Tariki and Sashi sat in the corner of the shelter, huddled together, tears streaming down their soft cheeks like rivers.
They sobbed, devastated by their brothers death.

"It... W-was my f-fault..." Tariki inhaled between her words as she cried.
"M-my fault h-he died-d."
"What!? How could you say t-that!?" Sashi pulled back from her sister, her green eyes locking into her sisters hazel ones.

"M-my f-fault." She said through sad gritted teeth. Tariki knew what her brother was going back for.

She held her hand out to Sashi and opened it, revealing a shiny, silver, key.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryah awoke, hitting her alarm with her fist, trying to shut it off.

"Mmmmmm..." She hummed, not wanting to get up.
Yawning, she sat up and slumped forward, her eyes still closed.

The automatic blinds opened, revealing the horizon and multiple other skyscrapers, shining in the now risen sun.

6:53 the red numbers on the clock read, as she swung her feet to the side, throwing her black comforter off, back onto the bed.

Yawning again, and this time with a wide stretch, Ryah was ready to get ready.
Sliding off her bed she went straight for the bathroom, and a little while later she came out, blackish-red hair wet and a white towel wrapped around her.

She walked a bit further, going into her huge, white, walk-in closet.
Ryah quickly picked out her normal outfit for work.

An all black suit with a dark red undershirt and white tie.
A maroon hairtie held back her long locks in a medium bun on the top of her head.
Sliding on her socks, she then grabbed black, thick heeled, boots, and slid them onto her feet, the top going halfway up her calf.

She walked back out, now ready for her, eventful day.
"I hope nothing too crazy happens today..." She said to herself, almost sarcastically, with a roll of her gray eyes.
She slid on a silver watch, a black and white bracelet, and clicked a pearl necklace around her neck.
She glanced at her clock.
7:22. Perfect timing, yet again.

Ryah just knew something would happen that was out of the ordinary.

But wasn't that always happening at the White House?

After all, they had sent a bomb strike yesterday to Mirkari... for a reason that was unknown to even herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two sisters sobbed into each other's shoulders still, their only thoughts about their brother.
Their parents came over, tears streaming down their faces also, as they both hugged the younger siblings.

Later, their dad walked to the hatch, twisting the bottom lever to the right and swinging the door open.

Ash almost immediately fell in, causing the father to cough.
He waved the air with his hand, getting the ash out of his face, and stepping up the ladder, peering his head around his beloved town.

Silence.

Darkness.

Death.

Another tear rolled down his face as his head turned, taking in the devastating scene.

He looked back in the bunker and motioned for the others to come with a slight move of his hand.
They slowly walked over, Tariki followed by Sashi and then their mother.
Their father stepped up out and helped the others, choughs coming from them as they breathed in the ash filled air.

"P-papa..." Tariki cried, walking over and collapsing onto her knees, sobbing. "Why...?" She cried and he walked over, hugging her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Coffee, Mr. President?" Ryah asked, holding up a tray of six cups.
He took his cup, opening the lid, getting a faceful of steam. "Does it have cre-?" "Yes sir. Just how you like it." She smiled and nodded.
He gave a chuckle of amusement and put the lid back on, and taking a sip.

Ryah walked away, serving the other people in the Oval Office.
The last cup on the tray had her name on it, and she finally took a sip.
Fortunately, it was cooled down just enough to where it was no problem drinking it.

Soon later, the presidents phone rang, causing immediate silence from everyone in the room.

"Hello, president speaking, who is-"

"Why?" The male voice says shakily.

"Excuse me...?"

"What did we do?"

"Sir, I don't know who you ar-"

"The wrath that is heading your way will be devastating to your beloved country." The man says, audibly gritting his teeth.

"Sir, please elabor-"

"You deserve it."

*Click*

"They hung up?" The President speaks after a long pause as he slowly returns the phone to it's spot.

"Get the Army ready." He speaks in a low tone, a hint of fear with it.

"But sir wh-?" Ryah asks, stepping towards him, but quickly being cut off by the President.

"Just do it." He says sternly. "I am afraid we... may have started a war..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The father walked over, patting Tariki's head slowly, tears quiuietly streaming down his face as his daughter sobbs.

Sashi looked at him, a saddened and confused face.

They had made it to their leaders quarters as fast as they could, demanding a phone call to the United States.

He finished, shaking out of anger as he set the phone down easily, taking a deep breath.

"Sashi, Tariki. I need you girls to promise me something." He goes over to them and looks them both in their bright colored eyes.
They nodded simultaneously.

"Never, ever, let our family's statue get taken from your grasp. Got it?" He spoke, holding both of his daughters shoulders as they gave him a reassuring nod.
"And especially not along with the key."

Tariki's shaky and sweaty hand still gripped the shiny key.
"I will... We will not fail you father." Tariki spoke up, her voice steady and determined. Sashi nodded in agreement.

"Good." He nodded and gave them both a kiss on the forehead.

He stood and turned to the man who gave him the phone call.
"Thank you."  He nodded and gave a small smile as he turned to leave the large house.

"Rohai!" He spoke to the father as he spun back around.

"Yes?"

"You better have something good for those filthy people, destroying our land like that." He told him, as Rohai nodded.

"I have something they'll never expect." He flashed the smallest smirk before walking, what was left of his family, out of the large wooden doors.

"Not in their wildest dreams~." He mumbled to himself with an almost evil smile as the doors slammed behind him.

*****************

[Total words
1089]