The store was cool, I was sweating profusely. I could barely breathe; I was going to throw up. Nausea coiled through me, it burned its way up my throat. I could taste it, feel it, and yet I was somehow able to keep it down. This was the weirdest, creepiest, most terrifying thing I had experienced in years, but I could not throw up in this store. The act of doing so somehow seemed even more wrong and degrading than the situation surrounding me now.
I was hyperventilating though. I knew that. I couldnt breathe and yet the more I gasped for air, the less I was able to get into my lungs. I needed fresh air, I needed out of this store. My bag was still on the counter, but I didnt want to grasp hold of it. I was sure my mom would forgive me for not bringing the milk home.
My mom!
My heart hammered painfully, my chest compressed tightly. Nausea swelled swiftly through me again. I managed to take a stumbling, awkward step back. Was my mom like these people? Was she one of them now, or was she like me? Was there anyone else like me? Was I the only one? And why was I still able to move while they couldnt? What the hell had happened to them, would it happen to me?
That thought caused fresh terror to pulse through me. My adrenaline was kicking so fiercely that I was shaking from the effects of it. I glanced over the people again. They remained frozen. Not a one of them had moved in the past five minutes. I hadnt even seen them take a breath, but they had to be breathing, didnt they? Were they dead? Would they ever move again?
The questions rolled rapidly through my mind, making me dizzy with panic and confusion. They kept slamming through me, but I didnt have answers to any of them. I couldnt even begin to fathom the answers to any of them. Though I did not want to go anywhere near the woman again, I knew I had to grab that bag. If my mom wasnt like this, then I suddenly had to deliver that milk to her. And if she was
I shut the thought down; it was too much to handle right now. This situation was awful enough without adding to it. Darting forward, I snagged hold of the bag and ripped it off the counter. The rustle of the plastic set my teeth on edge. It was far too loud in the eerie silence that suddenly enshrouded the earth. I ground my jaw, fighting back a scream of terror as I took a swift step back. The woman remained unmoving, her hand still extended with my change. Her warm brown eyes didnt even flicker as I waved a hand slowly in front of her face. I wanted to check to see if she was still breathing, if she had a pulse, but try as I might I could not bring myself to touch her. I was ashamed of my cowardice but the thought was completely revolting.
I edged toward the door, scared to take my eyes off of the human statues. I didnt know what the hell they would be like if they came to life again. Images of every zombie movie I had ever seen flashed rapidly through my mind, I could almost see them coming to life and attacking me. I could picture them tearing me to shreds as they tried to get at my brains, and organs. I shuddered in disgust.
Reaching the door, I pulled down on the blinds in order to peek out at the seemingly peaceful day. The streets were still, no one moved upon them. People were frozen in midstride, or leaning against store fronts. Some were stopped in mid conversation with their hands in the air, or their heads tilted back to peer at the sky. A man and woman had been riding their bikes down the road when the strange freezing had occurred. They were now sprawled upon the street, their feet tangled awkwardly in the toppled bikes. The wheels were still spinning slowly; they were the only movement in the otherwise still day. Neither of them had made an attempt to break their fall, they had simply face planted into the asphalt. Blood was trickling slowly from the mans nose; it dripped onto the pavement, forming a puddle beneath him. The womans face was obscured by her dark hair tumbling around her shoulders.
It was a horrifying sight, one that I could not tear my eyes away from. Swallowing heavily I tried to gather my courage to step onto that deserted,
desolate street. Was there no one else that could still move? I couldnt be the only one. That thought was almost as terrifying as becoming one of the frozen people.
If I was frozen at least I wouldnt be alone, and perhaps I wouldnt even know what had happened to me. Or perhaps, chillingly, I would.
I removed my trembling hand from the blind. I could not stay here, I needed to move. I needed to get to my family, to see if they were safe. I needed someone to help me sort this all out. Slowly, I eased the door open. The small bell above it rang softly, a gentle sound that was piercingly sharp in the quiet day. I winced at the noise, scrunching up within myself as I waited for something to attack me. Everything remained quiet.
Involuntarily my gaze went to the sky. A cold trickle of horror crept through me as I caught sight of the ship hovering over Boston. It was a good sixty miles away but its ominous presence was felt just as strongly. I shuddered at the reminder of it, shuddered at the realization that though they had spouted peace, they had finally revealed themselves to be anything but peaceful. Something I had suspected for a long time, though I had never suspected anything like this .