Abandoned by: Jorge Covarrubias, Photography, 2020
Apocalypse Alone
It all happened so fast. One second everything was business as usual and the next was utter chaos. I still remember it like it was yesterday: it was 3am and I was on break from stocking the shelves of Walmart. It was dead. I grabbed a cup of terrible coffee and watched the news. The ground shook: a complete shock to someone who had never experienced an earthquake. Not long after, the deafening screech of emergency services took over my phone and the T.V. It was a stay at home order. I silenced the alarm on my phone and scrolled through my phone on various websites to see what was really going on. I saw a grainy video from someone’s balcony. The ground shook but something caused it. The street cracked and gave way to a titanic mole cricket. It looked almost demonic: tan and red coloration, almost an amalgamation of other insects, round head, pitch dark eyes, and large hind legs with powerful and spiny forelegs crushing everything that stood in front of it. Once it got to the surface it was about the size of a bus, and it was hungry. It took seconds. It jolted over to the nearest car, striking it with its claw-like appendage and tearing into the petrified driver. The video then turned to the hole in which the monster cricket first emerged. The area around the hole was shifting as dozens of those titan crickets burst through the ground. The cameraman turned around and bolted. Definitely not my first hope for an apocalypse, but I’d take anything at this point. I ran out of the break room and straight to the back, grabbing snacks on my way there. I picked up my bag and called my friend David. I hopped on my bike; I needed to get home. A grin slowly came over my face.
The phone rang; no answer. I called again; no answer. By the third time, a groggy voice on the other line answered.
“Dude, I told you not to call me just because you’re bored at work let me sleep.”
“That’s not why I’m calling. It’s happening my man. I wasn’t exactly right but it’s finally happening.”
“What are you on about?”
“It’s the end of the world baby!” I couldn’t keep my cool. The end of the world was always such a cool thought all the rules go out the window. Everyone would laugh and think I was crazy. I told them all to prepare and get ready something was going to happen. Not one listened. Slowly I just stopped talking about it with the people around me. They figured it was just a phase that I’d eventually get over it but that was never the case. I let them sit and work themselves away in a world I knew wouldn’t last. Giant crazy bugs not my first guess I was thinking zombies or a crazy disease either way I had a plan.
“How do you know that?” David says to snap me back.
“You didn’t see all the warnings and weird videos on the internet of these HUGE bugs and tearing shit up all over the place.”
“What is this, “the giant spider invasion”? Come on man, how am I supposed to believe that?”
“Trust me dude this time I’m absolutely positive. I saw a dude get torn to shreds. These things are massive and apparently not very nice. If you don’t believe me at least hop on the internet and get ready. Do you still have that bug out bag I gave you?”
“Ugh fine. If you are so adamant about it, let me throw some clothes on–and yeah I have it somewhere, let me dig it out.”
I had known David for as long as I can remember. His mom and my mom worked together at Greenhorn Elementary School. My mom knew I was kinda the odd one out, and as an only child, David was the brother I never had. He was always supportive but never indulged me when I would get super into my own head.
I finally got to my home and the ground shook again with a little more force than last time. I was barely able to stay upright, but the house seemed fine. I opened the door and dash to the back where my room was. I grabbed my bug out bag. It’s got everything you’d need: emergency food, a waterproof fire starter, electrolyte water, cold steel G.I Tanto, first aid kit, a 5000 lumen flashlight, and thermal blankets. It was a little heavier than I remembered, but no time for complaining now. I strapped it on and started pedaling over to David’s just a couple blocks away. I got there and all the lights are off. I hoped he didn’t just ignore me and go back to bed. I pounded on the door. David answered after a minute or two.
“These earthquakes knocked out my power.” David answered as if he already knew my question.
“Figured as much. Do you have the bag?”
“Yeah I tossed it on the couch. Also, where is your mom? Why are we leaving?”
“The giant bugs dude, I already told you. Here, watch this. My mom is still at home. I don’t think she’ll listen to me anyway.” I hand him my phone with the same grainy video. He watches silently. His eyes widen as the video continues to play.
“You really weren’t joking about giant bugs. That thing is enormous and that’s what’s causing all these earthquakes.”
“You saw how quick they are too so we need to go stay on the move and if they can tear through the ground like nothing and cars like aluminum foil. I don’t think we stay in our houses. If they collapse it’s all over.”
“We have to go get your mom first.” David’s reply was quick and forceful. I was quiet, my eyes shifted towards the ground.
“She’s your mom and if I tell her it’s serious she’ll listen. I’ll go get my mom, we will drive over there in just a minute.” David always sounded so calm but there was something a little off about his voice. I think he was sacred.
David and his mom walked out with some bags. David had the kit I made for him and his mom had a school backpack with clothes. She always had when she would chaperone field trips when we were young. They threw their bags in the trunk of the blue sedan. David hopped in the driver seat. His mom, who looked dead on her feet, crashed down in the back seat. I hop in the passenger side with my bag still attached.
“What about your bike?” David asked as we pulled out of the driveway.
“I’ll come back and get it, but I don’t think I’ll need it.”
He started driving and the ground began to tremble. It was much worse now than before. I look in the rearview mirror and I see the street bubble up before bursting rocks and dirt sent flying through the air.
“Go, go, go!” I screamed and hit David’s arm as the rocks and debris rained down on the street and car. The chitter of the creature was distinct, similar to a constant low clicking sound. We nearly blasted past my home, stopping a clear half-house away. David’s breathing was heavy, his eyes on the mirror.
“Go inside go get her so we can go. Hurry!” David barked, his voice starting to shake.
I swung open the car door and tried to open the front door, but it was locked. I fumbled with my keys, my hands trembling, and finally got it open. I took a few steps into my home and again the ground shook just like the first time I saw it: the ground exploding outwards followed by this monstrosity; its spiny forelegs ripping through the concrete, its face and chittering mandible and pitch dark eyes separated by segments. The sound of it is burned into my memories. Its speed astonished me. I watched over my shoulder, catching one small glimpse of David’s face for the final time. The walking nightmare took no time to shred through David’s blue sedan and I just couldn’t watch anymore. My eyes went forward and I never looked back. I ran through my house, out the back door, and hopped over my fence.
I thought it’d be cool to live in the apocalypse. I never realized how sad it really is. How lonely it can really be and just how powerless it would make me. Next month it’ll be the one year anniversary of when the bugs came and the world ended. I may be alive, but this is reality: I have to fear for my life every day. I haven’t slept well in all this time, and neither the nightmares nor memories have been kind. I look over, seeing the shambles of where I’ve grown up. I’ve prepared for a long time, but I didn’t imagine I’d be alone in all this.