Population 0

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