NaNoWriMo (Day 8 of 30) "Strangers in the Dark" (47,413 words left)

Today was a good day for my career. I volunteered for the chamber, went to the member's meeting for my internship and gave a presentation on my progress with their new web site, then headed off to the business expo to volunteer a bit more and network. I handed out a few resumes and got some great reception and good feedback. A very productive day in which I was able to come home and wrap it all up with a bit of writing! The work day may end, but NaNoWriMo isn't up for another 22 days!

Strangers in the Dark (Chapter One continued...Almost done!)

The line was moving painstakingly slow and I noticed more than one family being showed to the side, forced to turn around or provide further papers, especially when there were children involved, seemed the police were concerned with adults taking kids that were not their own, but I had no clue why. Jensen and I eventually grew tired and sat down on a curb nearby while Mom and Dad stayed in line, striking up different conversations with the people around them.

“This your first time in line?” A man asked Dad.

“Yeah, why?”

“This is our second.” The man pointed out his wife and young child just a few feet away from him. “The first time all we had was our licenses and our son’s birth certificate. The police wouldn’t let us take him with us, claiming we had no way to really prove he was our son. Like I’d be trying to steal kids when I can barely feed my one boy as it is. Anyway, now we’re back with pictures of him growing up, hoping that will be enough. Those your kids?” He pointed to Jensen and me.

“Yeah, Talis has her driver’s license and we have Jensen’s school ID and birth certificate.”

“You should be fine then. The police like picture IDs.”

Mom joined them. “You’re the second person I’ve talked to that has had to return with further proof for their children. What’s going on?”

“It’s the Recruiters, a gang that’s forming strong in the center of the city. There have been more than a few break-ins in this neighborhood alone. They’re collecting massive resources, food, water, lights, even cars and gasoline, but their greatest resource is children. They’re recruiting them to build their numbers. I’m surprised you haven’t heard yet, considering you have two children to watch over.”

Mom looked over at us with a sickly green face, like she was going to be sick.

“We heard about the gangs,” Dad explained, “and our house was broken into last night, our bags and car stolen. That’s why we’re leaving. I never imagined the children would be in this kind of danger.”

“Well, good luck to the both of you and your children. Hopefully, I’ll see you on the other side,” the man quipped.

As the line started moving a bit quicker, Jensen and I rejoined Mom and Dad. We were less than a block away from the barricade when the screaming began. (407 words)

I have the day off tomorrow so I'm looking forward to some relaxing and writing!