Virus
Chapter Four

As I got home, the house was empty. This was normal- my dad didn’t come back until late night, and my mom occasionally went out shopping or strolling or something or other- perhaps staying late at her yoga classes that she taught- there were a myriad of excuses I kept stored in my mind about why the house seemed so silent, as if the ghosts of my parents were there like a vacuum, creating empty spaces devoid of life. As the hours passed by, I became nervous. By 7:00, I had finished my homework. My mom was supposed to be here, she was always back this late, so I decided to call them. I stared at the screen, watched the little phone cartoon vibrate and vibrate until voice-mail picked up. I stared at the screen in shock. In books it was almost always subtle. In real life, the situation was different. I truly was alone. The emotions hit me moments later. Fear, worry, regret, all swirled within me, and turned into a thunderstorm of negativity. The main character was supposed to face this with determination, grit, a drive for revenge. I just sat down and cried. I sat there, rocking from side to side, as the tears ran out. Maybe this was an elaborate prank, but I didn’t believe that. My parents have never been that much into jokes. Something had truly happened to them.

First, I called Kira. We had always told each other if something had happened, and this was no exception. I waited as the phone rang, and paranoia took over me. Maybe whatever had happened to my parents had gotten her too… After what seemed like an eternity, Kira picked up. “Hi Eva how are you doing?” Kira exclaimed.

“Kira…” my voice broke. Evidently, I still had more sorrow inside me. “My parents are gone.”

“How can they be gone? Are you sure this isn’t a prank or something similar?” Kira inquired.

“No. They were here when I left for school and weren’t when I came back. Just like that- not a note or anything. My dad should have come home now.”

“Well, I’ll check the news. Maybe if this is something unfortunate, they’ll have an article on it.” I heard furious typing on the other side of the dial, and then a muffled gasp. “Are you sure that you want to hear this?” Kira inquires.

I know I must- I need to replace my parents. Full of determination, I reply. “Yes.”

“People all over the world have been disappearing- starting a couple of days ago. No one knows how or why.” Kira pauses. “And, although police have searched everywhere, none of them have been found. Not even a trace, a trail, a single clue. Gone.” Gone was an excellent word for what I was feeling. My life was gone. And I don’t know if it will ever return.