm.

“Easy!” Dad stepped forward and peeled the man’s fingers from her arm. “I’m a scientist assigned to Marberg.” He reached for his badge, but the man shook a fist in his face. “You should’ve seen this coming. Didn’t Stefan Fischer proclaim it would happen?”

Turning his back on the irate man, Dad pushed his way to the front with Mom, Wendel and Winston on his tail. They received glares, curses, and even a few who swung punches, but none made contact.

At last, they made it to the front of the line. A soldier stood with a tablet, checking identification.

“I’m sorry, but your name isn’t here.”

“What? Check again. I’ve been a resident of Marberg for the past twenty synods.”

“Sorry, sir, but it’s not here. Next!” The soldier waved a woman forward, catching sight of Dad. “What are you doing? Can’t you wait your—”

“Names, Vogt.”

“As in the scientist, Karl Vogt?”

“That’s right, and this is my family. They can help you as well. Send us the list. We’ll process people.”

The soldier frowned, but at an angry yell from the crowd, he punched at his tablet. “You forward it to your family. I’m not having that on my head, even in a global emergency.”

“Form four more lines here!” Dad raised his voice to be heard among the anxious mob. “Have your identification ready.” He turned to his family and said, “I’ve forwarded the file. You’ll check to make sure their names are on it and mark them present. If their ID doesn’t match a name on the list, they don’t get in. Understand?” He made eye contact with each of them, imparting a confidence that they were doing what was right.

Wendel wasn’t sure he would have the heart to send someone away, but he knew the look his father gave him. It meant no exceptions. His phone vibrated, indicating the file had come through, and he downloaded it. A list of names with a box for a check beside it filled his screen. Since it was on an interwebs based source, it updated as they went. Another jingle and a notification indicated Sergeant Jurgen Wagner had made changes to Marberg Shelter.

Adjusting his pack on his back, Wendel strode to the open space between Dad and Mom. “Next!” he called.

A woman with two small children in tow came forward, her shirt was rumpled, and her hair stood on end, but she had several packs and was pulling out her identification.

“Mary Meyer,” she said, as she gripped her youngest’s hand firmly. “Stay here, Matilda.”

Wendel entered the search bar and typed in her name. There were multiple Mary Meyers so he checked her identification card and saw the middle initial “L”.

“Here you are. With two children.” He checked all three boxes. “You’re good to go.”

“Come along, Matilda.” Mary didn’t even look back as she herded her children toward the door at the side of city hall.

He didn’t even get a chance to call out ‘next’ before a lean man stood in front of him, his hands shaking as he pulled out his ID. Walter Muller. The program worked for several seconds, but produced no results. Wendel tried again.

“Hurry up, man!”

“I’m sorry.” Wendel swallowed the lump forming in his throat and tried to steel himself. “I’m sorry. Your name’s not here.”

“What?”

“I’ve looked twice.”

“That… That can’t be!”

“Please, sir, move along.”

With vacant eyes, the man obliged.

“Next!” Wendel called, wondering how many more people he’d have to turn away to certain death.

“Wendel?” A familiar voice called, as the larger boy brushed his bangs back into place. “It is you! What are you doing here?”

“James!” Wendel’s heart lightened. “Dad cleared us to help.”

He took James’ identification for show only, but he could hear his heart pounding as he waited for his friend’s name to show in the search bar. When it did, he knew his grin was as crazy as when he’d last leveled Koppling up. “You’re checked in. Follow the path to the door. They’ll guide you from there.”

“I’ll see you inside, then.” James waved over his shoulder as he made his way to the shelter.

A father with three children and a wife strode forward. “Yanick Eichler. My wife, Petra, and Susanne, Ingrid, and Nick.”

Wendel input the father’s name first. It came up along with the rest of the family.

“Here you are. You’re free to enter.”

“Thank you, son.” There were tears in the man’s eyes. “Jeeah bless you.”

“And you as well.”

They’d all need Jeeah’s blessing if they were to live through the next several days, let alone weeks.