Science Fiction

Population 0:


It was too cold when I woke up.

My room was always hot--a known fact in my household. I sleepily felt my way to my cell phone. I read the time. 


10:10 AM


Huh? 


I lowered my phone and tried to figure out what was going on. Maybe my clock was just off. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, blinking a couple of times. It never adjusted. I thought that was odd, but I was tired. I was listening to the sounds of the darkness when I realized something that made my blood run cold. There was,

No. 

Snoring. 


It’s not even a joke either. My father snores so loud, I can hear him even in my deepest cycle of sleep. So naturally, I begin to panic. Grabbing the flashlight of my phone, I ran/stumbled to the window. I stood at the window for 20 minutes, staring at… nothing. No one was outside. Not a bird, not even a piece of paper. It was a Saturday, people would be out, clubbing, and being stupid. What was going on?


I checked the lights. They didn’t work. I was bewildered. I was in basketball shorts so I sloppily put on some warm swear pants and ran down to my kid brother and sister’s room. They weren’t up, playing around as they’d usually be. I didn’t hear heavy, stomping footsteps and loud giggling as they ran back to bed and snuggled underneath the blankets, pretending to be asleep. I creaked open the door. Nothing. Not even a breath. Nobody was there. 


I burst into my mom and dad’s room, and nobody was there. Had they left me? No. No, they wouldn’t do that. They were out, at my Auntie Loo’s house grabbing a couple of battery-powered lights for this obvious blackout. No big deal.


My nerves were instantly calmed. I took this as a good thing and even watched a bit of television, which looking back at it, shouldn’t have even come on if we were truly in a blackout. 


3 hours later, my nerves began to spike. But I reassured myself. Don’t be silly, I thought. They’re just talking for a really long time. 


Then a day passed. I wouldn’t have even know if I hadn’t checked my phone for a call once an hour because it was still dark. Still pitch itch black. Still, I assured myself. Maybe it’s too dark to drive with the babies in the car. A storm is probably coming. 

 

Then another day passed. And I couldn’t trick myself anymore. My heart raced as I picked up my phone. I dialed my mother’s number. Straight to voicemail. A choke escaped my throat and I held back a sob. I deep lump sat stubbornly in my throat. I called again, and again, and again. Voicemail every time. I then began to call every number in my contacts. To voicemail again. 


I banged an angry hand on the table. And then I did it again. My hand hurt, but it felt good, so I hit it again and again and again until my knuckles turned red with blood. 


I began to calculate. I needed to get out of the house and go searching for people. I began to gather my coat when I realized I might never come back. I took a second to process this. 


I ran back upstairs. I needed some things. I grabbed my sports bag and stuffed it with non-perishable foods. Halfway through I realize I may need a change of clothes and water and blankets and more important things. I would need something big, but light to travel with. I searched the house up and down and finally found something. I huge black leather backpack. I put it on my back. It was light enough and hugged nicely enough to me that I wouldn’t have to worry about it sagging. This would have to do. I grabbed a small drawstring bag too, just in case. 


I grabbed non-perishable foods, about 7-10 cans and stacked them neatly at the bottom of the bag. I grabbed some small plastic bowls that my brother and sister used. I smiled as I picked one up from the cabinet. On the bottom, it had scribbles on it. It was… it was me. I took a second to look and then snapped out of my daze. I’d see them soon enough. 


I grabbed a couple of blankets and compacted as I’d never done before. I grabbed 5-8 fat water bottles and stuffed them into the bulging drawstring bag. 


I tried to think of what else I could possibly need. I had everything, food, water. 


And no memories. 


There was room for one last thing in the backpack, so I slowly walked up the stairs. I walked past my parent’s room and mine. I walked into the kids’ room and I grabbed their blankie.


Descending back down the stairs, I grabbed a flashlight and I opened the front door. 


Stepping outside I marveled at the sky. For the first time ever in my life, I could see every star and every planet. Constellations and shooting stars and milky ways. It was amazing. But I couldn’t see the sun. 

A huge black planet sat sadly in the sky. I realized then. The sun had gone out. 


So how was everybody else gone? My heart beat hard and I ran back in the house. I grabbed a pocket knife. It’d just occurred to me that the absence of humans means the population of--


Grrrrrrr….


I spun around slashing wildly as a huge Jaguar pounced on me. Slob from the animal sank to my bottom lip and I recoiled, throwing the Jaguar a bit. It’s back legs stumbled over mine and I took the chance to throw my legs over my head. When I was right side up, the Jaguar came for me once more and this time, I swung more accurately. I brought the knife down on its paw and it scurried back. 


I was dusting myself off when I noticed a collection of snakes across the street. The animals had taken back what was rightfully theirs. Earth. 


I brought my hands up to my neck and realize the Jaguar had left 6 deep puncture wounds in my shoulders. I hadn’t even noticed with all the adrenaline pumping through my blood. 


I placed a shocked hand on my soaking shirt. When I pulled it back, blood was staring right at me. I got lightheaded and tried to walk back into the house. 


Everything went dark, and I collapsed on the stairs. 


 


When I woke, I was being tended to by a woman with long black hair. I was in and out of it, feeling I was dying more and more with every blink. “How?” I muttered reaching up to touch her. She shook her head. “Shhhh,” she whispered, and I fell back asleep. 


In my dreams it hit me: 

I wasn't the only one


Posted Apr 30, 2020
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3 likes 4 comments

Sze-Ning Chuah
07:50 May 07, 2020

The appearance of a wild jaguar reminded me a bit of the early scenes of Disney animated movie "Tarzan". Yes, I know in the movie it was a leopard, but anyway: It was a surprise attack from a spotted feline lol

Had to do a scene change in my mind when the jaguar appeared though. I was picturing a colder/temperate climate, given how at the start you wrote about how cold the room was and how the main character was looking for a coat. And then I realised your story's set in a warmer, tropical/subtropical location when the jaguar appeared.

It's a minor discrepancy in story setting. Maybe describing the location outside the house would "set the scene" a bit better for the jaguar's entrance, even if all the main character could see in the darkness is e.g. the outlines of overgrown shrubbery or twisted tree branches.

Keep on writing and sharing your stories!

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Ky'm Young
04:11 May 08, 2020

Thanks so much! I'm really glad you said that, because I was kind of feeling like some kind of description was missing but I didn't know how to go about it. Now I do! I really appreciate the feedback!

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Joshua Hopper
23:59 May 06, 2020

Interesting ending! Very nice story.

Reply

Ky'm Young
04:12 May 08, 2020

Thank you! Here's a secret: I TOTALLY did not plan that ending 😂😂

Reply

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