The Year 4000

Chapter 2

   I stretched and woke up from my sleep, feeling rested. I sleepily opened my eyes and glanced around in the darkness. I looked over at my blinds and they were wide open. I blinked a few times and my vision cleared, and I could see that hardly any light was coming from outside. I checked my watch and it said that it was 9 AM.

   I swung my feet onto the cold hardwood floor and sleepily walked over to my window, trying to awaken myself while doing so. I peeked outside and saw the sun shining extremely dimly. There were clouds dotted across the sky, but none covering the actual sun.

   I turned away slowly from my window, looking back once more. Why it was so dark today I couldn't tell. I walked over to my door and opened it with a creek, glancing out into the hallway. The door across from mine, my brother's room, and my parent's master bedroom's doors were all closed. I stepped quietly out and down the stairs, sitting myself on the edge of the couch. I turned the TV on and as it gave a low buzz, I quickly muted it as to not wake my family.

   I flicked through the channels and found the weather station, and hunched, with my elbows on my knees. The weatherman's lips moved, but no sound came out. I waited for the weather to be shown full screen, and there it was.

   Slightly cloudy. That's all it said. There was no mention of the dimness of the sun.

   I turned the TV off and got up, starting towards the entryway. Maybe my window was just dirty, and the sun was bright as usual. I slipped on the first pair of shoes I could find, which happened to be flip flops, unlocked the door and pulled it slightly open.

   Outside it was as if the whole town had been lit by only a single lamp. The corners were completely dark and gloomy, and the streets were barely lit. It was enough to see what you were doing, but nothing like the regular sun.

   Something stirred in one of the corners and I quickly retreated back inside, locking the door after me. I heard faint footsteps upstairs and recognized them as my brother's. I slipped my flip flops off and went to the kitchen, washed my hands and started making myself breakfast.

   And by making, I mean pouring cereal into a bowl with milk.

   Jack came downstairs in his pyjamas, as I was. We were both in just a grey t-shirt and shorts we had lying around.

   "Mornin'," Jack yawned, and waved a hand tiredly. "You woke me up. Why're you up so early?"

   "I 'unno. Say, have you looked outside?" I asked.

   Jack looked at me with tired eyes, his brow furrowed. "What's there to see outside?" He questioned, letting another yawn loose.

   "Oh, um, nothing in particular I guess.. but do you find anything... odd about today?" I said, looking away from him and back to my cereal.

   "No." He said, ending the conversation. I guess he was just too tired to talk in the morning, which is how I felt sometimes. He opened the fridge and looked around for something to eat.

   I took a spoon and started scooping cereal in my mouth, thinking about the sun. It was odd, how the streets were so dark in the morning. Maybe it'd get lighter as the day went on...

   I silently finished my cereal as Jack made another sandwich and sat himself down on the couch, turning the TV on. He turned up the sound and started flicking through the channels and the sound of different programs being meshed together came to my ears. I put my spoon in the empty bowl with a clang and stuck it in the sink.

   "So, what're your plans for today?" I asked Jack, and sat down on the couch's arm rest.

   "Why do you care," He said, his eyes still glued to the screen. He was oddly moody this morning, so I decided not to push his nerves.