I wake up to find
I am alone in my house

they must have left already
It doesn't matter
I make eggs, toast, and hot cakes
And sit at the table.

I eat
(It tastes nice)
I shower
(I'm so clean)
And I get dressed.
(I look good).

I'm ready to leave for school
So I hop on my bike
And ride to school.

There's no cars in the streets.
The buildings all look different
Where is everyone?

My school is gone
Nothing but rubble
In a perfect square shape.
Where are the students?

I pull my bike against the street and sit on the curb
And look out on my city
I'm cold
So cold.

I see smoke rise from the sidewalk
It twists and rises.
It looks like me

Back on my bike I go out of the city.
I pull up to my favorite cafe.
It's a pile of ash.
A newspaper hits me in the leg:
"Nothing but ash" with an image of the
Burning food joint.

I weep
The tears hit the ground
And turn to smoke
The smoke looks like me
Running
Away

I flee back into the city as fast as my bike allows
Nearest source of food
My stomach churns
I starve
Where are the people?

Why
             Am
                        I
                               alone?

I watch as the smoke rises again.
Me, running
This time there's more
Shapeless hulk
Swirling
Twisting
Malicious

I run on foot, leaving behind my bike.
Crying
Screaming
Where are the people?

I collapse.
The hill rises beneath me.
The sun paints the sky death orange
Smoke, like morning mist, rises on the ground
Flat
Bending
Path

The hulk rises in the smoke
Takes form
Car, screaming man
I cannot watch
Eyes glued with saltwater

Finally, me running jumping
Car takes motion
I cry out
I dive
I die

I'm dead
I'm alone
I'm dead
Where are the people?