I remember when it happened; The Event. I remember what came next.

I was seventeen, sitting in my living room with my family Christmas morning. Everyone was so happy, and cheerful. For the most part that is.

Two years ago

"So did you like your presents?" Mom asks, sipping on some hot chocolate.

"Yeah," I nod with a small smile.

I had enjoyed them, but my nerves have been giving me a bellyache all morning.

The news has been talking about a meteorite heading our way for weeks now. Some people are convinced that it's going to miss us, while others are certain it's going to hit us.

It's not just some small rock that's going to hit a field and mess up a farmers crop or a supermarket and make people rebuild the building.

No.

It's huge. Big enough to wipe out a few large cities. The collision would cause major earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and so on.

Mom and most of the family are a part of the many people that think we're perfectly fine. Dad, however, has been watching the news religiously, waiting for the news reports of a meteor strike. I have been staying up late at night with him, watching the news, waiting for any news telling us whether or not we're safe.

"Sam," mom smiles softly, "you don't need to be worried. Everything is going to be fine."

"Yeah," I nod again.

It seems like that's all I've been able to do lately; nod and agree, nod and agree.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom," I get to my feet and go upstairs, headed straight to dad's room.

"Hey, kid," he greets me with his gruff voice, eyes never leaving the television screen as he sits in his chair.

"Any updates?" I ask, leaning against the door frame.

"It's gonna hit," the words aren't panicked, merely a matter of factly sort of tone.

My heart rate, on the other hand, skyrockets.

"What are we gonna do?"

"We wait," he answers, gently rocking back and forth, "they've started evacuating Louisville and everything in a one hundred and seventy mile radius. It's not gonna be enough time."

I try to imagine a map in my head, tying to remember how far away that is from us. Thought geography was never my strongsuite, I know that we are just barely out of that radius.

"We have to get everyone out of here," I hurriedly go to my room. Grabbing my school bag, I dump it out on the floor, and being stuffing clothes into it.

I grab my little brother, Jared's, clothes and stuff then in as well, before going back to dad's room.

"Sam," dad calls as I start grabbing a duffle bag and putting his and mom's clothes into it, "Sam."

"What?" I glance at him quickly before continuing.

"There's not enough time," he sighs.

"We still have to try," I shout.

He just shakes his head.

"Get Jared, and get to the truck, my keys are on the hook," he starts, "get outside, out in the open away from any trees or buildings, wait for the quakes to stop. Then drive west, just keep driving 'till you get to Colorado springs. Grandpa Mike has a bunker there."

"But what about you and mom?" I can feel tears build up in my eyes.

"We'll just slow you down," he reaches his hand towards me and I take it, "take care of Jared, Kid."

He pats my hand as I nod and go back to Jared's room and put his clothes into the duffle bag along with a few more of my own. I hurry down stairs, looking for my little brother.

"Mom, where's Jared?" I ask as I enter the kitchen.

"He's outside with your cousin," she answers nonchalantly, "he wanted to watch the meteor pass."

"It's not passing," I shout as I run outside, "Jared!"

He turns to look at me.

"Come on," I grab his hand and pull him to the door, "we gotta go."

"But I wanna watch the meteor," he cries.

"It's gonna hit," I shout to everyone, hoping they will listen, "it's not passing. They're evacuating cities. We're just out of range but we have to go."

"Honey, everyone is gonna be fine," mom says softly, "you're just listening to your father's paranoia."

"Mom," I speak so that only she can hear me, "it's on the news. They're evacuating Louisville and everything in almost two hundred miles of it."

Her jaw drops as she stares at me, eyes starting to well up with tears. She looks down at Jared who's still pouting and gets down to his level.

"Jared, sweetie," she says softly, holding his face between her hands, "you need to go with your sister, okay? Mommy needs you to be brave. Stay with Sam."

"But I wanna stay with you," he whines, "Sammie's mean."

"I know," she lets out a sad chuckle and tucks some of his thin blonde hair behind his ear, "but I need you to go with Sam."

She stands back up and pulls me in for a hug.

"Take care of your brother," she whispers in my ear.

"I will, momma."

She lets me go and heads into the house with us, grabbing the duffle bag and hurrying out to the truck. I grab the keys and go with her, only a few of my other family members are heading for their cars, too.

I unlock the doors and toss the bag in the back seat, mom does the same with the duffle bag. She then helps Jared get buckled up, giving him one last kiss on his head.

"Be a good boy for your sister," her tears finally start to trickle down her cheeks, "remember: mommy and daddy love you."

"I love you, too, mommy."

The gravity of the situation doesn't weigh him down like it does for mom and I, he doesn't understand that this good bye is very well the last.

Mom closes the door, and comes to the driver side window, giving me a sad nod before backing up so that I can drive off.

Present day

That was the last time I saw our parents, the last time I saw our home, and the last time I waited for everyone else to agree before taking action.

It was the last normal day of my life.

Now you must hunt, or be hunted.