The Apocalypse

Dear diary,

It’s been 16 days since the apocalypse. I can’t overemphasize how much I miss the world before it ended. You already know this. But as the days go by, I wish for this new world to be better. I hope for better things in the future. It’s not easy but it’s all we have. Hope.

 Today, I want to try new things and make more friends. Yeah, more friends cos you know I already have some. Almost everyone here in Spring Hills have been great, save for Mallory, she’s still a pain in the ass. Josh and Adam have been a blessing, always sticking by me. Pearl is still in shock. I wish there was more I could do to help her everyday but there isn’t. She did lose her entire family in the apocalypse. And yeah, Josh still teases me about his cousin, Ramsey who I’m totally crazy about. Is it weird that I think of love in times like this? My mum and dad still argue about almost everything so why do I think about love? Love seems like a bad idea this period. But I can’t help myself.

Today is going to be great. I have to think about positive things if I’m going to survive. If we’re going to survive. See you later, Diary.

Stephanie read the words she had entered in her diary again before she closed it and kept it inside her underwear drawer, under her underwear, just in case her younger brother, Peter, went through her things. Again. Her diary was one of her best friends at the moment and the only one she shared her inner most thoughts with. It wouldn’t be fair to burden her three best friends with her own issues, everyone already had enough on their plate. 

Josh was an orphan, even before the apocalypse. He kept moving from foster home to foster home till he got to the foster home here in Spring Hills, where Stephanie lived with her family. She, Pearl and Adam had accepted Josh into their clique faster than the speed of light. Then Pearl and Adam had started dating, leaving Josh and Stephanie to hangout alone some times. That was when Stephanie had suggested they search for Josh's real family, if he wanted to find them. He had agreed and with Stephanie’s father’s contacts, they had begun their search.

They found out Josh’s parents had died. His father had died before he was born during a war in Vietnam. He was a soldier. His mom died few hours after he was born. The hospital couldn’t find any records of his mom and they didn’t know his father. His parents were never married. He found out his mother was just a woman his father needed for company those days. That was a different blow to him but he did find family after more digging. His father’s only brother was alive and lived in Spring Hills too. He was married and had a son, Ramsey who was just a few years older than Josh. He went away to college sometimes. They were really happy to know that Josh existed. And they accepted him into their home. Then the apocalypse happened and Ramsey’s mom was lost. Ramsey happened to be in town when it happened.

Adam was an only child of rich parents. His parents were constantly nagging him to be better because he would take over the company some day. Hanging out with Stephanie and Pearl was how he could escape his parents. The apocalypse then happened and things weren’t so rosy any more for his parents business. He had to be there for them this time.

Pearl had been the most jovial of them all till she lost her mother, father and older sister in the apocalypse. She had been with Stephanie, Josh and Adam at that time. If not, maybe she would have been lost too. No one knew though. But sometimes she wished she was lost too, or dead. She zoned out a lot. Stephanie, Josh and Adam, had been there for her, but she still cried herself to sleep every night.

It was Stephanie who had started calling what had happened the apocalypse. For they still didn’t fully comprehend what had happened. People had suddenly vanished into thin air all over the world. Half of the world’s population was gone. Planes had crashed for even pilots vanished. Ships had become stuck in the ocean for sailors vanished and the passengers had no clue how to navigate a ship. Cars had bashed into cars on the roads and accidents had occurred. The hospitals weren’t sufficient enough as doctors and nurses vanished too. Industries had shut down. Police stations had become inefficient. The whole world was in pandemonium.

Stephanie felt terrible for her friends. It felt like her own issues were nothing compared to theirs. Even if she hadn’t lost her brother or her parents, their constant bickering wasn’t pleasant. She sighed as she heard them yelling at each other again. She wore a red polo and blue jeans trouser. She found her black sneakers and wore them too. She left her room and went down the stairs.

She passed her parents bickering in the kitchen, they didn’t even bother to ask her how she was or were she was going to. She used to take Peter to his friend’s house when their fights started but her mom had forbade her from taking her son anywhere. Now she felt sorry for him as she left the house to meet up with her friends. She, Josh and Adam had volunteered to help out in the hospital. It was their senior year in High school but school had stopped 16 days ago, as expected. Everyone was trying to survive. The scientists who hadn’t vanished were trying to find out what had caused it and if it would happen again. The religious leaders in town and across thr globe who hadn't vanished held prayers and fasting. The Mayor of Spring Hills had vanished, but the deputy hadn’t. She was in charge now.

“Hey you,” Josh said to Stephanie as she walked towards them.

“Hi, how are you guys doing?” she said, hugging them.

“We’ve been better,” Adam said, putting his hands into his pockets.

“Hey, we talked about hope and positivity, didn’t we?” Stephanie chided.

“Sorry mom, I forgot I was talking to you. Yes, hope and positivity.” Adam tried to be positive.

“Good. Who's watching Pearl?” she asked as they walked to the hospital.

Adam sighed, it definitely wasn’t easy for him. He didn’t know what to do to make Pearl feel better. “My mom is. She has decided to be nice,” Adam said.

“That’s actually nice of her,” turning to Josh who had remained silent, she asked, “how are your uncle and Ramsey?” 

“They’re good.” Josh had a mischievous grin on his face.

“I know that look, Josh,” Stephanie said, “what shenanigans are you up to?”

“Nothing, I swear.” Josh raised his hands up.

Adam laughed at that. Which meant he knew what Josh was up to. Stephanie looked at her two friends and decided not to ask further. She’d find out soon enough what they were hiding. They walked by empty houses and run down shops. The roads were still filled with empty cars. The town had almost gone into chaos earlier on but the people had come together to make things work again. They got to the hospital after about fifteen minutes. They walked to the entrance and Stephanie spotted Ramsey sitting in the waiting room. His legs were crossed and he looked really handsome. 

Stephanie started to turn around to leave but Josh turned her right back towards Ramsey.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Stephanie asked, gritting her teeth.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Josh asked her.

“Oh, oh, now I know why you were grinning from ear to ear before. You knew Ramsey would be here.” Stephanie whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” Josh asked.

Stephanie stopped walking and dragged his ear.

“Ouch,” Josh yelled. “Adam could you go over and keep Ramsey company? Stephanie and I will catch up,” Josh said to Adam. 

“Of course I knew Ramsey would be here. He’s my cousin and we live in the same house,” Josh said as soon as Adam left. “And I also convinced him to come.”

“Why is he here? Josh you know how I am around him. I can’t even make a full sentence. I stutter and—”

“Could you stop talking already. Steph, you look out for us a lot but who’s looking out for you? You make our happiness your priority and forget about yours. Look, I know you have stuff going on at home, even if you don’t tell me. And I know you like Ramsey. This is the only way I can think of bringing a little smile on your face, the way you’ve tried to do so for us. Hang with Ramsey.”

Stephanie sighed, “I don’t know what to say to him, Josh. I might blow it. Besides, we are in rough times. Ramsey lost his mom. What makes you think he’d want anything romantic right now? This is not the time for this.”

Josh took her hands and said, “just talk to him the way you talk to us. Then see how everything goes, okay?”

“Fine,” Stephanie pouted.

“That’s my girl. Let’s go.”

They walked to meet up with Adam and Ramsey who were already having a conversation with the nurse on duty.

“Good day, Nurse Abigail,” Stephanie and Josh said at the same time. Stephanie avoided eye contact with Ramsey who was already staring at her.

“Good day to you too,” Nurse Abigail replied. She was a sweet old lady who loved working with them. “I have drawn a time table for your rotations. Josh and Adam are with Nurse Cynthia in wing A, while Ramsey and Stephanie are with me.”

Stephanie swallowed, clearly stunned. She looked at Ramsey who smiled back at her. His white teeth flashed and her heart beat faster. She looked away from him.

“I always work with Josh and Adam,” she protested.

Josh gave her a look she didn’t understand. Adam just chuckled. Ramsey looked a bit hurt.

“Well, Ramsey has offered to help today so we have decided this is how the rotation will be. I’m sure Josh and Adam can do without you for today,” Nurse Abigail smiled.

Stephanie sighed, clearly defeated. She avoided looking at Ramsey again. They took their lab coats and gloves from Nurse Abigail. Josh and Adam left with Nurse Cynthia who had come to join them. 

Ramsey walked with Stephanie, behind Nurse Abigail.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you’re avoiding me,” Ramsey finally said.

“W-What? Avoid you? No, I’m not. I-I am not,” Stephanie stammered. Shoot, she was making a fool of herself in front of the guy she really liked.

Ramsey cast her a side glance as they walked on, “if you weren’t avoiding me, why would you remember you had something to do whenever I came around to meet up with you and your clique? Why would you give excuses whenever I invited you all to the house? Why didn’t you want to do your rounds with me now?”

Stephanie sighed, she didn’t know what to tell him. How would she tell him that she actually avoided him and it was because she was shy around him. Luckily, she was saved from replying that moment as they met their first patient. They helped arrange the ward and pick up dirty linens. They made other rounds and Stephanie still had nothing to say. Finally, they had a break from work.

“Let’s get something to eat,” Ramsey said to her.

Stephanie laughed, “there’s little or nothing in the cafeteria. Most of the food is left for the patients. I’m surprised Josh didn’t tell you this.”

Ramsey smiled, “it’s good to see you laugh. Anyways, Josh did tell me about the situation of food here. That is why I prepared something for us.”

Stephanie looked stunned, “you cooked?”

“Yeah I did, left someone trustworthy in charge of the food at the cafeteria. Now that I think of it, I don’t know how trustworthy one can be when it comes to food.” Ramsey said.

“We better get there now,” Stephanie laughed.

“We better get there,” Ramsey agreed.

They ran to the cafeteria together. Ramsey found Roberto, the chef he left in charge of their food. Luckily their food was still intact.

“Thank God, Josh would have killed me.” Ramsey said.

Stephanie laughed just as Josh and Adam met up with them and they all ate the French fries and ketchup that Ramsey made. Afterwards, they went back to work. Stephanie had opened up a bit since lunch and could talk freely with Ramsey. The rest of the day went pretty well. She made new friends with the patients and she spent the day with the guy she liked. It was a good day indeed.

She said good bye to Josh and Adam while Ramsey offered to walk her the rest of the way home.

“You never did answer my question,” Ramsey said to her on the walk.

“What question?” she asked, confused.

“Why you avoided me. Today was different, you didn’t have a choice. So you had to stick with me and admit it, I’m pretty good company.” 

“Ramsey,” Stephanie stopped, under a maple tree, “I was avoiding you, for good reasons though.”

Ramsey turned and looked into her eyes, “what reasons?”

“You lost your mom. I didn’t know how to be there for you. It’s different with Pearl, she’s my best friend but she’s grieving too. And the truth is, I don’t always know what to say around you. It’s easier when Josh is around but then, it suddenly wasn’t easier.”

Ramsey moved closer to her, “You had a lot to say to me today. Why did you think you didn’t before?”

Stephanie swallowed. Ramsey was so close to her. If she moved just an inch, she could kiss him. She could kiss him and have her fantasy become a reality. She could feel her heart jumping in her ribcage, wanting to be set free.

“Because I like you,” she blurted out.

Ramsey smiled and held her face in his hands, “you avoided me because you like me. Tell me something, do you still want to avoid me?” 

“No, I don’t. But everything is different now. We need to rebuild our world. We need to focus on more important stuff. There’s no time for lo—”

She couldn’t complete the word “love” because Ramsey brushed her lips with his. It was a brief, sweet kiss that left Stephanie’s legs feeling like jelly.

“There’s time for love, Steph,” Ramsey said to her. “I don’t want you to avoid me because I definitely like you too. I want to go through this period with you, by my side. I don’t want to reject love because tomorrow isn’t even promised. We still don’t know what caused the vanishing or if it’ll happen again. I’m done wasting time. I want to be with you, if you’ll have me.”

Stephanie was speechless. She was so worried that Ramsey wouldn’t be interested in love that she had blocked her mind from it too. But here he was, clearly crazy about her. She smiled.

“Of course I’ll have you.” She put her hands round his neck and kissed him deeply. This time it wasn’t brief. 

Imagine her luck, finding love after the apocalypse. Today was indeed great. They’d take one day at a time. She had Josh, Adam, Pearl and now Ramsey. She had her little brother too and her parents, even though they still quarrelled. She’d take one day at a time. Hope was all they had. She raised her right leg up as she kissed Ramsey. She couldn’t wait to tell her diary about her romance.