Wake Up Call

Surely there must be a simple explanation for this. A scientific one. A reasonable one. A religious one. I don't know which one I want more as long as a reason or excuse for these events is given to me and my family both.

Eric sits across the room, the initial shock of the day simply a passing thought. Perhaps we had all come to the same conclusion: the event took place in Denver Colorado only: the event is fake and we were all worried for no reason.

If this is indeed real then I wonder if Ella and Charlotte are alright? Are they safe? Did they survive? If they survived, did they become monsters?

Mom fell asleep right after I did and Mr. Michaelson returned while I was sleeping saying the entire neighborhood is in shambles and our house is the only one that didn't get hit. I'd consider us lucky if the events to come weren't so horrific.

Mr. David Michaelson reaches above me to the lantern: the only light available in the room, and uses it to roast a marshmallow until it's black and crispy before blowing on the black blob, and devouring the gooey delicacy.

Marshmallows are one of the many other foods stored in this room along with chips, saltines, canned vegetables, packaged tuna and chicken, paper plates and bowls, plastic sporks, cereal, goldfish, and much other food. The room is probably the size of Harry Potter's room in the cupboard which is probably why we call it the Harry Potter room. All of the food is stored in the cabinets deep into the room, reaching into the middle of the house. There are also trash bags and the door locks from the inside. Sleeping bags scatter the floor and where there was once a stack of pillows hangs the lantern giving us light since the electricity went out. My phone is at 15% and I wonder to myself what will happen once the juice finally runs out. Will we be able to communicate with the outside world?

Mr. Michaelson confirmed the disaster outside but he didn't confirm a zombie apocalypse or people exploding and glowing. The only thing confirmed is our house is still standing and the trees and houses are all burnt to a crisp or still burning. Mr. Michaelson said he grabbed his water hose and helped to get rid of the fires but when the man who owned the home came outside and saw him, he thanked him before bringing out a pocket knife and trying to end David's life. Mr. Michaelson, out of self defense, preserved himself by taking the knife, slicing the other mans gut, and running as far away as he could so as not to cause a scene.

This means there isn't a zombie apocalypse. It also means I can't trust anyone because anyone who survived the light from the blasts could be a traitor, evil, and try and kill us after gaining our trust. Zombies aren't intelligent like this in the movies. They aren't zombies. They're assassins, come to take over the world starting with the human race. I fear that once our numbers are more than diminished enough, our attackers will come to take over. It seems like the most appropriate scenario.

What has humanity done to benefit this planet? Pollution, that's what. Littering, that's what. Cutting down trees, that's what.

Trivial question: Which gas is there more of in our atmosphere?

A) Carbon dioxide

B) Oxygen

C) Nitrogen

D) Carbon

The answer is nitrogen.

Why did I do that, you ask? Answer: So you'll learn something.

Plants and trees do this thing called photosynthesis which turns carbon dioxide into oxygen which we need to breath. Every time we let out a breath, carbon dioxide is released and we cannot breathe in carbon dioxide. The trees help us to live. Humans don't even deserve them.

Perhaps this is the reason behind the trees burning. Exploding people still haven't been proved in my eyes but I'll believe almost anything now. Perhaps it's a disease infecting humanity. Perhaps this virus is from a higher power, telling and showing us we are damned to this new hell they have created.

Aliens, I think. Or maybe I'm trapped in a video game like SAO except with glowing people and an apocalyptic theme instead of swords, levels and dungeons.

How long will we stay in this room? Hours? Days? Weeks? I know the food will last at least a few months but I start to feel claustrophobic and find myself reaching for the doorknob.

"Where are you going?" David asked nonchalantly as if this were the most normal situation in the universe and everything was fine. I felt like if I turned around he would be casually licking some ice cream but I tell myself that can't possibly be the case because there isn't electricity and even if there was, there isn't a freezer in this room.

I turn to look at him. He sits on the floor beside my mother staring up at me with calm eyes, searching mine for something. I'm not sure what it is he's looking for but maybe he's sees the panic in them, maybe he can hear my heart beat jumping in my chest and beating against my ears. Maybe he can sense my unease or see the glisten of sweat across my forehead, making my hair oily at my hairline. Maybe it's why he asks. Maybe he's asking if I'm okay without actually asking.

I open my mouth to speak and find I have no answer. Where exactly do I want to go. My hand on the door knob tightens and I quickly turn the knob and step out. As soon as I do, a gust of cool air greets me, making me take a deep breath of air. I hear Dave inside shuffling around, trying to come after me so I close the door and walk upstairs to my bedroom. I close the door, locking it and quickly freeze when I hear a shuffling behind me. Someone's here with me. I turn around as slowly as I can, afraid and find myself wishing I hadn't locked the door and made my escape or rescue that much harder. Once I've turned completely around, I realize that there is a child on the roof, crying. She's got burns all over her and a part of me wants to close the curtains and ignore her, pretending I hadn't even seen the pitiful ball. Her brown skin seems to glisten with sweat, tears, and blood. Most of her wounds look crispy at the edges, as of it's been a while and the blood has dried up. How long has she been sitting there, crying? I wonder if she tried to get into my room. I wonder if she needs help. Could she explode any moment?