Chapter 1 edited @chatgpt
Chapter One: The End Begins
Tuesday marked the fifth day of our vacation. We had reached our cottage just outside Killarney, Ireland, and it was everything we had hoped for. We were finally getting used to the time change, and being early risers in the states was finally translating to Ireland. At a few minutes after 7 am, both Erin and I were ready for the short drive to the cafe.
When on vacation, we didn't turn on the TV, nor did we look for a local radio station while driving. Traffic was unusually light that day. The previous day, we headed for the cafe an hour or so later, and there were plenty of cars on the road ahead of us. But that day, driving on the wrong side of the road was much easier. Parking was a snap too. We managed to pull into a street spot just a few spaces up from the Lir Cafe in Killarney.
The day before, I had waited in line for 10 minutes to get a decent coffee. The people at Lir Cafe were pretty nice. That day, no one was in line, and the few people inside were gathered around a TV close to the ceiling in the back of the room. There was a news cast on, but it was vacation, so I didn't care. Our only annoyance was that the barista was watching the news and not making her way back to the counter to get our order. Erin took a chair near the window and was glancing out towards Muckross.
Finally, the barista noticed me. The look on her face was something else, and she was nearly in tears. Did our president die or something, I wondered? She walked slowly towards me behind the counter. "I'm so sorry," she said. "That's okay," I replied. I thought she was sorry for taking her time to get back to my order. "You are from America, right?" she asked. "Yes," I said. She applied a Catholic-like cross gesture across her chest, then looked back at the TV and said, "so very sorry, sir. We'll pray for your friends and family."
This was the moment when my hair stood up on the back of my neck. I got a sinking feeling in my gut. There was clearly something going on I didn't fully understand. That was hitting me like a brick right then, and I didn't get it. I looked over at Erin, who was still enjoying the beautiful blue sky outside. Then, I glanced back at the TV and saw an older gentleman turn towards me and walk towards me. "The girl," he said, looking at the barista, "said you are from the States?" "Yes," I replied. The older gentleman looked down at the floor. He was local, and I could tell by his voice. He looked back up and said, "really sorry. This is the worst day ever." He placed his hand on my shoulder. It was an endearing gesture, not hostile. "We'll pray for you, sir," he said. "What's happened?" I asked.
"Oh my God," the barista cried out quietly, "you haven't heard?" "No," I replied, getting anxious. "What happened?" "Oh my Lord," the man said, "your country, son. Your country has been destroyed overnight." "What?" I said. The man turned back to the six or so people under the TV. "Flip it to the emergency channel for the statement," he blurted out. "This man's from America; he needs to see the statement." His hand still on my shoulder, he looked back at me.
At 4 am Dublin time and midnight on the east coast of the United States, nuclear detonations occurred across the country following a complete power blackout believed to be caused by a computer hack. The detonations happened simultaneously and have affected the entire country, with no place in the mainland left untouched. Irish and British military services have reported that there were no signs of missiles, and it is suggested that the weapons were inside the United States when detonated. The explosions also impacted parts of Canada and Northern Mexico, but fallout is not expected to be a concern for the Islands and mainland Europe. Similar explosions have also occurred on the Hawaiian Islands and populated areas of Alaska.
The defense minister reports that nuclear explosions have occurred in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, in areas where American Naval fleets operated. Additionally, there are reports of fighting at military installations in the Middle East where Americans are stationed.
The situation has prompted government officials in Ireland to declare a national emergency, urging all businesses to close, and all personnel to return to their homes. The regular news cast has reported violence in Berlin and Norway, but details are scarce, and it is unclear if it is connected to the attacks on the United States.
As the message repeated, I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest. Looking at my wife, I saw the concern on her face, and I knew I had to tell her what was happening. The country we knew and loved was now upside down, and we had to make some quick decisions.