The End

" Barinnng, Barinnng, Barinnng, Barinnng." The sharp piercing sounds ring through the air and travel through the empty, cold, debris and trash strewn streets. It was a warning to the members of our town to get inside and stay there, not like we went outside much anymore anyways. Ever since October 15th, 2032, every Thursday at 2:30 pm the clouds come and decide to stay for a while. Nothing ever happens but they cover and block the sun from our puny little city. 

 

I press my face against the cold hazy glass. Each breath I exhale fogs up the already dirty glass in this dirty classroom; in this dirty school; in this dirty town. You can already see the clouds descending upon us; each flash of lighting and boom of thunder in the near distance shakes through my boned and bounces around in my mind like a echo. It's a welcome sound from the hours of dead air, dead faces and dead silence. 

 

We assume were the only town left. The clouds have already have already pranced there way around.. Who knows, America, The world? Nobody knows for sure. All were sure of is that the clouds stop, always on the outskirts of our town. The travel upwards pressing close to each other until they seem to form the shape of a fish bowl, except where there's supposed to be a opening at the top; there's not. 

 

Were all just forever waiting for them to close in. Why spare us when we believe the rest of civilization is already dead? All communication has been cut off, and trace of humanity left in people is long gone except for the few who still have hope. Hope.. What a word, it promises so much; yet gives so little.It symbolizes that there is a reason to believe, or a reason to keep living.. But me myself I see no reason to live any longer. There's nothing left to live for. Nobody I should keep fighting for. 

 

My parents Mike and Marie Bowman, were on a ship. A cruise to be exact for their 17th Anniversary, 17 years of being married; 16 years of me. On the third day of their cruise the ship mysteriously disappeared. It was just gone. So here I am, Adeline Marie Bowman; living with my bed bound Aunt Mercedes. Like I said, nothing to fight for. 

 

A rancid stench floats through the air and curls up inside my nose. It smells faintly of skunk and dirty feet. I immediately recognize it and turn to stare at Blaze. " what do you want?" I snap just wanting his stench away from me. He wasn't ugly or anything, he had sandy blonde hair, defined cheekbones and full pink lips; but he hadn't showered in weeks. None of us have, but the stench was just untamable for him. It was like a dozen skunks had sprayed him and he didn’t realize it. He raised his hands in a surrender and took a step back " you just had that look in your eyes again, like you were thinking too hard again. Your always thinking too much." He says his voice slightly raspy. It was a casual deep, not too high.  

 

" Why do you care?" I say already turning away putting an end to this conversation; for my noses sake. I peer back out the window watching the gray flashing clouds slowly moving closer. The dim light from behind me creates a soft glare on the glass and my reflection is visible. My long golden blonde hair hangs limply over my shoulders. My pale skin stands out among the tan bodies in the rest of my town, no matter how long I try to get sun, I'm always pale. My porcelain blue eyes have a soft twinkle too them. Blaze was right, I do have that look. The far off, deep in thought look. Like the things on my minds bring me to a different place. A different world. My lips are a soft pink both of them slightly curved in their respective directions. I don’t think I'm pretty, never have. 

 

I turn away from the window and look at the students in my class. The teachers don't teach anymore we just go here because it’s the only thing we know to do, and for me it's just an escape from the place that reminds me too much of my parents.  Half the class was sleeping, or staring off into space. I sigh quietly and sit in the seat assigned to me. I stare at the board that currently had two words on it " were doomed." It read. 

 

We were doomed from the start, but now we just know our fate. I look out the window again and see the clouds starting to form the dome like shape. It was officially beginning, and we have no idea what was to come next all we know is that for now we're safe. Were safe until the clouds decide its time to feast. As for now we have one foot in the grave and I'd like to keep it that way. It is six feet deep after all, let's hope none of us fall in before the clouds can push us. 

 

Suddenly red lights start to flash from the built in bulbs on the wall. It was signaling something, but whatever it was I hadn't been listening to that lesson so I had no clue. People start to scramble out of their seats and head over to the window. Ah that’s what it was, the clouds had penetrated there weird dome. I got up and pushed my way to the front of the group. I peered out the window and a wispy line of gray cloud stuck through the flattened barrier. I guess this was the day we would all die. It had finally come, but for some reason I wasn't excited. Not at all I was actually dreading the moment when all the air would be sucked out my lungs, and when my blood would boil and disappear. I wasn’t excited for my brain to be liquefied and my heart severed. I don’t know if I ever was.  

 

 

Did you ever think that’s it weird that when you know your about to die you think of the weirdest things? Right now Forever by Chris Brown is running through my mind. The weirdest things... I sigh. I would never have my first kiss, I would never get to do anything girls have been doing for years. Today I'm dying and there's nothing I can do about it. Absolutely nothing. 

 

My teacher finally realizes the entirety of the situation and she stands up and starts to pace around the room clutching her temples. Her footsteps echo in the silent room and bounce around my head like a warning call. It symbolized that even she knew our immense doom was coming quicker than we all assumed it would. Our death was a impassible threat determining our fate. We all know it will come at some point, but were also all afraid of when it will actually come, or if it ever will. Genetic mutations, DNA tests, science experiments; we could stop the aging process ultimately erasing that ever present threat of death; but we can't eliminate the threat of humankind, humanity is our weakness and we brought this upon ourselves. All of it. 

 

I stand up and make my way over to the window peeking out at the city below. Were lucky we got the school with the 'view', as some people say. The plumes of dust gray clouds are slowly closing in on us. It looks like they squirt out from little holes in the invisible wall around our city. Destroying us from the inside like a deadly virus, except we don’t have an immune system to fight it. So we must sit inside it and let it rot our insides to the bone; unless it doesn't. Unless we survive somehow and all of this was just some ruse to scare us into obedience. Some sick game the governments playing... what if the clouds aren't even real. What if...... Well isn’t that the question of the day. 

 

" Do you think you'll live." A raspy deep voice speaks into my ear sending a round of shivers down my spine and a bout of goosebumps to raise on my arms. It wasn't even cold, but I somehow felt the overwhelming sense of a chill surrounding the area around me. " I can't be sure... But I have faith." I lie. I knew I was going to die, but I wasn't going to let anybody else know that. Especially someone who sounded like that. His voice demanded power, appreciation.. If this was another era his voice would make your knees quake and you would be on the floor with your nose touching the ground in a matter of seconds. I haven't even seen his face yet; but I just somehow sensed that power, that overwhelming sense of demand. 

 

" I think we're all going to die." The voice says, and I could almost hear the lie dripping out of his mouth like the honey his voice sounded like. " I think your lying." I  respond turning to look at his face. I had never seen this man before but yet he was standing right behind me in a classroom full of my fellow classmates who hadn’t seen him come in. Just Peachy. His features were fairly normal, well at least for somebody who would be seen on the cover of a magazine. He had wide shoulders and a broad jaw line. His eyes were a hazy green and the rest of his face was just plain boring.  

 

" Ah you caught me." He says crossing his arms " I have a way we can survive this, you just have to come with me." I stare at him in shock my mouth hanging open before I gain my words, and apparently my senses again " Over my dead body." I chuckled " No pun intended." He made a face " that was the worst pun ever.. Just come with me and you can bring some friends we can survive this. You have to trust me." This time it was my turn to cross my arms " Trust you? I just met you.. After you snuck into my school in a city that’s about to fall apart at the seams. I'm about as far from trusting you as I am from actually surviving this." The man throws his arms up and lets out an exasperated sigh " If you came with me you WOULD survive, and I understand I have given you no reason to trust me; but the people in the maze runner are sketchier than I am, and yet Thomas decides to trust them doesn’t he."  I cross my arms and roll my eyes " Fine.. But you have to tell me your age, name and your first pets name."  He looks at me like im insane before complying to my wishes " 18, Jacob Lane, and It was a fish name puckers." He turns around and looks around the room " bring whoever you want I'm about to throw up being in a classroom." Then he walks out of the door. 

 

I stand there and look around the room my gaze flickering from face to face. I used to have friends until this started, like three but that’s besides the point. I decide it would be better to travel; if that’s what we were even doing, light. I frown slightly wondering how nobody but me ever saw him, or heard him. Then my gaze lands on Blaze. He's been watching me this whole time, listening like the little pervert he is. I walk over to him and send him a glare " I don’t know if you heard any of that but if you even think about doing anything stupid.." I pause not exactly knowing what to say " Just don’t do it, whatever your planning on doing." I finish before turning on my heel and walking out of the classroom. Now where did he go...?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[JacobMarloe]

It's quite a drawing story. I would really like to know what happens to Adeline and who's this mysterious Jacob if he is anyone at all. Your character development is so natural as is the setting. It's inviting. I can clearly picture everything. I hope you continue this story it has already captured my interest and I think it will be truly fantastic once completed.