[ WP ] It 's the end of the world . Eldritch gods and monsters are awaking to end life as we know it . All because we got rid of mosquitos and now there is no one to perform the blood sacrifices .

`` Liam... Liam, honey, wake up,'' The bed was beginning to shake, `` Honey, you really have to get up now, okay?'' 
 
 `` Just, like, 20 more minutes Ma,'' The shaking slowly subsided. 
 
 `` Honey, we do n't have 20 minutes, you have to get up now...'' Liam's mother poured water on his head, causing him to spring up with enough violence to knock over his bedside lamp. 
 
 `` What the hell Mom, what is so goddamned important that you had to wake me up with,'' he glanced at his clock, now on the floor beside the broken lamp `` 3 hours of sleep?!!? Geez Ma...'' After a few calming breaths Liam settled back onto the bed, the wetness of his wake up call seeping through his pajama shirt, and he looked over at his mother, who had retreated to the door, knowing full-well what reaction Liam would have to her chilly good morning. Liam's concern over his bed's wetness turned to dismay as he took in what his mother was wearing, an army green tank top with forest-camo cargo pants and a massive backpack, loaded down so completely he was surprised it did n't burst it's seams. 
 
 `` Liam, we have to go, now, your father is already preparing the truck and, knowing him, it'll be ready by the time you're changed,'' she said, in that scary calm way that mother's use to avoid panicking their children. 
 
 `` But, is it real this time, it is, is n't it, please, please tell me it's a drill, tell me I'm wrong,'' Liam was n't quite panicked yet, he was still trying to work through the dread at what was about to happen, he knew what the camo meant, it meant they were leaving, and probably would n't be back for a while, if ever. He could n't figure out why though, it did n't make any sense, before he went to sleep there had n't been anything in the news, either mainstream or back-channel, that indicated anything apocalyptic was happening. The economy was generally stable, as stable as ever in fact since the crash a few years ago, and the only wars, cold or hot, were in Asia and Africa. 
 
 `` Honey, NOW!'' his mother yelled, he had n't realized he'd been sitting there stunned. Her yell snapped him back to reality where his training kicked in, he sprung from his bed, far more controlled now without the ice water spurring his movements, and was inside his closet almost instantly. With a pleased nod, his mother hopped the banister behind her to the first floor and was gone, likely to toss her pack in the `` truck'' and grab anything they may have extra room for. With a swift kick to the side, Liam popped open a false wall in his closet, revealing a bugout bag, his own camo gear, his AK-47, and a decently sized box of pre-loaded magazines. He tried to don his gear swiftly, the way he'd been taught, but nervousness had an icy grip on his chest in a way his training had n't prepared him for. As such, he tripped while trying to pull his other pant-leg up, landing in a pile of dirty clothes, with his cap on, his green shirt around his neck like a scarf, and an 80lb duffel bag over one shoulder making him feel like a turtle that some petulant child had flipped. He quickly thanked God, Buddha, and The Flying Spaghetti Monster that his brothers were n't here and used his indignation to quiet his nerves, if only for the moment, so he could at least dress properly. 
 
 Exiting his room, Liam glanced around to find quite a few of his parents knick-knacks out of place, this was disturbing considering his father's borderline OCD concerning his, so-called, `` finds.'' `` There must have been a tremor or something, was that what shook the bed?'' Realizing he was standing like a doe in the headights, Liam mentally berated his internal monologue. He prepared to vault the banister as his mother had done when he stopped again, looking at himself in the floor-length mirror at the end of the hallway, and he liked what he saw. A vision of the action heroes from the old movies his parents had introduced him to as a child, decked out in his survival gear and AK, all now properly donned, despite his earlier mishaps, if it were n't for the circumstances, he could've stared at himself all day. Instead, the windows began to shake violently and the ear-splitting sound of a sonic boom cascaded through the house, snapping Liam out of his self-reverie. He hopped the banister, landing on the floor below in a crouch, feeling the impact shockwaves cascade through his lower extremities and wishing he had thrown his bag over first, the extra weight made the landing unexpectedly rough. Liam stood and looked around, taking in his childhood home for, most likely, the last time. The couch where he'd had his first kiss, the wall of old gaming consoles he had repaired with his dad, the bathroom where he crawled out the window the first time to sneak out, the liquor cabinet he'd repaired after some friends wrecked it during a party, but it was time to go, he'd always have those memories, even if he was n't there, Liam turned and bolted for the open front door without looking back. 
 
 Upon emerging from the house, he stopped, dropping to his knees, mouth agape, staring at the sky in horror. What appeared to be a huge tear had formed in the sky, like some god had unzipped the heavens, but what Liam saw did n't make him think of heaven, no, it was nothing of the sort. Huge tentacles were knurling and whipping around the edges of the tear, almost like they were trying to force it open farther. He could n't make anything out inside the tear, however, it just seemed to be a mass of purple and black darkening the formerly clear, blue sky. It almost felt as if it were sucking him in, not physically, but mentally, dragging his mind away from his body. As he noticed what was happening to him, the tug on his mind intensified, the more he fought against it, the more agonizing it got and, before he knew it, he heard screaming. But, where was it coming from, he could n't look away to find the source though. It was close, maybe one of the neighbors? Then muffled speech, but, why was it muffled, and why ca n't I look away from this damned rift. Rift? When did I start thinking of it as a rift, that implies it leads somewhere, does n't it? The muffled speech came back again, louder this time, he could almost make out the words now, but they were so distant, and could n't really be important could they? Damn I wish that screaming would stop, it's driving me... insane? 
 

