Hugo, Tia Marga, Adam Driver, and the Highway guy rode into Santa Clarita in their small family car. The town was almost abandoned. It was untouched by the firebombs and wanderers flooded the streets. The sound of the car driving by echoed throughout the valley, calling all eyes onto them. The Interstate they took drove through the valley, heading north.

The group was quiet during the ride. Hugo stared out the window, watching the swarm of wanderers creep slowly to the highway. Tia Marga noticed Hugo’s gaze. It wasn't the swarm he was worried about. Adam Driver had the wheel. He carefully maneuvered between the abandoned cars on the interstate and pressed on the gas when it was open road. The man they had just met on the highway smiled as they passed by the city.

“You have a name?” said Adam to the stranger.

“Me? Oh, I’m Bobby,” he said with a smile.

Marga noticed his abnormally white teeth. “Have you been brushing your teeth…with running water?”

“Yup! I was a dentist before this. Even in the apocalypse, I still need my teeth. Need a toothbrush?” He opened his backpack and took out unopened toothbrush packages. 

“You can hold onto that for now,” said Tia Marga. 

Bobby put the toothbrushes back. “So where are we headed?”

“North,” said Hugo, he was still staring out the window. “We’re finding my sister.”

“You’re sister? Where is she?” Bobby asked.

Marga interjected, “She was stolen.”

Bobby continued, “If you don't mind me asking but was this before or after-”

“Yesterday,” said Hugo, plainly.

“Yesterday… I didn't see a car pass by yesterday. Was she in the helicopter? If she was, she can’t be far.”

“How do you know?” said Hugo. He turned his head to Bobby.

“Helicopters don't fly like planes do. On a full tank they last maybe 1000 miles,” said Bobby.

Hugo and Tia Marga sighed at the number.

“It wasn't on a full tank,” said Adam. “It had enough to go a couple hundred miles.” The others listened to Adam. “When things started going down, I was flying home from a business meeting. My pilot said the best option was to make a stop for gas, that’s why we're in Burbank. I remember he told me we only had a couple hundred miles left in the tank.”

“So where is a couple hundred miles north?” said Bobby.

Bobby, Adam and Marga said as one; “Bakersfield.” 

BEEP BEEP

“Hello? Are you there?” said the person on the walkie talkie.

“We’re here,” Marga answered.

“What happened on the highway?”

“We’re fine. We’re passing Santa Clarita.”

“Okay, good. Cover your ears.”

“What?” said Marga, confused. 

Hugo looked out the back window. “Uh-oh.”

Marga and Bobby looked as well. 

Adam peaked at the rear-view mirror. “What’s happening? I can’t s-”

BOOM

A flash of light followed by a rising cloud came from LA. In the flash, the group’s skeletons could be seen through their skin. The earth rumbled and groaned. 

Their ears rung, blocking all other sound. Hugo could barely see. He wiped his eyes, trying to comprehend the event. He looked out the back window again and saw an invisible wave traveling across the city. Windows shattered and the road cracked. When the wave got to the car, it was flipped over with everyone inside. Shards of glass flew across the interstate. The car landed upside down, with everyone unconscious.

Tick… Dink… Crash

Hugo came too first out of the others. “Guys? Tia?” He crawled through the window onto the street. Around him was a cloud of dust moving with the wind.

Dink…Dink…CRUMBLE

“What’s…that…noise?” 

A pebble struck his shoulder. A rock smashed beside him, crumbling into pieces. He looked upwards to the mushroom cloud seeing a sky filled with falling debris. He quickly crawled back into the car, scraping his knees on the broken glass.

“Huh? Is everyone ok?” said Bobby. He unhooked his seatbelt and sat upwards. Adam and Marga started to wake up.

“Ow. Ow. Ow,” said Adam. His left hand was cut up by glass.

“What…what happened?” said Marga.

Hugo opened his mouth, but the debris came crashing down like heavy rain. The group stayed inside the car, waiting out the rain.