Everything went to hell on January 5th, 2017. The earth broke open and light shattered through the sky. I always thought it was God, like my dad always used to say.
Then again, would God punish us? Or maybe he only punished those who survived the blasts. My sister survived. What's maddening is Ella became an entirely new person but somehow, miraculously, she fought it off. That was the first time it happened. My dad called it God. What do I call it? I call it the end. The apocalypse. That IS what it is, right? It's not anything good. I thought the end would be something different. Like the sun exploding and destroying our galaxy. I expected a heat wave. That's sort of what I got, but also not. Those who are affected become someone else. I'm not sure what exactly made it happen. Is it alien? I thought. Maybe it's Mother Nature rearing her head.
It wouldn't surprise me. Technology was the first thing to go out.
Nobody knew what to do. Vehicles stopped working, phones shut off and there was no WiFi. Light was gone. Except the sun, we still had that. Until we didn't.
On January 6th, the sun didn't rise. The only light we had now was fire and the moon. When the moon got covered in clouds, we curled up in our homes. The military sent soldiers onto the streets trying to ward off a panic. My sister Ella was in the city, she always wanted to go there and so my dad took her to Atlanta. I decided to stay. My other sister Charlotte was across town with my great Aunt living off of the blackberries in her backyard. Char's boyfriend is Aunt Beck's neighbor so Charlotte finds herself going there quite often and I find myself sitting at the dinner table, munching on pizza rolls while my new step father, Mr. Michaelson and my mother lay together on the couch, watching the Notebook. I've never actually seen the movie but I'd glance over at them every few moments and there they are: my mother bawling and Mr. Michaelson wiling her tears and holding her just a little tighter. Maybe they are in love.
Or maybe mom is really into the movie and decided to marry her sugar daddy. That may be it. Mr. Michaelson may love her but I know my mom couldn't. How could she love some man when she can't even give me the time of day. I wanted her to eat pizza rolls and talk to me. It's just a simple request, but no matter how simple or how much time she has to spare, she never wants to spend it with me. If Ella were here, she'd get all the glory and attention. Charlotte would have something mad to say, something unreasonable.
Eric is my new step brother. He's a decent enough guy as long as I keep my distance. He's apparently the heir to whatever account Mr. Michaelson hides all of his money. It's enough to last a lifetime. We don't live in a very big house, just a middle class two story. I'm sure he's just buying a smaller house to satiate my mother and all her other "small home" needs, not that I mind. I rather like not having to run a marathon just to get to the next room.
I was 13 then. I wish I could go back to wondering whether or not my mom talks to me or pays me any mind. I don't even care anymore because it's been two and a half years since light erupted through the sky and ground and the entire world collapsed in its knees in from of either God Almighty or Mother Nature herself.
"God," my ghost of a father says.
My mind knows better. God? If God existed and it were true that he loves us all, why would he forsake us like this.
Let me start from the very beginning so we both know what happened the day it all began.