I'm Aisling Lovelace... Possibly the last girl on earth. How and why you might ask? Well... It all started out that one night.
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It was late October. Halloween is near, nobody gives a damn, days are shorter and nights are longer--perfect it's so dark out and it's only 5 pm. Oh yeah and it's also getting much, much colder and rainier. A
How I love the so-called BER months! A bit hectic, festive around these parts and colder; in two months the year is going to end, time flew so fast it feels like yesterday it was last New Year's Eve.
Here I stood alone in the rain with my trusty umbrella, trying to catch a ride home. I could just book a Grab but I didn't want to spend too much money, plus I'm trying, emphasis on "trying" to save.
On the surface it looked pretty normal; just your typical, seemingly cute and innocent high school girl on her way home after another day of school; a home she'd look forward getting back to... Forward...
I wonder what would've happened if I had stepped forward. At this hour the streets were bustling and crowded and the traffic was hell. Plenty of cars passing by, driving at different speeds; some were going over the limit, in a rush or just plain reckless whilst others drove slower than my grandma could walk with her cane.
I wonder... Just what would happen had I stepped onto that street. Would I get run over? How much would it hurt? Will I die? Will anyone care then?
I shook my head and pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind. I'm in a public place, it's late and I'm trying to get home; there's no time to dilly dally, and I don't want to make another scene. Once I get home, that's when I can safely break down in front of the bathroom mirror without anyone watching.
Finally, after a couple more hours of standing out here in the cold and trying to not get trampled on by the stampede of people, I was able to catch a ride home. Several more minutes passed and I soon found myself in front of the gate, then my door, and then finally the foggy bathroom mirror.
I traced a smiley face on it with my index finger. What exactly is bothering me? I've no idea how to properly describe it.... I just feel so empty and sad... As if something was missing.
Scared, like a lost puppy. Anxious, guilty and worried, as if I had done something horribly wrong. Then there's those urges, those thoughts--what if I just disappeared?
Then somehow, it clashes; I just remind myself about the people I love, wouldn't they be sad? And I've still got dreams and wishes to fulfill, plans to do places to go... Yet I also feel... Trapped and disabled.
A heavy heart, sleepless nights, endless tears and no one can hear my cries. Didn't want to bother anyone, they'd most likely laugh... The only one there to cheer me up is me.
Someday even I'd get tired of myself.
Can I? Will I? Is it possible? For someone like me to achieve or do anything worthwhile? Oh, what the heck. Who gives a damn?
See my dilemma?
More than anything in my life I just want to be genuinely happy... Even if it lasts just for a little while.
Then it hit me--as I bore into those hazelnut Brown eyes staring back at me. I twirled my short, newly dyed pink hair around my finger; mum is definitely going to kill me for doing this, and not to mention the school's going be a pain in the ass since it's a violation of the dress code. It was just a dare. My friend Luci thought I couldn't do it, ha! Look at me now--a wave of bad memories and events in my life that my stupid ass brain just couldn't resist bringing up for the thousandth time!
Why am I like this? I crossed my arms and pouted, and no less than a minute later I began making faces at the mirror. I wish I looked this damn good in pictures too. The world is so unfair...
I smiled. Some nights the girl on that mirror looked so damn beautiful, and other nights she looked like absolute crap! A straight answer on what I really looked like would be nice, now wouldn't it?
"Ashe! Dinner's ready!" my older sister, Elsie called.
"Coming!" I yelled as I turned on the tap and splashed some water over my face. As I wiped it dry with a towelette, I can't help but frown at those freckles speckled along the bridge of my nose. I was darker compared to my sisters who were both brunettes like me--well sorta, not right now at least--tall, fair-skinned and pretty as heck.
Not only that they were smarter, more athletic, have a bigger circle of friends, pretty much better than I am in general and most importantly... Happier.
Short, petite and slightly tan with a light dusting of freckles. Another so-called pretty face that gave off the impression of a harmless and innocent angel. Yep, that's me.
Me? Who's that?
The girl on the mirror... The girl who I hate with all the hatred within my heart, yet at the same time--Why am I in Love with her? Why's she so perfect in my eyes? Flaws and all...
I stepped out of the bathroom then make my way downstairs and joined my mum and sisters at the table where they all chatted over dinner about their day. I just sat there, silently eating and listening but not really.
It was then my sister, Laura asked why I was wearing my hoodie. I gulped then rolled my eyes at her. "Is there something wrong with that?"
"You're in the house, you don't have to wear that." Laura said. God, how I hate this.
"I can wear anything I want."
But as usual, my mom would side with Laura and told me to remove the hoodie. I stood up and brought my plate to the sink before heading upstairs, "I'm done eating, I'll just go to bed." I told them as I stepped on the staircase. I would've gotten away with it had Elsie not grabbed my hoodie.
The room fell silent, a look of shock plastered on their faces. I raised a brow. "What?"
"What do you mean, what?!" Elsie raised her voice a little. "Why'd you dye your hair?!"
"You know that's not allowed at school..." I heard Laura mutter. My mom was silent but I could tell that she was just as furious as Elsie.
"Yeah?" I spoke up. "I know, so what?"
"So what?!" Elsie repeated, she rubbed her forehead. "Sometimes I just don't get you."
"Oh?" I raised my brow even higher. "Sometimes?"
"Okay... All the time!" she said, shaking her head.
"Maybe you would if you'd pay attention." I internally facepalmed. Why did I suddenly sound like my ex-friend Juniper? I almost gagged at the thought.
"Seriously Ashe, what is your problem?" Laura asked me, shifting in her seat.
"It's nothing." I told them all. "I'm just tired..."
And that was the end of it. I'm surprised mum didn't bother giving me a lecture or scolding. She didn't even bother being nosy "interrogating" me like she usually does when I act this way. I guess she's finally fed up and done with my shit.
I don't blame her... Eventually I'd lose my patience and get tired of me too. It's fine, I didn't want to talk about it anyway. The last time I did... Well I don't even want to remember.
After scurrying up my to my room, I locked the door then checked my phone and groaned seeing that the battery is at 10%. So I plugged it in and sat on the floor, leaned against the wall next to the socket. The cord of my charger was quite short so I didn't have much of a choice... I'm too lazy to take out my laptop anyway. My cat, Vincent, who had just finished grooming himself in the corner walked up to me and sat on my lap.
I petted him a little then plugged in my earphones and set one of my many playlists to shuffle. I closed my eyes and listened carefully--it was soothing. Soon afterwards I went to check my messenger app. Just a few messages from the numerous group chats I was part of. Didn't care, it was nothing important as usual so I ignored it.
My heart almost stopped seeing a message from my ex-best friend, James. I took in a deep breathe and tapped on his inbox. The anticipation replaced by disappointment almdot right away when I found that he had removed the message.
My fingers hovered over the keypad. I bit my lip thinking about what to say... What can I say?
I erased the message and closed the app.
With nothing else to do other than homework I just plopped right on my bed. I lay there, contemplating about all sorts of things for a couple minutes before I got up and snatched my hand mirror and proceeded to fall face flat on the bed again.
I stared at myself again... Some part of me kinda hoping I'd see it blink, although that'd be wrong on so many levels and just plain freaky! With a sigh I mumbled under my breath.
"I just wish that everyone would disappear..."
Then I heard Vincent's soft meow. I looked straight at his bright blue eyes. I sat up and ran my hand through his soft, white fur. "Maybe except for you..." I added, eyeing the window. I lifted him up and with him in my arms, walked towards the window.
My mouth agape at the sight of a beautiful meteor shower. I recalled my classmates mentioning a meteor shower was near, didn't expect it today. I wanted to see it better so I grabbed my blanket, Vincent and made my sya downstairs. Managed to grab a jar of cookies, make myself some hot chocolate on the way out the backdoor. Fortunately everyone else were int their rooms.
There I lay on the grass in our backyard in my pyjamas, wrapped in a snuggly blanket with Vincent on my lap. A cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a cookie in the other. The sky was speckled with stars twinkling as the meteor shower passed. Now down to my last cookie I eyed Vincent who was purring, sleeping soundly. Cute.
I smiled. This was nice. I looked up and took notice of a lone star, separated from the rest and rather faint. I dug into my shirt pocket and pulled out my mirror then my phone.
Snapped a quick picture of the stars and maybe took a little selfie with a sleeping Vincent! I sighed heavily, taking notice of the time. 11:59 pm.
"Time to get back inside." I thought to myself, glancing at the empty cookie jar and mug. But the sky was so pretty and I had my blanket spread out on the grass so leaned back.
"Hey Vincent, I guess I'd still get a bit lonely..." I said out loud, though I was aware he's asleep. I scratched his nape gently. I saddened at the thought... Lonely. It only reminded me of James.
Then I added, "The 'one'. I'd like to meet him, another asshat like me..."
I laughed. A girl can dream of her Prince now can't she? Or in my case, prince or princess cause I really don't give a damn if you were straight, gay, bi, trans or lesbian.
I looked down and noticed Vincent just glaring at me as if I said something stupid... "What?" I asked him. He just closed jus eyes and continued sleeping.
For some odd reason it felt like he was judging me or something... I could imagine his teeny voice saying, "You've found one but you blew it, ya dumbass!"
"I know, I know." I said stroking him even more. I sighed and sat up straight. "Sorry..."
After that I must've dozed off for a couple hours. I wasn't sure as when I woke up it was still dark out.
I checked my phone and to my absolute shock found that it was midnight, November 1st. Two days have passed, how long have I been sleeping?!
I quickly got up on my feet and ran inside the house only to find... That there was no one there.
I tried calling mum, Laura and Elsie but found their phones in the house. My heart started palpitating like crazy, I tried my best not to panic and tried contacting other people. My friends, classmates, neighbors, cousins, uncles, aunts and even the police but not a single one of them answered.
"Is there no signal or something?" I asked out loud and nearly got a heart attack when I felt something soft rub against my leg. I looked down to see it was Vincent. My god!
I picked him up, grabbed a pair of slippers and ran outside. The lights were all on, I knocked on almost all the neighbor's doors but there was no answer on all of them. I peeked in and saw no one in there.
The dogs were still there though, barking at me whenever I passed by or tried to get close. I decided to go to Mrs. Williams' house, mum's friend but she didn't answer either. Now this is getting scary. I checked the rug for the spare key, a wave of relief hit me upon seeing it.
Picked it up the inserted it into the keyhole. I called out quietly, "Mrs. Williams? Are you home?"
As I stepped in, "It's me... Ashe."
"Hello?"
I glanced down at Vincent who stuck close by. I picked him up, seeing that there was definitely no one in this house and walked back to the house.
It wasn't long before I found that everyone else in town vanished. I checked Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, any social platform to see if anyone's online. And to my horror no one was there either, even more so, absolutely no one has posted a single update or post since October 30th.
The night I laid under the stars.... The night I made that wish. I gasped. "The wish!" I boomed, startling Vincent who had nearly fallen off the couch. I chuckled and walked up to him. "Sorry."