New Years Explosions

New years eve. Just another night people use as an excuse to stay up late and drink. The only good thing about it was that Ben and I could spend as much time together as we want without anyone getting suspicious.
Our parents were always watching us closely whenever we met up with each other, as if they expected us to start getting dirty, but we wouldn't of. Not me and Ben, not like that, we were just mates that's all.

Anyway Ben and his family were coming over tonight, there was only two downsides to it. One my parents would get drunk and show off my baby pictures and two, I had to cook and clean. Those were the things I always hated about new years, Ben didn't like them either. What we loved the most was sneaking off just before midnight, just as we were doing later.

The door bell rang and I raced down the hall, checking the time as I go past, quarter to eight. I open the door to two mean faces looking down at me, Ben’s parents. Quickly I move out of the way and they push past, not even a second glance.
Ben gave a three fingered wave and entered, “Hey” I say returning the wave. “You ready for another night of embarrassing boredom?” he says grinning wide. The problem with Ben was he loves when my parents begin to embarrass me, his parents do the same- they compete- but he doesn’t care like I do.

I rolled my eyes and punch him on the arm, hard. “Do I need to kick your butt, this early, Mr Crow?” Ben winces and rubs his arm he hates when I call him “Crow” it’s because his last name is Bird and he closely resembles a crow, with his dark hair, eyes and clothing.
He opened his mouth to reply but our parents called us into the dining room, dinner was ready.

After dinner and the embarrassing moments in the lounge room, where I had to cover Ben's laughing eyes as my parents dragged out the pictures, they all went outside to the deck, cracking open their fourth bottle of wine.
“Come on” Ben whispers leading me upstairs to my room. Hurriedly I open the window and climb outside, checking my watch, 11:57.

“Hurry up!” I urged Ben as he scrambled in front of me, we were only on the roof outside my parents room, a little farther to go. “What time is it?” he asked cautiously, easing his way up the tiled roof. I look, “11:59.” Ben disappears from view and then his sweaty hand is grasping mine and hauling me up.
We could hear the countdown now. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” we shout continuing on the chant. My watch turns to 12, we hold our breathes, waiting for the crashing chorus....

The ones that never came.
***
One night, that’s all it takes to destroy everything you had lived for. When the clock struck twelve, the world took its future in its hands and shook. I blame the aliens. Everything they had done up till now was nothing compared to this.

Nothing compared to the destruction of the world

When I came to I was lying on my back, looking up at a dark sky, which wasn’t so unusual, we always used to fall asleep on the roof.
The only reason I noticed something was off was because I was lying on the ground, but more importantly, there wasn’t a star in the sky.

Black dots danced across my vision as I moved slowly into a sitting position. My head was hurting up a storm, I put a hand to my temple and it came away sticky.
Not a good thing.
Ever so slowly I look around and try to gather my surroundings. I was lying on the ground, rubble around me; the back porch light was flickering on and off.

So, I was in the backyard. I drag myself upwards and stagger into a standing position, nothing broken.
In the distance I could hear the wind whispering in the trees and car alarms beeping they’re honkers off. Not a person in sight or sound, I don’t think that’s a good thing.

So I was mostly fine, but what about Ben? And our families?

I heard a snuffling sound coming from the left, and movement in the corner of my eye. Slowly I turned around, it was a creature of some sort, creepily humanoid and bearing a strong resemblance to my father.
I didn’t wait to find out what it was. Hurriedly I spied a backpack and lunged for it, scanning the ground as quickly as I could I hoarded as much food as I could and got the hell out of there.

I headed straight for the dojo, passing houses, all in ruin. When I got there I discovered that it too, was rubble. Something flashed as a cloud uncovered the moon, I tensed my muscles and heaved a rock, there! The katana sword I used to practise with, I had a feeling I was gonna need it.

I hadn’t encountered a single human being, just sounds from within the dark, nothing remotely humanoid. I sighed, my muscles already hurting from the weight of the backpack, tying the sword at my waist I moved.

I’m not alone.
Somehow, somewhere, there is another human being.

And it’s my job to find them.