The beginning

It's been a day since the mushroom explosion happened and I have no idea where I am right now. My skin feels like it's been fully moisturized by a high-end brand.

I've been walking around this ruined city for almost ten hours trying to find other people who survived the explosion.

But, so far I have not detected any movement as far as my eyes can see.

"Hello!" I screamed.

"Is there anybody here that still moving?!" I shrieked. I really don't care anymore I get trampled by something above me. All I see it broken glass and ruined concrete walls from skyscrapers.

"Young man?" A middle-aged woman yelled at me from above a building, she's on the fourth floor of the building across the road. I can see her bright red lipstick from where I am standing. Damn.

"Why are you out at this time of the day?" She screamed.

"I'm sorry?" I screamed back.

"I said, why are you out at this time of the day?" She asked again. I did hear her this time.

"I mean, what do you mean? Where are the other people who survived?" I screamed back.

"Survived? Survived what?"

"The explosion! You know? The thing that blew up this city?!"

"Young man, that was a year go! You idiot!" She screamed.

"What?" I sighed in dis believe. "But that happened yesterday!"

"Did you hit your head on the sidewalk while you're walking here?"

"No!" I answered back.

"Are you lost?"

"Yes, I don't know where I am. Can you tell me?"

"I actually don't know this place. But there is a sign there." She pointed at the street sign below her building that says, Street 69.

"Um... Ok? Thank you." I screamed back.

"You should go home soon young man. It's dangerous to stay beyond curfew!" She said before closing her windows.

"Thanks for the info old lady," I whispered.

I looked around and saw several houses that are not damaged by the explosion. I can see that I'm running out of daylight.

I need to find an answer though, where was I If it been a year like what that lady said.

I looked around and saw three houses and an open store that smells really bad that I may consider home in the meantime.

In the end, I decided to pick the house close to that lady. It's the house in front of that building she lives on. The building was doing well after the explosion. A couple of cracks on the wall and some floor were broken as well. There are a couple of rooms in that building. Most of the rooms are in bad condition but there is a room on the second floor that I consider in good condition.

The house was well for my liking. There is a sofa, a bed, and maybe a working kitchen and a radiator that I may able to fix.

I decided to clean up the bed removing the debris and some of the dead leaves that went in from the window. I also went to the store and grabbed some of the can goods laying around.

That night I looked out of the window and saw the lady's windows lit up. I wish I had some lights up in this room but that'll wait for now.

Now I'm thinking about what she said that the explosion happened a year ago. That's impossible, I remember waking up and remember it happening two days ago. How can she say that it happened a year ago?

Where was I if it happened a year ago?

It's annoying for me not to know the time since I don't have a phone or a watch to see the time. All I can see is the moon glowing high up in the sky. That tells me its not yet midnight but I feel so restless. I laid on the bed and slept on a cold night with a blanket wrapped around my body hoping for a better day tomorrow.

I don't know how many hours was I asleep but I heard a loud shrieking outside. It woke me up making me quietly run towards the window to check. I peeked through the window.

I can see the sun also peeking through the ruined buildings. But what made me stunned was a being I have never seen before. I can it running away from the daylight. It's almost as if it's scared of it.

It has long limbs and it has no face at all. It's been shrieking all through the time it's running. It's like its calling for help but sadly the sun reaches it and it burned right there on the road. I couldn't move from where I stood, I was scared to go out right now.

What was that? Is that was the old lady was warning me about staying out after daylight?

I need to find out and she's the only one that can help me right now.

I waited for a few hours till the sun is completely up and shining down on me before going out to her building. I climbed up the fire exit on the left side of the building until I reached the fourth floor and know on her windows. I kept knocking for a few minutes before it opened up to a startled lady carrying a knife.

"You scared me!"

"I'm sorry. I kind of need your help."

"Help for what? Why are you still here? You shouldn't be here. This place is no place for a young boy like you." She said as she places her knife back on the marble counter.

"I just want to ask questions that all," I said as she looked at her for a few seconds while she raised her eyebrow at me.

"Alright, come in." she sighed.

I climbed in through the window as she grabbed a chair and placed it on the small table.

"Do you want coffee or tea?"

"Just water. I haven't had water since yesterday." I said.

"Oh my god," she said in annoyance. She then grabbed me a glass of water and place it for me.

"What questions do you want me to answer?"

"You said that the explosion happened a year ago right?"

"Yes, it happened a year ago."

"But how come I still remember it like it was yesterday?"

"Darling, I can't answer that question. You are the only person that can answer that." She said and I just realized how dumb that question was.

"Another question, I woke up from a shrieking being early in the morning. Do you know-"

"That's a mog. Its mutated being that's been roaming around for a few months now." She cut me off before I can even describe how horrible it was.

"Is there a lot of those things here?"

"Yes, I don't know what they want but dont worry they won't hurt you as long as you dont make any noise. You saw them not having any face right?" she asked.

"Yes, I did see it and that mog got burned under the sun as well."

"Yes, they are highly sensitive through sunlight so make sure you barricade your home during the night and only go out during the day only."

"Last question, how do you survive in this condition? I can barely find any kind of resources in this area."

"I make my own way darling. So dont get in my way alright?" She said in a warning tone making me nod towards her.

"If that what you need then you can leave now. Go look for other buildings to lot alright?"

"Okay, ma'am. Can I at least know your name?"

"Carla, my name is Carla."

"Thank you, Carla. I'll be going now."

Roaming around a dead city is quite alarming for me.

I dont know where to go and I'm not sure where can I get enough supplies for me last a day. I looked around another house and found a backpack laying around and grabbed some tissues on the cabinets some canned goods. I also found some unopened gallons of water laying around the houses.

I need to go back and forth for these supplies and that's what I did until I saw the daylight almost running out. That's when I stopped going back to different houses and stayed inside till it goes dark. I found some candles and some matches.

Decided to move heavy stuff on the main entrance door so that no one can enter my domain through the night. I don't want any of those mogs to come in. I also placed the cabinets on the other room's windows and locked other rooms that I won't be using for the time being.

That night was quiet and I feel quite happy about the stuff I got from scavenging. The problem I have is heating up this place and having running water for me to use. I'm just lucky there are several bathrooms I can use and not worry about the cleaning since I'm not going to use it again for the time being.

The moon is up in the sky again and I decided to sleep hoping that I wake when the sun is up and about. I blew my candle and cozied up under my blanket.

But sadly I heard another shrieking sound and it woke me up, today is louder and a lot closer.

I stood up quietly not trying to make any noise. I peeked through the window and saw several lifting the debris of concrete walls scattered around the road looking for something.

I dont see any sign of daylight coming soon and it's scaring me a little bit. Considering I don't have any means of defense that can actually help me tonight.

I just stood there in the dark watching them move around. I just remember what Carla said about them. They won't be able to see but they can hear. I counted them and there are seven of them walking around.

For a few minutes, they started to move towards the street where Carla and I are located at. They stopped momentarily and looked around. There are six of them down there. I was startled, where is the other one at?

I looked around and found it nowhere.

Until I saw a shadow creeping on the side of my window. My breathing hitched up when I saw one of them Climed on to the wall next to my window.

I can finally see them upfront. They really dont have any facial features it's just an empty piece of skin placed on their face. Their hands and legs are extremely long and thin. They almost look like Slender man.

They are wearing old ripped clothes. This one in front of me right is wearing a ripped long sleeve shirt. His head turned towards me and opened his mouth.

I stood there shocked and stunned. His mouth was clearly deformed. It has a lot of sharp teeth like a shark and he has no tongue.

His head then turned to his friends when they started to run towards a house that was crumbling. They probably thought someone was there. I finally let my breathing slide but the Mog in front of stayed and kept his face in front of me like he can see me but Carla said they can't see.

I just stood there waiting for him to make his next move. After a few seconds, he jumped down and followed the shrieking his companions are making.

I slowly dropped myself on the ground trying to contemplate what happened.

Can he see me? Can he hear me breathing?