“Hi, Mum. It’s Claire.” She picked up the photo on her bedside table of herself, her parents and Lucy all together at Lucy’s university graduation. They all looked so happy. Her father looked particularly chuffed. That was the last time she’d been home and seen her father in the flesh.
“Oh, Claire. Thank goodness.” Claire could hear the relief in her mother’s voice. “ I was trying to call you, but the blasted computer voice kept saying I couldn’t make international calls.”
“Are you okay?” Claire asked, and then wanted to take it back. Of course she wasn’t ‘okay’. What a silly thing to ask.
“Yes. No. I don’t know, darling. I haven’t slept yet. I can’t. How are you? How are the boys? Tom?”
Claire paused.
“I don’t know how I am, Mum. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. The boys are fine, they don’t know what’s going on. Tom’s… Tom’s in Vancouver. On a business trip.” Her voice caught at the end of the sentence.
“Oh, sweetie.”
“It’s okay. He’s going to come home as soon as he can, and then we’ll figure something out,” Claire said firmly.
“I hope he’s safe.”
“Me, too. Have you heard from Lucy? I emailed her yesterday, but she hasn’t replied.”
“No, I haven’t. I’ve been trying to call her, but she’s not picking up her phone.” Liz sounded worried.
“It’s still pretty early over there, maybe she’s asleep still. Don’t worry about it yet. But I do think she should get out of Melbourne as soon as possible. The mood here’s a bit frightening, and there’s already been reports of rioting in Los Angeles and other places… she’ll be safe with you and Dad on the farm.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’d want her here anyway. And you and Tom and your boys. I wish you were closer, Claire.”
“Me too. I’m sorry, Mum.”
They spoke for a few more minutes. Claire wanted to speak to her father as well, but he was already out in the paddocks and had left his mobile on the kitchen table. Unreachable for now.
“Take care of yourself and my grandsons,” Liz said.
“I will. You take care of Dad. I’m sure you’ll hear from Lucy soon. Try Jess if you haven’t by lunch time. I think I have her number here somewhere.”
“Good idea, yes, I’ll do that. Keep in touch please, darling.”
“I will. Love you, Mum.”
“I love you too, sweetheart. Oh, wait, I think I heard Dad, hold on.” Claire could hear her mother walk out and call out her father’s name. She heard her dad’s rumbled reply.
“Okay, sweetheart. Here’s your father.” Liz must be worried. She didn’t usually use quite so many pet names.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Hello, Clairebear.” Claire slightly relaxed as the deep, familiar voice of her father filled her ears. She lay back on the bed.
“I’m scared, Dad.” He was one of the few people that she felt comfortable admitting that to.
“I know, we all are. It’s a bit of a shock, for most people.” Claire frowned at the light hanging above the bed.
“Most people? What do you mean?”
“Well, I just. Well, that is to say…”
“Spit it out, Dad. What do you know?”
“Well now. Your mother doesn’t approve, and I don’t want you to go telling her this, I’ve already tried.”
“I won’t. Go on.”
“Well, the thing is, I’ve been seeing a fair bit of old Jim lately.”
“Jim? Jim who?” The only Jim that Claire could think of was Tom’s uncle, and unless her father had been sneaking off to Canada and not bothering to see her, which she did not find at all likely — then she didn’t think he meant Uncle Jim.
“Old Jim Schmidt. From down the road?”
“Oh. That crazy old teacher?”
“Now, Claire, that’s not a very nice thing to say about the man.”
“Sorry, Dad.”
“He may have a few, hmmm, stranger ideas, but he’s a very smart man. He was helping me out with some fencing a while back, that’s how we got to talking.”
“Okay…” Claire wondered when her father would get to the point.
“Anyway. He’s known about this asteroid, this Cecelia one to be precise, not just any old asteroid, the sky is falling claptrap like some have been spouting—”
“But how?” Claire interrupted. “How did he know? It wasn’t until those NASA people came forward…”
“No, well actually, Claire, people have known. The right people just weren’t listening. I’ve been listening — Jim pointed me in the right direction, and showed me enough proof too.”
“Hang on, Dad. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t think anyone would believe me. I know you all think old Jim is a few stubbies short of six-pack, and I don’t want you thinking that of your old man as well.”
“But, Dad.” Claire scrunched up her fists. “I could have come home…”
Her father was silent for a few moments.
“You wouldn’t have believed me,” he said sadly.
“Then why didn’t you come here? I haven’t seen you in almost two years!”
“I sent your mother.” Claire thought back to the rather sudden visit from her mother four months ago.
“But…”
“I’m sorry, Claire. You’re angry with me now.”
“No, Dad. I’m not angry,” Claire sighed and realised she wasn’t. “I’m just tired, and sad, and scared, and I’m worried about Tom. I’m worried about you and Mum and Lucy, and I can’t help any of you.”
“Knowing that you’re safe helps me.”
“It’s getting scary out there, Dad,” Claire said in a small voice.
“Well, that’s really what I wanted to talk to you about, sweetheart.”
“What?”
“You having somewhere safe to go to sit this out.”
“You mean wait to die?” Claire half sobbed, half laughed.
“No. Well, I hope not.”
“What? What do you mean?” Claire asked.
“I haven’t told your mother this yet. I’m waiting for the right time.” Claire had to press the phone harder into her ear to hear him, his voice had gone so quiet.
“Speak up, Dad. I can barely hear you.”
“Sorry, love. I think there’s a chance — maybe even a good chance that we might survive this.”
“What? How?” Claire stared unblinkingly at the radio. She didn’t even know why they had one, they barely ever turned it on.
“According to Jim, and from what I’ve been reading, we have a chance to survive, as long as we’re prepared.”
“Dad… this is…”
“I know, I know. I know that they’re saying this is going to be catastrophic, and no doubt it will be. The earth will not be the same. A lot of people are going to die. But… Claire? Are you there?”
“Yes, Dad. I’m here,” Claire said quietly.
“Well, like I was saying,” she could hear her father cough to clear his throat. “Like I was saying, it all depends on how prepared we are, and where it hits. Obviously if it lands on top of us, we’re goners, but if it lands far away, then… then maybe there is some hope.”
“Hope…”
“Claire?”
“Sorry, Dad. What should I do?” Claire reached out and touched the framed photograph of her, Tom, Noah and Tristan that sat by her bed, next to the one of her parents and sister.
Bill sighed in relief. “Well, you need to get out of the city for starters.”
“Yeah, Lisa and I have been talking about that — we’re planning on going to Lisa and Tom’s uncle’s place. He’s got a dozen or so acres a few hours away. It’s in a pretty remote area.”
“Good, good. What kind of supplies does he have? Does he have a bunker?”