Deep Breaths

Chapter 1

My eyes open. I blink twice and realize I'm curled up on my right side. I breathe in a lung full of what I think will be air. Dust fills my lungs and I immediately start coughing.

My throat burns. I need water.

As soon as I stand I feel mounds of dirt and rubble fall from my clothes.

I walk to the kitchen... well what's left of it. Dirt and rubble fill the whole apartment. Furniture has been knocked over and broken. I'm shocked the building hasn't collapsed yet. It must be one of the few that survived.

I pick up one of the water bottles that has fallen on the floor and down two thirds of its contents.

The water feels like heaven sliding down my throat.

After gulping down the rest of the bottle, I walk over to the window in what used to be the living room.

New York City looks nothing like it used to. Only a few buildings still stand, all the others are only debris on the ground. It's like a nightmare coming true. I can see what used to be the Statue of Liberty, no longer standing.

I take in a deep breath. Before I can let it out I'm caught off guard by a strange sound.

A baby's cry.

It's so out of place as I'm staring at the ruins of NYC.  

It must be Amber's new baby. Amber is a neighbor who lives on the floor under the one I live on. She just had a baby about 2 weeks ago. As far as I know, the father of the child dumped her when she found out she was pregnant. So I guess it's just her and the baby downstairs.

I decide to go check on them, and also ask her what the hell we are supposed to do now.

In less then a minute I am knocking on Amber's door.

No answer...

I can hear the baby crying and figure Amber must be inside, so I slowly open her front door.

"Hello? Amber?" I call out into the ransacked apartment. Her place looks just as bad or worse then mine.

The only answer I get is another scream from the young baby.

I follow the cries to a small bedroom the baby must sleep in.

The room looks oddly untouched. The decorations are still hanging on the walls and the furniture is all upright. There isn't even a scratch on the light blue painted walls.

"Weird," I whisper to myself.

I walk over to the crib and pick up the screaming newborn. As I hold him to my chest, the child settles down a bit . I'm guessing it's a boy based off the blue walls.

"There you go," I speak absentmindedly to the child, "where's your mommy at?"

All I get for an answer is some baby coos.

The baby felt warm against my chest as I held him close.

I walk out of the room with the baby still in my arms. As I walk back to the door of the apartment, I trip over something on the floor. After regaining my balance I look down to see what was so inconveniently in my way.

I almost drop the child when I realize, I had just tripped over the lifeless body of my neighbor Amber.

I can't believe my eyes. 

This can't be happening.

A part of the ceiling must have broken from the building and fallen directly on her.

I force myself to look away and walk out of the room.

Now wondering how many people are left, I decide to leave the building.