9

Dallas frantically paces around the flooded home. Valerie finally looks up from her attempt to fix her ruined phone.
VALERIE: Will you please stop pacing? You should do something useful. Mom and dad are out there trying to help families who don’t have a house anymore. Plus you’re supposed to be watching Halo.
Dallas glances up at his sister and scowls.
DALLAS: Well you’re supposed to be cooking.
VALERIE: There’s a difference between having a job to cook, and a job to watch over a baby. Even if I was going to cook, I couldn’t. The stove broke because of the water.
Valerie points at the water.
DALLAS: Whatever.
Dallas walked out of the room. Valerie whimpers looking down at her phone.
DALLAS: Here’s the baby. I’ll cook or scavenge.
Dallas dumps the child into Valerie’s lap.
HALO: Goo-goo Goo-gaa
Halo starts giggling while Dallas stomped to the kitchen. Alyshea and Wayde walk through the front door.
ALYSHEA: Were home children! Valerie! Dallas! Halo!
HALO: Momma!!!
Alyshea heads to the living room to her baby.
ALYSHEA: Oh, Halo. I’ve missed you.
Alyshea picks up Halo and snuggles her.
VALERIE: Hey, mom. How many houses did you get to?
ALYSHEA: We only got to three because the wave completely demolished one house.
WAYDE: You should have seen the poor family, with their five kids and all.
VALERIE: That’s horrible.
Wayde walks over and gives Valerie a hug. Just then Dallas runs in.
DALLAS: You wouldn’t believe what the news said? Another tsunami is headed our way. It’s bigger and faster this time.