From Azalea

Day 1

Day 1:

The world was still silent. The quiet atmosphere laid over the Earth like a thick blanket. Stunned and frozen with numb minds that were lost in how to react, humanity was still. For some, life was over. The world was surely at its end. Boredom, a feeling so intangible to them, brought insanity as their minds were empty. They tried all they could think of, but their computers, phones, tablets, and all other gadgets would not work. They could simply call and listen to the static over the long abandoned radio. When people tried to log onto their favorite social medias to check their status, take their turn in a heated game, or see what celebrities were up to, a simple message in black text on a white field popped up.

“Hello. What you are trying to access in unavailable. I suggest going for a hike, taking out a ball and playing a football game with your neighbors, pull out the dvd player and dust off the old discs, or cook dinner for your family and have a meal together. You have twenty-one days to complete these tasks. Enjoy! - From Azalea.”

The actions were unheard of. Hiking is outdoors and outside is where environments can’t be controlled. What were the rules of football? People could virtually shoot lazers and battle pixels, but running, throwing, and catching were skills they hadn’t used in ages. People hardly knew of their neighbours existence. They’d gotten rid of their dvd players and lost their polycarbonate discs. Most people didn’t know how to cook, they didn’t need to know. Family was simply a word with the scientific definition of the people who brought you into the world, it held no sentimental meaning.

Grant sat on his bed, running his hands through his hair with his head in his lap. He got up and pulled back the curtains. Sunlight spilled in. He blinked, his eyes angrily adjusting to the foreign light. He looked at the tree outside his window. Staring at the empty street, he studied the other houses and listened to the silence. He paced around his room and looked under his bed, exploring the space he’d been confined in for years as if he’d just arrived. He was searching for something to satisfy his need for… He didn’t know. His mind was blank yet overwhelmed, stressed from the absence of normalcy. He was bored but more importantly, he wanted food. He went down the stairs to a sleek black cabinet and opened the door and jostled the back compartment opened. He marveled at the food supply. A sandwich, he tapped into his brain, remembering the simple steps. He felt silly he hadn’t thought of it before. Gingerly, he took two pieces of bread and a couple cold slices of cheese. With the cheese between the bread and the bread slices in his fingertips, he took a bite. Satisfied with his independence and his full stomach, he was bored again. He took a nap.

When he woke up, he had an outrageous idea. He was going outside. He held the door knob in his hand and almost threw the door open. He froze. He had to admit to himself he was scared, another feeling he wasn’t familiar with. He shook his head and deemed himself ridiculous as he attempted to casually swing the door open as he’d seen in films, only to close it quickly. “Should I be doing this?” Grant questioned himself.