Scarlett gave a sigh, and Skylar said, “Here we are, last day before we have to leave, so let’s wring the last bit out of our holiday. We’ll do everybody’s favorite things at Te Papa, andthen—”She put up a hand as Scarlett opened her mouth to object, “and then we’ll get a bite to eat at a café before we head over to the Cake Tin for the match. In fact, let’s walk there. That’ll be a fun adventure.” She was quite proud of herself for tossing off the stadium’s nickname so lightly, although that wasn’t exactly a PhD level of cultural literacy in New Zealand.
“Why would we walk,” Finlay said, “if we can drive?”
“Because walking will be much more fun,” Skylar said. “So many other people will be walking, too. Like a parade. Like a celebration.” Also because she didn’t want to maneuver the enormous people-mover through the crowds of pedestrians and cars, or attempt to find the VIP parking area in the dark. How much easier just to walk? She’d bet it would even be faster, especially getting out after the match. “Go find Olive and George and Georgia,” she told Finlay, “and tell them to get ready, please. Everybody use the toilet first, also. We’ll meet back here in fifteen minutes.”
She heard Scarlett say to Finlay, on their way out, “Your mum’s really bossy.” Finlay, for once, didn’t get into a barney about it, but answered, “Well, so’s your dad. He’s bossyandscary. At least Mum’s just bossy.”
She’d take that. She guessed.
26
DECISION
Around five o’clock at the museum—which had definitely been a good idea—Skylar said, “We have about half an hour left before we have to leave and get something to eat. What does everybody want to do?”
“Te Taiao!” George said. “The nature place. That’s the funnest.”
“Finlay said, “It’s more for little kids, though. All about bugs and things. Well, the Quake House is exciting.”
“If you haven’t already done ittwice,”Scarlett said.
“It’s a bit scary, though,” Georgia said. “When you go in the house and it shakes.”
“That’s OK,” George said. “I’ll hold your hand, and we’ll practice together. It’s good to practice anyway.”
“Drop, cover, and hold on?” Scarlett said. “That doesn’t take much practice. It’s only three things.”
“Practice is always good,” Skylar said. “Let’s go do that, then.”
“We should have a vote,” Scarlett said.
“We could,” Skylar said, “but then we’d spend all our time discussing and voting and wouldn’t get to goanywhere at all. Te Taiao it is. And one last time at the Quake House.”
Scarlett acquiesced without more argument, which was something. The kids weren’t actually doing terribly together now, despite the occasional flare-up. Of course, there was the thing with Zane, which Scarlett seemed still to be harboring resentment over, but what could Skylar do about that? Other than not seeing him again, which she somehow seemed to be completely unwilling to do, however wise it would be for her peace of mind.
It was probably more that the end of a holiday was always a bit unsettling and disappointing, and combined with your dad playing a rugby match against the Irish? Well, yeh. She’d give Scarlett some grace on that, and assume that Zane could work things out with his own child. Everything wasnotup to her, because she wasn’t the Queen of the World, or the Designated Fixer, either.
When they reached the head of the queue to get into the earthquake simulator, they had ten minutes left. Perfect. The kids would get a little thrill, would tell each other they wouldn’t be that scared in a real earthquake, even a bad one, because they’d all already felt some, hadn’t they? That earthquakes were actually pretty exciting. Finlay would say that the loudest, of course. And then they’d go get Chinese food—cheap and filling—and take that walk to the stadium. Brilliant plan. Even Scarlett could get on board with that.
Filing into the darkened room, then, with the image of a kitchen projected across one entire wall. So cleverly done was it that you’d swear the peoplewerejust there, Mum and Dad and kid, fixing cups of tea, turning to the screen and offering one to their “guests.” Chatting about their day when …
Some screams when the shaking started, and George had his arm around Georgia, the two of them dropping to the floor and crawling under the table the same way the peoplewere doing in the kitchen. “Drop, cover, and hold on!” the parents in the film were instructing as the floor shook. A gentle roll, then a sharper one, and?—
At first, she wasn’t sure what was happening. Had the museum turned up the shaking since the last time they’d visited? Then a bigger jolt hit her, and the room was swaying. Actuallyswaying,the floor rolling under them like a ship at sea. Another jolt, the hardest one yet, and she staggered and fell. The dim lights flickered, then kept doing it.
A quick, horrified moment of realization, and she was grabbing the kids within reach and shouting, “Drop and cover! Hold on!” Getting them down, then reaching for Scarlett, who was somehow still standing on the rolling floor.
Finlay was there before her. He got up from his knees, grabbed Scarlett, and pulled her down with him. Saying something, but Skylar didn’t hear. She was over the other kids, her arms spread. There was a noise like creaking and groaning all around them. Overwhelmingly loud, and she braced herself as best she could with her knees, kept her arms wide as if that would somehow protect everybody, and thought,It’s a big one. It’s bad. We’re OK, though. We’re OK.
An alarm blaring now. A fire alarm?OK. If there’s a fire, we’ll get out. We’ll evacuate. The building was designed to withstand this. It has to have been. Earthquake and fire both.
She didn’t realize for long moments that the shaking had died down, maybe because her heart was hammering so loudly. The creaking and groaning was quieter, though, or was it? The blare of the alarm stopped abruptly, and a voice replaced it. A mechanical voice, or a recorded one.
“All visitors to the stairways. Stay away from windows. Climb the stairs to Level Four or Five. All visitors to Level Four or Five. Stay away from windows. Do not leave the building. All visitors to the stairways.”
Kids crying around her. Confusion. People picking updropped belongings, voices high with fear and some excitement. As if it were a movie. As if it were a video game.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Good. Now move.
