HopeLess

The day was like any other. A gentle light peeked through the cracks in the blinds. I woke up, feeling a cold shiver run down my spine as I stretched out my legs. Packing my bags, I tossed books and my notes into my journal and ran downstairs, expecting to see my mom and 2 brothers eating breakfast at the table; There was an uncanny silence though. I walked down the stairs, dragging my feet behind me as wooden boards creaked and groaned beneath my feet. Turning the corner I called out, “ I’m up! I walked around to the living room and stopped at the entrance. There was no one there. It was strangely quiet. The house was remarkably clean, plates were set out, chairs tucked under the table. The time read 8:00 am. It was strage knowone was home. The school did not start till 9:00 and mom’s work did not start till 9:30. I ran my finger along the table feeling the surface of the table. A layer of fine dust had built up as it stained the tips of my fingers. I felt another shiver run through my spine down through my feet and into the ground. “This may have been a dream”, I murmured under my breath. It must have been just a quiet day, but my theory was soon interrupted. I opened the door to find know one was out. No kids walking to school, no cars buzzing past houses. The silence echoed through the open streets. Only the hollow sound of the wind blew through the neighborhood. My mind began to pour with questions. Was there an evacuation? Why is knowone here? All of a sudden, my heart sank into my chest as I felt a long breath of air escape from my lungs. I remember the strange events that happened the day before. More and more people missing from class on random…...a strange thought came into mind. What if everyone just, disappeared.

For a moment I thought about it but soon blocked out the idea. I walked down the street; The sound of my feet patting against the sidewalk felt like a hollow thud against a wave of silence. No scent was in the air. Only nothingness surrounded me. I felt a rough grumble in my stomach. I began to walk to the store. Again the theory rose but once more I denied the idea. Upon opening the door I looked around and realized once again there was no one there. Again I felt my stomach drop and realized it was no longer hunger that filled my gut. The worrisome feeling in my head now grew stronger, more present in my mind. In a panic I pulled out my phone and called my mom. I received an answer but the only thing I heard on the other end was some sort of ghost-like gibberish mumbling from behind the line. My hair rose against my neck. I hung up, but would later learn that this would be the same answer I’d receive for any other number I tried. Hot tears began to run down my face as they stung my eyes. My breath felt short and quick. I began to run, feeling my tears run off my face as I sprinted down the road. I felt no pain in my legs, only a deep ache in my chest. My breath sped up more. Running out of breath I stopped, standing in front of my house. The light is still on, the strange gentle sound of piano music playing softly in the background. I felt calmer but still a feeling of hopelessness settled down into my chest. The cool breeze blows away my tears, still slowly running down my face. I ran into the house and turned on the tv. No signal. Only a fuzzy blur of greys and color.

I tried to calm down, clenching my hands into tight fists and letting out a single yell. The sound was loud and shook the empty streets, echoing through the empty building like a stone hitting the water in a dark cave. My breathing began to slow as my heart slowly settled down. I ran upstairs and put my earbuds in, turning up my music as I tried to town out the rest of the world. Again my thoughts cleared, only my mind ran, playing the images of events, possibilities. A movie played in my mind. Soaring over buildings and roads, empty of people. My heart feeds a dying light. Slowly my hope began to rise, burning a deep pain from the confusion I felt. In Sudan jult my mind fell into darkness and closed my eyes. A light began to pour into the dark crevasse. I opened my eyes back up, the light slowly widening my gaze. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out a smile. I thought of freedom and packed my bags; Raiding through the cupboards, grabbing matches, cans of food and soup, pieces of jerky, a filter, an emergency kit, sleeping bag….I realized I needed to find others. I tied a bandana over my forehead as I cinched up the laces of my boots. Finally, I picked up a picture of my family and smiled, my eyes singing together in bitter sorrow. A small bead of salty liquid ran from my eyes. I wiped off the tear with my wrist. Walking to the grocery store I opened the door, filling bags with dried fruits, canned foods, and dry goods before leaving. The sun began to lower from the horizon. Shading my eyes with my hand, I pulled out a map and marked a dot toward the next large city that may have a connection. It was 50 miles to the closest large civilization. Hopefully, just maybe I would find others thair, although I faked hope I still pondered the reasoning for the disappearance of all the other people in the city. I hoisted my backpack onto my back, my ankle shaking for a moment from the weight on my back. Pulling back my shoulders I took one step down the empty road, then another, following this same pattern slowly down the rode. Right, left, right,...nodding my head to the rhythm of my feet. Slowly the city transformed into the countryside, light and tall buildings that tower over you like tall trees now plummeted into rolling hills and grassy fields, empty and desolate. I felt my breath rise and fall, the feeling of rattling in my chest as I took in air. The sun now hung low to the ground like a claw, its blades of light reflecting in an ominous mango glow across the seemingly endless horizon. I closed my eyes and thought of my family. I was stirred, but I kept on walking, one step at a time.