REBUILDING

by Janette E. Davis



Rubble lay across the landscape but it had been nothing compared to the heaps of broken buildings that had occupied the space not long ago. Volunteers and dogs had surrounded the area, at the start a cry when out when a body had been discovered but such had grown so common that shouting was pointless.

I wonder what my own home had been like.

I could imagine what the small town I had lived in had looked like before, children running around, elderly couples devoting themselves to the lawn, but when the new found power source that seemed the solution to energy powers had exploded, entire countries had been destroyed. Only the places that hadn't relied on it completely had stayed somewhat intact and even then some damage had been done.

I bit my lip and watched as bulldozers rolled in to clean up the area. Soon, the cleaning would be done and the rebuilding could began. Not perfectly, of course, but still there to try and start over and hope things would be better.

"I'm from the What's On newspaper. Hello, may I ask a few questions?" A voice stumbled out. I turned to see a young man who holding a notepad, hopeful and nervous look in his eye.

Ugh......last thing I needed at the moment.

The man asked away without waiting for an answer. "Isss it trrrue that the famousss band The Bunniesss hasss brrroken up?" He stuttered out.

The question struck me hard, shattering memories of the last few months on me. Female leader of one of the most famous bands in the area we'd been on tour in one member's home. Then the disaster struck. Alex, the partner from my home town couldn't take it and had disappeared, Garin had followed though motives were unknown. Me, I don't know besides turning from a cheerful idiot to a depressed one. Like I had been a building torn down to a worthless pile of rubble. And the last member who's hometown we'd been visiting... "Probably."

The reporter seemed to gather some courage, "And what's your feelings about this?" I gripped the wall tightly. Besides that everything was gone and there was nothing left for me? I was alone in a dark reality?

"I don't really care."

"Oh, um..." The interviewer was evidently taken aback by my cold response. "Well...now since you are staying in band member Duo's hometown, is there something going on between you and Duo?"

Someone placed a hand on the interviewer's shoulder. "Those are some personal questions." He turned around to see who I knew already was there. Brown hair done up in a long braid cascading down his back. He was wearing some beat-up looking clothes matching some mud caked boots, and he held himself in a very confident position. On his head was a black baseball cap which he removed and tipped in my direction.

"Greetings Jed."

"D..duo? M...member of The Bunnies?" The interviewer blushed.

"Ah man, I had a great night." He seemed to be ignoring the interviewer. This was not good... "The guy I found was sure hot. What a night! If a romance novel needed a great example they should interview me and-" The interviewer face flushed further. He stuck his notebook in his pocket and began to slink away.

waited til be was out of sight, "Y..you you, damn how do I say it? Not nice, mind you." I turned to face the grinning man, already feeling my mood start to lift to somewhat sad but somewhat happy.

"Got of rid of him, didn't it? Shouldn't put up with them, you're stressed out enough already."

I smiled a little, "Well sometimes that takes more effort then the questions. Anyhow, I'm helping out because I want to. Amazing, isn't it? All that's left is the building."

Duo elbowed me gently, "Try to wear the expression more, I miss it. Yes, it is. Tons of damage and now...it's odd you never struck me as the person who'd do something like this."

"Don't get disillouisional. I'm still selfish. It's helped keep my mind off things, and it seemed wrong to sit by and do nothing when so many people needed this done, even if to just discover the fate of a loved one."

Duo nodded. "So, do you have any guys around here you're taking to dinner?"

"No. Have you taken a blow to the head? You know that I don't plan to marry or anything like that."

"Ah. Well, more for me I guess."

I shook my head, " I'm not as easily fooled as that interviewer. After this I'm going to go back and work on packing up.. Can't stay for much longer."

"It's kinda stupid. You do all the work, you have to leave."

"Six months, no exceptions is the maximum you can stay if you're not a citizen. It makes sense though. Millions will be trying to flock into the surviving countries and this place doesn't have the resources to support it." Where I could afterwards, who knows? I'd just end up losing the last person I was close too and would completely be alone.

"Still, you should be able to do something. Maybe involving ninjas and pizza trucks?"

I laughed a tiny bit, "I thought you were the one saying I shouldn't stress myself out as much."

"You shouldn't..."

"Duo!" A group of young women ran up to him.

"Greetings girls."

"Annabell wanted to talk to you..."

I jumped down from the wall, watching the girls gathering around the pretty boy of the town. Duo was perky but really was kind, and always knew how to cheer me up a little. He would be a good person to raise a family, and, as I observed the girls, probably would, and in no time with his charisma. He probably was one of my favorite people in the world...

And even though he didn't understand my pain, he tried.

*****


A few days later, my suitcases lay on the bed as I tried to squeeze stuff in. I picked up a face-down photograph that had been hidden for the past five and a half months. I flipped over the photo revealing a picture of our band. Everyone was grinning, a pair of bunny ears on their head. Everything seemed perfect, no grief, no pain, just one of those perfect moments.

My eyes blurred with tears and I tossed it into the trash can.

I flopped down on the bed, picking up a stuff animals which I held to my face and sobbed. I don't know how long I cried, I do know that when I stopped I decided to take a nap. Sleep, besides Duo's company, and the rebuilding seemed to the only escape.

I awoke to banging. Was some stupid bird fighting with it's reflection?

The banging came again and I realized it was someone knocking at the door. Who? I opened the door to find Duo staring at me. His clothes were a nice black shirt and jeans and the cap still perched on his head.

"Greetings. Are you okay? May I come in?"

"Yes to both. Excuse my hair, I haven't brushed it yet..."

Duo's braid swished as he looked around the. room. " Not a bad apartment. Lucky for you."

I shrugged, "I have money. Lots. Now, why are you here? I don't have any cheese if that's what your after."

He smiled broadly, "Or seafood tacos?"

I laughed. "Out of luck. Now, why?"

"So you're already suspicious of me. Well, since your so curious, I'll tell ya..."

"You weren't otherwise?"

"Shut up and be quiet for a sec while I talk." He tipped the baseball cap down, his smiled disappearing, "I was doing some research and thinking for the past few days, and was wondering if you wanted to get married."

I landed with a thump on the bed, "Wha-" I began but Duo lifted a hand to silence me.

"I did some work on the whole evacuation policy, and it turns out if your married to a citzen you can stay. I figured if that would keep you here instead of stuck in the wasteland out there, I'm willing. Are you? It would be a change of plan for your hope of not marrying. Also, it would be rough, yes for the two of us, but we did live together on the tour bus."

My mind was in a twist. We'd made clear that our relationship wasn't beyond friendship, and probably would stay that way but...

"You'd be giving up a lot." I said plainly, to the pretty boy of the town, "I assume to know that." He probably could marry any girl he wanted, and would completely be throwing out any hope of true love...

"I suppose so, but who hasn't sacrificed something at a time like this? I do like you, and hell, I never liked chick flicks." He smiled a little more watching to see if the meaning of his statement registered.

It did. Duo wasn't that bad, and I could do worse. The idea was scary, but he was probably as scared as I, even if he was hiding it. I could stay, and wouldn't be left alone.

"Let's go find a pastor then." I said softly.

Maybe Duo was the sort of person...

He sat down beside be, and squeezed my hand gently.

...who could help my rebuilding began.



Copywrite Janette E. Davis 2005