Silent Time

Chapter One

It was a blue sky, with white clouds.

A stereotypical setting, except for one thing.

The clouds were silent.

There's usually this thing that whispers, the clouds bustling along, but today, the clouds have stopped, no longer moving about, like they usually do.

I don't hear my mom calling my name. "Leah," I expect to hear, since that's my name, and that's what happens usually. Especially since I have an F in math class. I should really be concerned about the sky, but it's peaceful. It's calm, and there's a ringing noise in my ears. Now it suddenly isn't so calm.

"Ow ow ow...!" I wince as I run out of the house, until I no longer hear the painful, high-pitched sound.

Once I get out of the house, I suddenly realize that I'm the only one moving that I am aware of, and begin to freak out.

What if it stays this way forever? What if I won't know anyone on this earth, I won't ever get social interaction... which now that I think about it, doesn't sound too bad. I might just stay inside. I shake my head. There are still a few people whom I care for.

A few.

Some things aren't meant to be like this, though, and one of those things is the world. The world is meant to go on, to keep on spinning. It's supposed to move. Am I the only one that's moving? Am I the only one who's alive? You can't truly be alive if you're not moving. I think. Is that even right? 

My stomach growls, and it occurs to me that I need to steal some of the neighbor's food, as I don't know how to cook and our fridge is basically empty of anything I like.

All I get are some blueberries. Not exactly filling, but better than nothing, I guess.  I hear some fire crackling in the distance. It could be half across the world, for all I know. China, maybe. It doesn't seem too far away, though. I hope. How is fire even crackling? I thought everything had stopped, including fire. Life too, I guess, but I don't exactly consider fire life. I'm probably confusing you now, so this is what is going on: I hear fire crackling. It's probably in China, but whatever. I'm going to find it, even if I have to swim.

I'm swimming. Through some fog that's not moving, which is very hard, mind you. Is this even scientifically possible? Wait. Is Jupiter moving? I'm so confused. What the heck is going on. As I turn around, thinking about all the weird thoughts that confuse people in my head, I see a silhouette, someone calling to me.