The Beginning Of The End

Chapter 1

It's dark, very dark. I can't see. I sit up. Ouch! A large bang sounds. It suddenly occurs to me. I'm in bed! I get up. Walking into the kitchen, I think it is very strange. None of the lights turn on. In fact, nothing works. I open the fridge (when I found it) and take out some meatloaf. After a refreshing breakfast in the dark, I start to wander around the house. I try all the lights, the power points, in fact, all the technology is not working. I run to the window to check my theory. Nothing is working, at all. No street lamps, no cars, no house lights. I go to check on my 9 siblings. 5 brothers and 4 sisters. All sound asleep. The youngest being 4 months old and me, being the eldest, 15 years old. Everyone else ranges between that. I get a book and sit down to read as the sun is beginning to rise. Our family was a happy one. I grew up only knowing my mother. I never knew or saw my father. Yet, all of us children are fathered by him. I heard his voice once. Deep, reassuring. I was only 5. I still remember it.

Now I think about it, this book I am reading, is great but it started off with the same problem. A black out type thing, citywide.

I hear my mother calling me,

"Artemis! Can you make breakfast! Everyone has been up for a while now. "

"Yes mother!" I yell back. I start. It will be a cold breakfast. I start to make sandwiches. After I hand them over to the rest of my family. I grab my joggers and my jumper and leave the house. Even at 9:00 in the morning (I think), the streets are deserted. Only yesterday, there was heaps of people on the streets. Now no-one. I decide to walk around to my friend, Megan's House. See if she was having the same problems. I knock on the door. Megan answers, and invites me inside. Turns out she is having the same problems. After about 2 hours, head home. My mother had made lunch and everyone was eating it when I walk in the door. I quickly sit down as my mother puts a plate of sandwiches in front of me. After I Devour the sandwiches I help clean the dishes

After a busy day I finally clamber into bed. Worn out. I read more of my book before it gets too dark to see. I drift off to sleep.

BOOM!! I sit bolt upright. Listening.

"What was that!" I yell. I hear my youngest brother, Tom, screaming. My sister Kat, who is only 2, runs into my room along with Bob, Jake and Natalie, the 3 year old triplets. I jump out of bed, ask Kat to go get mum and the triplets to stay where they are and sprint to Tom's room, pick him up, and keep going down the hall to check on my other siblings. I peer into Peters room, he is only 6 yet super smart. I can't find him. I check under the blanket, in the wardrobe and behind the doors. There was movement behind me and I spun around with such force that I almost fell over. There was Peter, Under the bed. After I comfort Peter, I go to Mara's room. Empty. So I headed to Aria's room. I find them both there. Safe. Mara is 9 and Aria is 11. I give them Tom and walk quickly to check on Robin. Door still shut and no sound came from inside. I cautiously open the door and find Robin on the floor. Asleep. Robin is 14, brave, but sleeps like a bear in hibernation. I am not surprised he didn't wake up. I return to my room and find Kat in my room looking very scared. Bob, Jake and Natalie are trying to find out what's wrong but they are not having much success. I silently sneak out of my room and head downstairs. I am halfway down the stairs when I start to hear what sounds like gunfire. My mother is downstairs, crying. There are shadows in the doorway. Strange shadows. I slide down the stairs to get a closer look. I jump back. The shadows are not of human form or origin. Then I see him. A man. For the first time in my life. I see my father.