>>5404774“Well in any case, we caught the first flight back once we saw the news.” Your father explains with a grave expression. “It’s not every day you see a giant magical bubble surrounding town, Stan–there were people camped out around <span class="mu-g">CLEARWATER’S</span> perimeter for miles trying to figure out what was going on… scientists, military, reporters, hell, it was almost as big as that music festival you were conceived at!”
Bile rushes up your throat as your brain processes the last few words. <span class="mu-s">OH. MY. GOD.</span>
“Just kidding… that was <span class="mu-i">Sue!</span>” Laughs your father, prompting the sibling in question to glance over from his seat with silent rage burning in his calm, but intense eyes! “Funny story, though–your mother went into labor on a ferry leaving <span class="mu-r">CANADA</span>, so-”
<span class="mu-s">SO THEY SAW THE BARRIER, HUH? THAT’S VERY INTERESTING–TELL ME MORE! ABOUT THAT! ONLY THAT!</span>
“We didn’t stay for the chaos, of course…” Replies your mother, “We ended up staying nearby an-”
Aw <span class="mu-i">CRIPES</span>, ma, you groan, you didn’t stay in fucking <span class="mu-g">CUSTERVILLE</span>, di-
“<span class="mu-s">LANGUAGE!</span>”
Shit, sor-err, <span class="mu-i">SHOOT!</span> Sorry!
“No, honey, we’re not <span class="mu-i">THAT</span> deranged.” Scoffs your mother as she downs some more hot cocoa. “No, we stayed at your uncle’s.”
Wait, really? Where is he, anyways?
“Well you know ole’ Hector…” your dad sighs, “He catches wind of ‘<span class="mu-i">The Big One</span>’ and he bugs out for a few months… Couldn’t reach him on the phone or anything, but we still had some of those keys he gave us in an emergency-”
They stayed at his <span class="mu-i">house</span>? Aren’t you, like, never supposed to go t-
“Course we didn’t–even if I <span class="mu-i">could</span> find it it’d be boobytrapped to heck and back!” Your dad laughs! “No, we just tracked down one of the old fallout bunkers he left us a few years ago… a bit old, but <span class="mu-i">VERY</span> cozy, right honey?”
“Mhm!” Your mom giggles as she plants a kiss on your father’s cheek! “We drove to the barrier every day, Stanley–eventually the military started turning people away, so by the time the bubble fell the crowds were pretty much gone.”
Your ride out of <span class="mu-g">CLEARWATER</span> in the back of an ambulance was hazy at best, but you definitely recall seeing lots of <span class="mu-g">GREEN…</span> probably uniforms, right?
“Sounds about right…” Shrugs your father. “The news is calling it some kind of ‘<span class="mu-i">WI-FI Technology Malfunction</span>’, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the president makes a statement in the next few days…”
Dang, you think to yourself, you’d better buy some <span class="mu-g">TALK SHOW DUDS!</span>
>CONTD. 