March eighteen, 2051, all humans on earth below the age of sixteen receive a notification from an unknown application on all of their electronic devices.
His heartbeat matches the sound of his footfalls on the ground, echoing through the long, empty alleyway.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The notification read: Attached is a list of instructions that are mandatory to adhere to prior to the end of this hour.
The time read: 12:27 am.
Mind racing, he involuntarily skids while veering sharply to the right. A light shower of rain has left the pavement a severe slipping hazard. Streetlights flicker uncertainly, occasionally lighting up his path before blinking out again stubbornly. The sound of his footsteps resonates, bouncing off the walls.
Instruction I;;
Gather any and all items that can be used as weapons.
On his back, a bag bounces up and down as he darts along the uneven ground. It is not heavy, but it is not ideal to be carrying any weight at all when running so desperately for a location not nearby.
Instruction II;;
Do not wake anybody in the household who is sixteen years of age or older. If there is anybody else younger than the age of sixteen in the household, they will be recieving this message as well. Do not worry about or feel the need to assist them.
The boy wishes occasionally that he had company, but he knows that it would slow him down regardless. He cannot afford to waste time. Against his leg, he feels his phone buzz in his pocket and light up with a notification.
Instruction III;;
Pack your essentials. Do not bring food or extensive amounts of clothing.
He knows already what the notification says, so he does not even consider fishing the device from his pocket. The same message has been looping for tens of minutes, now. The rainfall grows a little lighter, and in turn, he quickens his pace, gasping for breath between strides.
Instruction IV;;
Depart the household and ensure all lights are off, doors are locked, and windows are locked. Make no loud or sudden sounds.
His head is pounding faster than his heart. Did he remember to turn all of the lights off before he left home? He tells himself that he had remembered, but he hadn't had time to scour the whole house to ensure every window and door was closed and locked. He could only hope they were.
Instruction V;;
Run.
He takes another turn onto a street, still running. His nose and cheeks are rosy from the brisk night air, and his throat stings. He longs to stop for just a minute, but he can't.
Instruction VI;;
Do not run towards houses that contain residents over the age of sixteen.
The boy knows that where he is headed is off-limits for the night, but he can't afford to leave behind who matters to him.
Instruction VII;;
Do not approach anybody over the age of sixteen.
He is keeping his gaze down, watching his worn sneakers hit the ground.
Instruction VIII;;
If anybody over the age of sixteen looks to be in need of assistance, run faster.
Sometimes he hears noises in the night. Often he mistakes them for the sound of somebody in his pursuit or somebody trying to call for him from across the street. He does not stop telling himself to keep his gaze down.
Nocturnal creatures, he reminds himself. All he can hear is nocturnal creatures. He is sure.
Instruction IX;;
Ensure the device that you are receiving this message on remains intact.
His phone screen keeps lighting up, the same notification on a circuit over and over again. He is nearing his destination, now; he can see it just a few strides away.
Instruction X;;
The virus will spread quickly.
Don't worry.
You're safe.
The boy reaches the door to the house he's been sprinting to and wastes no time hammering on the door. It is a few moments before he hears a latch turning and the door opening, but this gives him time to catch his breath enough to speak by the time somebody arrives in the doorway.
Thankfully, the one who arrives is who he came to see.
The boy, still panting, lifts his eyes.
Through raspy breaths, he whispers:
"We're all going to die."
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+719 words
I am SO excited to be starting my entry for the 2020 ONC. The prompt I chose was hard for me to work with at first which is why I chose it -- I wanted to challenge myself. Then, just like that, a plot clicked; one I've been wanting to use for so long now. It's kind of been floating around my head and with the help of the ONC prompt I've chosen (In the description of this book, if you'd like to see which one I chose!) it's all coming together!
This first chapter is super vague but sets the theme for the story just how I wanted it to, I think. I AM SO KEEN FOR THIS! :D
Please let me know what you think and vote if you enjoyed the start of this :) see you sooooon!
- Reb <3