The Sleeping City

The sun rose over the quiet, peaceful city and threw shadows over the empty streets. It gave the city a heat that it had not seen since last fall. The winter had been unusually cold, but what did it matter, when nobody was awake to experience it?

There was no sound at all. Only the sound of the wind collecting all the dust and leaves on the white ground. It was so quiet, one could almost hear the snow melting.

  No humans was out. No cab was driving like crazy, no beggers were begging, no man was running to the subway. No sound came from the humans, except the snoring that came from the bedrooms in their apartments.

  The city that never sleep had fallen asleep. 

   And that's when her eyes opened wide. The heaviness of her eyelids was surprising and she struggled to keep them up. She took a look around the so very familiar bedroom she was lying in, but she couldn't help but feel that something was not right. Something had changed. Her body felt wierd and sick. She raised an arm to look at it. It was pale. Her fingernails had grown a lot. They were so long she thought it was some kind of new record.

   She went out of bed only to fall to the floor. Her head felt dizzy and blank. As if something was missing. Like a memory.

   Her feet managed to get her of off the floor and she started walking with the dizziness still hanging over her like a curse. She went out to the combined living room and kitchen and looked out of the huge windows by the sofa. No living soul was out there. Only a couple of birds, which was a good sign! Her stomach was aching for food, so she went to the fridge to find herself something to eat. But as she opened it a horrible smell leaked out. It was such a disgusting smell, she had to shut the fridge door.

  How wierd. The food couldn't be expired, she had just bought it. But her hunger was so strong, and breathtaking. It felt as if she hadn't eaten in years. Though she knew she'd eaten yesterday.

She decided to go to the grocery store to get some food. She didn't want to eat junk food, though it would take less time.

The streets was empty and cold. She wondered where everyone was, but figured it couldn't be so early that everyone was asleep. The sun was set high up in the sky and there was nearly any cloads. The air was heavy and there was a funny smell that felt kind of faded to her nose. It was wierd. It was hot and cold at the same time. The little snow that there was, was shimmering where the sun hit it. And she wondered why the snow had only laid on small areas in huge clumps here and there. The rest of the street was ice, and she struggled to walk straight.

   She arrived at the grocery store, but realized it was closed. She sighed in frustration.

   "You're awake." a horse, load voice said. She turned to face a man. He was standing about 5 meters away from her. In the middle of the road. He was a wicked looking, tall and slim man. His eyes were big, abnormally big. His hair was white but his face didn't look old.

   "Who are you?" she asked with a steady voice.

  "I could ask you the same question." he said.

  "My name is Alyssa." she said and shut her mouth, not sure whether to go closer to him or not.

  "I'm Doctor Wilden Clevenz." the man said. And Alyssa thought doctor was a fitting title because of his wierd looks, although he looked more like a mad scientist.

   "Nice to meet you." he said.