[ WP ] You are walking in a crowded downtown plaza when a Facebook notification goes off on your phone : `` Are you OK ? It looks like you 're in the area affected by EMERGENCY PROTOCOL 1016B . Let friends know if you 're safe . '' Confused , you look around to discover you 're alone .

The crowd disappeared almost as fast as anxiety took over my mind. I leaned against the side of a damp building to gain my balance. It was just a notification, I told myself. It did n't mean anything. 
 
 I closed my eyes, trying to remember the damn safe place my therapist kept telling me to imagine. The crackling of a fireplace. The smell of caramel on vanilla ice cream. The warmth and softness of being wrapped in a blanket. 
 
 Black fog covered me as I mustered the courage to face the world. 
 
 I fidgeted for my phone and called Sarah. She answered after three rings. 
 
 `` David, where are you?'' she asked, her voice gentle. 
 
 `` I thought I was heading downtown, but I ca n't tell anymore,'' I managed to say. I did n't why I was whispering. `` You have to help me, I ca n't see anything but black fog here.'' 
 
 There was a giant crash in the distance, with a cloud of smoke and dust rising above the thick fog. 
 
 `` What was that?'' panic slowly seeping into her voice. 
 
 `` I do n't know.'' 
 
 `` I just checked... no one knows what's happening. Facebook only says to evacuate the area immediately. I am calling 911. David, stay where you are.'' 
 
 `` I ca n't...'' 
 
 I heard the faint screeching of sirens as I decided to run. It only took 5 strides for me to run face-first into a metal pole. 
 
 `` David, the police are n't picking up!'' I heard her say over the ringing in my head. 
 
 I look around for my phone, blood dripping from my forehead. I pinpoint its location by following the sound of Sarah's static-infused voice. How did the phone get so far? 
 
 I crawled to it, as the fog was n't as thick this close to the ground. Three distinct booms sounded near me. I covered my head and screamed, thinking they were gunshots. 
 
 Covering my mouth, I lunged at the phone. 
 
 `` Sarah!'' I said as loudly as I dared. 
 
 Tik-tik-tik-tik. 
 
 `` Sarah, I need you!'' 
 
 Tik-tik-tik-tik. 
 
 That was the only sound that came from the phone. 
 
 Dull thuds approached me. I stood up, running in the other direction. 
 
 Cold hands grabbed me the shoulders. I screeched and kicked and punched but the hands overpowered me. 
 
 `` Sir! We are here to help!'' shouted a man, letting me down on my feet. 
 
 `` Thank you,'' I said, calming down. I took the moment to gather my breath, still feeling the cold from where the man had gripped me. 
 
 `` What's the military doing here?'' I asked, after taking a closer look at his uniform. 
 
 The man sighed, even though his stony eyes betrayed no emotion. 
 
 `` I'm going to break protocol and tell you the truth,'' he said. 
 
 I nodded, after a pause. 
 
 `` This world is coming to an end.'' 
 
 His eyes glowed a dark green, and a rumbling erupted from his chest. The man's flesh melted to reveal greasy, black scales underneath, and green liquid leaked from his mouth. Dark tendrils wrapped around me, lifting me up. 
 
 `` And we will bring that end in a torrent of fire and fog!'' 
 
 The creature's voice was as rough as rubbing stone against stone. It threw me up into the air, and opened its giant maw, ready to swallow me whole. 
 
 
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