Stories
Where to begin
My biggest concern was drinking water. I had a drinking straw that filtered the water, but I knew it had a limited filter. It would last me a while, though, and this would give me time to figure out how to manage this need. I could see home when I finally had to stop...
The Walk Home
As I headed down the stairs by the light of my flashlight, I fought back tears. “This is it,” I thought. “What is life going to be like now?” By the time I reached the street, I was determined to get home by dark. No more tears-there was no time. I chose a fast pace,...
The first sleep
I slept amazingly well, in spite of the hard floor. I did, however, wake before the morning light. I had to pee so I quietly crept out the office door, into the hall, and to the bathroom. My flashlight revealed that all the toilet bowls had been flushed. “Shoot!” It...
The First Day of After
It happened at 4:36 pm. I know this because I had tasks to complete by 5:00 pm and I was pushing the clock. Right after I checked the time, everything went dark. For a moment, no one thought about it. Just a power outage. But I knew. Somehow, I knew. I checked my...