"10! 9! 8! 7!.." we boomed, with plastic cups raised in our hands and party hats over our heads which bounced over our us each time we proceeded with the countdown. We bumped into each other and occasionally stepped over each other's toes but it was all left unnoticed, for our eyes zoomed over the black screen lighted up by the colorful numbers which changed with each passing second.
"6! 5! 4!.." our voices grew louder by each breath we drew in. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and glee. People were celebrating with each other like they had never before. They were drowning each other in champange, loaded their cups with refills of their drink and danced like no one was watching. It was as if they were in this world of happiness and joy which didn't had any space for any tension or care. They were all lost in themselves. Lost in the moment they were enjoying with their heart. Lost in their happiness.
Who knew, that it was probably the last time they would endure a celebration?
"3! 2! 1!" I screamed at the top of my lungs with the others. The cups in our hands flew away and we all jumped up and down in the cold night. People hugged each other and there shall not be a single set of lips which was not twitched into a huge smile.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" I shouted to the lot. I was overjoyed. It was the new year. A new beginning of life. New adventures. New experiences. New everything! 2020 was the spot everybody had been waiting for. Everybody seemed to have wanted to escape the drama and chaos of their life and to shove themselves with a new start. It still makes me feel weird when I remind myself that it was probably a wrong choice. Or maybe, we expected too much.
***
"Oh my god, Lana! That was lit!" said Sara, holding Lana in a tight hug. She nodded and smiled broadly.
"Yeah, Tin. Nice hit you did ou' there" said Dean as he nudged her shoulder and dropped in the couch. I followed the same and relaxed myself over the comfortable couch. My legs had not rested for a whole long day and all I desired at the moment was a good sleep.
"So tell me about it! How was it? How did it happen? You and Shawn are like two different poles!" exclaimed Sara. Lana had just made it up with Shawn, her two year crush over the new year's party and Sara, expectedly wanted to know about how each second worked out between the two of them. We heard Dean snore and I followed him as I landed my head over his shoulder and set myself off to sleep. I heard Lana backing off of the conversation which she would have anyways by expressing her need to sleep and so, we all ended up sleeping and cuddling over with each other on the couch. It was the last time I remember myself getting a good sleep.
"Oh c'mon!" cried Dean. "Get off me! You are drooling, Sara!" I rubbed my eyes and felt the uncomfortable position I was lying in and fixed myself up. 461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwaQEOgndl
"What time is it?" I asked, yawning and fumbling with my phone.
"Three," said Dean.
I looked up at the window where the sun was hovering in the sky brightly. I sat in an armchair around my friends and looked through the millions of texts I had received.
Samantha: Happy new year!
Mum: Happy new year, hun! We wish you only the very best you can have this year! From me and dad
Lexi: Umm...new year? Yeah, happy new year
Karen: On this joyful occasion, I would like to wish you the very best for this year and to your family too. Love, Karen
Bro: New year, idiot!..
And the texts were endless. It was the 1st of January, 2020. I scrolled through the social media feeds and saw people at parties, dinners, with their friends and families. Enjoy till you can.
"Where is James?" asked Lana, half asleep with her hair and makeup all messed up.
"Yeah, where is he? I didn't see him after the party," chimed in Sara.
"He had to go home. His parents needed something, I don't know..." replied Dean.
"Text him, will you? His parents are in a bad situation with him, anyways," said Sara.
Dean nodded and began tapping keys over his phone in a haste.
"I'm so god damn tired...I think I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat, Dean? I asked.
Before he could reply, his phone buzzed and it drew all of ours attention.
"It's James." he affirmed.
"What does-" Sara began when Dean cut her off.
"Hey, sorry I had to leave like that but you know it was an emergency. How about meeting at my place? Mum and dad are out for shopping so I expect you to be here by 5..." read Dean as he switched his mobile screen off.
"Damn, what now?" said Lana.
"We will get to know."
We reached at Dean's a bit too soon with the expectations of getting food and rang the bell. He opened the door as soon as the sound of the bell had vanished.
"Quick!" he said as he let the door open for us and closed it shut as soon as the last step moved forwards.
"Woah! What's the deal?" asked Dean. James was supposed to be the loud cheery guy with a broad handsome smile retained on his face for almost all the time, but today it seemed as if it was not the James we knew. His face expressed his sadness and he was anxiously clutching his elbow tighter by each movement of the air. It was absolutely strange to see James absent with a smile. It appeared as if he had not bathed after reaching home and neither had he eaten. His long golden hair were matted over his forehead and his clothes still had the wine spill marks over them.
"Are you alright, James?" I asked as I placed my hands over his shoulders and gave them a small squeeze. James shrugged and went off to the kitchen. We all followed him and took our seat over the counter as Lana began to pour coffee for everyone.
"They did it." said James, finally.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcEB8GAGTJ
"They did what?" asked Sara. Dean threw her a what-the-fuck look and resumed his gaze over James.
"They confirmed my admission, Sara." he said gloomily.
We all shook our heads and no body uttered a single word until Lana spoke,
"James, we will figure it out. Don't worry," she said as she passed hot cups of coffee to everyone. Nobody seemed to be interested in their hunger now. They all gazed over their cups and into the space.
"I am fine without any doctor school," continued James. He had been tested positive for a rare disorder last fortnight and had been fighting off with his parents each night. When the doctors concluded that there is no treatment for it yet, his parents took the matter to their own hands. The disorder stated that the patient is extremely prone to loose memory on facing any sort of trauma or shock. And so, his parents had concluded to prevent him from any shock by sending him away to a care school. However, they weren't aware that Jame's separation from our lot would be the biggest difficulty he could ever face.
"What has my chances of losing memory related to me staying alone?! How can the act of keeping me sad be the cure of my problem? How does that even makes sense?" he cried. He gulped the hot coffee in one go and slammed the cup hard over the furnished slap.
"James," I said, "you are not going anywhere." said I and Dean together. Sara leapt from her feet and made her way to James to hug him and Lana nearly ran to pat him over his shoulders and comfort him.
"We will sort it out. Mr. Smith isn't that rude to us," said Lana.
"Yeah, he gives us ice creams." chimed in Dean.
We laughed and drank our coffee to finally be fortunate enough to see Jame's consoling sweet smile. I dropped off the viking conversation when I received a notification from my mobile.
The lost volcano of South East Asia bursts today sweeping the lives of nearly 50,000 people.
I began to spread the news to my friends when I was alerted by another notification,
Australia burns up in flames as it loses control over fire. Animals being provided rescue with major failures in the act.
I was bewildered. Two news going over saddening my mood. A volcano eruption and a forest fire. 'The world has an unlucky day.' I though to myself, when another news popped in.
Florida man steals a nuclear weapon from the States and goes into hiding. Police forces after him.
A world-wide threat!?
China discovers a deadly zoological virus and has confirmed 24 dead already by the virus.
Are you kidding me? I held up my hand in the air to gather everyone's attention and informed them about the sudden changes. I realized I was not the only one to be as bewildered as a I thought I was. My friends were even more shocked.
"Okay, so there is a volcano that kills half a million, then there is a whole lot of population of animals dying in fire, someone literally steals a nuclear weapon and can blow up any part of the world at any time he likes and then there is a deadly virus spreading all around. Wow." said Dean.
"Thank you very much, Dean." I said.
"Are you sure they are all true?" asked Sara. Well, she was right. Was I reading some fourth graders story over the internet?461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2ldOS9e9O
"Yes. They are all true," said Lana, who was engrossed in her mobile as her eyebrows came together with tension.
"I was researching about them and it turns out they are all confirmed." she ended. She got up to switch the television on and fumbled with the remote until the TV was turned on to news. We all focused over the screen, speechless. The news flashed all of the news we discussed and brought out the facts we were missing out of the headlines. Pictures of people dying and suffering from all over the world projected over the screen one by one. What was happening? How did suddenly everything turn into such a big chaos when the only chaos we were worried about yet was the situation in which James was stuck in. How did this all happen and most importantly, why?
Mum: Come home, now. We need to talk.
You: What happened? Did you see the news anyways?
Mum: Yes and that's exactly what we need to talk about. Come home soon.
"I got to go, guys. Mum says there is something important," I announced.
"What now?" asked Dean who hadn't even moved his eyes off the screen.
"I don;t know. She said something about these problems." I said as I pointed over the TV and made my way out of the house. What. Was. Happening?
***
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"Kyra, look," my mum said. "It is not as less dangerous as you think, okay?"
"But-" she cut me off and continued with her words.
"This virus spreads when people come in contact with each other or it can even spread by inhaling the breath of someone who is infected. It is 'that' easy to catch this virus and we don't want you to have it. It can prove to be fatal within a day of catching it!"
"I get it, but-"
"No buts, Kyra. It's for your own good. Besides, it won't harm you if you won't go out for some days,"
"Mom! Come to think of it! If it had been 'that' fatal, the news would have told us about it! There aren't any cases in our town, yet! How can-" I stopped when she held her mobile screen in the air and fixed it directly over my eyes. I read the top of the page which was exaggerated in bold.
3 cases of the deadly Asian virus found in your area. 1 reported dead.
She didn't permit me to read any further and withdrew the mobile back. It was too bad to be real. Just in the time of my travel from Jame's house to mine, the virus which was till then just confirmed to be in China had affected my own town. How can it even be possible?I got up from my chair and began to make my way to my bedroom when my mum held my hand.
"Sweetie, I have no intention to make you locked up and sad but you know-" I didn't wait to listen to the whole sentence and so, freed my fingers and rushed up to my room.
I opened up my group chat where Lana and Dean had already bombarded me and Sara with questions about our situation.
Dean: Where are you, Sara?
Lana: Kyra, what happened? Are you alright?
Lana: Why aren't you guys replying?
Dean: Oh my god! Will anyone tell me what's happening?
You: Guys, calm down... I texted.
Lana: Oh, thank goodness! You replied.
Dean: What happened?
You: Because the virus is here now too, mum just grounded me for the whole month just so I don't catch it too...
Dean: WHAT!? THE HELLA VIRUS IS HERE NOW TOO?!
Lana: Which world do you live in, Dean?461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgkhVdiOSA
Sara: Me too. I'm not even gonna come to school.
You: Yeah, same.
James: Guys, did anyone receive any call from my parents? They aren't responding to mine so could you guys try and call them? They haven't returned till yet and I'm worried because of that virus.
I had completely forgotten about James's parents. They had not come back and James was all alone. I crossed my fingers and wished with all of my heart that they were safe.
"Hey, Mr. Smith. I hope you are fine. James is extremely worried about you so please contact him as soon as you can!" I allowed my voice to trail off into the voicemail and clicked my phone shut. What bad news can I expect for next? It seemed as if it hadn't been a day but a set of years that made this catostrophe appear. In a single say, a whole country leapt into fire, half a million people died and a deadly virus reached from nowhere to our town and forced us to stay inside. The fear of being exploded up by a nuclear attack didn't even had time to reside in our hearts. I instantly got up when I received a call from Mr. Smith. I answered the phone call for...nothing.
"Hello?" said a rather raspy and crooked voice which was definitely underqualified to be recognized as Mr. Smith's.
"Yes." I replied.
"Umm, we got this call on Mr. Smith's mobile which gave us the hint that you knew him well, so...kid," it stopped in between.
"Yes?" I asked.
"We are speaking from Cornotis hospital. This guy has been proved positive with the Asian virus. We are deeply sorry to inform you that..." he stopped once again but this time, I couldn't ask him to continue.
"He is no more, kid." he finished at last.
"Please come to take the body in the time you have before you are forced to not step out." he said.
The mobile vibrated in my hands with the call ended and text messages throwing over me furiously. I didn't had the heart to tell James the unfortunate news. How was I going to tell him? There was no way around either. I was the sole bearer of the news that his father was now in the hands of death. What about his mother? The guy hadn't mentioned anything about her.
James: Guys, mum just came back. Did anyone got through any contact with my dad. He isn't responding to mum either.
Lana: No luck, dude.
Dean: Ditto.
Sara: Don't worry, he'll be alright.
You: James, come over personal.
James: Yeah, what's up? he texted, as we escaped from the group chat and came over personal contact.
You: James, you need to be strong.
James: Be straight. I don't get you.
You: I received a call from Cornotis just now...from your dad's number.
James: and..?
You: James, your father is in the hands of the meloncholy free God :-)
He didn't respond to any of my text messages or calls further. I gave up on trying to contact him, realizing he must be needing space just now and that I shouldn't force it. Our group had become very aware of the fact too and nobody tried to console James once we all realized that we should be shutting up. I knew what everybody of us must be thinking. What a wonderful dream had we dreamt of the year, 2020.
***
"Kyra! Are you even listening?" asked Dean.
We were lying in the wreck of the local mall of the nearby town and had chosen the best place to hide into. It had been three months since 2020 had started. Pretty much the way it had started, it had ended us in a worse situation. Mr. Smith and my dad were no more. They were both killed by the virus and so did we had the chances of dying the same way but we expect much more. The outbreak of the virus was followed by a disastrous fear. All across the globe, you could spot snatchers. They were the group of people who would kill to get over your possessions and valuables but lately, this practice was now developed into the kill-at-first-sight norm. They would break into homes and rob all of the items they could possibly find in there. This forced the people to force themselves out of their homes and go into hiding. The Florida man had not blown up the nuclear mass he had theft but now, it felt like he should. How much more can one survive? We now lay over the dusty surface of the mall under the low hanging pieces of the large ceiling which was now in ruins due to the bombing over it. No trace of any entity except the ruins and waste could be spotted in the mall. Food. Ha. It was a blessing. And blessings don't come each day.
"Oh, yes...I am sorry." I responded.
"Good. Now," continued Dean
"I need to go to the loo," interrupted Sara. She was the worst hit by the apocalypse we were in. Her brother had been tested positive for the virus and she had made no thought over the circumstances her act of going with him to the hospital would cost. She was with her brother until his last breath, but it seems that it was not his last breath alone. Sara was kidnapped by a group of staff of the hospital when they discovered her isolated. We are unaware to this date about what had happened furthermore. All that I can remember is seeing Sara showing up at the front porch of her home, lying unconscious. She wouldn't say a single word about what had happened to her but the aftermath was equally expressive. Sara was not Sara anymore. She has a persisting will to end up her life. She can't be left alone. Once, she nearly made a jump from the roof of the building of James's apartment when Lana had leapt in to stop her. She would no longer act as it is supposed to be her. She is a kid now. She won't bother to do anything and basically doesn't tries to even care about what are trying to do.
"Umm..." said Dean.
"Come, Sara," I motioned her to get up and held her hand in mine, like a mother holds of a toddler. We made our way through the dusty and large piles of rocks which stood in our way as resistors. We reached the washroom at last and I stood outside the cabin she locked herself in.
"Kyra?" said Sara.
"Yes?" It felt extremely good and painful to be known to the fact that albeit she had forgotten her parents and had cried when they tried to hug her, she had remembered her friends.
"I am missing." she said as I noticed a crack in her voice.
"Who? Don't cry, Sara," I replied.
"James." she answered.
It was quite astonishing for her to bring up the topic. James was long lost. All we could expect was for him to be living a better life than us.
"Sara, are you done? Shall we go?"
We reached back to the hiding carefully, trying our best to not get noticed by any soul. Dean and Lana shot us looks as if we had killed someone ourselves. They must have noticed my response in my face for Lana gestured me to sit.
"Kyra," she said, half- willingly when Dean looked at her to express that she should move on.
"What happened here?" I asked.
"Kyra," sighed Lana. "We need help."
"Of course. What?"
"I can't do this." heaved she and left the hiding and we noticed her trot far.
"What is happening, Dean?" I asked with a firm stand. He looked at me sorry and his eyes didn't meet mine as they stared into the space beneath him.
"Tell me, right now!" I was losing my temper. In a time like this, we cannot possibly afford to waste time like this and wait for the other party to learn the thing through a dream.
"Me and Tin," he mumbled, his face still hidden in the shadows of the dark night as he didn't look at me.
"You and Lana?.." I asked. Why can't he be straight?!
"We are going off tonight."
"Where?! And the hell why?!" I screamed. He din't show any response in his state and kept his voice down to a whisper nevertheless.
"Kyra, we don't have time to explain but hear me out, will you?" he said. Before I could start off with anything, he burned his eyes into mine and I experiencing myself feel what I could not express. We heard the steps of Lana coming back and that's when he made the haste.
"We are going to get some food, okay? Be here with Sara. We have aimed to return within an hour but Kyra, if we don't I want you to come along as well...with Sara."
Come along where? I should have understood. I was confused and could only interpret the part which explained why he and Lana got up to go out of the hiding when none of them made any attempt to tilt back to hear my screams or requests to stay.
"We didn't even think of this!" I roared.
"We are a team! We can't go separate!" And that was when I heard Dean exclaim from a far distance,
"We are never going to be separate."
I went back to the hiding and sat beside Sara, holding her hand into mine as she set her stare over the moon. What if they are attacked by snatchers? What if they get stuck? What if me and Sara would have to leave? How will they find us?
Sara laid her head over my shoulder and that's when the most horrifying thought struck me. What if they don't come back?
I realized Sara was drooling over me, just the way she had when she had slept over Dean after the new year party. I wish that day would rewind itself again. It was the last time I had seen a smile. The last time I had witnessed joy. The last time I was happy.
Another minute passed of in my head. A couple of minutes would mark the end of this hour. But, I wasn't scared anymore. I wasn't stressing over the possibility that Dean and Lana might never return. The thought had sunken inside of my soul and the end of the hour decided the end of us two. I brushed my fingers through Sara's hair and kissed her over her forehead. It was beautiful to see how she was unaware of the future and was attaining the best of the sleeps she could. Fear is the acceptance of losing and the will to not overcome the failure. But, it won't affect us until we don't let it in you.
Minutes tricked as quickly as moments would. The last second of the last minute of the hour ended.
"Sara," I said as I pushed her softly and patted her shoulder.
"Sara, get up. We need to go." I said.
She budged and slowly lifted her lashes up. I smiled in her way and she smiled back too. I made out the stress and problems the young girl was facing in her hazel eyes. However, she will soon be free of it.
We got up and made our way outside the hiding.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHfoi0nqXN
"Why are we going out there? Lana told me there are bad people out there." she said.
I didn't respond back to her. I smiled to myself and walked faster out of the ruins of the mall. It was all going to be over. The pain and fear we had endured would end, soon. Everything was going to end.
I pulled Sara tighter and trotted out on the broken road. Thought after thought ran through my mind. But the sole thought which stood crystal clear and firm was the defined end; the truth that it wouldn't ever be worth it to make it through the year any further. I had never imagined of an end as such but was sure that it was near. I kept on increasing my pace until we were practically running. I could feel Sara twisting her wrist in my grip.461Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrH7v2PcT6
"We are going to meet Dean and Lana." I said to Sara, who ultimately relaxed her hand and smiled to me.
We made our way across the huge rocks and corpses drained in their own blood. The sky was dark as the space and heavy clouds were raining over us. The wind was bashing over us and it made all of the dust t fly in our eyes. Thunder roared every few seconds and each time it was audible, it felt as if it was near. Our dirty clothes stuck to our wet bodies and dirt and dust settled over our skin. Hardly had we made it out of the building wreck, I felt myself standing under heavy water which prickled through my skin. I ignored the pain and moved further. We walked down nearly a dozen metres when I noticed what I had needed.
There stood a silhouette of a tall man against the wall of the turning of the road. Against the heavy rain and wind, I made out his weapon. He held a long Japanese sword over his shoulder and had his head turned exactly over us. I was fixed for a moment. I left the feeling unnoticed and moved forward before I could change my mind. Sara tapped to the ground and danced while we walked. I moved to the man faster and Sara followed. He was our fate. Our destiny, for he was a snatcher.
I paced over the entities in my way and fixed my eyes over the man. Soon, it will be all over. It was then I was an inch away to his torso. I could make out his eyes. A silver gray with the image of me holding out in it. It must have been the most beautiful pair of eyes I have ever seen. It was a fraction of a minute and I was free; looking down upon mankind with Dean, Lana and Sara.
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