“You have to get comfortable with being alone Kai. Because no one can be there for you but yourself in the end.” My mother told me. I was but only 25 years old, visiting her in the retirement home, telling her about my recent break-up. It wasn’t anything special, I went through relationships like candy. I couldn’t stop, I wanted to find the one for me…But in the end, there wouldn’t be as far as my mother was concerned.
She looked up at me with her dad, blue eyes, waiting for a response. I couldn’t answer her because I knew…she was right. No matter who you ended up with, you have to care about yourself too. At least, that’s what I was taught. And that’s what I went with.
My name is Kai, I work retail, nothing special, I live in a bachelor apartment that was more pricey than it looked on the yellow pages. I have a simple life. Had…had a simple life. Ever since she said those words to me, I felt a change woman. I should be happy by myself. And I was.
I went home to my shitty, quaint hovel of a home, kicked off my shoes, and turned on the T.V. It was more for background noise than for watching. In a way, it gave me comfort. I went into the kitchen to pop in a T.V dinner, macaroni and cheese today. And I stood there, not just waiting for the four minute timer to go off, but staring into space, thinking about my mother’s words. “You have to get comfortable with being alone.”
DING!
I snapped out of it, and took my dinner out, stirring the macaroni so it covered itself thoroughly with the cheese…and that’s when I heard it…the EAS going off on my T.V.
“This is not a test. I repeat. This is not a test. Lock your doors and windows and wait until further notice. Don’t let them see you. Maybe God help us all.”
I abandoned my dinner, and creepy up to my blaring T.V, staring at the scrolling letters that now interrupted a re-run of Friends. The message repeated itself at least four more times before the T.V shut itself off…and all of the electronics in the house as well as my lights. It was eerily silent. No one yelled in anger at the sudden electricity shut off, no cars seemed to pass on by either the more I thought about it.
I shakily sat down on my couch, dinner ignored, as i took out my phone to see if I could look at the news. But my phone wouldn’t turn on no matter what I did. I even tried putting it on the charger, but that would be impossible that it was dead because I know for a fact it was at least 80% battery charged.
I jolted up from my sitting position and ran to the door, locking it, checking my two windows locks to make sure they were secure. I sat back down on my dad excuse for a couch, and bit my nails, terrified. In all of this silence, I still didn’t hear anyone or cars passing by.
I wished I knew what happened outside, but after 30 minutes passed off me sitting on the couch, almost shaking, I decided to open my door.
I know…it was stupid of me, but some part of me knew that I had to go outside, almost like some invisible force was beckoning me forth. The view outside was almost normal, save for the lack of people and vehicles…So I took a few steps, my dead phone clutched into my hand. Nothing happened. The world seemed silent.
I decided to go to my neighbors next door, it was an apartment block after all, and ask what the hell was going on.
As soon as I knocked, the door swung open slowly as if they forgot to close it properly.
“Hello?” I whispered.
“Anyone here?” I said a bit louder. No answer. After checking both rooms, no one was home.
And that’s how it started. I checked all 20 apartments in this block, all doors were unlocked for some reason, no one was home. It’s as if no one has ever lived here.
I ventured further, going out past the gate area, to the world outside. And to my shock…No cars, no people. It’s like everyone vanished.
“You have to get comfortable with being alone.” My mother’s words flashed in my head again.
“Hello!” I cried out, tears forming, and running down my cheeks as I cried out again and again. Nothing but my voice rang across the parking lot. I searched everywhere, wondering as far as the next set of apartments, checking each door. But it was the same for three blocks…equal to 100 apartments. I was alone. And I had no fucking clue what happened.
I checked my phone again, gasping as it came to life, the warning silently flowing across my screen. It read: “Stay inside, lock your doors and windows. Do not let them see you. Do not let them take you. If they see you, you are already dead.”
My screen went to black again, completely unresponsive. I looked up from my phone at the empty surroundings. Who would see me? Everyone is gone…is it possible some unseen force rapidly took everyone from their homes but me?
I will never know. I’ll wander to the Plaza nearby, hoping to find someone…ANYTHING. I have never felt so alone…But my mother was right…In some way, I am comforted by this.