One Chapter Short Stories

Where Is Everyone..?

   I could hear my breathing before I came to. My heartbeat pounding in my ears. My eyes felt heavy, like I was still asleep.

   I forced them open, seeing a bright light shining over me. Was I dead..?

   As the light faded, a room came in to view. It was my bedroom, but something seemed off. My husband, he was gone. Maybe he went to work already.

   I sat up in bed, stretching my arms over my head before looking over at the alarm clock. It was after three in the afternoon. The kids should be back from school any minute.

   After getting dressed, I made my way into the bathroom, looking at my reflection in the mirror. "You must've had a long night."

   As much as I tried, though, I couldn't remember what happened last night. Or the day before for that matter.

   "You really need to quit drinking." I joked to myself, making my way into the kitchen afterwards.

   I got started on dinner as the time ticked by. No sign of the kids yet. One quick check of my watch told me they should've been here by now. "What's keeping them?"

   I set the timer on the oven before making my way to the front door, pulling it open.

   The neighborhood was surprisingly quiet this afternoon.

   I walked out onto the front porch, looking down the street. No cars. No people. Then, my eyes shifted up to the clear, sunny sky. "That's weird..."

   My feet carried me to the sidewalk, my eyes darting to the neighbors house. I walked next door, knocking on the front door. "Cindy? Paul? Are you guys home?"

   Nothing.

   I looked over to the car in their driveway before peaking through the front window.

   With a sigh, I walked to the next house, knocking on their door as well. After three or four houses, I gave up, heading back home. Still no sign of the kids.

   I took dinner out of the oven, deciding to head into town. I felt panic starting to set in the back of my mind, finding different reasons to talk myself out of it. "Maybe there's a parade... Or a concert... Or the Pope's in town..."

   Unfortunately the town was just as quiet as my street. I looked out my car window, every business and restaurant was open, but no one seemed to be there. No patrons, no employees.

   "Where is everyone..?"

   I stopped at my husbands job. He was a lawyer, working at a small law firm here in town.

   The door was unlocked, but the front desk was empty.

   "Hello? Is anyone here?" I called out.

   Only silence greeted me.

   I made my way towards my husbands office, knocking on the door before pushing it open.

   It was empty, all of his belongings still sitting on top of his desk.

   I picked up his cell phone, turning the screen on. He tried to call me fifty-two times? Why?

   The panic grew as I ran out of the building, standing in the middle of the street. "Hello!? Is anyone there!?" I yelled.

   Still nothing.

   I ran back to my car, taking off towards the school...

   Cars sat in the parking lot, school buses lined up by the main entrance. Just as I suspected, though, there wasn't any sign of human life. Or any life. It was just me...