Chapter Twelve: iBecome Trapped
The streets and pavements were deserted and silent. The roads and highways were a scene of chaos. Smashed cars lay crumpled against trees. Other cars had driven off the road and crashed through shop doors or display windows. Broken glass covered the crumpled vehicles. Other cars lay abandoned or overturned. Broken glass and pieces of metal lay strewn along the highway. Hundreds of cars sat as burned-out wrecks after catching fire. Wisps of smoke still wafted from many of the burned-out vehicles. Other vehicles stood deserted. Crashed coaches and buses also littered the streets. Airplanes had also fallen back to earth and the wrecks of crashed planes lay all over the city.
The pavements were empty and silent. The roads were deserted. The shops, restaurants and stores were dark and shut down. The apartments across the street were clearly vacant. The office towers and skyscrapers stood deserted and pitch dark. The only cars and vehicles on the road that had not caught fire or crashed stood parked and empty. The buildings and houses all across the city were all pitch black. The entire city was dark at night. There was no power without people. The coal fired power plants had run out of fuel and had shut themselves down as the generators stopped working. The coal delivery trains had crashed or derailed and now would never reach the power plants.
A desolate silence hung in the air. Normally there would be all kinds of sounds generated by humans and their activities; people talking, joking or shouting, children laughing or playing, traffic passing and horns honking, cell phones ringing, babies crying. Now all was silent except for the calls of animals in the distance. There was the usual cacophony from trilling insects and frogs croaking. But on top, dogs barked and wolves howled at the moon. Occasionally, more unusual calls from wild animals such as big cats or elephants filled the night.
Grass and small plants grew on the roads and streets providing food for animals such as deer. And following the deer were wolves that had come in from the country. The cars and vehicles were showing assigns of neglect and rusting away. Abandoned supermarkets and shops provided a food source and breeding ground for rodents and insects and the mice provided food for feral cats. Houses had become homes for forest animals such as raccoons, coyotes and skunks. The cats were prey for dogs and coyotes. Tigers and lions also hunted amongst the buildings. The large cats normally preyed on cattle and horses that were thriving in the city outskirts. There they room to move freely through fields and avoid the predators. Elephants and rhinoceros grazed freely throughout the city. They had no predators to fear. This was the world that Carly, Spencer and their friends now lived in.
This afternoon Carly was walking down to the local supermarket alone. Freddie, Sam and Gibby were in Brad's apartment playing board games and hanging out. Mrs Benson was hovering and Spencer was asleep back at their apartment. They needed milk and chocolate so Carly had decided to walk down to the local supermarket. Brad had offered to accompany her but she politely refused. She loved him but she needed the sunlight and fresh air. Plus the supermarket was just a 10 minute walk from the apartment block. She was sure she would be fine. She walked inside and froze.
Two grey wolves were rummaging through the freezer in the meat section. The large animals pulled out raw chunks of meat and began gnawing on the food luckily they were distracted by their meal. Carly carefully walked stepped backwards being careful not to make a sound. She backed up to the door and back tracked onto the street. Then she quietly shut the glass paneled doors until they clicked. The wolves were locked inside the supermarket but the glass doors wouldn't hold them in for long. She had to go now. Without a second thought, she spun around and ran back towards the apartment block as fast as she could.
Her legs ached and her lungs felt like they were burning but she didn't stop or slow down. At last she ran up, pushed open the lobby doors and burst into reception. She slammed the doors shut and leaned against the wooden panels, breathing furiously with her heart pounding. She had lost the wolves. Just then Brad walked down the stairs looking worried. He was wearing a checkered white shirt and blue jeans. As soon as he spotted her, he hurried over "Carly! Are you ok?"
Once she'd caught her breath she replied "Hey yeah I'm ok. I was chased but I got away" His eyes widened "What! You were chased? By what?!" "I was chased by wolves." She gasped out. "But you're ok right?" She nodded and he relaxed "Oh thank god. Come on let's get you upstairs." She smiled at him "Thanks Brad you're awesome." He grinned "Hey what are boyfriends for?" Just then there came a scrabbling and growling at the doors. The pair froze and shared a look of horror. There came a loud howl and the sound of vicious barking alongside the sound of claws scrabbling at the doors.
"The wolves! They followed me!" Carly shouted. Brad grabbed her arm "Come on let's go!" The two turned and sprinted up the stairs. Behind them, the doors shuddered as the wolves threw themselves against the wooden panels. "Those doors won't hold them back for long!" Brad said. They ran up the stairs and burst into their apartment. Freddie and Sam looked up from their game "Oh hey Brad, Carls!" Sam said cheerfully. Freddie frowned "What's wrong guys?" "Wolves!" Brad gasped out. Sam frowned "I don't understand. "There are wolves outside and they're trying to break in through the front doors!" Carly explained.
The pair scrambled upright. "Are you serious?" Freddie cried. "It's my fault they followed me from the supermarket. I thought I lost them but they tracked me down." Carly burst out looking upset. "Carly it's not your fault I assure you." Sam said and Brad nodded. Calming down, the brunette nodded. Then Gibby walked in with his dog in tow. "Hey guys what's up?" Gibby! Put your dog in your bedroom!" Freddie cried. He frowned "Why?" "There are wolves trying to break in and he'll be killed if you don't!" Sam cried. Just then from downstairs came the sound of splintering wood and a loud crash as the doors flew open. They heard snarling and howling from the lobby.
SirLicksALot growled and the hair along his spine bristled. The dog barked and from below a wolf howled eerily in reply. Sam slapped Gibby across the head "You idiot! He's challenging them! Stop him!" Before he could try Freddie spoke up "Quickly everyone let's go to Carly's apartment!" Freddie. Gibby clicked his fingers "Let's go boy." Instantly, the dog relaxed and bounded after his owner as they ran down the hall into Spencer's apartment. Sam ran into Brad's room and emerged holding Brad's bird cage. She thrust it into his arms "Here!" She cried. He nodded "Thanks Sam." Then the trio ran down the hall into Carly's apartment.
The stairs creaked as the wolves ran up the winding staircase. They were getting closer. Freddie ran up to his apartment and pounded on the door "Mom! Mom, open up now!" The door flew open and Mrs. Benson stumbled out looking frantic "What? What's going on?" Before he could reply, his girlfriend ran into the apartment and emerged a moment later cradling her cat. "Freddie what is going on?" Without replying, he grabbed her hand and dragged her into the apartment across from theirs before shutting and bolting the door shut.
Less than a minute later, three grey wolves bounded up onto their floor. Snarling, a big grey male led the other two down the hallway. Inside the Shay apartment, the group stood gathered anxiously in the front room. Gibby stood by the fridge casually eating a cheese sandwich with a relaxed expression. His dog lay on the sofa panting silently. Everyone else, though, was nervous. Sam sat on a chair with an expression of concern on her face whilst gently stroking her cat that sat on her lap. Carly stood outside Spencer's bedroom biting her lip with worry and holding hands with Brad.
Spencer's dog, Titan, wandered up and stood by the pair. He was silent and tried to keep his expression brave for his girlfriend. He had left his parrot in its cage on the coffee table. Freddie was standing by his mother staring intensely at the door and listening out for any sign of the wolves. Mrs Benson looked confused and annoyed at being interrupted while cleaning. "Can anyone tell me what is going on?" Mrs. Benson demanded "Wolves have come into the city." Sam replied. She sighed "I know that Sam, but why are we-""It's my fault Mrs. Benson. I went down to the supermarket to get snacks and there were two inside eating meat. They must have tracked me back to here. They broke through the locked doors and now they're inside the building." Carly explained, cutting her off.
The older woman paled "Oh my god! Are- are we safe in here?" Freddie nodded "As long as we keep quiet we'll be ok." She nodded and fell silent, gazing anxiously at the door.
The alpha male threw back its head and howled in a haunting manner. Inside, the group all cringed as they heard the howling. Titan growled and his fur bristled. Brad grabbed the scruff of his neck to keep him from going after the wolves. From outside on street level, came the sounds of snarls. There were other wolves waiting outside.
Barking, another wolf covered in greasy black fur raced down the hallway. The animal ripped through the door of Brad's apartment. The stricken wooden door slammed back, denting the wall. The wolf ran around the apartment, destroying the furniture. The wolf burst into the kitchen and began rooting through the cupboards for food. It howled as it began feasting on leftovers from the fallen garbage can. Carly paled "Brad that sounded like your apartment. " He sighed and gripped her hand "Its ok I'll clean it all up later." Sam and Freddie shot him sympathetic looks whilst Mrs. Benson muttered "Let's hope they don't trash my apartment too.'
Meanwhile the third wolf, a vicious young male smashed through the door of Freddie's apartment. The shattered door fell back against the wall. The loud sound of splintering wood reached the group, Freddie sighed 'And there goes my apartment.' Mrs Benson looked distraught and grabbed her son's hand for support. Freddie rolled his eyes but held her hand anyway. Sam smirked and Gibby shot him a sympathetic look.
Meanwhile, the wolf began tearing apart the front room. It shredded the pillows on the sofa, knocked over the table and smashed all the ornaments. It snapped at and clawed the vacuum cleaner and accidentally activated the sucking motion. The machine began to whir, startling the wolf which jumped backwards. The wolf barked and growled at the whirring cleaner. It clawed the machine several times before finally retreating.
Despite a search lasting nearly ten minutes, the three wolves could not locate their target. At last the grey alpha male howled once more. Back in the apartment, both dogs bared their teeth at the howling while Frothy hissed and twitched his tail. Everyone held their breath and waited. At last, the wolves bounded back downstairs. The sounds of snarling finally faded away.
At last Mrs. Benson spoke "Alright let's go see the damage." Nodding, the group filed out of the apartment as Freddie opened the door and held it in place. Sighing, Mrs. Benson walked into her apartment and sadly surveyed the damage. Freddie placed a hand on her shoulder "I'm sorry mom." He too was saddened by the destruction the wolf had caused. She nodded "Its, its ok Freddie. Go check your room…" Nodding, he left. Sam walked after him. They headed into his bedroom and Sam placed Frothy on the floor. The cat walked away.
"Wow. Your mom pretty upset." She whispered. He nodded "Her home has never been this badly damaged until now." A moment passed "Anything I can do to help?" She asked. That caught his attention. He turned to her and a grin spread across his face "Sam Puckett offering to help? Do my ears deceive me?"
Laughing, she punched him in the shoulder "Quit it you nub!" He too laughed as his disappointment faded away. "Ok, ok do you seriously want to help?" She nodded, still smiling. "Tonight we clean up the apartment by ourselves just the way it was. Then we offer to cook her favourite meal. Roasted beef with soy sauce and boiled potatoes, my mom loves that stuff." She nodded "Ok so what do we do until then?" Freddie grinned slyly at her and raised his eyebrows. Laughing, she leaned in and touched her lips to his. He pulled her in for a deeper kiss and they tumbled back onto the bed as Freddie kicked the door shut with his foot…
However, outside the wolves had arrived at a local park. The large male turned to the five wolves gathered around and howled. In response, the other wolves barked and growled. Suddenly a loud bass bellow sounded. The alpha male wolf turned and its eyes narrowed as a trio of huge grey-skinned elephants filed into the park.
A tall male led the trio, this was the father followed by a juvenile no older than one year. A slightly smaller female followed. This was the juvenile's mother. Slavering, the alpha male barked to signal the beginning of the hunt and raced towards its intended target. Snarling, the others followed suit as they raced through the long grass towards the elephants. The male spotted the wolves and trumpeted a warning. The starving wolves ignored the loud noise and closed in from all directions.
The two adults closed ranks as the young elephant sheltered behind its parents. The wolves came running up and circled the elephants. They snapped and barked. Trumpeting, the male moved around to watch all the wolves. Its mate watched over the vulnerable calf. A wolf lunged and the elephant lashed out with its trunk, sweeping the wolf aside. The wounded wolf tumbled to the ground. A second wolf darted for the juvenile. The female slammed its foot down and the wolf gave a death howl as its head and neck were crushed by the female's front foot.
With an enraged snarl, another wolf lunged for the male elephant. Swinging its trunk around, the male slapped the wolf aside and flung it to the ground. The injured wolf struggled to rise and staggered to its feet before collapsing and growing still. The alpha male snarled and barked at the trio. The two adults trumpeted simultaneously. The noise produced was almost deafening. The alpha male howled to signal the retreat. The wolves scattered in all directions. The unconscious wolf suddenly woke and twisted upright before fleeing. The huge male trumpeted through its trunk after the fleeing wolves. At last the elephants relaxed and began grazing with their long trunks.
From their apartment, Freddie and Sam heard the struggle. The window trembled in its frame and the glass shook from the sound of the elephant's shrill trumpeting. Through the thick concrete walls, they heard the wolves growling and barking as they ran through the nearby streets, injured and separated. But they paid no attention. Lip locked and lost in heated passion. They were lost in their world…
Back in the apartment, Brad sighed as he moved aside shredded pillows. Carly was setting the table upright. Once she'd done so, she put the books and technology magazines back onto the sofa. Brad placed his parrot's cage back onto the table. The bird squawked and ruffled its feathers. Next, Carly moved to the kitchen. She gawked at the mess left behind then sighing, she placed the crisp packets and cereal boxes back into the cupboards and shut the doors. Then grabbed a cloth and after soaking it in tap water, crouched down and began mopping up the muddy paw prints.
Next, she cringed as she spotted the overturned trash can. Packaging and mouldy food lay scattered across the floor. As she moved to clean it up, Brad grabbed her arm. "Wait Carly stop! I'll do it!" She smiled at him, he really was such a gentlemen. "No its fine, Brad really I can do it!" But he stubbornly insisted so she went back to the living room and glanced out of the window upon a bizarrely altered cityscape.
Hawks and other predatory birds sailed over the deserted office towers. Many of the high rise buildings were missing windows and the buildings had become covered in dust and grime. Rusting and battered vehicles lined the streets. A layer of dust, leaves and soil now covered the pavements, roads and highways. Crashed cars and buses were being destroyed by wind and rain. The apartment blocks were dark and deserted. Lampposts were rusting from weeks of exposure to rain.
The cracked sidewalks and roads were being covered up by plants and grasses. Trees were beginning to grow amongst the buildings. Down on the streets, wild dogs ran in groups. Elephants could be seen browsing in a soccer field. This was a far cry from the bustling and gleaming city she had once lived in. It had been full of people and noise and light and vehicles 24 hours a day. Once she had disliked its bright lights, noisy highways and teeming crowds. Now she longed for it.
Sighing she pressed her face against the glass wishing that, if just for a moment, she could return to her old life, back when there were still crowds of people outside and cars filling the highways and power working in all the buildings. Back when pets were friendly and zoo animals were caged and trees didn't cover all the buildings…
"Is everything okay?" The sudden voice startled her and she spun around with a cry of surprise. Brad was standing behind her smirking slightly. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest." Brad, oh my god, you scared me!" He nodded "Yeah sorry about that. So what's wrong?" She shook her head
"It's nothing don't worry." He rolled his eyes "Carly I know something's bothering you. Please tell me what it is. I'm your boyfriend." She avoided his eyes and quickly slipped out, shutting the door behind her. With a grunt of frustration, he flopped back onto the sofas. Girls could be impossible sometimes. "What do you think Kiki?" He asked his parrot. The bird merely croaked and ruffled its feathers. "Yeah I thought so." Her muttered to himself and stared out of the window.
Carly headed back to her apartment and walked inside. Spencer stood in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of soda. His dog wandered past, wagging its tail. He smiled at her "Oh hey Carly. Where have you been? You missed lunch." Oh umm, just with Brad, Sam and Freddie in Brad's apartment. I already ate so don't worry." He nodded "Oh well alright then." She began for the stairs, hoping he wouldn't notice her sad expression when suddenly he called out "Carly, are you ok? You seem sad." "I'm fine Spencer." She lied. He still wouldn't be put off "No Carly come talk to me." He insisted. She remained frozen on the spot "Carly please." He asked her.
At last, she reluctantly turned "Ok Spencer." Smiling he sat on the sofas and motioned for her to sit. She sat "Now tell me what's wrong?" He asked her gently. Sighing she looked directly at him "I want to go back to my old life." He looked momentarily confused "What do you mean?" "It's just the city feels so lonely and empty. Everything is deserted and ruined. The cars, the buildings, the highways it's all falling apart. It's not safe to go outside after dark; there are dogs, wolves and tigers prowling the city. It's all dangerous and the city is no longer home." By now her voice was trembling. She quickly composed herself and continued "It's just, I miss how things used to be. Back when everyone was still here."
Spencer nodded and for a faraway look entered his eyes "Yeah…" He replied sounding distant. She stared at him, confused. Suddenly, he snapped back to reality "Carly I know living here feels weird. It's really strange I know. It feels weird for me too. But you're not alone. There are people who care about you and support you. There are your best friends; Sam and Freddie and Gibby who support you. There's Brad, your boyfriend who loves you very much. There's John who does care about you, even if she's just a baby. You have the dog. And most importantly, I care about you. And I care about you more than anything else in the world." By now his voice sounded very aged and mature which for Spencer was incredibly rare.
Carly smiled at him, suddenly feeling warmth flood through her. A smile lit up her face "Awww thanks Spencer. I love you too big bro." He spread his arms and the two shared a big hug. "Don't let anything get you depressed, alright kiddo?" He whispered and she nodded. They pulled apart and she smiled "I'm going to go see Sam and Freddie." "Alright see you soon little sis." With that, she exited the apartment. Grinning to himself, Spencer got up and went to feed Titan. "I'm awesome!" He whispered proudly to himself as he poured food into the dog's bowl.
A sharp knock on the door pulled Sam and Freddie out of their haze of passion. Reluctantly, they pulled apart. "Who is it?" Freddie called out." "It's me." Carly said from beyond the door of Freddie's bedroom. The couple shared a reluctant glance. Carly was their best friend and the three of them were very close but their desire for the other overtook their sympathy for their friend. "Carly could you come back later please?" A short silence followed and the pair hoped they hadn't upset their friend. Then a reply came "Alright. I get what's going on." She didn't sound upset in fact there were traces of humour in her voice. The sound of her footsteps faded away. Smirking at one another, the couple passionately kissed.
With Carly and Freddie busy she automatically headed for Brad's apartment before realizing she had basically ignored him earlier and rebuked his offer of support. Feeling guilt flood her, she decided to give him some space before apologizing. She looked for Gibby and realized he had gone out to walk his dog. So she decided to head out for a walk.
She walked down the lobby stairs, through the lobby and out into the streets. She looked up and suddenly noticed the sky seemed cleaner. The sunlight was more intense and the air seemed clearer. She then realized why. Without hundreds of thousands of cars and vehicles filling the streets and highways and without thousands of airplanes filling the sky, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide were no longer being produced. Greenhouse gases were also no longer being produced by factories releasing pollutants. Every car, bus, truck and lorry had crashed and was rusting into pieces. All the other cars had long since run out of petrol and diesel. Airplanes had crashed and gone up into flaming wrecks.
Also, all the new plants and trees were absorbing greenhouse gases faster than when humans ruled the planet. These two factors had led to a major cleanup of a polluted Earth. She smiled to herself. Perhaps the disappearance of the human race hadn't been such a bad thing for the planet. That was when a thunderous roar broke out her thoughts. She jumped and suddenly noticed the lioness standing less than two metres away.
The enormous cat was covered in shaggy golden hair and had a powerful body on pawed feet. Its long tail waved behind it. It opened its jaws and growled. Its intense golden eyes stared back at her. Then, the animal roared again. It crouched as it prepared to pounce. Before it could attack, there came two loud barks. Both Carly and the lioness turned as a dog ran up. It barked and bared its teeth. Two other dogs circled around it, barking. The lioness roared as a deterrent. The dogs barked and snapped. These dogs were large with sandy-coloured fur. Another dog ran in front of the others and howled ominously. Its eyes seemed to glow with a malicious light. A battle was brewing. Carly could barely believe it. The wild dogs were going to challenge the lone lioness and give her the chance to run.
The pack leader charged towards the lioness barking. The lioness snarled as the dog pounced on it, knocking it down. The big cat twisted upright, grabbing the dog's neck with its powerful jaws and biting down. Yelping, the dog writhed in agony. Barking, the other dogs ran in. They snapped at the lioness's legs. The cat lunged for them. Suddenly released, the pack leader retreated and began barking at the lioness. Barking, the dogs nipped at the lioness's hind legs. The angry big cat roared and swiped at the dogs with its clawed paws.
She didn't waste even another second. Spinning around, she turned and sprinted up the street. She prayed that the animals would be too preoccupied fighting to give chase but within moments, she heard barking directly behind her. Risking a backwards glance, she caught sight of three of the dogs bounding after her with hunger in their eyes
Further down the street, the fourth dog lay dead. The lioness crouched over it, feasting on its flesh. The lioness's muzzle was stained red as it chewed on muscle and flesh. Blood lay splattered around the body and a great wound had been torn through the dog's hair and skin into its flesh. The lioness had killed one of the dogs. With a meal to preoccupy it, the lioness had given up and the dogs were now chasing her down. They weren't just chasing her out of raw instinct or for pleasure. They were hunting her. She was prey to these dogs, she was food.
Her lungs were burning. It felt as if she was inhaling boiling water. Her legs ached and twice she stumbled, but she forced herself to keep running. The wild dogs bayed and snarled behind her. She was slowing down. She couldn't keep going for much longer. A dog snapped at her heels and she screamed in terror. Up ahead, she spotted another apartment complex and nearly sobbed with relief.
She ran up the complex staircase and burst through the glass-paneled doors into the apartment complex lobby. She slammed the revolving doors shut. Behind her, the dogs charged up the steps. Using a small device, she electronically sealed the entrance shut. The biggest dog, the pack leader, reared up, placing its front paws on the glass and snarled at her. The other two dogs banged against the glass and growled at her. The dogs barked and clawed at the doors but the glass panels stayed firmly shut. At last after nearly ten minutes, the dogs lost interest and headed off in search of other prey.
Sinking to her knees against the cold glass paneled doors; she buried her head into her arms and wept. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she sobbed loudly as shock and terror finally set in. The raw adrenaline coursing through her body to help share her senses and help her survive the attack had worn off and now other feelings were setting into place. She wept until her sobs finally subsided. She lifted her head. Her hair was messy and her eyes damp but she was feeling better having vented her emotions.
She rose to her feet and picking up the door operator, prepared to unlock the doors when suddenly a dog threw itself against the glass doors and snarled wildly. Screaming in terror, she dropped the operator onto the floor and scrambled back up against the lobby desk. The dog paced outside the sealed doors, growling. This was not one of the dogs that had chased her earlier. This was a much more powerful dog with long, silvery-grey fur. Its tongue hung out of its mouth as it stared hungrily back at her. Another dog circled around on the street. It was a powerful dog with hairless black skin and pointed ears. This was a rottweiler.
A large hound with sharp teeth also paced outside the apartment complex. Throwing back its head, it howled ominously at her. Other dog's barked and growled outside of her line of vision. A chilling realization suddenly dawned on her. These dogs were waiting her out.
There was no power in this apartment complex. There was no air conditioning; the temperature was rising; it was already nearly 40 degrees Celsius inside the lobby and she was sweating. The heat would only get worse. There was no clean water that hadn't become stale or been filled with back flowing sewage. If the heat and lack of water didn't force her out, then hunger would. All the food in the apartments would have decomposed and gone mouldy as it had been nearly two months since the power failed.
Plus, other animals could already be inside. If not dogs or large predators there could be feral cats, birds, venomous snakes, lizards, insects or swarms of rodents that had gotten in through open windows, ventilation shafts, gaps under doors or already been inside. Feral cats could deliver nasty scratches or bites. A bite from a venomous snake could kill her in less than 15 minutes and lizards could also deliver venomous bites and she hated all insects. And Carly was terrified of mice and rats. The dogs could leave one or two on guard and take alternating turns to get water and rest in the cool shade. All these dogs had to do was wait for her to unlock the doors. At this rate, it would not be longer than a few hours./
And no-one was coming to rescue her. Sam and Freddie were busy making out in Mrs. Benson's apartment. They both thought she was with Brad. Brad thought she was back at her apartment with Spencer. Spencer thought she was with her friends. Gibby thought she was back in the apartment complex and Mrs Benson thought she was hanging out with Brad. She was alone and trapped…
