Chronicles Of The Earth

"Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say."

So read the unusual graffiti painted on the side of an old abandoned building that sat in the corner of what seemed to be an also abandoned street.

Dawn was breaking and the city remained silent, enveloped in a whitish clarity caused by the fog that hung over it. The streets and buildings were empty and damp and cold, and it seemed as if no one had lived there for some time; but contrary to what one might think, the loneliness of the place did not cause fear but rather melancholy or, perhaps, even sadness. Just a glance at the city would make anyone wonder why it had fallen into disgrace: Its beautiful cobblestone streets, its elegant and imposing buildings, its uniquely designed houses, its lavish theaters and museums... but now everything looked opaque, like tarnished silver that has not been used in a very long time.

From time to time, the wind would stroll by the city and slightly shake the doors and windows of the houses that its inhabitants had forgotten to close before leaving. Here and there the pages of a book that someone had been reading would to turn by themselves, the wheels of a bicycle hanging on a rack would begin to spin, and the houses would fill with tinkles and noises and for a moment would come alive, as if their occupants had suddenly returned or woken up from a long slumber. But soon the illusion would cease, the wind would go away and everything would be left behind, once again plunged into oblivion.

"Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say."

This time, the unusual graffiti had been painted over a cluster of fliers that covered an entire wall. The fliers depicted what seemed to be space rockets taking off and the words: "The future of humankind lies in the stars. Join now!"

It was not easy to imagine a reason why its inhabitants had vacated the city. There were no signs of fighting or violence and it seemed as if people had simply vanished into thin air: in a concert hall on the stage, musical instruments lay in a silent performance. In a museum the exhibition was open and the works still told endless stories, frozen in colors shapes and figures. Outside, by the sea, a solitary bench still contemplated the sunsets while waiting for the evening lovers who strolled along the pier, their hands intertwined, their hearts full of joy. But there was no longer anyone who enjoyed the music, there were no longer any eyes to contemplate the works of art, nor were there lovers eager for a first kiss.

As night fell, an overwhelming silence hung over the entire place. The stars twinkled and the moon rose white and clear over the tall, dark buildings. Not a cricket, an owl, not a breath of wind... the night in that place was the stillness and silence that only the ancestors of humankind had known. Perhaps, even quieter than that.

"Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say."

A very distant flash of light, followed by a barely perceivable roar (that unmistakable rumble that space rockets made upon landing or taking off) broke the deathly silence of the abandoned city.

Almost at the same time, like a small rodent that has been startled out of its nest, a human figure, dark and staggering, breathing heavily and constantly looking behind, came out of one of the graffitied buildings, rushing as fast as it could down one of the streets.

Apparently the city wasn't completely dead after all.