Suburban Island

Numb (Chester)

Numb (Chester)

-Chester-

Sunday Morning.

I sat down in front of my laptop. My Gundam figures sat above my bed. Everyone's going to be busy today. Mike's fixing the roof with Mr. David. Annie's probably still asleep. The others were probably doing chores around their houses. I sat back in my chair.

I live alone. My parents didn't escape the woods. They had taken a trip out to Arizona for a high school reunion. I was the one to hold down the house. I remembered the last phone call from my mom. She asked about how everything was going. I told her that everything was fine. Mom said that she and dad were coming home Sunday.

I shuddered as I remembered what happened next. I learned about what happened on the news. I didn't know that the forest had spread from California that quickly. The government said that it wouldn't spread until next year. Nobody survived in Arizona. I couldn't remember what I said or did that day. I felt so numb and everything sounded like it was underwater. They couldn't even claim the bodies. The trees practically destroyed everything.

Oh. I'm sorry if I'm bumming everyone out. I'm not the only one like this. Except for Annie, Mike, Mickey, Steve, Josie, and Patience, most of us are orphaned here. Most of our folks got caught up in the woods. The government gave up on looking for the bodies. What would be the point? There is nothing left of them anyway.

I rubbed my forehead.

This isn't helping.

I need something to preoccupy me. I turned on my computer. This is all I do these days. I barely use my TV. Sometimes, I wonder why I still have that flat screen around. I don't even go in my parents' room anymore. It looks the same as it did when mom and dad left. I've kept the door closed in fact. It just feels too weird to go in there. I've tried many times not to focus on that. Somehow, my meds have been helping get through this. If it wasn't for them, I don't think I would've survived for long.

I logged into my account. What should I do today? I don't feel like playing video games today. There isn't much interesting on the internet. I wonder who's on video chat. No notifications today. I sat back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. I could just ring up somebody.

The last known call on my list was Mickey. He's probably doing chores around the house right now. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try.

I clicked on his name. I never get tired of seeing that little phone receiver ringing back and forth on the screen. If he doesn't pick up, I'll look for something to do in the house.

"Hello?" I heard on the other line. I sat up straight.

"Mickey?" I asked.

"Chester?" I heard on the black screen.

"Turn the camera on, I can't see you."

"Huh?"

"Turn on the camera on! I'm only getting the sound."

"Oh. My bad. Hang on." The screen changed from black to seeing his face again.

"Yo," he said.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Can't stay on long. Ma's got me cleaning the house. What's up?"

"I've got nothing to do. I get up and clean up the house."

"You're that bored?"

"Yeah." I pushed back my dyed black and red hair. Mickey narrowed his eyes at me.