“I need to learn my Skill, of course.”

I put my hands on my hips like a superhero, feeling an inflated sense of optimism from the buff. The children laughed, puffing out their chests and mimicking me.

“That’s great,” Ren chuckled, “but do you have any idea on how to do that?”

“I want to learn my Skill too!” Theo jumped up between us repeatedly with his hand waving in the air.

“I don’t think you guys can get skills,” I mused, glancing down at the six kids. “I mean, isn’t it tied to our phones?”

“But I got the message too! From Ren!” Theo protested, pointing to his teacher accusingly. Ren raised his hands defensively.

“I’m not sure that’s how it works,” I reply. “He used his Skill on you. That doesn’t mean you can get one.”

Theo deflates, his arms drooping dramatically to the floor.

“But the thing said everyone will get one,” he whined, tears in his eyes. Geez, he wasn’t this upset even when the zombie had gotten in.

“We don’t know how this works yet,” Ren comforted him, “maybe you will still get one.”

“Ren!” I hiss, bumping him with my elbow. But he shrugs.

“He’s right, Maisy,” he says, pulling his phone out. “It says anyone can get one. And I don’t want them discouraged. Whatever little hope we can give them, we should,” he told me, smiling down at the children. I let out a sigh but don’t argue anymore. I don’t entirely agree, but it’s fine for now.

I start stuffing juice boxes and snacks in the backpack, tossing in whole boxes of fruit snacks and whatever else I can grab, filling it until it’s uncomfortably heavy.

I check my phone every once in a while, worried the next challenge will start and I won’t notice. But it remains unchanged and I slide it back into my pocket.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Okay, next thing,” I clap my hands together as Ren wipes crumbs from Kena’s mouth. “We need to change pull ups and go potty.” The kids complain and I roll my eyes. I guess some things never change, even when the world is ending.

Ren and I wrangle them. While he helps the kids sit on the toilet, I grab more pull ups and wipes for the kids who still need them. Benny, Kena, Greyson, and Ravi are still in pull ups, while Cassidy and Theo have moved to underwear. For them, I grab spare sets of clothes and underwear. I also grab the first aid kit from the bathroom, stuffing it on top before zipping it up.

“I think we’re ready,” I tell Ren, slinging one of the packs on my back and handing the other to him.

“Almost,” he replies. “I’ll be right back.”

He runs off, darting off back to our classroom before returning with a rope in his hands. I look at him quizzically.

“It’s the walks rope,” he explains, unwinding to show the loops along the length for the kids to grab onto. “I thought it might help keep us together.”

“Good idea,” I nod. The kids each grab a loop, as well as some of them grabbing Ren’s and my hands.

“So here’s the plan,” I go over it one more time. “We go to the grocery mart a block and a half up the road, see if there’s anyone to help or a phone to use. If that doesn’t work, we keep going up the road a half mile to the fire station. We all got it?”

Several voices chime ‘yes’ and ‘okay’ and I smile, despite gritting my teeth to steady myself.

“Okay,” I say. “Here we go.”

The kids gawk at the sky as we exit the building, Cassidy cowering in fear closer to me at the strange hissing noise the lightning makes.

“I know,” I pat her back. “It’s alright.” I began to walk the opposite way I’d gone when I saw the sun bleached area. Pulling out my phone, I check to make sure nothing has changed. I wonder how long it will be before the battery dies and am surprised to see it’s the exact same as when I first got the notification. Huh, weird. Not as weird as everything else though.

“So, how’s you gonna get your power?” Theo asks excitedly, skipping and swinging the rope. Ravi gives him a grumpy look as he pulls the rope back and forth but Theo doesn’t notice.

“I’m curious too,” Ren looks over at me. I give a noncommittal noise and shrug.

“I don’t really know,” I say honestly. “I don’t know how this stuff works. Should I just start doing random stuff?” I karate kick the air with flourish and Ren chuckles.

“I guess? I kind of found mine by accident,” he admits. “So I’m not much help.”

“I wish I had a power,” Theo grumped, kicking a pebble.

“Well, what would you pick?” I ask, trying to cheer him up. He immediately perks up, raising is head and saying enthusiastically, “Anything! As long as it’s really cool!”

I laugh at his child-like response.

“You seem pretty calm, even though lots of crazy stuff has happened,” Ren comments. “I’m glad you’re not nervous.”

“Course not!” Theo says proudly. “This is just like the games my brothers play! I see them kill zombies like that alllll the time! And other stuff too!” He begins pew pewing again and Ren and I exchange looks.

“Let’s hope it’s not zombies next time…” I mutter. “That was…awful.”

“Yeah,” Kena agrees, scrunching her nose. “And stinky.”