Monday, April 30, 2012

Extinction: The beginning

We found a tape player and a bunch of tapes. These were from three years ago. This is the story that they told. Day 1 10:26AM: I'll be heading home today! I've been waiting to see Angie for a year now. I'm so excited. I hope she still remembers me. What Am I talking about? Of course she will,Its only been one year after all. Anyways I'm kinda nervous about flying for the first time. After that car ride here I don't think I'll ever drive again.I guess Its getting close to the take off time at the airport. Well i think its time for me to head out Its pretty quiet tonight though. I haven't heard the neighbors arguing as usual... I hope everything is alright. Maybe i should check on them? No Its none of my business anyway.
Day 2 8:25PM: I'm finally here! Angie was so excited to see me,with those big blue eyes and that adorable smile. I knew she wouldn't have forgotten she showed me some pictures that she drew while I was away. She had drawn me and her together under the big oak tree in the yard. For a 5 year old she isn't that bad of an artist. I'm proud of my little girl for holding out so long while i was gone.I was so happy to see Cindy too I couldn't have asked for a better welcoming home than this. I'm so tired from my trip. Flying wasn't half bad either, but having to sit next to a 37 year old who smelled like salt&vinegar chips was not my idea of a fun trip.
Day 6 12:07PM: Ever since I've gotten back I have been working around the clock. I am quite exhausted,I've had to work my fingers to the bone. Its been kind of...Melancholy around the office.I got the normal welcome back party but everyone seemed kind of restless. I didn't think to much of it. I just had some cake and finished the day out with working. I don't remember seeing Ted though he never misses work that kind of worries me. He is fine there can't be anything wrong. After all he does call himself "The Terrific ;Ted" God knows why he decided on that nickname. Well i think I'm finished writing for tonight guess I'll check back up in a few days or so.
Day 12 3:35PM: I've got a new task from John. Do you remember John? He is my manager I could never have asked for a better one than him. He gave me a new task. One...Unheard of. He wants me to examine some strange fossils said to have been found deep in the waters of the pacific. I am a little bewildered by this job but if John tells me too then i do it. Angie's had a little fever for a few days now I hope she gets around to feeling better. I can't stand to see her moping around the house sniffing and coughing instead of running around outside with her friends. Hopefully she'll get better soon enough.
Day 14 9:06AM: I've been working on that fossil I had to examine. I haven't see anything like It before! It's really quite amazing. It looks to be from the ages before man. I am quite surprised someone like John gave me a task like this. Stroke of luck i guess. Angie is feeling better I'm so glad,Cindy just had to give her some of that herbal medicinal crap. I mean hey, as long as my dear Angie is feeling better I could care less what she gives her.
Day 17 2:41PM: Less and less people have been showing up to work. Maybe people are realizing how horrible their jobs are. I don't think that's enough to quit really though. I haven't seen Ted since I got back I'm starting to get a little worried about him. Maybe I'll go by his house today when I head out from work.
Day 17 8:13PM: Why did this happen? Was it my fault? I know it couldn't of been I haven't even said anything to him since I got back. I-I-I...I found Ted today...He committed suicide.He hung himself... I was going to the door. I knocked and nobody answered. So i decided to walk around to his window. He always kept the curtains open. I looked into the window and he was just...dangling. I don't think this is how it was supposed to end for him. I called the police. Ever since then I've been seeing his face. Broken and cold, scare and confused. I hate having to remember Ted this way. The police gave me an estimated time of death. They said around about half a month ago. Almost the time I arrived back. I don't get It. Why would Ted do this when I come back? I felt like I could of helped him. But i didn't. I'm ashamed. I've got so many mixed feelings. I'm going to head to bed I don't want to think about this anymore today.
Day 19 4:07PM: I think the only few people left working at this place are John,Savannah, Joseph,And me. The rest are minor workers, people that do insignificant jobs. I hope the rest stay. I can't figure out why anyone would want to leave with the way the economy Is now. Anyway I've been thinking about that fossil. It's strange, I don't think It Is from any dinosaur we have ever collected Information on. It looks like it is gonna turn out to be a new fossil. I'll have something named after me. That is unbelievably amazing. I guess the wheel of fate is turning in my direction.
Day 25 9:03PM: I have been talking to John he has been giving me excuses for why people have been quitting. I know something is going on I may not be aware of it but I know it's something bigger than anyone could have imagined. I guess I just have to wait to see what it will be.My poor Angie is getting sick again I think she might have the flu. It's got to be bad if she has been getting sick this often. I guess I better finish out with my rambling I know you don't want to hear it.
Day 28 10:04AM: I figured i should take Angie to the doctor. She has been getting progressively worse over the last few days. I know its probably only a cold but I really want to see her get better. After all I just arrived back from California. Speaking of Cali. I hear there has been some new developments on my fossil. John informed me they had found more and more of these fossils. I can't help but think this is all related. Angies sickness, Everyone quitting, Teds untimely demise. Its all so hard to bear. I really miss Ted.He would know what to do in a time like this.
Day 35 9:37 AM: I took Angie to the doctor she is in the early stages of leukemia. I am doing everything I can to help her. The doctors said as long as we take care of her and she is steadily treated by the hospital she will be fine. I don't want to be too stressed about this so I'm taking a leave of absence from my job. I am leaving John, Savannah, And Joseph. I'm sure they can find a replacement. I guess this is what the other workers felt like when they left. I doubt they will have a tough time managing when I'm gone. I will have to find a job closer to home If something goes wrong I will know I can be there in an instant.
Day 44 5:07PM: I've been watching the news a lot of "Strange occurrences"  Have been going on for the past few days. California has been experiencing Earthquakes more frequently than usual. They are much higher in magnitude too. I don't want to think about these. It's all in my head,and Cindy keeps reassuring me It's nothing. John has been checking in on me every other day now. He always makes sure I'm not overworking myself taking care of Angie. John reassured me I could come back to my old job anytime but i have to refuse his offer for Angie's sake.
Cindy being at work If I were to go back there wouldn't be anyone to take care of her. She needs all the help and support she can get. Her classmates sent her a big poster with all their names on it and little notes like "Get better soon We miss you" A bunch of the words are misspelled. I guess I am expecting to much from a class of Preschoolers.
Day 69 2:03 PM: I haven't recorded in quite a while. I guess i have just been preoccupied with Angie and looking for a job close to home. It's getting bad around here. Muggings, Murders, Rapes,Gang fights. I have decided to buy a new security system, and take a karate class. I want my family to be protected. Cindy keeps a knife with her at all times. Although with the kind of crime we have here it wouldn't do much against a gang of thugs.
Day 75 9:08PM After a month of searching I have finally found a job. Its not much better than minimum wage but with cindy's tea shop we should get by fine. I hope that Angie will get better soon. Her first round of Chemo Is In a few weeks I want to make sure I can be there at all times when she has to go through this so I'm going to ask my new boss(Andrew) for those days off. He is a really nice guy so I'm sure he will be ok with it. I feel like it was a miracle getting this job I hope everything turns out for me ok in the end. I watched a news report the other day. I think that fossil has something more than just dinosaurs related to it. When John came by the other day I started talking with him about it. He changed the subject pretty quickly to how he found a few new employees but my spot will always be open.
Day 87 3:08 AM: I can't sleep,I can't eat, I can barely think. I'm so exhausted from the last few days. Angie's doctors said she would be fine. Her first round of chemo when great. She is starting to lose her hair. The first few strands fell out and cindy began to cry. I couldn't help but think it was all over but I'm sure she will be fine the doctor reassured me that about 2 or 3 more rounds of it and she will be back up in no time.
Day 95 5:06 PM: Angie's condition has gotten worse. The doctors said she would be fine. I believed them. They are betraying my trust. If something happens to her...I don't know what I will do. Speaking of worse. They figured out this fossil isn't from earth. They did what we would call an autopsy except instead of a body it was on a bone. They found wires inside of it. It's unheard of. This is of course all confidential but John tells me pretty much everything. I would never hear this stuff If he wasn't one of my best friends. I have a bad feeling about this.

We haven't found any more tapes but we are searching. We have to figure out what happened to these people and this planet. This place was obliterated and we have no idea how. Its our duty. End transmission.



Thursday, April 26, 2012

Waiting in the void

I stand independent
Unreasonably alone
Silence over everything
I will never find home
I am going deeper into the void
Still i am alone
I cannot find anyone but myself
And the darkness
Its so quiet
But i tell myself
Ill find someone
But someone never comes
And i will still be waiting
And wait i shall

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The deafening silence

“Here it is” he yelled.
“Where?”
“Right there”
I could hear the agitation in his voice now.“Well i don’t see it’.
I could in fact see the towering home above me in all its horror and all its glory.
“I know you’re lying” He said in disappointment.
I am Sophie and the boy yelling at me like a madman is my friend Seth. It’s been three years since i last entered this house. We Nicknamed it the “Widowman” house. It’s called that because Ms. Widowman used to live in that house before any of us were born. Although nobody REALLY knows how she perished but somehow it was definitely related to that house. I remember the first time i entered that house. It was sunny outside it was coming to sunset outside but the kids on the street didn’t have any real concern about playing in the dark. We were all playing baseball as normal 10 and 11 year old kids on our street do. It was finally my turn up to the bat the game was tied and it was the last inning. I hated it when games came down to the wire like this. I was ready to hit the ball out of the park though. I got into my stance and got ready. The ball flew out of our pitchers hand and came flying at me like a speeding bullet. I didn’t have much time to react but the next thing i knew the ball was flying farther and higher than anything i could have ever dreamed of. I couldn’t feel anything but joy, that is until the ball went right through the Widowman mansion window. I knew i had to get the ball i didn’t have a choice we all settled on the person that hits the ball out has to get it. We made that rule the last time Ricky (He's pretty stubborn) refused to get the ball after hitting it down the street because there was no rule that he had to get it. So from that day forth anyone that hit the ball out had to get it themselves. I didn’t have a choice unless i didn’t want to play baseball with them anymore. I walked out onto the lawn since the house was abandoned. I didn’t have a fear of this house back then so i stride onto the steps like they were nothing. Nothing on this world could have prepared me for what was inside. I walked in to see tattered portraits Hanging awkwardly from the walls and broken glass scattered across the ground. The ball had went into the second story window so i had to head upstairs. I knew something was lurking in the shadows i could hear things i wouldn’t hear in a normal house. By some miracle i found a flashlight just laying in the scattered glass. I didn’t really believe that it would work (seeing as how there weren’t any batteries) but i guess this was not a normal flashlight. I didn’t realize how cold the house had been getting until i got into the room with the ball in it. The temperature was somehow dropping rapidly. I grabbed the ball and started my way back. It began to get dark, even darker than the pitch black it already was. I heard more noises scratching and piercing howls coming from all directions. Before i knew it i was screaming. I thought i was hallucinating but i know i couldn’t have been, everywhere started to fill with blue lights. They were faint but there was strange auras emitting off them. I didn’t care about the ball anymore i wanted out i was screaming and shivering until finally a fluorescent light woke me up. I was in the hospital my family and friends were all watching me with horror in their eyes.I lay there in a dazed fashion trying to piece together what i had just been through. I tried to recreate what happened in the house to the doctors but they just waved it off and diagnosed it as sleep deprivation.  That didn’t make any sense i had been getting plenty of sleep, more than i needed really. I didn’t think anyone believed me. The only person who would've was Seth. They said he came and found me whispering to myself like i had just seen a ghost. It was true though i had seen one there was no other explanation. Am i like the kid from “The sixth sense”Or something now? No its that house it is and will always be that house. As my family and friends began to exit the room Seth was the only one who remained. “Did you really see a ghost?”
“Why would i go crazy like that if not?”
“Thats what i want to know”
“What were they like?” He said
“Well....I remember them being these blue twinkling lights and they made these kind of low,guttural noises. “
“Were they hostile?”
“No i-i don't think so.”
“When i found you you were slumped down in a corner like all your bones were broken and  you wouldn't stop muttering.”
I couldn’t really remember any time we talked about the house after that except maybe a few mentions of it in trivial conversations. It didn’t really matter,the house though was apparently on its way to being destroyed and Seth didn’t think that was a good plan. I had heard of him researching more about the house through his life time. When i left that house i could see the curiosity in his eyes.
And that should bring you up to speed on where we are now.  In front of this house . “Lets go in” Seth said with insanity in his eyes.
“Are you crazy? I’m never going in that house again!
“Suit yourself” I stood behind the Rotted wood fence. Even the outside of the house gives me chills.
“If this place is going to be destroyed i want to at least check it out”
I really hate this but i guess i am going to have to anyways if something happens to Seth it will be on my hands. I approached with care and caution,none like I had when I first entered this place of evil. I was right behind Seth the entire time. We entered the house. we began to explore,  the portraits had now completely disintegrated and the glass was mysteriously gone like it had vanished into thin air. I looked around and what was left of the walls was a decayed brown substance that used to be what looked like the beams of the house I don’t see how this place wasn’t demolished earlier. Entering the living room was even worse. The couch had maggots in it ,a wasp nest was growing out of the corner of the room ,the rug looked like something had just completely torn it to shreds ,and the curtains were nothing but strings. I’m pretty ahead of the fact that something has definitely been here. Seth has officially had one of the dumbest ideas i have ever seen.
“Lets check out the basement”
“Why in gods name would you want to do that?”
“If we want to find out what's been harboring itself in here we have to look everywhere and the basement isn’t out of the picture.”
We began to tread towards the basement. It felt like the hallway was getting longer. Although i knew it had to be all in my head once i reached the door. I firmly grasped the knob and with a quick flick of my wrist the door was open and the pitch black darkness was staring straight through my soul. It was like it was alive. Every time i walked down the stairs they felt like they were jumping away from me. the stone was cracked like paint splashed on a wall. I couldn’t get out of this though Seth was there i had to make sure nothing went wrong and i couldn’t just leave Seth there. As our descent into the house went farther i began realizing that something knows we are here. I try to stay as close to Seth as i can but he's much faster than me and is much more interested in this house than i will ever be. I picture in my mind all the terrible things that could happen. It feels like these stairs go on forever. What happens if they crumble and the house falls. What if the door locked behind us? What if something gets us down here.I've made my decision. I start whispering to Seth.
“I think we’ve explored enough can’t we go back up?”
He doesn’t respond.
I get nervous.
“Seth?”
Still no answer,
I grabbed his shoulder.
And that's when i see it,
Seth is gone.
And all that's left,
Is the deafening silence.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Hunger Games Movie Review

The hunger games movie. I was excited to see it espicially since i loved the book. I just kind of brushed off people saying the movie wasnt going to be as good as the book, but i thought it fell just short of being as good as it. In my opinion they left out maybe one or two key details. For example they didn't have the avox girl which i was sure they would have but it didn't take much away from the movie too much. I think this movie could have been alot worse than the book seeing as how most movies are. Although whenever i see a movie from a book i usually still like the movie just because i always have. I'm just not to much of a critic i guess. Another example is how the dogs in the movie weren't the other tributes and they were ran on four legs unlike the muttations in the book which kind of disappointed me since that was probably one of my top three favorite parts.I liked how the characters were portrayed because they were almost exactly to my thoughts of how they looked in the book (except for rue she was a little bit bigger than i imagined). The plot was great i couldn't tell really any differences from the movie. Out of 10 i would give this movie a 8.7 I thought about the point score and i would say the district 11 rebellion was -.2 the final cornucopia scene -.5 thresh banging clove on the table instead of hitting with a rock -.1 the dogs instead of muttations -.3 and the avox girl being left out - .2 Totaling to 8.7