15th of April, 2026, 12:26

"A reported 18 million people have gone missing. The alleywalker movement has now been labeled an international crisis, and a threat to humanity. Governments urge their citizens to not go to any of the quarantined zones under any circumstances. Armed guards have been reported to be stationed outside all known alleyways marked as high threats."

"Hey, did you hear about how they were sending military personnel and vehicles through these places??", a commenter named CryptoCryptology states.

"How the hell did you hear about something like that? You think a tank can fit through an alleyway? Your such an idiot", another commentor named SlayBankmanFreed replied.

"Look dude, my bro works at [redacted] base. This shit's real.", CryptoCryptologist replied.

"Yeah, and my dad's the researcher at SERN who discovered the alleyways are actually portals leading to the rapture, fuck off dude", SlayBankmanFreed replied.

Why the fuck do I even read this shit anymore..


20th of June, 2026, 19:55

A small radio hums its last breath.

"If anyone can hear me.."

"It's.. Finally.."

Static.



Present Day

I stared at the curtains, an impassable wall. Staring toward it, the white paint backdrop shifted ever slightly.

I've seen this happen many times before. My mind's been so deprived of.. Everything. I guess hallucinations are just par for the course.

In my fear, I had put permanent marker measurement lines on the walls, just to be sure. They never changed. Just the paint. The stillness of black against flowing white caused my insides to wrench.

• • •

"Hey, stop getting distracted. The curtains, open them. Come on. You can do this", Freddy said.

As I started taking steps toward the window, my heart beat like crazy. I had no idea why I was so scared.. Something about the outside had become.. mosterous.

"Take calm, deep breaths."

The internet had stopped working. Power was long gone. Sam had left for elsewhere long ago. I had taken to hunting rats, insects, and the like to survive in this hellhole I call my home. I can't even remember what another human being sounds like.

"You've still got me buddy!", Freddy said.

It hurts. My chest hurts so much that I can't breathe. Fuck. God dammit, fuck.

JUST OPEN IT

"Come on. You can do it buddy. Do it for Sam."

Just open the window. Hell, open the fucking door. Nobody comes here anymore. Nobody asks to open it.

What are you afraid of..

"What's wrong buddy?"

The insects are afraid of me. The rats know of my exploits. What am I even hiding from anymore? I don't know.

I took a bite out of Freddy. He stopped talking.

• • •

When does a cage become a home? When does a cell cease to become a prison? Do I like it here?

Everything told me I did. I'm comfortable. Safe. And yet, something itched me deep inside.

The paint crawled.

I hated it. I hated the paint with a burning passion. I tried covering it all up. If I had enough black, I would blot it out until no white remained.

I didn't have enough of anything.

Left alone in the silence. Left alone in the quake of memories long distorted. What was I doing here.

What I would give for someone to type a comment about some bullshit story.

What I would give for a news report on literally anything.

I want it. I want it back. Back to the way it used to be. Bring things back. BRING THEM BAAAAAAAACK

Screaming every last drop of vapour from my lungs, I jumped out of the window.