| Safe | a post volcanic eruption story

1

The Girl gazes softly over the city, a thick fog covers the empty streets. She remembers being up here, but not how long it has been. She remembers the bright blue sky, the busy streets bursting with color, the sounds of traffic. The occasional car horn, the distant chatter of the people below. Now as her eyes follow the maze like streets of the expansive city she feels color blind, seeing only dull shades of color.

In the uncountable time of her survival in this new world she has never felt so alone. Looking over the endless city and not seeing any other life, no color, no movement, it pains her. Not only mentally but physically, her stomach churns achingly. She's alone, completely and utterly alone. She feels the sudden urge to throw up, bile rising up in her throat.

The Girl is leaning over, holding her knees, after throwing up onto the gravel that covers the roof of the impossibly tall building. She hears a small crash. The Girl turns her head slowly to the sound. Slight shock jolts her as she finds deep green slitted eyes staring at her. The cat slowly makes it's way over to her, hesitant. The cat sniffs at her puke and recoils, now looking at the Girl.

The cat stalks closer, rubbing it's head affectionately against her hand. Something else quickly catches it's attention. It creeps to the edge of the building, head bobbing in curiosity. The Girl stands suddenly, nearly falling back over. She sees it too. Is that..?

Then she starts to run.

•

"Another person?" the Boy says aloud, though he is alone. From his view on the ground he can barely make out the figure of another person standing on the rooftop of the closest building.

Another person.

He repeats, this time in his head. He hasn't felt this much hope since long before the eruption. It flowers in his stomach and makes his heart flutter. So he runs, he runs to this new person. He struggles with the front door. Locked. He stumbles back, gazing to the building roof, already waving. But the figure is gone.

Overwhelming disappointment floods him. Even if this said person comes down here there's no way they'd trust him enough him enough to let him into the concrete building. Hell, if he had a safe haven like this he wouldn't let some stranger in. But part of him still hoped, still believed that the person could have disappeared to come down and let him in. He doesn't know if it's the starvation or the intense feeling of defeat but his vision blurs and he faints.