The television gives off slight buzzes and noises as Scarlett's hand desperately clicks through channels. Her eyes open wide, mouth parted, short pants escaping past her dry lips, her legs slightly shaking and her mind flooded with disbelief and horror. Finally, the television clicks to the news channel and Scarlett’s breath hitches. Her eyes scan over the colors on the screen, taking in every little thing the news man is doing and saying. Suddenly, her shaking legs give out under her body and she tumbles to the floor. The news man continues to speak out her worst fears: war. Scarlett holds her hands to her face and starts hysterically crying. How could this actually happen? Why would something this extreme and unrightful actually pass through the dominate government? To the nation’s horror, a war has started and the United States is at fault.
The front door of the empty house slams open and Scarlett’s mother comes rushing in. Her own tears roll down her red tinted cheeks and her wild eyes taking in her shaking daughter on the white, carpeted living room floor. Not wasting a second, Scarlett’s mother runs over and pulls her broken daughter into her arms and gently rocks them back and forth. “Oh, my poor Scarlett.” Her mother mumbles out, wiping the fallen water drops off Scarlett’s face. Numbly, Scarlett stares off into nothing, wishing for different results from the last election. However, both mother and daughter know it’s too late to change what has already happened. The impulsive man has started something that cannot be undone or ever forgotten. And because of this, Scarlett’s father and her two older brothers must be shipped off to fight in the terrible act of hate.
*****
The house stood unmistakably silent. Scarlett shifted from her curled up position on the carpet and sluggishly sat on the couch. Once again, the garage door swings open and the footsteps of her brothers and father break the ear bursting silence. Jason and Matt, Scarlett’s brothers, walked slowly into the living room. They glance at Scarlett, shake their heads, look down and make their way up to their rooms in order to pack. Next, her father walked into the living room and offered Scarlett a soft, sad smile - a smile Scarlett could not return.
“Hey, Scar.” He greeted, taking a seat by his only daughter. Scarlett hummed in reply and threw her arms over her best friend and supporter. No tears released. No words spoken. No movement. Silence. The silence drifted through the home, the home that was shattering at its very core.
*****
“I will make American great again!” He yelled out into the buzzing crowd, slamming his hand down on the podium. Scarlett rolled her eyes, there’s no possible way he will be elected. He spoke words of anger and hate. He spoke words of an uneducated man who had no experience within the political field. He spoke words of an egotistical, grown man who has gotten everything handed right to him at the simple click of his fingers. This man wishes to run a country, but doesn’t pay taxes or provide any good for this said country. His vile words deeply anger Scarlett.
“I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me. I’ll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay-” Click. The television turns back. Scarlett holds the remote out in front of her. An angry scowl painted her lips and she shakes her head in complete disapprovingly. ‘Make America great again’, my butt.
The night of November 8th, 2016, struck fear all throughout America. He has won.
*****
“Don’t forget about me, sis.” Matt attempted to joke as he packed away his belongings. Scarlett shakes her head and offers her brother a small smile.
“Scar?” Her father calls, “can you help me with my last bag? Your mother is helping Jay.”
“Yeah.” Scarlett responds while making her way inside. Scarlett and her father each grab a bag and walk back out the the overflowing truck. Scarlett stuffs her father’s bag in the backseat and slams the door closed before the bag was allowed to fall and spill out on the cement. Scarlett sighs and sags her shoulders. It’s time.
Before anyone uttered a word, Scarlett runs up to her father and throws her arm around him. She tucks her head into his neck and tightens her grip. Slow tears start to stain her cheeks once more. Scarlett’s mother and brothers join in on the family embrace. The birds chirping in the distance is the only thing keeping this family locked up in reality. The reality that is pulling apart families everywhere. Piece by piece, the world peace breaks away until there is nothing left. Fear will soon reign over everything, everywhere.
*****
“Why are you still here, you stupid mexican?” “Yeah, you ain’t gonna be here much longer.” “Leave. Your kind isn’t wanted here.” “Trump will get rid of your sorry butt.” Hurtful, harsh, vulgar words are shouted at Maria as she walks down the school hallway. Maria’s head hangs low, arms clutching her textbooks close to her chest and legs walking as fast as they can go to leave this unspeakable torture. The orange man hasn’t even been elected or stepped foot in the Oval Office, yet he has already made a massive impact in society.
Furious, Scarlett steps out in front of the crowd and takes a grip of Maria’s hand, stopping her from walking away. “Listen up, you uneducated underclassmen.” Scarlett shouts loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the hall. “You have no right to treat this women like scum under your feet. Now, I suggest you actually listen to the debates and pay attention to what’s going on and not shout out nonsense you hear people on the tv say. Oh, also, take american government. That way you’ll actually understand how everything actually works and know the roles of the president and the fact that he, or she, can’t just click their fingers and change laws. Now, scram, before I get the principle involved in your childish behavior.” The halls quickly empty out and teenagers rush away to their next classes.
“Do you want to eat with me at lunch today?” Scarlett asks ignoring what just previously went on. Maria wiped away her fallen tears and nodded. Scarlett just made a new best friend.
*****
Scarlett walked around the house one last time, making sure everything was packed away and ready. Her mother was at the store picking up any last minute essentials and food. Scarlett, her mother, Maria and Maria’s family had spent the last two weeks setting up the bomb shelter that sat in Scarlett’s backyard.
Scarlett shut down the main power line connected to the house. Her numb fingers rework the system so that it is securely connected to the underground shelter. With a long sigh, Scarlett walks outside with bags thrown over her shoulder. Maria sits on the deck with her own bagged goods.
“Okay, guess we should probably start putting this stuff away.” Maria speaks up. Scarlett sighs and nods. Together they walk over to the sealed door. Scarlett enters the long password, that has been drilled into her brain ever since the new president was elected. With a slight beep and hiss, the door slowly opens. Scarlett grabs a bag and chucks it down the circular hole. The bag falls seventy five feet and hits the bottom. Scarlett and Maria continue this with all the bags full of clothes and non breakables. Once that was finished, Scarlett slowly crawls down the latter. At the bottom she pushes all the bags deeper into the shelter to make more room for her feet and more bags.
“Alright, send them down in the basket. I’m ready.” Scarlett shouts up, tugging at the makeshift lever that will be used to safely bring down the valuable goods. Maria slowly sends down the first bag, Scarlett brings it down using the rope and gently sets it on the floor. The process is repeated until the girls got every last bag in the shelter.
Maria and Scarlett set to work putting everything away. “Girls? You down there yet?” Maria’s mother speaks through the walkie talkie.
Scarlett picks up the small, black device and responds: “Yeah. Do you need any help getting stuff down?”  
“Please, girls.” Maria’s mother says. The girls get up help get everything down.
The two families sit in silence. Everything is locked up tight and they are ready to endure the first night in the bomb shelter. It’s going to be a very long time before they will be allowed to see anything on the surface again - that is if there is anything left to come back to.
*****
Scarlett sits in front of the tv. Her eyes sting from the constant connection with the different colors. Every once in awhile, the tv loses signal and turns into black static. Hope is slowly diminishing from Scarlett as the days drag on longer. They have been stuck there for four months now. Not one word has been told about the health and conditions of her brothers and father.
“Watch out-- bomb-- expected-- America-- anytime-- safe.” The tv chokes out through lost signal. Scarlett tilts her head to the side, wondering what just went on and what that was all about. Shaking her head, Scarlett turns her attention back to her phone and plays different apps to pass the time. Finally, the tv catches signal again, causing Scarlett to snap her head up to watch. Like always, the news is playing and white words sit on a bright red background: breaking news. Scarlett sweeps her eyes across the words. Her eyes widen and her breath hitches. Frantically, Scarlett opens her mouth and shouts out, “Mom! Mari-” BOOM! The sound effectively cuts her off. The tv is covered in a blinding, white light. Black letters sit in the upper right hand corner: LIVE. It has started.