The Biggest Boom

Maddie tucked the blanket tighter around her son's shoulders. He loved being as snug as possible. He smiled lovingly at her and she returned it. Pete wiggled a little in the mountain of pillows he used as a bed, finding just the right spot to settle into.

"Mama, tell me again about the people that came after the Biggest Boom."

A faint shadow crossed over Maddie's face. "Why do you want to know so much about them?"

Pete shrugged. "It's important."

Maddie sighed just a little and nodded. "You're right, it's very important to know what came before so we don't come to it again." She took a couple of deep breaths and launched into the hardest story to tell that she would ever know.

"Not so long ago, everyone on Earth pretty much looked the same on the outside. Two eyes, one nose, two ears. Life was about waking up, working for money, spending that money, and going back to sleep. Your Daddy and I did the same. Our whole lives were tangled in work. We didn't even know each other yet.

Then something bad happened. One group of men was very angry with another group of men and they couldn't agree on anything. It was about this time that other people who didn't agree with either side started meeting in groups secretly to discuss what they could do to survive if things got worse. It was at one of these meetings I met your Daddy. He was scared, just like I was… so we chose to be scared together. And somehow that helped us both be much less scared. There was talk of war. We lived in a big city that turned out to be one of the places where the war was going to start. I had only ever known life in that big city though, so what could I do?”

“Then your Daddy gave me this." She held up the locket that never left her neck. Carved onto the face was a wolf howling. It was a heart shape and appeared to have originally been a brilliant gold. "He said if I came with him, he would protect me like an Alpha defends his pack. He knew that I have always loved wolves and I always would. So we packed up, jumped in his truck, and headed out to a park that was way out away from all the big cities and even medium-sized towns. It was beautiful, it was fresh, and it was amazingly quiet.

We made our way to a lake house in the park. We didn't even have time to finish unpacking the car when the sky filled with noise. And moments later, the Biggest Boom sounded and the sky filled with a hundred bright colors. Daddy and I ran inside the house and held each other under the bed.

We realized soon that while we were far away, we hadn't been far away enough. All the trees and growing things were still alive, but everything alive that walked, flew, or swam was changing. Things started to happen to us. Pain in our joints, burning in our bodies. We went to the small town down the way and found many, many people with the same problems. No one was safe from it. no matter how old or where they had come from.

The Biggest Boom changed everyone that survived, no matter how close or how far away they were. Some were very badly hurt, especially their minds. They now walk aimlessly, like they are forever searching for something. No one knows what, though. We call them the Wanderers. Then there were the people made stronger, and faster and better. Some of them can fly, some of them can control the elements. We called them the Heroes because a lot of them try to make life easier and better for everyone left. The last group is called the Changers. They changed physically and mentally, becoming more simple, and reconnected with the Earth. Many of them developed animal-like traits, and could even live among wild animals as if they had been there all along. For all the different kinds of animals out in the world, lots of different kinds of people relearned how to live as their ancient ancestors did."

Pete's eyes were drooping closed. They always did when she got to this part of the story. Maddie stopped talking and watched him for a moment, waiting to see if he stirred. He did, just a bit, and yawned.

Maddie continued on, as the story was wrapping up anyway. "Life has been very hard for everyone since The Biggest Boom, and we are all doing our best. Sometimes food is very hard to come by, and sometimes the water isn't safe to drink. Some days you want to stay in the shelter forever because it's so scary out there. I hope we never see or hear about Wanderers coming close again, but it could happen. The most important thing to always remember, no matter what's going on outside, is that you are loved. You have a strong family and we would do anything to keep each other safe."

Pete was still smiling, but his eyes were closed and his breathing was deeper. Maddie was sure now that her son was asleep. Being as silent as possible she stood and padded to the doorway. Her eyes drifted to him as she turned, making her smile again before she flicked the curtain that served as a door back into place.

The hall of their shelter was short but wide. She had to stoop just a tiny bit to fit, but it was all muscle memory to her now. As she crossed the threshold into the main space of their home, her loving smile returned. Ketron moved towards her and took her into his arms.

Maddie nuzzled her snout against her mate's, warmth filling her body and soul. Her tail began to swish happily of its own accord, but she ignored it. Ketron made soft sounds of pleasure in his chest as they embraced, his furry face pressed to her’s.

"Pup asleep?" He asked softly.

"Yes," Maddie replied quietly. Her ears twisted this way and that as she checked for any sounds out of the ordinary.

Nothing but the wind playing gently with the various panels used to construct the outside of their shelter. The lakehouse had not been able to stand up to the stress, but the cozy little shelter built on its foundations had withheld for many years now.

Ketron leaned back a little, seeing the tiny gold heart resting in the light pelt of his life's love. His large mostly-lupine form shivered a little in memory. "I still remember the day I gave you this. I still can't believe you left everything and came with me." He used his claw to open the locket, revealing the last pictures in existence of what they had looked like before wolf-like characteristics had overcome them both. Maddie grinned and leaned forward to give him a kiss.

"And I'll be forever thankful that I did." Ketron gave her a big hug and leaned his shaggy head against her’s, preparing mentally for another night after having survived the end of the world.