Strain of Resistance (Prequel): Grand Escape by Michelle Bryan Page A

car-infested street. They were leaving.
          Falling back weakly against the bare beams of the attic wall, he closed his eyes in relief. The reprieve was short lived however, as Amy's low keening reached his ears and he knew she was on her way to a full out meltdown. He crossed the room and knelt beside her on the mattress, pulling her into his arms.
           "Hey, it's okay," he whispered soothingly as he stroked the curly black hair so similar to his own. "It’s okay, Ames. They’re gone."
          "It's... not... okay..." she cried brokenly into his shoulder. “I... want ... my daddy! Where's... my... daddy?"
          "I don't know, Amy," he sighed gently, "…but I sure as hell wish he was here too."
                                                                          ***
     
           It had been just over five weeks since that strange cloud had covered the city. Five weeks since they’d last seen their father. He’d left for work that fateful Saturday morning. Called in for overtime on his day off and leaving an extremely pissed Sam to watch over Amy all day, instead of playing ball in the park with his friends like he had planned.
        He wasn’t about to take her to the park with him like last time. Although his friends didn't have any issue with Amy and her Down syndrome, other kids at the park weren't always as understanding. She had cried a lot the last time over the cruel comments she’d overheard, and he didn't have the heart to put her through that again. He’d just have to resign himself to the fact that the day would be spent most likely watching that stupid DragonHeart movie she loved so much. Yup, just what he needed. To watch that again for about the hundredth time.
          The senior Samuel had kissed Amy on the top of the head and tousled Sam's hair as he passed by them eating their cereal at the breakfast table. He promised them pizza for supper. The pizza, nor their father, had ever arrived.
          The cloud had come instead.
          The afternoon sun that had been streaming through the window all day had disappeared abruptly, leaving the house in almost total shadow. Curious, Sam had gotten up off the couch and gone to the open window to investigate. The sun was gone, totally obliterated by the cloud cover. His eyes were drawn immediately to the little crystals that seemed to be floating in the misty vapor. What was that? Was it fog? He’d never seen any fog look like that before. Like any typical fourteen-year-old boy he’d stuck his hand into the mist, wondering if he could catch what looked like tiny, glittering fireflies darting about. As soon as he touched the mist though, he drew back. It had a strange, sticky wetness to it that just felt... wrong.
        Shivering slightly, he watched the mist a little longer, mesmerized. It crept slowly through the window, its wet tendrils covering his face, almost caressing with its slick touch. The crystals seemed to swarm in front of his eyes, hovering there as if studying him back. He breathed some in; he could feel them go down his throat and he started retching at the oily taste in his mouth. Coughing and gagging, he finally spat them back out and watched as they floated harmlessly out the window, re-absorbed by the mist. What the heck...?
           A car horn blared loudly in the fog and he nearly jumped from his skin! He laughed at himself, feeling a little foolish at his fright. But then the blast was followed by another... and another.
        The whole street, still covered by the strange mist, became awash with the sounds of blowing horns, and slamming doors and yelling. Sam peered through the gloom, wondering what was going on. Was there an accident of some sort? He wished the mist would disappear so he could see what was happening. It would be the most excitement he’d seen all day. Whatever it was, it had to be better than