Am I Really Alone?

It was quiet. All she heard was the summer breeze, the rustle of the grass, and the sound of her own two feet walking. No birds, no car engine starting, and no humans. This was the first time, quite frankly, that Megan had ever felt truly alone. Where on earth had everyone gone? One moment, there were people walking in the streets, and the next people vanished all at once. Megan knew she wasn’t a scientific genius, but from what she could tell, there is no apparent reason why or even how this was actually happening. Millions of thoughts were running through her mind for reasons or solutions but nothing seemed to change. Should she drive to her sister’s house in Kentucky? The other problem was that her phone wasn’t working so she couldn’t contact anyone. Besides feeling abandoned, Megan didn’t have anyone in the world to feel comforted by. Her mom was gone, her sisters, her brother, and her dad vanished like everyone else. In all her years, she always laughed at the thought of not having family around, but this was her worst nightmare coming true. It was just her on her own planet it seemed. Where were those who could comfort or give her hope for the future? Because if you think about it, a world without people is sad. A world without hope, human interaction, and importantly, family is just downright depressing. The only thing left for her was to go and search. “For what?” She seemed to ask herself all the time. But reminding herself, she couldn’t give up just because no hope seemed present. Just because you can’t see a chance of hope, doesn’t mean it’s not there. So Megan kept hoping even if it seemed impossible. She would look anywhere and everywhere for them, for someone, anyone. As much as she cared about what people thought of her, a new realization occured. She didn’t need to impress anyone. In all her times of fitting in, struggling with measuring up, being authentically herself, these weren’t issues anymore. Everyone she ever thought would criticize or question her, were now gone. The people she put her efforts into being more of a somebody rather than a nobody, were gone. She was slightly relieved, but she felt more alone than ever. Family was the most important thing to her -- but now it occurred to her, she always put others’ opinions above her own. And now, opinions weren't even a reality. The hope of having her family back or seeing someone she knew and loved was now the top of her ratar. The thing that was the most important thing to her vanished, just like everyone around her. With these thoughts, Megan stepped along the empty sidewalk down Buvoy Lane in hopes of finding someone or facing the reality of being entirely alone.

…

Like any day, it passed by extremely slow for Megan. It had been about two weeks since the vanishing, and still no hope of anyone presented itself. She biked from town to town since her car was out of gas and no gas pump was available since what powered stations was the satellite. There was still no internet, no people, and empty streets. Luckily, stores still had food available since it hadn’t vanished with the people. As usual, she left a few bucks on the counter for what she took just in case there was a chance of the owner returning. But in her head, she knew that that was a very slim chance considering how much she searched already. Then, this one evening felt no different than any other day. Megan glumly walked around a neighborhood street like any other day. Suddenly, a blonde curly headed boy, who seemed to be very young, ran up to her and screamed in joy. “Are you really here? Or am I really alone? I’ve waited so long and I don’t even know if you're real!” He burst out in tears and sobbed uncontrollably. She knew how lonely he must hve felt not having family and being just a small boy. In fact, Megan admired how much he survived with a stable emotional and physical capacity. Megan comforted him by the best thing she knew. She hugged him saying, “I’m real. I’m here. Don’t fret, I’m here. I’m here...” She kept repeating soothing words and he looked up and sniffled wiping his wet eyelashes. She laughed, “At least I think I’m here. Don't you worry.” He hugged her tighter in a most childlike manner and sobbed by this chance of meeting each other. Megan smiled and nodded, “We’re in this together. Don’t you fret. We’ll find a way out of this.” The little boy looked at her and looked more assured. Holding out his hand, he said: “I’m Willy. It’s nice to meet after so long of waiting for someone. And I would love to get everyone back to normal. I accept!” With that last statement, the reality seemed to peel away and she woke with a start. A dream. She looked around the room in confusion. All this time it was a dream? And where was she? A hospital room. Familiar faces looked at her in joy, pain, happiness, and all she felt was confusion. Was it all in her head this entire time? “Honey! It’s been so long…” Her mother reached out and held Megan’s hand in comfort. “Mom?” Only a befuddled question was possible at this moment for her. Megan’s dad smiled, “We’ve been waiting for 2 weeks since you went under into a coma. You're awake and I’m so grateful.” He sniffed in thankfulness. With that, a new realization occurred to her: All this time she was searching for a way out - a chance to come back to reality. When in her head, she thought that the story she was creating, was her reality. She was searching for a way to come back to those who she knew and loved. And now, she was finally awake and finally not alone.