No More Light

I suppose I was delaying the inevitable. I appeared optimistic to those around me; but inside I was terrified. Betty knew it. She could see it in my eyes, always could. Those goddamned poodles. “We will get through this,” they said. “No one left behind,” they said. A bunch of bullshit. They were shutting off our power today. 30 minutes. The only thing that kept us alive was the power. No power means no more light, no more water and heat, no more appliances, and most importantly, no more electric gates. Those gates they put up around the city is the only reason we aren’t dead. The only barrier between us and those things. Whatever they are, we hadn’t got a good look at em’. We would soon.

At the start we had a full team of eight. Didn’t last long though. Bill was the first to go. I was greeted by his hanging body in the garage; his beltless pants around his ankles. Pete and Laura got ambushed by soldiers, who mistook them for the ill. John went out for food after we begged him not to go. Son ova’ bitch never came back. Then there was Jenny.

Her coughing getting worse by the day. We went walking down the street to the park that was still somewhat intact. The soldiers burned the bodies surrounding the playground until there was nothing left but ash. We sat at the bench that we were known to visit when I got off of work and took her to the park. We haven’t been there since she was 12 or so. We sat shoulder to shoulder; I was wearing all the protective gear. Her short, red hair was glowing in the sunlight. I cried like a baby but she didn’t shed a tear. She was happy to go. She didn’t say it but I saw it on her face. I don’t blame her.

We looked north at the sun as it was slowly setting on this desolate, betrayed planet. She started singing “Over the Mountain” by Bobby Vinton-- the song I used to play for her when I dropped her off at school. Her soft, slow voice still rings in my ears. At the time however, it was soothing. She stopped singing and looked over at me.

“Daddy? You gonna be okay?” She said to me as I had my face in my hands. I sat up straight, wiping away all the tears that were left on my face.

“Yeah baby. I-I’m gonna be just fine.”

“Good. I didn’t want mama to see. She wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

I stood up from the bench and walked behind her, taking out my revolver and cocking it. Her face didn’t move at all. Her eyes were fixated on the sky. The park rested on a tall hill, overlooking all of the city. She didn’t look down on the city-or what was left of it. The sky lost almost all of its blue color in exchange for a grey, slate color. However, on this day, the clouds parted and its original color could be seen and Jenny soaked it all in.

The tip of the barrel was an inch or two away from her head. I didn’t want to disturb her. It was impossible to talk. Any word that tried to escape my mouth came out as a small, quiet screech. She retained her smile the entire time we were at the park, which felt like 5 minutes but in reality it was an hour and a half. I never wanted to go. But it was time.

“Daddy?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

“Y-yes honey?”

“Do you think it’s dark on the other side?”

I pulled the trigger. All the birds in the area flew away and the bench was covered in blood. But she kept that smile. God I miss that smile.

We’d stocked up on food that should last us for a month. Hoping it would last longer if we rationed correctly. But, we both presumed, starving wasn’t gonna be our end. It was only Betty and me left. We didn't talk much. Maybe a sentence or two a day. There was nothing to talk about. We’d consoled each other all we could. She sat at the window for hours at a time while I lied in Jenny’s bed. She tried to cover up her sobs but I still heard it. I just didn’t say anything.

The U.S. population is estimated to be 300,000 as of yesterday. Yet it seems like Betty and I are the only ones alive. But are we really alive? I don’t know. Humanity doomed itself. Pure irony. Maybe we deserve it. 15 minutes left.

I walked over to Betty and I hugged her tight. We were in the process of getting divorced before all this shit happened. I still love her though. I always will. She buried her face in my chest and sobbed so violently that her tears streamed down my shirt. Hell, I even started crying. No words were said, but so much was said without them.

We spent all day barricading the doors and the windows except the one that faces the park that she likes to look out of. We would be in complete darkness otherwise. We’ve also stocked up on guns and enough ammo that should last us about a week or two. I grabbed my shotgun and made sure my others were within arms reach. I looked at my watch. 10 minutes left.

I put my gun down and walked over to the record player which was sitting on the entertainment center next to the stairs which we blocked off. I opened the cabinets filled with records. I randomly selected one. An uppity, yet eerie tune started playing. It was an oldie. 40’s or 50’s. Betty looked over at me and smiled. I walked over and took her hand and we started to dance.

“God I missed this,” I said; a smile from ear to ear.

“Me too,” she laughed.

We danced for what seemed like hours. Song after song playing. I felt young again. We had no negative thoughts or feelings even with what was about to ensue. There was love in the air and it was replacing the oxygen but we were enjoying it. But it didn’t last forever. Because that’s when it happened. 0 minutes left.

Goddammit; I still had hope they were lying. They did before. They did it all the time so why was today any different? Because this time it didn’t benefit them, that’s why. The music slowed down and came to a complete stop. Our faces dropped and only looks of pure despair were visible. There was no more light. Nothing left. We were left behind, ultimately betrayed. God help us. God help us all.