This is the diary of Allie Syles, I’m 16. I’m here to tell my story. If you’re reading this, remember, don’t go outside.
We’ve all been told that since we were little. My mother always tells me stories of how it was when the outside was safe. But we ruined that, we wouldn’t stop hurting the earth, and now we’re paying for it.
It’s 7am, time for school, I walk to the door with all of my things. I catch my breath, ready for the run. I open the door and run as fast as I can to the car, quickly jumping in and shutting the door. I see one of the creatures look at me through the window, and then turn and disappear.
That’s how we all live our lives, you have to make it to shelter before it gets you. You have to run. You have to hide. You’re safe as long as you’re sheltered. The creatures are tall, slim, and black. They have no eyes, just a very wide grin, full of sharp, blood-covered teeth. They have very long arms, with wretched claws. If they catch you, there’s no chance. They turn and you’re gone with them, no one knows what happens to you until your mangled body shows up a few days later. Exactly where they caught you.
I drive to school and try to catch my breath. I get to the school, and park my car. They keep all the parking spots close to the school, there’s entrances everywhere. I park next to the closest one with a free spot, collect my stuff and catch my breath. I run into the building. I didn’t see one.
There’s really no stress when you’re inside. There’s no way for them to get you when you’re inside. I get through the school day, boring, useless shit as usual. I get ready to leave, I grab all my stuff and sprint out the door, straight to my car. I make it and slam the door, just as a monster slams its face into my window. It grins at me, and slides his claws down the glass.
I sit there for a while. That was too close. I stare out the window, and watch people dash from the school to their cars. You can see the faint shadows of the monsters behind them. You can’t see them well until they’re very close to you. Sometimes you never know they were behind you until you get inside and turn to look out a window or a door, and you see them grinning. They grin because they know they’ll get you some time, it’s just not now.
I drive home uneventfully. I get to my house, and collect everything. You have to make sure you get everything, because there’s no running back and forth. I sprint to the house, and make it safely inside, immediately locking the door. I walk to the living room, and turn on the TV, as I wait for my parents to get home from work anxiously.
The reporters are talking about the new invention of “security bubbles” that people can wear out so they don’t get caught. That has been an idea for years, but they’ve never worked because of the way they have to be designed. We could never afford those though, the government seems to be stuck on the idea that survival is only for the rich. A lot of inventions have been made to help people make it through as best they can. Drones deliver groceries because trips back and forth for the bags are just too risky. I watch the channel for the next few hours, when suddenly the power goes off just as a breaking news label flashes across the screen.
I hear my parents dash through the door and I turn, and the anxious feeling in my heart dissolves. But it quickly returns when I see the horrified looks on my parents faces. “What’s wrong mom? Dad?” I ask, but they don’t answer me. As I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong, I see the door handle behind them start to move. “HONEY, RUN TO YOUR ROOM NOW, MARK THE DOOR WITH RED PAINT. LOCK THE DOOR AND STAY THERE.” My dad screams as him and my mom push back on the door. I stand there in shock, but when I see the pure fear in his eyes, I listen.
I dash to my room, pull out my paint and quickly draw a line on the door before rushing in and locking the door behind me. I hear the door open, and a horrible, bloodcurdling scream from my mother. I look out my window and see my parents being dragged outside. Then the monster turns around, clutching my parents in it’s claws, and they disappear. I start crying in awful heaving waves.
I flick the TV on, and learn that the monsters can now come inside. You can mark only one room with red paint, and anywhere outside that room, they can catch you. I sit in my bed, and cry, hopeless, constant tears for the next couple of days.
The date is now December 18, 2022. I write this as I’m standing in front of my closed door. This will be the last entry in the diary of Allie Syles. Because I can’t survive in this world anymore, especially not alone. I am about to step out this door to my soon-to-be doom. But before I do, I must remind you, DON’T GO OUTSIDE.