immediately.
“Yes, he is, Dave. But thanks for the offer. If we run into something Rex or I can’t handle, we may call on you. It was nice of you to offer.”
Dave cut a glance at Rex. He was standing stiffly, lips even, not frowning, just looking at Dave coolly. Dave noticed the glint of steely determination in Rex’s eyes and turned away from the look. He walked slowly back to his house, looking around from time to time. Rex stood in the doorway until Dave was in his own house.
“Mom,” Roxie said, “You aren’t going to let him in here, are you? I’m… I’m a little scared of him. He creeps me out.”
“What? Has he done something?” Kathy asked. Rex was closing the shutter again.
“No, not really. I just don’t like the way he looks at me.”
“I see,” Kathy replied slowly. She had never told Jay she felt the same way about Dave. He seemed a nice enough guy; but she could feel his eyes on her whenever she was out and about in a skirt and blouse, dress, or shorts and a top. Like Roxie, his looks creeped her out, too.
The three went back to finish breakfast. Rex hesitated, but decided to put the gun back in the closet. He would wear it whenever he went outside, but they were quite secure inside the house, and could retreat to the shelter if needed.
It was time for the next broadcast and Rex gave the handle of the radio a few turns to charge up the battery. He turned it on and got the carrier frequency that always preceded the actual broadcast. “I think it will be loud enough,” Rex said. “I think we should stay inside for a while.”
“As long as we can hear the broadcast,” Kathy said. She took one of the living room chairs by the sofa, as Rex and Roxie sat down on it. Rex held the radio in his lap. Finally a voice came from the speaker. It was simply another reiteration of past announcements.
“Aren’t they going to do anything?” Roxie lamented.
“I bet they are,” Rex said. “But they sure aren’t talking about it.”
The three spend the rest of the day inside, keeping themselves and each other busy, stopping to listen to the NOAA radio every hour. It was not until almost nine that evening when there was a change in the broadcast.
The next voice you hear will be the President of the United States.
There was silence for another moment, only the slight hum of an unmodulated carrier wave. Then the easily recognizable voice began.
My fellow Americans and Citizens of the World that may be listening, it is with great sadness and pain that I must inform you that I, as President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of this nation’s armed forces, have ordered the intervention of our forces in the dastardly attack Communist China has made upon Australia. This action brings great risk to all of us here in the United States, and around the world. China has made grave threats, that should they be carried out, will be the biggest disaster in human existence.
I urge you to prepare yourselves for the worst. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be distributing the most current, effective, plans we have available for expedient fallout shelters, for those that must stay where they are during this time of crisis.
For the area’s most in danger, beginning the morning of the day after tomorrow, massive evacuations will be conducted, removing citizens at greatest risk to areas where they can be provided for the most efficiently. Please continue to give what aid you can to your friends and neighbors and cooperate with local authorities as these measures take place.
It is my greatest hope that the leadership of China will reevaluate their plans and withdraw fully from the course they are now on. Thank you and…
The radio fell silent. Rex hurriedly cranked it, but there simply was no sound. Not even of the transmitter carrier. “That’s not good,” Rex said slowly. He ran the bands of the simple
“Yes, he is, Dave. But thanks for the offer. If we run into something Rex or I can’t handle, we may call on you. It was nice of you to offer.”
Dave cut a glance at Rex. He was standing stiffly, lips even, not frowning, just looking at Dave coolly. Dave noticed the glint of steely determination in Rex’s eyes and turned away from the look. He walked slowly back to his house, looking around from time to time. Rex stood in the doorway until Dave was in his own house.
“Mom,” Roxie said, “You aren’t going to let him in here, are you? I’m… I’m a little scared of him. He creeps me out.”
“What? Has he done something?” Kathy asked. Rex was closing the shutter again.
“No, not really. I just don’t like the way he looks at me.”
“I see,” Kathy replied slowly. She had never told Jay she felt the same way about Dave. He seemed a nice enough guy; but she could feel his eyes on her whenever she was out and about in a skirt and blouse, dress, or shorts and a top. Like Roxie, his looks creeped her out, too.
The three went back to finish breakfast. Rex hesitated, but decided to put the gun back in the closet. He would wear it whenever he went outside, but they were quite secure inside the house, and could retreat to the shelter if needed.
It was time for the next broadcast and Rex gave the handle of the radio a few turns to charge up the battery. He turned it on and got the carrier frequency that always preceded the actual broadcast. “I think it will be loud enough,” Rex said. “I think we should stay inside for a while.”
“As long as we can hear the broadcast,” Kathy said. She took one of the living room chairs by the sofa, as Rex and Roxie sat down on it. Rex held the radio in his lap. Finally a voice came from the speaker. It was simply another reiteration of past announcements.
“Aren’t they going to do anything?” Roxie lamented.
“I bet they are,” Rex said. “But they sure aren’t talking about it.”
The three spend the rest of the day inside, keeping themselves and each other busy, stopping to listen to the NOAA radio every hour. It was not until almost nine that evening when there was a change in the broadcast.
The next voice you hear will be the President of the United States.
There was silence for another moment, only the slight hum of an unmodulated carrier wave. Then the easily recognizable voice began.
My fellow Americans and Citizens of the World that may be listening, it is with great sadness and pain that I must inform you that I, as President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of this nation’s armed forces, have ordered the intervention of our forces in the dastardly attack Communist China has made upon Australia. This action brings great risk to all of us here in the United States, and around the world. China has made grave threats, that should they be carried out, will be the biggest disaster in human existence.
I urge you to prepare yourselves for the worst. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be distributing the most current, effective, plans we have available for expedient fallout shelters, for those that must stay where they are during this time of crisis.
For the area’s most in danger, beginning the morning of the day after tomorrow, massive evacuations will be conducted, removing citizens at greatest risk to areas where they can be provided for the most efficiently. Please continue to give what aid you can to your friends and neighbors and cooperate with local authorities as these measures take place.
It is my greatest hope that the leadership of China will reevaluate their plans and withdraw fully from the course they are now on. Thank you and…
The radio fell silent. Rex hurriedly cranked it, but there simply was no sound. Not even of the transmitter carrier. “That’s not good,” Rex said slowly. He ran the bands of the simple
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