The Observers

As I clasp my gold, heart-shaped locket tightly in my hand, I instantly feel a sense of peace. The cold metal against my palm ignites memories inside my head of my mother. The world before it all changed. I think of Mother often; her laugh, her smile. She was the strongest person I knew. She had given me the locket as a reminder never to be afraid and that she was always with me. One of her favorite sayings was, "What doesn't kill ya will make for one hell of a story!" A smile reveals itself on my tired face as I think about her. However, it fades just as quickly as it appears when I realize that even the strongest woman in my world was no match for what happened.

A twig snaps in the distance, forcefully removing me from thoughts. I pause my breathing as I listen closely. The cool fall air gently glides across my skin, causing goosebumps to appear. The hairs on the back of my neck, however, tell another story. I turn my gaze towards the sound I heard, gripping the handle of the machete in my waistband. I see nothing. Nothing but trees that seem to go on forever as they appear to touch the solemn, grey sky. But I know something, or someone, is there. Watching me. I can feel it...have been for days now. The thought actually sounds silly when I think about it because I had not seen another person for months; A living one anyway. The human race had been a thorn in Mother Earth's side for far too long. Between our wars, pollution of the air and sea, over-population, and wildfires used to burn down the rain forests to create more space for dairy farming, she had had enough.

First came the earthquakes, and then the floods. Finally, she unleashed the deadliest virus this world had ever seen, wiping out almost the entire population. Hospitals were filled to capacity as bodies began lining the streets, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. No one knew how the virus was spread or how to stop it. The stench of death hung in the air, making breathing one of the hardest things to do. The elites knew what was coming and hatched a plan of their own to survive. The rich boarded ships that cost 1 million US dollars per seat and escaped to a colony on Mars, just before things really went to shit. The rest of us... were left here to die. Some said the end appeared to have come out of nowhere but, all of the signs were there. It's just, most people didn't pay attention or didn't want to see the truth. The ones that tried to warn the rest of us were deemed crazy or "Conspiracy Theorists." We all were asleep, only to wake up and find ourselves in a horrifying nightmare that would never end.

I allow my lungs to finally expand when I hear nothing else, but I keep my hand on my machete just a little longer. Time to keep moving. I have no idea where I am going, but I know I must keep moving. It will be dark soon, and I need to find a safe place to rest. I adjust my backpack and pull my cloth mask over my nose as I begin to walk. Orange and brown colored leaves rustle beneath my worn boots as I make my way back to the main road, glancing over my shoulder as I do. I do not feel alone. Abandoned vehicles line the street in a chaotic pattern, symbolizing the fear and panic the occupants must have felt when they left them.

The rapid spread of the virus made it stand out as one of history's most catastrophic events, but the "change" is what made it the most terrifying. The bodies filled the hospitals...the bodies filled the streets. But when the sun went down, and the moon ruled the sky, the dead...didn't stay dead. What was left of the rotting corpses would rise under the cloak of darkness, feeding on whatever living thing they could find. Then the sun would return, and they would die again. Over and over, day after day. I almost felt bad for them. The insatiable hunger that meets you every time you wake, and a soul that never has the opportunity to rest in peace. The karmic price humans were paying was an expensive one. Sadly, we deserved it.

I continue to walk down the road, glancing in the cars as I pass by. I stop in front of a black 2025 Tesla with mirror tint. I have not seen my face in what feels like ages. Honestly, it feels like the first time. I barely recognize myself. The cold grey eyes staring back at me seem unfamiliar and lifeless. The long scar on my right cheek tells a story that I can't recall or chose not to. I run my finger across it, feeling the raised, ridged skin beneath my fingertip. I try to search my memory banks for the event that permanently marked me but...nothing.

"Hmm...that's...weird."

I continue to study my face when suddenly, I see something in the reflection behind me. I jump and turn around, whipping out my machete to defend myself but, nothing is there. My chest rises and falls as I try to catch my breath, looking in every direction. Nothing. I bend over and place my hands on my thighs, trying to slow my breathing.

"Am I going crazy?" I whisper to myself.

But the answer is unclear. I take one more deep breath and stand up. I turn to continue walking in the direction I was headed. I take a few steps when I hear gravel shift behind me. I whip my body around as fast as I could, machete leading the way, and I see a young girl no older than eight years old. Her face just inches away from my blade.

She looks at me with darling blue eyes and a face full of innocence and says, "Can you help me?"

I look behind her and see no one else. "Where did you come from? Who are you?"

She just repeats herself, "Can you help me?"

I look at her appearance and am shocked to see she is wearing a white dress. It is so clean and pure white that it's almost glowing. Not a stain in sight. Her skin was fair and smooth, her red hair pulled neatly into two braids that flowed down her back. The sun began to set, and I realize that standing here, in the middle of this road, is not the smartest thing to keep doing. I lower my blade nod my head to the girl. Something didn't feel right about leaving her alone. We continue to walk down the roadway in silence. I wonder where she is from. Where has she been all of this time? Who has she been with? I look over at her, out the corner of my eyes. She appears to be in her own little world as she hummed a tune that I have heard somewhere before.

We continue to walk until we reach an abandoned gas station just as the sun retires for the night. The moans of the deceased begin to grow louder as they pull their strength from the moonlight. As we approach the front of the gas station, rotten corpses appear all around us. The smell is horrendous, causing us both to gag. I can see the entrance to the gas station, just beyond the pumps, and it looks open.

"Run!" I yell.

We both start running towards the door, and I reach it first. I begin to close it, but I quickly realize that I am alone. I look up to see the little girl surrounded by the dead. The fear on her face is unfathomable as she screams in angst. I could easily close the door, securing my safety for another night. But, I look down at the locket hanging around my neck and hear my mother's words, as if she was standing right next to me.

"Don't be afraid," she said. "Do the right thing."

I take a deep breath and pull out my machete. I let out a scream I had never heard before; a war cry. I rush back to the girl's side just as the corpses are about to attack her. I swing my blade back and forth, slicing anything it makes contact with. I hold them off for few seconds, allowing the girl to make a run for the door, but they seemed to be coming from every direction. Eventually, I am overrun. I am grabbed and thrown to the ground. I look towards the gas station and see the little girl behind the glass. As the world began to grow dark, I saw a smile appear on the girl's face. She mouthed the words "Good job," just as I slipped away...

*Beep* Beep* Beep*

I hear the hum of machines around me as I open my eyes. It takes a few seconds for them to adjust and see the bright light over me.

"It's awake. What do we think? Is it a good candidate?" I hear a voice ask.

I turn my head and see silhouettes of what looks like three giant people. As they step out of the shadows, I realize not only are they at least 7 feet tall, but they are also not human. My eyes widen as I take in the sights before me. The mask on my face, providing me oxygen, feels tighter and tighter as I begin to hyperventilate. These "beings" have skin the color of the deepest blue I've ever seen. Their eyes show no white, only black, with no eyelids. There are 2 slits where their noses should have been, widening and closing as they breathe. Their hair is the same color as their skin, styled in braids that hung to the floor. Although I am terrified, I am also curious. They seemed so majestic and so familiar.

"Well, she did sacrifice herself to save another. If all the humans learn to be selfless like that, maybe they won't destroy the New Earth. Let's just create them all like this one," one said.

"You're right. I wish that they all could behave like this one but, free will is still a factor that we cannot manipulate either way. Besides, how will they learn if they are all alike?" the other said.

They did not communicate with their mouths because they did not have one. This was all done through their minds, and I understood every word.

"Well, this one was able to pass the test in 5 minutes human-time. So, to New Earth, it goes. Let's hope this group doesn't disappoint this time. Send in the next one! Oh, and make sure this one has a better memory bank. This one couldn't even remember its own face."

One of the beings stood over me, and my mind heard it say, "Make us proud."

It rubbed my head and began to hum a familiar tune. It was the same tune that the little girl was humming on the road when we met.