Why me?, by Bailey K.S.

Someone screaming, people crying, chaos everywhere. I open my eyes and my vision is distorted and my eyes are bloodshot. Next to me the clock says 8.12.2026. Bewildered I get out of bed and peep through the smashed window. I see ambulances speeding, sirens screaming and soldiers shouting. I jump as I hear a loud thud at the door. Walking to the door I hear echoing gunshots in the distance. I open the door to be confronted by a soldier in his twenties. He looks at me with no emotion at all and tells me to evacuate with all other house members immediately. What on earth is going on? Am I dreaming?

I stand there for a moment taking in the information I have just been given, a chill running up my spin as a cold breeze passes through. I shout to Sabina to grab her stuff: we need to leave at once. She doesn’t question my instruction.

Only minutes later we are standing outside the front door. There’s a stampede of people screaming and running for their lives. That image will be stuck in my mind for centuries to come. As we start to run I feel a pain in my back. Someone next to me falls over and gets trampled on – she lets out a deadening scream. But I take no notice. Like animals we stampede on. Every man for themselves. People falling, people dying, no one cares. Up above I hear an explosion. I look up and like a meteor, a chunk of building falls my way. I throw myself to the side, narrowly missing it, but the man next to me isn’t so lucky. He is crushed almost immediately and has no time to react.

As the pack slows down I jump to see what’s ahead - and my eyes are met by the spinning propeller of a camo v2 helicopter. As it starts to take off I feel a whip of wind hit me like a slap round the face. The cold lash of air is sharp but strangely soothing against my face. I go to wipe the sweat from my forehead and I feel the warmth of blood against my hand. I peer through the bewildered crowds trying to find an answer. Nevertheless all I see is an army soldier scanning people. As I go back to my thoughts I hear a loud but sudden bleeping noise. It gives me a shock, and again the crowds are chattering away like children in a playground – but a lot less settled.

Not long after I am again lost in deep thought. What’s happening? Why is it happening? “Clean”, a droning sound spurts out next to me. I turn around and am met by the bulky chest of an old soldier. He looks down at me with an emotionless expression and says “go over to there” in the dullest voice possible. His long sausage-like finger points towards a private jet. Slick and coated in matt black nevertheless unlike the majority of private jets this one was bigger and looked as if it was made for more passengers with less space to move around.

I climb aboard the plane with Sabina by my side. We are both as nervous as each other but are trying not to show it. We sit down in the front row of seats and are greeted by the luxury of the place.

“Wake up sleepy head”. My eyes open and I see the back of a cockpit. What on Earth is going on? Then I look out the window and the memories come flooding back – destruction.  Then the count-down starts. “Five” sweat drips from my face. “Four” I feel blood on my forehead.  “Three” I hear people crying. “Two” I hear sirens wailing. “One” I see chaos everywhere.