The Empty Planet

Year 2023

“I know mom, yes mom, yes I know mom” I was packing a bag for myself and my four year old son EJ, and trying to talk to my mother at the same time. She was worried that we would miss our flight to Florida. We were headed there to look for a place to live, but she was letting us live with her until we found something of our own. “Ok mom, mom? Mom?” she finally stopped talking. “Mom I have to go pick up EJ from daycare, or we really will be late ok?” She told me she loved me and couldn’t wait to see us. I smiled at the thought, I hadn’t seen my mom in so long. “I love you too mom, see you soon” I threw my phone on the charger and began to pack even faster, not caring if anything was folded or put in the right area. I just knew that I needed to get out of here before EJ’s dad came back. We had been having a lot of problems in our relationship, and this was the best thing for myself and my son. I ran to EJ’s room and grabbed a few of his toys to throw in his bag, then my phone rang again. Running back to grab my phone I saw that it was his father, Eli. “Yes Eli what do you want?” I couldn’t stand to talk to him let alone be in the same room with him. Of course all he wanted to do was argue and bitch at me about taking his son away from him. That is the last thing I wanted to do, but I had no choice, our son would be doomed if I left him. And what kind of mother would that make me? “Listen Eli, I’m taking EJ and there’s nothing you can do about it, and I can promise you that if you come after us, I will kill you myself” He continued to yell and threaten me, so I just hung up in his face, which I knew would get him riled up. I wasted no time calling him back, but of course he didn’t answer. I didn’t care, I needed to get my son and leave. My ride was here. Grabbing our bags, I ran as fast as I could down the stairs and out the door. Once inside the ride I stressed to the driver how important it was that we got to the daycare and then to the airport. We were 20 minutes away from his daycare, but the driver assured me he would do his best. “Thank you sir, very much”

Along the ride, all I could think of was seeing my mom, and my sister. Thinking of how happy we will be once we are from up under his watchful and abusive eye. We approached a red light and then it started to get a little dark outside. We both looked around, and saw people getting out of their cars and walking out of businesses. “What’s going on?” “I do not know Miss, it looks like everyone is looking up at the sky” I decided to see for myself and hopped out of the car. I looked to the sky to see what it was that had everyone so entranced. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, lights whizzing and zooming by fast with clouds of smoke behind them. Had I not been so confused, I would have thought it was a beautiful light show of some sort. And just like that they disappeared out of the sky, like it never happened. The sun was shining again, people decided to go back to what they were doing, some got back into their cars and others stood around wondering what just happened? As I started to get back in the car, there was a loud blast nearby at one of the banking buildings. Everyone began to duck and crouch behind things, we all saw the building crumbling to the ground. Could this be just a part of an elaborate bank robbery? “What the hell is going on?” “It’s a war on the planet lady” I looked at the old crazy haired man crouched down beside me. “What are you talking about?” “Haven’t you been paying attention to the internet? All these UFO sightings, people fighting over things that don’t belong to them, like water, oil, the Earth’s natural minerals” He sounded crazy enough, but anything is possible. “I haven’t heard of such things, I need to get to my son” and then there was another blast, this time it came with flying debris, ash, and smoke. I couldn’t help but cough up a storm, as I was knocked down by the shaking of the ground from the blast. I laid there for a second unable to move, thinking is this real life? The old man was probably right. I looked to my right and he was just lying there not moving. A big piece of rubble from the blast fell on top of him. His eyes wide open, looking back at me, blood pouring from his mouth. I was snapped out of it by the harrowing screams of everyone. I quickly arose and rushed back to my ride, just to find out the driver was dead also. I looked around in terror at the chaos that was happening. Smoke, fires, debris, ash, sirens blaring in the distance, cries filled the air. I didn’t know what was going on, except for I needed to get to my child, he was all I cared about. I grabbed what I could carry from the car, plus the drivers phone along with my own. I ran as fast as I could through the street, passing bodies sprawled out in the street, people holding onto each other, crying asking for help. I didn’t stop and I didn’t look back, I just kept running. I had to get to EJ.

Year 2030 - seven years later

“Did you really think that I was going to just let you guys rob me?” I snatched my locket from around his neck and put it in my pocket. God, I was heated.

“No ma’am, we- we were just trying to get enough to trade for some food. Right boys?” he stuttered cowardly and looked to his friends for answers. They nodded in agreement to his statement of not taking more than they needed. I had them tied up, gun pointed, and ready to hurt them. God how I just wanted to hurt them, but then there was that little voice in my head telling me no. This is not why you’ve come this far. I was broken out of my thoughts by one of their pleading voices. “Please ma’am we can forget this ever happened, if you just let us go please” I couldn’t help but laugh, is this kid serious? I thought to myself. I bent down so I could be eye level with the blonde haired boy. “Do you really think that you have any leverage here?” he shook his head no and I couldn’t help but smile awkwardly at him. As I stood back up, I ruffled his hair. “I tell you boys what” their eyes shot wide open. “If I let you boys go, this time, do you promise not to rob anyone else? Because people are struggling all over the world right now, and well-” I turned around my back to them. “I’m pretty sure they’re just fine with fighting for what they got and keeping it to themselves”

It was quiet for a moment. So I slightly turned my head to the left to look over my shoulder, one of the boys seemed to break free from their restraints. Guess I have to teach them an honest lesson. POW POW. He dropped like a sack of bricks. Screams of the little wussies filled the air. “See boys there’s this thing called being held accountable for your actions” They whimpered and I walked closer. “Your friend here might have lived to see another day had he just sat quietly, but he wanted to run and right now the way I see it” I pointed to the blonde haired boy “I’m the judge” then I pointed to the red haired boy “The jury” and then I pointed to the dead boy “And executioner” they cried and I laughed.

“Or you could just let them go and forget it ever happened like they said, boss” Startled by the voice coming from a near distance I turned, my gun ready “Who said that? Show yourselves now!” I saw a man come from behind a tree, he was tall and built, he wore cargo pants with boots, black shirt and black leather jacket, he wore shades and a hat. “I said it, and I’ll say it again, miss." He tipped his hat to me. "Just leave these boys be and go on about your day ma’am” This fucker had the nerve to talk to me like he knew me or something. “And just who the fuck are you supposed to be?” I pointed my gun at him and he pointed one right back. “You’re a little feisty one aren’t you darling?” I scoffed at his remark, trying to use his southern charm on me. “I’m more than feisty, darling." I mocked him. "And besides they ambushed me and tried to rob me, so mind your own damn business darling”

He smiled “Well that’s a real shame baby cakes, but it doesn’t look like they caused you any harm, and I can say by the looks of thangs, you can handle yourself”

“Yeah so what if I can?” “Well I just mean, what’s the harm in letting them go miss?” I looked back at the boys, he had a point. I think they learned their lesson. “Don’t you think they learned their lesson?” God it’s like he was reading my mind, “Yeah I guess so, but I’m not untying them, they’ve wasted too much of my time here already, I have to get moving now” I grabbed my belongings, gun still ready just in case he tried anything funny. “Thank you ma’am” the boys said graciously. “Don’t thank me, thank the lone ranger over there, just stop robbing people ok? Or you’ll end up like your buddy over there” they both nodded and I took off on my own again. I could only assume the lone ranger was going to untie them at some point of me walking away.

I plugged in my earphones to this old ipod nano I found a while back. Filled with old songs of the early 2000’s and it brings me back to a sense of reality that was once Earth and normal. I walked along the beaten and run down path, through the city of ruins, listening to “Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and I’m instantly transported back in time. Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out my heart shaped locket, opening it up I began to cry. In it a picture of my mom, sister, and my son. I was so alone in this world now. Food was scarce, water is limited, people fighting over things that don't belong to them. I guess that old man wasn't so crazy after all. All I wanted was my son back, it had been seven years since I last saw him, or heard his sweet little voice. Wondering what he looks like now, that's if he's still alive. I couldn't think like that, I had to have hope. I remember it like it was yesterday, when the world went to shit. Nothing mattered to me anymore, except for finding my family. But what was I supposed to make of this empty planet?