believe she was running a swingers party in her basement, and another one who was smoking something that didn't look like a cigarette, no one stood out. The same was said for the karate instructor and the maintenance men.
By the time she reached the men from Joe’s poker game, she was starting to grow frustrated. She tried to push it off, knowing she wouldn’t be able to see anything if she didn’t relax, but it didn’t help. After the third man in the group was cleared, she found herself unable to see anything else. She tried each name, but the only thing she found was more frustration.
She groaned, her eyes starting to burn as they passed over the list for the third time, and closed her eyes to try and clear her mind.
She was walking down the sidewalk toward her house. With the moon shining brightly against the dark sky, the street was lit up almost as if it were the middle of the day. Or maybe it wasn't the moon causing it.
Rilynne looked around as she started to smell something harsh. The breeze carried an aroma that closely resembled a tire burning. The moment it registered in her nose, she saw a billow of smoke slowly moving toward her.
“What?” she said aloud, looking at the twenty foot wall that was steadily inching forward. She peered side to side, looking for a way around it, but it went on in both directions for as far as she could see. It was so thick that as soon as it passed over something, it could no longer be seen.
“Fire!” she yelled down the empty street. Panic filled her as she looked at all of the homes that were only moments away from being consumed. “Wake up! There's a fire!”
She tried to run to the house on the left, knowing the elderly woman who lived there, but she was too late. Before she could reach the door, it was swallowed by the smoke. She considered pushing through it and going in after her, but she couldn't make herself.
She ran through the yard of the next house, banging on each window as she passed, but no one responded.
Where was everyone? As she looked from house to house, she saw that not a single light was on. In addition to that, she found that every car was gone.
Rilynne went to the front of the next home and grabbed the water hose at the side of the house. After turning it on, she aimed it at the giant wall moving toward her. The water hit the smoke and bounced right off.
She yelled and dropped the running hose at her feet. It wasn't smoke.
With one last look around, she turned and ran down the street. She ran until she reached the station, which had the first light on that she saw. The relief she felt at seeing it was quickly squashed, though, when she stepped into the empty lobby.
It wasn't just empty. It looked like everyone had just dropped everything where they stood and left. There were papers and files scattered across the floor and a pair handcuffs hanging loosely from the bar at the closest desk with the key still in them.
“Is anyone here?” she yelled. She stood quietly for a moment to listen but the station was silent.
She was torn. She didn't know if she should run and get further from the mysterious wall or if she should search the station. After a few long seconds, she grabbed the phone off of the first desk.
First she tried Ben. No answer. After the third attempt, she tried calling Matthews. Again, no answer. Finally she called her mother.
“Rilynne?” Amber was in a near panic when she answered the phone. “What are you still doing in Addison Valley?”
“Mom, what's happening?” Rilynne asked. “Everyone's gone and there's a smoke-like fog sweeping through town.”
“Get out of there!” she yelled. “You have to get out before…”
The line went dead.
Rilynne looked down at the phone as a wave of terror engulfed her. She dropped it and ran for the door. When she stepped out, she saw the fog only half a block away.
She turned and ran, faster than
By the time she reached the men from Joe’s poker game, she was starting to grow frustrated. She tried to push it off, knowing she wouldn’t be able to see anything if she didn’t relax, but it didn’t help. After the third man in the group was cleared, she found herself unable to see anything else. She tried each name, but the only thing she found was more frustration.
She groaned, her eyes starting to burn as they passed over the list for the third time, and closed her eyes to try and clear her mind.
She was walking down the sidewalk toward her house. With the moon shining brightly against the dark sky, the street was lit up almost as if it were the middle of the day. Or maybe it wasn't the moon causing it.
Rilynne looked around as she started to smell something harsh. The breeze carried an aroma that closely resembled a tire burning. The moment it registered in her nose, she saw a billow of smoke slowly moving toward her.
“What?” she said aloud, looking at the twenty foot wall that was steadily inching forward. She peered side to side, looking for a way around it, but it went on in both directions for as far as she could see. It was so thick that as soon as it passed over something, it could no longer be seen.
“Fire!” she yelled down the empty street. Panic filled her as she looked at all of the homes that were only moments away from being consumed. “Wake up! There's a fire!”
She tried to run to the house on the left, knowing the elderly woman who lived there, but she was too late. Before she could reach the door, it was swallowed by the smoke. She considered pushing through it and going in after her, but she couldn't make herself.
She ran through the yard of the next house, banging on each window as she passed, but no one responded.
Where was everyone? As she looked from house to house, she saw that not a single light was on. In addition to that, she found that every car was gone.
Rilynne went to the front of the next home and grabbed the water hose at the side of the house. After turning it on, she aimed it at the giant wall moving toward her. The water hit the smoke and bounced right off.
She yelled and dropped the running hose at her feet. It wasn't smoke.
With one last look around, she turned and ran down the street. She ran until she reached the station, which had the first light on that she saw. The relief she felt at seeing it was quickly squashed, though, when she stepped into the empty lobby.
It wasn't just empty. It looked like everyone had just dropped everything where they stood and left. There were papers and files scattered across the floor and a pair handcuffs hanging loosely from the bar at the closest desk with the key still in them.
“Is anyone here?” she yelled. She stood quietly for a moment to listen but the station was silent.
She was torn. She didn't know if she should run and get further from the mysterious wall or if she should search the station. After a few long seconds, she grabbed the phone off of the first desk.
First she tried Ben. No answer. After the third attempt, she tried calling Matthews. Again, no answer. Finally she called her mother.
“Rilynne?” Amber was in a near panic when she answered the phone. “What are you still doing in Addison Valley?”
“Mom, what's happening?” Rilynne asked. “Everyone's gone and there's a smoke-like fog sweeping through town.”
“Get out of there!” she yelled. “You have to get out before…”
The line went dead.
Rilynne looked down at the phone as a wave of terror engulfed her. She dropped it and ran for the door. When she stepped out, she saw the fog only half a block away.
She turned and ran, faster than
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