The Fear Wave

.03

"I'll grab the cider!" Altynay shouted over to her mom, who was sitting on the couch watching the New York New Year's eve program. She popped the cork off of the bottle, and poured herself and her mother a class of the cider. She walked over to the couch, bundled up in a blanket, and began to drink her cider with her mother, whom she loves so much.

~

"I'll grab the beer!" Dylan shouted to the crowd, who was all partying and probably waking up the entire street. Josh was talking with some friends, though not paying much attention. He was really thinking about his mother, and what she could be possibly doing. He deeply missed her, and would gladly go with her instead of his crappy father. 

The story behind his family is that his father cheated on his mother, and his mother was so hurt that she just left one day. Without Josh. It broke his heart. He would love to go find her, but he has to stay in Risett. He can't just leave. Right?

"Josh? Buddy, you drunk already?" Dylan was waving his hand in front of his face. 

He snapped out of it. "Oh um, sorry. Was just lost in thought."

"It's alright man. Wanna beer?"

"Nah, man, I'll pass. I'll be driving you all home when your dead drunk. Like always."

Dylan rolled his eyes and walked over to Vanessa, who had been eying him all night. Gosh, get a room.

~

"Ten minutes until midnight!! So close!"

"I can't believe we actually stayed up this late," Altynayks mom said, laughing. Altynay laughed. They watched the New Years program and counted down then, but for some reason after the ball dropped the tv wouldn't work on the specific station. All the others were fine. Weird. 

Altynay texted Amaya: You awake?

Amaya: Barely

Altynay: Lol. Tv doesn't work on New York program, so weird cuz all the others do

Amaya: no way same here

Altynay: Hm. Weird.

Maybe the Risett cable wasn't working. But Altynay couldn't convince herself to think that was it.

~

Everyone crowded around the tv, waiting for time to tick down to zero. The New York ball drop station wasn't working, so they couldn't watch there. 

"So what's your New Year's Resolution Dyl?" Josh asked, trying to make conversation.

"Um, to get and keep a girlfriend I guess."

How pathetic is that? Josh thought to himself. Typical. That's all it was at this point.

"One minute!"

~

"One minute!" Altynay exclaimed! "Come on mom, only a couple more seconds, then you can go in your warm bed!"

Her mom laughed. Altynay loved the quality time she got to spend with her mom, especially ever since she got sick. Sometimes it didn't even feel like she was sick. there was no change in her, despite her having to be in bed and rest all the time. None the less, Altynay  was greatful for it.

~

"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." the crowd was cheering all around Josh.

~

"Four, three, two, one, HAPPY HEW YEAR!!" Altynay and her mother shouted, jumping up and down together. Altynay couldn't be happier, and she ran into the kitchen to grab her phone. She wanted to document this moment. Just her and her mother, drinking sparkling apple cider, staying up til midnight. 

"Um, Altynay?"

"Coming mom." Altynay came into the living room to see the tv being all staticky, then flipping to a black screen. She looked down at her phone, which vibrated. It was also a black screen, despite her attempts to turn it on. Then, big yellow words began to appear on her phone and tv screen.

~

"What the..?"

Everyone looked around, confused on the tv shutting off. Dylan was trying to work the remote and turning the tv back on, but it wouldn't work. Josh checked his phone, but it was black, as well as many other people's phones. Then, big yellow words began to appear on the screens. They said THE FEAR WAVE. 

"The fear wave?" People were murmuring to each other, everyone in utter confusion. The same thing was on every screen in the house, even things that were never turned on. 

Josh looked up at the tv screen to see more words appear.

~

Welcome. I am sorry to say, but this year you expected to be amazing, with new New Year's resolutions and starting over in life has come to a hault. This year will be far from normal. In fact, many of you won't survive. Welcome to the Fear Wave, a competition created by the government. Everyone in the world will have to go through tough circumstances, especially since they're the top twelve biggest fears. Each month, you will recieve a brand new "fear". You will have to endure them, and survive to the best of your abilities. You will get small breaks daily before having to endure it for the day. Children, during school, adults during work. Once your home or anywhere else from these places, fear for the worst. This will all begin tomorrow, and heads up: your first month is drowning. Good luck.

Altynay and her mom stood there reading the screen, hearts beating faster after each word and eyes growing wider after realizing what everything meant.

"This has to be fake. This seriously cannot be possible. Text Amaya and see if she's getting the same thing."

The screens turned back to static, and Altynay's phone returned to her home screen. Altynay picked up her phone, hands shaking, and texted Amaya.

Altynay: um

Amaya: You got it too??

Altynay: Holy crap this is real??

Amaya: i have no clue what to say. are we gonna die?

Altynay: all we can do is be strong. and have hope.

~

Josh and the others began in a panic, after reading the long messsge from the government. This is like a party prank, right?? Josh thought. He decided to text his dad to see if he had seen the same thing.

Josh: um, dad?

Dad: son. did you get the message?

Josh: yes.

Dad: crap.

~