Scared Happy

Picture this, the year is 2024 and it really has been a rough year but not even in my wildest dreams could I imagine the events that were yet to come. I arrived at home from my job as a computer analyst and was greeted by my loving family, just another ordinary day. The same things occur every night. Dinner, television and bedtime. It's what happens next that put me into a tailspin. Upon rising from a good night's sleep, it seems like the universe decided to play a sick joke on me. GONE, my entire family is gone!! What in the world is happening? I looked everywhere and there is no sign of them, even the cars are in the driveway. I picked up the phone and dialed 911 to report them missing and OMG, no answer! I need some coffee, maybe this is just a bad dream. I decided to go to the diner and eat something and then maybe I can function. The diner is on Main Street and is usually a pretty happening place but when I started to get in my car I looked around, and yikes!

There were cars slammed into one another, bikes were lying on the street, and not a single person in sight! I was severely freaked out. What in the world had happened to everyone? Luckily, the diner was only two blocks away, so I decided to walk. Along the way, there were tons of abandoned vehicles. The diner looked empty, the door was locked, and the closed sign was still displayed. Now, I was scared! The whole town was missing!

To be honest, there were times when I thought to myself “if I could only have a day all to myself, to answer to nobody, to not have a honey-do-list, and kids fighting, and the boss nagging me, it would be heavenly. Now, by some ironic twist of fate, it’s come true. I should do all the things I wanted to do, and worry about my family later. That would be selfish, I couldn’t. but what if I could?

I made a quick decision to spend at least half the day doing me stuff. I’ll fix breakfast, watch the news, and then go golf. I walked back to my house, and turned the light on in the kitchen, well, that was what I intended to do; however, the lights did not come on. Plan B, grab a bagel and grab my bags and just enjoy the beautiful day. When I opened the fridge, that light was out too. Well, picklefart…all the electricity is out, dodo head. Yeah, our curse words had turned kid-friendly.

I grabbed my bag, jumped on the golf cart and rode the mile to the course. Obviously, there was nobody to check me in so I just drove out to the course. Usually, I played with a few buddies of mine but today was alone day. I played about three holes when I realized that playing alone kind of sucked. I thought to myself, I said “self, what else would you like to do”? Watching a movie is out, going out for a beer, which is the one thing I thought I would like is out. No buddies, no football game, no bartended to tell my troubles to. Dabnabbit, this alone day bites! I decided to play sleuth and go to the police station. I was getting a bit anxious.

I rode the nine blocks to the police station, amidst the chaos of wreckage. I live in a small town, so the police station consisted of the main reception area, the sheriff’s office, and the four cells in the back. I bet the prisoners were happy to be free. I went snooping around to see if I could find any notes on what could have happened. I saw a note, but all it said was “pick up Roy from the bar around 10, he needs to sleep it off”. I walked into Sheriff Brown’s office, and I saw his gun on the floor. I thought I should probably have some protection, since I didn’t know what I was dealing with, so I grabbed it. While checking it, I discovered it had one bullet. Wow, I had better be an accurate marksman, which I was not. One time we played paintball, as a family, and my nine-year-old son whipped my butt. To my defense though, he played video games for a living. I poked around for another minute, and contemplated my next move. The local news station! Yes! If anyone had any clue to what happened, it would be WLKL, our very own news station.

I hopped back on my new favorite mode of transportation, and drove down there. When I arrived, I slid off, and checked my holster, don’t judge, I am now the local law. I swung around quickly to perceive any threats, and thinking there was something in the bushes, I drew my gun…in my head, because turns out drawing a gun looks much easier in the movies. It was stuck, and I pulled really hard, and BOOM, it went off! Lucky for me, I had no clue as to how to wear a holster, and it shot the tree to my side. That was a tad scary. I walked into the station, and if quiet had a sound, it would be overwhelming here. No people rushing around, no TV’s blasting. You could hear a feather drop. I looked around, and found nothing on the disappearing people. To be honest, I was frightened, and discouraged. Having a personal selfish day is only fun if your loved ones know about it.

I walked back outside, decided to go home and make a sandwich before everything spoiled. I arrived home to no change, I guess I was hoping everything would be back to normal. Sadly, that wasn’t the scenario. I made a turkey sandwich, which did NOT taste as good as my wife makes. I missed her, so much, and it was only early afternoon. Even on a rare Saturday, when my wife let me have time alone, it never felt so lonely. And if that was the case, was it because of sound? Does sound make the world enjoyable? Maybe I should sing, “oh I love rock and roll, put another song on the TV!” I sound awful, and I don’t remember the words.

I walked outside, and listened for the birds. Did not hear any birds, or dogs, or cats, or anything! Am I doomed to live my life lonely and sad? I really felt like crying, and I hadn’t cried since my brother pushed me down a steep hill, and I hit a rock. I was seven. I had ten stitches on my head, and my brother was not punished. He said it was an accident, right?! No way, and we haven’t gotten along since. If only he disappeared, it would be okay. I looked up, and screamed at the sky. “I WANT MY FAMILY BACK”!

Just then, I spotted my neighbor’s prized car, a classic mustang, that he never lets anyone touch. Bwaa haaaaa haaaaa, today is my turn to drive it. I ran and jumped in, the keys were dangling invitingly, so I started it up. I decided to make my way through all the wreckage in town, and open it up on Hwy 8. I swerved around all the cars, and made it onto the long stretch of country highway, and pushed it…50…60…70…80, whoo hoo! This felt amazing! Then, 40, 30, 20, 10, dead. Sonofabiscuit eater! It ran out of gas, miles from home! Now what am I going to do? I sat down on the hood, and looked across the field, and Billy Jame’s tractor was staring back at me. So, I trekked across the field, and jumped on the tractor.

I made it home as it was turning dark, so with nothing more to do, and feeling tired, I laid down on the couch. I had a single tear run down my face as I fell into a deep sleep. “Wake up! Why are you sleeping on the couch? You promised to take us to the apple orchard, and to breakfast. Why do you look confused?” I jumped up, picked up my wife, and swung her around, saying I love you over and over. She started laughing, which brought the kids in and they started laughing, which made me think, “sound is life, and I’m happy this was just a dream|.”

Later that fabulous day, I was working on my honey-do-list when my neighbor comes over, and says “do you happen to know how my car got out on Hwy 8?”