Cesar Street

My hands filthy and callused, they were moist. It had been particularly hot that day, it was almost as if I could see the heat waves. The sound of the cicadas had filled the air taking over my hearing. Beads of sweat collected on my face as I walked down the street. My shoe flopped awkwardly every time my left foot motioned forward. The sole of the shoe gave up months ago. These were my second pair of shoes this year, tore up so soon. I could only afford the cheaper shoes with what little money I had. With my next step I felt the ground become uneven. I stepped back to see a heart-shaped locket, where had this locket come from? Who lost it? A woman? Maybe it was once a gift from a loved one. I picked the locket up curious whose photos had taken up the heart-shaped space inside. It had been hot to the touch from sitting in the sun, nothing I could not handle. As the locket opened, the burning feeling on my fingertips became intense. I dropped the locket to examine my fingers only to notice the sound of cicadas no longer rang in my ears. The ground beneath my feet was in ruins. Cracks had taken up the surface of the sidewalk while weeds ran through them. Debris laid around like a dumpsite. The air felt tainted and unfamiliar. The buildings were being engulfed by nature. There was a deafening silence that lingered. My mind went back to the locket. I looked to the ground to find the locket. The locket laid there open with no photos taking up the heart-shaped space. I couldn’t help but think the locket brought me to this strange place. A place of abandonment with an ominous layer.

Taking a closer look, the buildings that surrounded me were not so unfamiliar. This is the route I walk on the way home. I make out the number 635 on a nearby house, the house looks like an unkempt version of Mrs. Johnson's house. She always had the best yard on the block. The sound of a window breaking snapped me out of my confused state. I run and hide on the side of Mrs. Johnson’s house that had now been covered with some sort of vines. Peeking out from the corner I see a woman step into the street to survey her surroundings. She had long curly hair with a round face and soft features. She had calm kind eyes with a stern determined look. I can never get the attention of a woman that looked like she did. They don't even look my way. I was lost in her beauty when I lost my balance on the uneven ground, she shouted “hey, who is out there?". It was my instinct to hide behind the wall hoping she had not seen me. I thought back to how I got here, “that locket!”. Searching for the locket I realized I left it on the ground where I was standing. I needed that locket back if I was going to get back to my world. I have to distract her so that I can get my locket back. Heading towards the back of the house I find a rock and throw it in the opposite direction. I hear the woman shout "Hey!" and head in that direction. Now is my chance to grab the locket. With a crotched awkward run, I make it to the locket. I hear “Hey”, this time behind me. Her voice was soft and curious, not like the first two “Hey's” shouted. I was scared to turn around; I get nervous around women.

“Are you going to greet me or stay in that statue-like position? I thought there weren't survivors in this sector”. I stand up and turn around to face her. Her deep blue eyes had taken me for a swim and I was okay with that.

“Azrael!” blurted out my mouth. Recovering quickly, I say.

“My name, it is Azrael”. She giggled.

“Zisah is the name”. Her giggle made me slightly less nervous. Maybe she can tell me how to get back.

“Where am I? What is this place?” she had given me a puzzled look.

“Are you okay? Do you need me to take you home?” where do I live? Would I even recognize it?

“This is not my world, this locket brought me here!” I pulled out the locket showing her. As I held it in my hand her look had become a look of concern. Did she think I was crazy?

“What locket?”

“This locket in my hand!” I dangled the locket in front of her face. She continued to look at me confused. She couldn’t see what I was seeing.

“Just calm down, maybe you dropped it. Let's look for it.”

"I did not drop it. It is right here in my hand! A heart-shaped locket with no photos inside! I opened the locket to show her it was empty. I looked inside to see a photo of a woman. The woman was Zisah. I stood bewildered. Who was this woman?

“Maybe you should sit down.”

“No, I don’t want to sit down. I want to go home!”

“Okay, where do you live?”

"In my world, I live on Cesar Street."

“We go by sectors now, that street probably doesn’t even have a street sign anymore. I believe that location was in sector four. We are in sector five, that is one over. I can take you if you like.” I wanted to go to my real home. I had a newfound appreciation for my broken shower head that you had to angle just right to get good water flow. Anything was better than this place.

“Yes, I have a feeling I should stick with you.” I don't think she noticed the seriousness that came with that statement. The way she crept behind me without a sound. I needed her and I was scared. She had something to do with this locket.

“When we start moving you have to stay close to me. Something tells me you are new to this world. Mother nature has a funny way of picking off humanity.”

“So, what happened here?”

“Life was great, it was just like any other day. Until the world was wiped out with all the natural disasters you can think of. It came in waves; each disaster came separately. The majority of the population didn't survive, I got lucky. I heard rumors from passing survivors that there is another wave coming. A lot of us don’t believe only because it's been so long without a wave.”

“Do you believe another one is coming?”

“I believe nature is tired of sharing a planet with humans. The waves will not stop until all of humanity cease to exist.”. Are we the ones invading or is it nature?

It wasn’t long until we reached sector four. The surroundings were harder to recognize in sector four. The houses were either caved in or a pile of rubble. The plan was to search every house until we found my house, hopefully it was still standing. The buildings were unstable and I didn’t feel safe walking through them. Zisah was not scared; she did most of the searching while I staggered behind. I pulled the locket out looking at her photo that had taken up the right side of the heart. How was it possible? I've always been a man of science until now. There was no explanation for this.

“Found it! 1121 Cesar Street”. My house was still standing after eighteen years in this apocalyptic world.

“Are you sure this is it?”

“How dare you question me. After being in this world all this time I've become an expert. Her serious face was broken by a laugh. “I’m just playing with you. Haven't joked around in years. I've been alone the whole time.”

“I trust your judgment. You know more than me."

Heading into the house to my room, it had been set up different from how I have it in my world. This was my house there was no mistaking it. On the dresser lay a book, it didn’t have a layer of dust like the rest of the items in the house. I walk closer to see the book is a journal. Just as I start to flip through the pages the house starts to shake.

“Azrael, we have to get out of the house, it’s collapsing.”

Running out of the house in time to see it sink into the ground like the earth was taking it. The surrounding houses had been swallowed by the earth as well. Was this a new wave like Zisah said earlier? I can't die here. Looking over at Zisah she had a look I’ve never seen before. She was scared.

“Are you okay Zisah?” She turned to me with tears in her eyes.

“This is the wave that the other survivors talked about. I’m not ready to die!” I didn’t want to see her cry. There was nothing I could do to make her feel better.

“You are not going to die, I promise.” I shouldn’t have made that promise not knowing if it was true or not.

“How can you say that, look what just happened.”. Zisah pulls my hand to show me the deep holes that surround us.“Look at this and tell me you truly think we aren't going to die!”. I stood there scared because I truly didn’t think we would live.

“Maybe if we find others, they might have some answers. Zisah pull yourself together. You are a smart woman so let's figure this out.” She looked me in the eyes and I tried my best to give her a reassuring look. It must have helped because she gave me that same smile I saw when I met her.

“You are right, thank you for that. Let's go find some answers. Don’t forget your journal over there on the ground.”

The journal had been flipped open. There was a drawing of a heart-shaped locket on the page. I pull the locket out to compare the two.

“Is that the locket you told me about earlier?” can she see the locket now?

“You can see the locket?”

“Yeah, I ca-”

“Can you see the photo inside?”

“Is that you?”

“ME? No!”

“Well, it looks just like you.” She sees a photo of me and I see a photo of her.

“This locket is the same locket in this drawing, this is our way home.”

“Our?”

“I want you to come with me, you don’t have to die here in this world. Let me save your life.”

“Why would you want to save me? You barely know me.” I had the sudden urge to cup her face in my palm so I did. She has changed something inside of me. I'm doing things that are out of my comfort zone.

“In this locket, I see a photo of you, you see a photo of me. That has to mean something.” staring at me with those blue eyes she no longer holds that stern look on her face.

“Okay, I will go with you.”

“I have to find the answers and they are in this journal.”

Skimming through the journal I realize that I know how to get home, but only one of us can go. How do I tell her, I just promised her she would live.