Power

Prologue

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I was hiding out at a park a few miles from my house. I go there to get away from home. I can go other places but today I wanted to think about what my life could have been. I could've been a normal kid who went to the park with their parents after school instead of finding every escape route possible to not see my family. I usually sit on the swings making up situations that I deemed normal that I would've loved to be true in my life.

I was lost in thought, thinking about the test the next day, when all the street lamps went out. Not only did the street lamps go out, but so did all the lights in all the houses around me. At first I just thought that there was a normal power outage, we get them all the time here. Soon after that, a car slowed down and stopped by the side of the road. The driver stepped out of the car, looking really mad. He looked around in the darkness and pulled out his phone. He slammed his phone on the ground and started walking back in the direction he came in. I found out that things were worse the next day. None of the lights turned on, and none of the busses came to pick the students up. I didn't really care though, I could use it as an excuse to my teachers tomorrow. My friend, Alycia, came to my usual hideout in the woods around my house that morning. She told me that the electricity in her house completely went out; her phone, cars, and anything connected to an outlet. She warned me that there wasn't a sign that it would turn back on. Before she left she told me to keep fighting no matter what happened. It's like she knew that things were never going to be the same. I never saw her after that.

When people realized that the power couldn't be turned on, everyone got scared. Most hid in their home. The smart ones started organizing parties to steal everything they could. I knew it would get worse. When influenza, small pox, the plague and other deadly diseases started killing people again, I decided it was my time to go. Before I left I found out from people in my neighborhood that riots had started against the government the night the power went out. I never got the numbers but I know that the death count must've been well over 100,000 within the first two weeks.

My bag was filled with things I knew I would need; a blanket, matches, water in water bottles, a spare set of clothes, knives, etc. I had it pre-packed for a while. I would always leave home on random trips into the woods. No one ever realized I was gone, not that they ever looked. I'm not sure what happens much on the main roads these days. I stick to places not very many people would find a girl all alone.

Three rules keep me alive; never stay in one place for too long, don't take more than needed, and always travel alone. I have never broken a rule, until now.