Sienna’s mother Margaret fussed over her when she picked her up. Her father Robert was out of town at a conference but he called as soon as the phone network was back up and was obviously just as frantic.
“Are you sure you’re okay, sweetpea?” he asked after she’d told him about Lucy’s collapse. “I think so, Dad,” Sienna said. “It was scary but whatever that gas was it didn’t have the same effect on me it did on Luce and she’s going to be fine even though they’re keeping her in for observation.”
“She’s lucky to have such cool-headed friends as you, Charlotte and Wendy,” he said. “If you hadn’t borrowed that wheelchair–”
“Oh, Lord, the wheelchair!” Sienna said. “The police took it. I hope they’re returning it.”
“I’m sure they will, sweetpea,” he said soothingly. “They’re probably just testing it for residue first.”
“I hope so,” Sienna said. “I don’t think my allowance would stretch to paying for a wheelchair.”
“We’ll sort something out if it’s gone missing,” her father said. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“But the convention–”
“Screw the convention,” he said. “You’re more important than that. I’d be home already but the trains aren’t running into Castleham because the station was damaged so I’m on the coach and won’t be in until the small hours.”
Sienna stared at the phone, uncertain what shocked her more. The fact her father had just sworn, however mildly, or the fact he’d left an important conference to hurry back. The last time he’d done that was when she’d come down with appendicitis when she was twelve.
“I’m fine, dad,” she said. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“No, sweetpea,” he said. “I really did. I would just have worried myself sick about you if I tried to stay.”
Sienna couldn’t help smiling at that. “Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. “Now I know you’re probably wound up after such an exciting day but do try and get some sleep.”
“I will, dad,” she agreed. “At least I think I will. I’m actually pretty tired.”
“I’m sure,” he said. “But things like this tend to stick in the head.”
“Sienna!” he mother called from the kitchen. “Say good night to your father. Dinner’s ready.”
“Gotta go, Dad,” Sienna said obediently. “Mum says dinner is ready.”
“I heard,” he said. “Goodnight, sweetpea.”
“Night, Dad.” Sienna ended the call reluctantly and headed to the kitchen. It was testament to how worried her mother was about her that she’d cooked Sienna’s favourite pepperoni pizza rather than something healthier but less tasty. Of course it had a wholemeal base and she’d made the whole thing from scratch but that just made it better. Sienna just wished she was hungry enough to do her mother’s efforts justice but her stomach was still churning over what had happened and instead she found herself picking at it unenthusiastically.
“Not hungry, huh?” her mother asked softly. “I’m not surprised after what you’ve been through, but you do need to eat something.”
“I know,” Sienna said. “But my stomach is churning.” She stared at the pizza for a moment then forced herself to pick up a slice and take a bite. “Thanks, mum.”
She only managed to eat one slice but she felt a bit better afterwards but it did seem to satisfy her mother who simply put the rest the pizza in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch.
“I think I’ll go to bed now,” Sienna said even though it was only early evening. “I’m really tired.”
“I’m not surprised.” Her mother hugged her and kissed her forehead. “Sleep well, sweetie.”
After an hour of tossing and turning while the events of the afternoon replayed on a loop in her head Sienna realised that she was not going to fall asleep easily so got up and padded downstairs.
“Mum.” Sienna poked her head into the lounge where her mother was sitting watching the news.
“I’m going to make myself some warm milk.”
“Okay, sweetie,” her mother looked around. “Trouble settling down.”
“Yeah,” Sienna said. “Every time I close my eyes I see what happened.”
“Not surprising,” her mother said. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not yet.” Sienna slipped into the kitchen and heated herself a mug of milk before returning to the lounge.
“Anything changed?” she asked, nodding towards the television.
“Not really,” her mother said. “I don’t know why I’m watching it.” She picked up the remote and flicked through the channels until she found a documentary about the middle ages. “I’ve seen the same report several times and it just makes me think about how you could have been one of the hurt or dead people.”
“Did a lot of people die?”
“Quite a few,” her mother said sadly. “Not just the ones that some bastard shot, but quite a few people who had the same symptoms as Lucy but didn’t get help in time and a couple who were unlucky and got lacerations bad enough they bled to death.”
“Ugh!” Sienna said. “I’m glad Wendy realised that we needed to get to inside… do they know what caused it yet?”
“The first thing was a meteor that exploded in the air,” her mother said. “The fog is still a mystery as are the shootings. They don’t think they are related.”
Sienna snorted sceptically and sipped her milk. “It seems a bit too coincidental.”
“Coincidences do happen, Sienna.”
“So someone happened to release a mysterious gas at the same time a meteor explodes overhead while someone else goes on a shooting spree?”
“Well when you put it like that… but how would they have known about the meteor?”
Sienna threw her arms in air. “I don’t know, that’s part of why I can’t sleep. This whole situation is way too scary.”
Her mother didn’t reply but just pulled her into a hug. Sienna hugged back before pulling away to finish her milk.
“Let’s watch the documentary instead,” Sienna said. “I’m sure the experts will figure it out in the end.”
“I hope so,” her mother said.
The documentary did provide a nice distraction and between it and the warm milk Sienna felt comfortably sleepy by the time it finished. She was just considering getting up and going upstairs when her mother popped a granny blanket over her and offered her a cushion.
“Stay down here,” her mother suggested, “You’ll probably be less anxious if you know you’re not alone.”
“Okay.” Sienna took the pillow and curled up on the sofa.
It seemed there was something to that because Sienna soon drifted off into a surprisingly dream-free sleep.
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