Prologue
“Oh my God!” was heard all over town. “What do we do!? Where can we run!?” All these questions were pointless. It was the end. Period. No escape. Just live normally ‘till you die. What a horrible decision I made.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Mark Manuel, and it seemed that I was the only one under reacting. One December morning, while everyone else was panicking, and running in complete chaos, I was in my room playing video-games; what I normally do every day. School was canceled today because of a comet warning. So, during my usual school hours, I decided to take a walk. Just see what was up with my friends.
I turned around the curb off Herbertsville Ave. and saw one of those TV’s set in the windows of stores. The news was on. I, being 13, wasn’t interested in the news, so I just walked right past the program. I was going to bring some friends over to hang out, but we past that same TV with the news. A crowd had gathered, so we fought our way to the front, to see what was going on. “That comet that canceled schools this morning is expected to hit the Earth in just 5 minutes!!!” the news reporter said. Me and my friends started to hear random blabbering, and gibberish around us. My friends were starting to worry… “What happens if it’s true?” “I don’t WANT to die NOW!!! I’m still so young!” They were saying. As for me, I just casually walked home. Leave the pussies alone. We were gonna die eventually? Why worry?
Around the neighborhood, I saw people peeking out their windows to see where the comet was. The blinds were closed everywhere, and I’m pretty sure I saw some of my neighbors go down into the sewer. Everywhere, chaos and fear was eating up the citizens of Bricktown, New Jersey. Some people were so filled with anguish, hopelessness, and morbid feelings, that they jumped off their houses to get it over with. Some were my relatives. Now, I was feeling a little uneasy… The sky got darker, and I looked up. The comet looked bigger than the sun. But of course it did. It was closer to the surface of the Earth than the Sun was.
I continued home and checked my watch which I just so happened to have. 4 minutes ‘till impact. I got on a bike parked on a street sign, which was actually someone else’s, so I could get home and relax. I saw some Filipino seniors in the middle of the road, with signs hanging from their necks that said: “Run Over Me.” More suicide. “Wait…” I said. I looked at them a second time. “That’s mom and dad! Get out of there!“ But before they heard me, my neighbor had ran them over with her Cadillac. What the hell was wrong with them? Now, regret was starting to consume my mind.
Finally, I got home, and my sisters weren’t home. No one was. Actually enjoying the loneliness, I turned on the Tv in the Living room to see if anything else was happening with the comet. The first thing I saw when I went to the news channel, was a large, probably 15 mile long Rocket. “NASA had expected an apocalypse eventually would happen, so they funded this Rocket to be built in Area 51 since 1983. Luckily, they also worked on transporters everywhere! Anyone, in any city just has to go down into the sewer and look for a glowing pipe in the water! Farmer’s have brought all their over grown crops and cattle! Get on now, while there is still two minutes ‘till impact! Get here and survive!”
Then, the camera zoomed into the large crowd. I saw all my friends (and my sisters) in a mob, waiting for everyone else to get on the Rocket. “So now, all my friends were gone. No. All the country was gone. “If I knew about this before…” I said, “I could have kept my family. My friends. My life.” I looked out the window, and then at my watch. One minute.
Maybe that was enough time. I ran out the door, not even bothering to turn off the TV, the lights, or shut the door. The world was going to end anyway! Who cared! I ran to the sewer drain. 45 seconds. I tried to ignore the smell, and the bodies. But as soon as I reached the transporter, I puked. Just the sheer sight of those carcasses made me throw up. At least when I see my friends, I’ll feel better.
I opened the hatch after 5 seconds, and took another glance at my watch. 15 seconds. “Wait!!! Wait for me!!!” I screamed at the vessel. It was already taking off. The comet was this close. Why would they risk a billion people’s lives to try and save one more? The smoke was in my eyes, and I could barely see. But as soon as it cleared up, all I saw was a giant hunk of red, hot gas at my face.
~~"Chapter 1 pre: Empty Void"~~
“He’s not here?” he asked. “Yes he is! He has to be!” I barked back at him. It’s not like he didn’t come with us! “Check everywhere! There’s no way he’s not here!”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“There are a hundred freaking floors on this stupid rocket. And each one has 10 50*3 ft. Do you really think we have the attention spans to try and find him?” My little brother’s friends called out. I’m 17 year old Kay Ashley Manuel, and I haven’t seen my little bro since the comet crashed into Earth. He was a smart fellow, but he was stubborn. He couldn’t stand noise. And he was 13, damnit! What a baby!
I turned my attention back to the kids.
“Go! Try to find him! He’s the only family I have left!” I commanded. My sister was practically an only child. She was always so serious. We never hung out or anything. She’s like my opposite.
My bro’s friends started to scatter, frantically trying to find Mark. I looked for him also, but more calmly. I checked every place I would expect him to be. The game room: Not there. Wait. He’s not in the gaming room!!? Something must be wrong. Next, I looked in the kitchen: Not even a trace.
Three hours passed.
“He’s not here… We checked every inch of this place.”
