Bari, South Italy. 29 September 2014
"Mom, I'm home!" I called into the silent house. I could hear the kitchen tap dripping and my small black dog sat at my feet wagging her tail slightly. "Mom!" I called again dropping my school bag on the couch. My mom's bedroom door was closed and when I peeked inside she was asleep on her bed. The train was late again, public transport being unreliable, again. I fried some burger patties and made hamburgers for myself and my mom. I left hers in the microwave, she'll find it when she's hungry. I sat down with my burger and munched while I opened up 9gag for my daily dose of internet stupidity.
In three pages there were six posts about some meteor that hit India. The death toll was pretty high as it hit one of the poverty stricken areas. It was about 6 meters wide and the effects were huge. There were warnings of acid rain, tsunami's and a whole lot of other things over the next couple of weeks.
15 December 2014
It's been two and a half months since the asteroid hit. Scientists being scientists jumped on the opportunity to be the first to discover something about the asteroid. When they cracked the rock a poisonous gas escaped and the first few that touched the rock were diagnosed with a disease that caused internal rotting. For the first few weeks the disease was contained and not contagious. The scientists could not be kept in isolation permanently and the hospitals were forced to release them without understanding what they were diagnosed with. A week later 25 people were diagnosed with the disease. The next week 2000 people were suffering. Currently the total diagnosed is 10 000. It appears to be spread by touch and India and neighboring countries were in a panic. Refugee's from India flocked to the surrounding countries putting pressure on their economies.
The disease's official name is K9O-Schwertwegar. Schwertwegar after the name of the first person to touch the meteor, who died a month after being diagnosed. The media has nicknamed it Goldilocks, ironic considering everyone infected turns blue from lack of oxygen.
7 March 2015
The death toll is 54 million. The disease has become airborne. India's economy has collapsed completely, as well as China's and Pakistan's. The fear is global and conspiracy theorists have submitted theories that the illuminati created the disease and controls who is diagnosed. Of course it's completely ridiculous.
Face masks and sterile gloves are being distributed everywhere: schools, malls, public bathrooms, and even postboxes. The economy is a mess, there are riots and prices are escalating. It's not safe to be out anymore between 4pm and 8am.
19 July 2015
1.5 Billion dead. and thousands passing on everyday. I don't even know why we still go to school. My class of 30 has come down 7. The grade above mine has gone from 200 to 12 students. They are all either being held at home or have passed on.
My dad passed on last week, he was was detained in Uganda and wasn't allowed to come home to say goodbye. I'm surprised my mum hasn't caught it yet... you'd think with her weak immune system she'd be among the first to go.
It's eerie how quiet the city is. Yesterday I took my horse out for a ride, we went to the top of the nearby hill. Normally when up there you can hear the hoots of cars and smell fumes. But it was quiet. Cemeteries are over flowing and so to compensate the council has taken to burning bodies. Across the city there is three large bonfires. Apparently in the larger cities like New York, London, and Cairo there are more than 10 large bonfires, even 17 sometimes going to get rid of the bodies. The economy is trashed, with a lack of miners and a large labour force there is little to no electricity most times. All of the shops have been looted clean.
7 October 2015
4 Billion dead. Farmers are flocking into the city to distribute food to the people and more and more of those still alive are flocking to the country. The concept of money has vanished, people do things for exchange of necessities: food, water, fuel.
You don't realise how many people had pets until they can longer be cared for, I joined a group of 30 that have taken to going to all the houses and flats and breaking in to get everything that has been abandoned and can be used. The radio stations no longer play music and a group of people made it their job to communicate via radio. Clever of them, except when you have no power. Survivors are congregating, understandably. My mother got Goldilocks 4 weeks ago, she is due to die this week.
It breaks my soul. I've wished many times that my mom dies, but now that it's happening... I've spent the past 4 years caring for my mom. And soon I will be relieved of my duty.
Last night I got no sleep because all I could hear was her choking and wheezing and her shallow quick breaths. She is this horid putrid colour, like a rotting fruit. She has always been weak, couldn't open a tub of yogurt. And now she cant even lift food to her mouth.
Today with the group we smashed open this double story house and 3 rottweilers tumbled out. The female had puppies a while back and they have been cannibalising on themselves and owners who obviously decided to die peacefully at home. A family. Two children mother, another mother and a grandparent. Well from what we can tell, the dogs left their heads intact. Any pets found are being boxed up and sent out to the farmlands that can take them or let loose. Those that cannot be cared for are killed. Like the rottweilers. A bullet between the eyes and they are gone.
I never let my pets out of sight, my dogs: Lyka and Dessie, and my horse: Black Beauty. The other horses I left on the farm to graze, a couple of people agreed to create light carts and put them to use as cart horses.
The leader of our group smashed his axe into the small door of this little blue flat. Inside we found enough stored canned and non-perishable foods to feed us all for a week, and an entire room filled with water bottles. I found the woman behind the counter, her rifle still clutched to her chest, she was merely rotting flesh and bone. And stank like hell.
All my friends are dead. Everyone I knew is dead. I am alone. With these strangers.
1 December 2015
700 000 left here in the surrounding countries from what I know.
A year. It's been over a year. I don't know why I am still in the city. A couple of days ago there was a broadcast over the radio which I power on stolen batteries. Everyone in the area who is still alive or healthy is to meet in the city hall to discuss what is our plan of action. A small plane flew overhead as well with a banner with the date and place. Where anybody got the fuel Lord only knows.
I still live in the house my mother and I used to live in. I have my own vegetable garden dominating the entire garden with a small space left where I buried a shoebox of the ashe's from my mom's fire, and another to symbolize my dad. I have planted daisies over the "graves" although those died weeks ago and I have deserted them.
I looked at myself in my bathroom mirror. I have gotten tanned . My green eyes are robed in deep dark bags and my skin is pulled tight with stress wrinkles on my forehead. Before leaving I brushed my brittle hair that hasn't been conditioned in 3 months into a pony tail. Another matted knot had formed which I cut out, leaving a small lock of hair, approx 5cm long hanging behind my ear.
I pulled on my favourite dark green sweater with white polka-dots and brown broad cowbay hat that had faded over the past year, my black horse riding jodhpurs and boots and left the house. No body locked after themselves anymore, no point. There is nobody to steal anything.
I kept Black Beauty in my neighbor's garden so he had some place to relax. I pulled on his bridle and buckled his saddle and left. Dessie and Lyka following. My three pets had become muscular over the past year. Black Beauty had leg muscles of steel and Dessie and Lyka have become lean and fit.
The hall was surprisingly full. A couple of other horses were grazing and there were a few scattered cars and a Jeep.
The noise of quiet talk echoed out the open doors. I left Beauty by the other horses who were grazing from a large pile of lucerne. There was a post to which I tied his reins as well so he doesn't wander off. I walked into the hall with the two at my heels. A few other dogs were in the hall, sticking close to their owners. The hall had about 20 people in it. Is this it. Is this everyone in this city. People watched me walk in and I struggled to keep my chin up. I am a survivor. I am a survivor. I made it. I am alive. I am a survivor. Fuck, shit, balls I mentally repeated to comfort my beating heart. Unsure of where to stand I decided to lean against the wall a little outside the main congregation and hid my face in the shadow of my hat. Listening to the conversation.
"Mom, I'm home!" I called into the silent house. I could hear the kitchen tap dripping and my small black dog sat at my feet wagging her tail slightly. "Mom!" I called again dropping my school bag on the couch. My mom's bedroom door was closed and when I peeked inside she was asleep on her bed. The train was late again, public transport being unreliable, again. I fried some burger patties and made hamburgers for myself and my mom. I left hers in the microwave, she'll find it when she's hungry. I sat down with my burger and munched while I opened up 9gag for my daily dose of internet stupidity.
In three pages there were six posts about some meteor that hit India. The death toll was pretty high as it hit one of the poverty stricken areas. It was about 6 meters wide and the effects were huge. There were warnings of acid rain, tsunami's and a whole lot of other things over the next couple of weeks.
15 December 2014
It's been two and a half months since the asteroid hit. Scientists being scientists jumped on the opportunity to be the first to discover something about the asteroid. When they cracked the rock a poisonous gas escaped and the first few that touched the rock were diagnosed with a disease that caused internal rotting. For the first few weeks the disease was contained and not contagious. The scientists could not be kept in isolation permanently and the hospitals were forced to release them without understanding what they were diagnosed with. A week later 25 people were diagnosed with the disease. The next week 2000 people were suffering. Currently the total diagnosed is 10 000. It appears to be spread by touch and India and neighboring countries were in a panic. Refugee's from India flocked to the surrounding countries putting pressure on their economies.
The disease's official name is K9O-Schwertwegar. Schwertwegar after the name of the first person to touch the meteor, who died a month after being diagnosed. The media has nicknamed it Goldilocks, ironic considering everyone infected turns blue from lack of oxygen.
7 March 2015
The death toll is 54 million. The disease has become airborne. India's economy has collapsed completely, as well as China's and Pakistan's. The fear is global and conspiracy theorists have submitted theories that the illuminati created the disease and controls who is diagnosed. Of course it's completely ridiculous.
Face masks and sterile gloves are being distributed everywhere: schools, malls, public bathrooms, and even postboxes. The economy is a mess, there are riots and prices are escalating. It's not safe to be out anymore between 4pm and 8am.
19 July 2015
1.5 Billion dead. and thousands passing on everyday. I don't even know why we still go to school. My class of 30 has come down 7. The grade above mine has gone from 200 to 12 students. They are all either being held at home or have passed on.
My dad passed on last week, he was was detained in Uganda and wasn't allowed to come home to say goodbye. I'm surprised my mum hasn't caught it yet... you'd think with her weak immune system she'd be among the first to go.
It's eerie how quiet the city is. Yesterday I took my horse out for a ride, we went to the top of the nearby hill. Normally when up there you can hear the hoots of cars and smell fumes. But it was quiet. Cemeteries are over flowing and so to compensate the council has taken to burning bodies. Across the city there is three large bonfires. Apparently in the larger cities like New York, London, and Cairo there are more than 10 large bonfires, even 17 sometimes going to get rid of the bodies. The economy is trashed, with a lack of miners and a large labour force there is little to no electricity most times. All of the shops have been looted clean.
7 October 2015
4 Billion dead. Farmers are flocking into the city to distribute food to the people and more and more of those still alive are flocking to the country. The concept of money has vanished, people do things for exchange of necessities: food, water, fuel.
You don't realise how many people had pets until they can longer be cared for, I joined a group of 30 that have taken to going to all the houses and flats and breaking in to get everything that has been abandoned and can be used. The radio stations no longer play music and a group of people made it their job to communicate via radio. Clever of them, except when you have no power. Survivors are congregating, understandably. My mother got Goldilocks 4 weeks ago, she is due to die this week.
It breaks my soul. I've wished many times that my mom dies, but now that it's happening... I've spent the past 4 years caring for my mom. And soon I will be relieved of my duty.
Last night I got no sleep because all I could hear was her choking and wheezing and her shallow quick breaths. She is this horid putrid colour, like a rotting fruit. She has always been weak, couldn't open a tub of yogurt. And now she cant even lift food to her mouth.
Today with the group we smashed open this double story house and 3 rottweilers tumbled out. The female had puppies a while back and they have been cannibalising on themselves and owners who obviously decided to die peacefully at home. A family. Two children mother, another mother and a grandparent. Well from what we can tell, the dogs left their heads intact. Any pets found are being boxed up and sent out to the farmlands that can take them or let loose. Those that cannot be cared for are killed. Like the rottweilers. A bullet between the eyes and they are gone.
I never let my pets out of sight, my dogs: Lyka and Dessie, and my horse: Black Beauty. The other horses I left on the farm to graze, a couple of people agreed to create light carts and put them to use as cart horses.
The leader of our group smashed his axe into the small door of this little blue flat. Inside we found enough stored canned and non-perishable foods to feed us all for a week, and an entire room filled with water bottles. I found the woman behind the counter, her rifle still clutched to her chest, she was merely rotting flesh and bone. And stank like hell.
All my friends are dead. Everyone I knew is dead. I am alone. With these strangers.
1 December 2015
700 000 left here in the surrounding countries from what I know.
A year. It's been over a year. I don't know why I am still in the city. A couple of days ago there was a broadcast over the radio which I power on stolen batteries. Everyone in the area who is still alive or healthy is to meet in the city hall to discuss what is our plan of action. A small plane flew overhead as well with a banner with the date and place. Where anybody got the fuel Lord only knows.
I still live in the house my mother and I used to live in. I have my own vegetable garden dominating the entire garden with a small space left where I buried a shoebox of the ashe's from my mom's fire, and another to symbolize my dad. I have planted daisies over the "graves" although those died weeks ago and I have deserted them.
I looked at myself in my bathroom mirror. I have gotten tanned . My green eyes are robed in deep dark bags and my skin is pulled tight with stress wrinkles on my forehead. Before leaving I brushed my brittle hair that hasn't been conditioned in 3 months into a pony tail. Another matted knot had formed which I cut out, leaving a small lock of hair, approx 5cm long hanging behind my ear.
I pulled on my favourite dark green sweater with white polka-dots and brown broad cowbay hat that had faded over the past year, my black horse riding jodhpurs and boots and left the house. No body locked after themselves anymore, no point. There is nobody to steal anything.
I kept Black Beauty in my neighbor's garden so he had some place to relax. I pulled on his bridle and buckled his saddle and left. Dessie and Lyka following. My three pets had become muscular over the past year. Black Beauty had leg muscles of steel and Dessie and Lyka have become lean and fit.
The hall was surprisingly full. A couple of other horses were grazing and there were a few scattered cars and a Jeep.
The noise of quiet talk echoed out the open doors. I left Beauty by the other horses who were grazing from a large pile of lucerne. There was a post to which I tied his reins as well so he doesn't wander off. I walked into the hall with the two at my heels. A few other dogs were in the hall, sticking close to their owners. The hall had about 20 people in it. Is this it. Is this everyone in this city. People watched me walk in and I struggled to keep my chin up. I am a survivor. I am a survivor. I made it. I am alive. I am a survivor. Fuck, shit, balls I mentally repeated to comfort my beating heart. Unsure of where to stand I decided to lean against the wall a little outside the main congregation and hid my face in the shadow of my hat. Listening to the conversation.
