2012: Bay of Destruction

[HighwayUnicorn]

You know exactly what I thought of that chapter, Tele.

Brilliantly written and I loved the whole idea behind Roo's death.

Absolutely fantastic, well done.

Now ... I'll just go and hide seeing as it's my turn next ...

Carina xxx

[TelephotoMarigold]

I'm reliably informed that there will be an update soonish....

Keep watching this space....

Right Carina??

[HighwayUnicorn]

Yes ... I'm working on it guys. I haven't forgotten about it ... honest ...

[~Zoe~]

^ thats good, as I've just read this from the start & its very good!

[TelephotoMarigold]

<Taps fingers on desk and shoots impatient looks at Carina>

[HighwayUnicorn]

Sorry readers ... sorry Tele ... it's coming together, bit by bit Hopefully ... You can take a look at it if you want <that's aimed at Tele by the way>

And then, yeah, you can see if it's going okay ...

[HighwayUnicorn]

Update within the next few days guys! Sorry it's taken so long. I'm working on the chapter right now and then I just have to run it past Tele and Zetti for editing and that's it. It will be updated no later than Tuesday!

EDIT: I have now finished the chapter but it still needs to be checked. Once either Tele or Zetti has checked it, then it'll be posted, so yeah ... keep an eye out for an update.

[HighwayUnicorn]

CHAPTER SEVEN

The diner was bustling with old and new customers. To the untrained eyes, it seemed like any other day, nothing was overly different but the fact was that it was different. The world had changed and it wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“So what is our next step?” Xavier asked Dex who in turn looked at April.

”Boys” she chastised.

“Well ...” Xavier shrugged as he sat down at the table and looked over Dex’s shoulder. He still felt awkward being around them. They were the brainiacs of the group compared to him.

“April?” he questioned her, needing an answer as to what was happening.

Before she could reply, Colleen headed towards them, a notepad in her hand and a pen in the other.

“What can I get you all?” she asked them in her usual tone.

April turned and smiled at Dex, giving him the confirmation he needed as he replied to Colleen.

“Two chocolate milkshakes please, Mrs Smart and er ... Xavier?”

The young boy turned his head and looked up at the older lady.

“The same please” he murmured as Colleen jotted down the orders and headed back towards the kitchen.

Drumming her fingers on the wooden table in front of her, her jet black her hanging loosely over her shoulders, April sighed heavily before speaking.

“We need to find out what’s going on” she murmured in a soft tone.

Xavier nodded, his features blank.

“How?” he questioned, before looking at Dexter.

Dexter sighed heavily.

“Why do you always ask me?” he asked rhetorically before he looked up and saw Colleen, who was pushing her way past customers, who were gathering in their crowds to be served.

Without saying a word, she placed the tray on the table, removed the glasses from it and placed them on the table before taking the tray again and leaving the teenagers to it.

Taking a glass, Dexter began sucking on the straw, taking a sip of the chocolate milkshake before speaking.

“Right” he began. “I’ve worked out the formula” he stated. “I’ve figured out the chemical balances and ... there’s no easy way of saying this ... from my calculations, the world will end. Next year.”

A snigger emitted from both April and Xavier as Dex revealed his final two words as he sat there, puzzled by their reaction, it wasn't as if he hadn't already told them already. Oh great, and now the sudden demise of the human species and the world as he knew it had affected his grammar with his sudden preoccupation with the word “already.” Still, he consoled himself, there were worse things than just the repetition of a word. LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD, he thought, in capitals, with bold and underlining.

“Okay, Dex, you can’t be serious” April giggled. “The world can’t end!”

“Really?” he questioned, his bushy eyebrow raising slightly, looking at April in question.

“It can’t” Xavier smiled slightly, yet wasn’t able to fully convince himself that he was correct in his statement.

The rustling in his bag signalled that Dexter was reaching inside of it to retrieve the bits of paper in which he had used to work out the formula and come to the conclusion about the end of the world.

“He’s right” April murmured, having read the calculations herself.

Xavier peered over and read the letters upside down, practically illegible. However, he had come to the conclusion that even reading it properly; it wouldn’t have made sense anyway.

“But with this formula” April began, stuttering over her words slightly. “It means anything could happen” she added.

“Anything?” Xavier gulped, appearing worried.

“Anything” Dex confirmed. “Comets, tsunamis, earthquakes ... you name it, it’s possible.”

“But how?” Xavier murmured in question. “I mean, how can we stop it? Can we stop it?”

April turned to Dexter. “Dex?” she questioned.

“Well I can’t change the calculations, even if you did pay me. We have to change the formula, the input into the situation as severe as this” he murmured, day dreaming slightly, as if attempting to imagine his heroic attempt at saving the world.

“How about” April began, “although it might not work ...”

“Well whatever it is, I’m sure it will April. Your ideas are pretty awesome” Xavier intervened.

Sighing, April continued her sentence.

“We could start a campaign?” she questioned, unsure of the idea she had thought of. “Then at least that way, everyone will know what’s going on” she confirmed.

Dex nodded slowly, contemplating the prospect of him wearing a sandwich board and putting up posters to warn Summer Bay that the world would be ending next year.

“We’ll hand out leaflets and get everyone together and have meetings” April rambled as Dex continued to day dream. “Okay, Dex. Are you even listening to me?” she asked, nudging him with her elbow.

“Ouch” he murmured softly, although the pain was non-existent. “Yes, I heard you. Leaflets, meetings” he repeated.

*

Looking at her watch, Indi sighed as she realised she still had another hour until she completed her shift at the diner.

“Thanks for helping out here, love but would you mind going out there and cleaning the tables for me?” Irene asked the young girl politely.

Picking up the blue cloth, she headed outside into the diner and began to clean the tables, noticing that Dex, Xavier and April were already in the diner.

She headed towards a table near the three of them and began cleaning, listening into their conversation.

As she wiped the table, the circle motion that she was guiding the cloth in began to enlarge, before she stopped and joint the others in their conversation.

“This seems ... secretive” Indi murmured with a wary smile as she pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Dex thinks the world is going to end” Xavier told her.

Shocked, Indi leant back, slightly alarmed at the revelation before Dex filled her in on the happenings in Summer Bay.

“Really?” she murmured. “You’re serious?” she asked, confirming his statement.

Dex nodded. “Yes, I’m certain. The calculations are correct, there’s no stopping it.”

The four of them sat in silence, as Indi averted her eyes towards the entrance of the diner, Romeo entering. He too made eye contact with Indi, before she quickly looked away from him, the pair still not talking to each other after Romeo had slept with Ruby.

Shuffling in the opposite direction uncomfortably, he found a table in the diner to seat himself at.

“Excuse me” Xavier muttered before he stood up and headed over towards the table where Romeo had decided to sit. “Can I?” he asked Romeo as the other boy nodded, indicating he didn’t mind his friend’s company.

“So” Romeo murmured.

“So” Xavier attempted to keep the conversation flowing.

“What were you guys talking about?” Romeo asked him.

“Nothing much” Xavier lied, not wanting to inform Romeo of the news just yet, especially without Dex’s permission. And besides, Xavier knew he wouldn’t be able to explain it as well as what Dex had done.

“Right” Romeo muttered, unconvinced.

“Dex thinks the world is going to end” Xavier blurted out uncontrollably.

“What?” Romeo smirked slightly.

Xavier nodded.

“Come on” he encouraged, as the boys got up and headed towards the table where Dex, April and Indi were sitting.

There was silence between the group before Romeo finally plucked up the courage to begin the conversation.

“So, you think the world is going to end?” he asked Dex.

Dex nodded. “Yes. According to my calculations.” he added.

“We were discussing how we will let everyone in the Bay know” April joined in with the conversation.

“Leaflets, meetings, and maybe even sandwich boards” Dex mumbled.

Romeo nodded.

“So are we doing this together?” Romeo asked, cautiously.

“Not with you” Indi snapped. “You don’t do teamwork. We were a team, remember?”

“Well, we could do the leaflets?” Xavier suggested, in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing.

“Sounds good” Romeo smiled.

“Me and Dex could sort out the meetings? Get everyone together? Put up posters to advertise it?” she questioned as she looked at Dex who nodded.

“And then Indi” April began, “you could ...”

Indi shook her head. “I’m not doing anything” she told her firmly. “Not if he’s here” she gestured to Romeo. “Not after what he and Ruby did to me.”

Before anybody else could say anything, she stood up from her chair and stormed back to work.

“Hey” a voice chirped as Indi began working behind the counter in the diner.

“Hey, Nicole” Indi quickly greeted the young girl.

“Okay, what’s up?” Nicole asked, looking at her friend whilst she slowly rocked baby George in his pram.

Slamming down the cloth onto the counter, Indi folded her arms across her chest and sighed.

“Romeo” she murmured. “Dex was talking about the world ending. He’s worked out everything about why all this bad stuff is happening and he said the world will end next year. Then me, April, Dex and Xavier were discussing it and then Romeo just waltzes his way in here and joins in with the conversation” she muttered angrily.

“The world will end?” Nic question, clearly worried.

Indi nodded. “Yeah. Apparently, the others are going to hold meetings to let everyone know what’s happening and give out leaflets” she murmured.

Nic nodded slowly before smiling at Indi.

“Anyway, I’ll let you get back to work and I’m going to talk to Dex” she told her friend.

“See you” Indi managed to smile before she got back to work.

“Count me in” Nicole suddenly joined in with the conversation that Romeo, April, Dex and Xavier were having.

“What?” Dex asked her.

“Count me in” Nicole repeated. “I have George now and if you’re right, which you most likely are, then we need to sort this out, for George’s sake.”

Dex nodded.

“Sounds good. The more people that are getting to know, the better” April spoke softly.

“So, what can I do?” Nicole asked as she sat down at the table with the group, before they filled her on the information they needed to.

Twenty minutes later, Indi appeared once more, having finished her day at work.

“Right” she murmured. “What’s going on now?”

The group looked at each other and smiled as they realised that with more people joining together, they could potentially save the world from ending next year.

[Red Ranger 1]

Oh boy.Loved the way Xavier kept blurting out that the world was going to end.The image of Dexter going around shouting "The end is nigh" is rather an intriguing one...

[Inactive User]

Great chapter. Enjoying it so far Update soon xx