Hello. It maybe said differently in other regions in different languages, but the fear it fosters is just as palpable. What was once a typical way to greet a fellow human being, the word is now one that triggers a flight-or-fight response. It has become synonymous with death.
I know that you’re likely familiar with everything that has happened, so a part of this is just something for me to do as I sit here waiting for my demise. Maybe writing it all down will help me come to terms somehow with the surreal and nightmarish circumstances I’ve found myself in.
It all started when the sun grew dimmer, as if there was a solar eclipse taking place out of sight somewhere. The sun was not blocked out, but people were under a perpetual shade that bathed the Earth. The global climate’s temperature dropped, and it started snowing everywhere, from the Earth’s poles to its equator. Some regions used to such weather were caught off guard from the untimely arrival, but didn’t fall as quickly into complete chaos, compared to places that had never experienced real snow before. Science experts had no clue as to why this was happening, since they determined that everything outside of Earth wasn’t changing.
It was not long after the beginning of the snow that they appeared. Whoever survived an encounter with them, was always by themselves when someone out of sight called out; not to them specifically, but presumably to anyone within the vicinity. The fortunate who escaped, and the unfortunate who became victims, were in secluded areas at the time of these strangers’ appearances. As the snows worsened and the Earth grew darker however, encounters were occurring closer to more populated areas, almost as if they were getting bolder and less patient for individuals to wander away from civilization. These “Callers” wouldn’t say anything else, except for one word in the form of an inquest: Hello.
Because nobody alive knew what the Callers looked like or where they came from, a variety of theories spread, causing many to become suspicious and accusatory of one another. Grifters and delusional, messianic wannabes took advantage of such paranoia, feeding the distrust and fear. It had gotten so bad, despite the fact Callers targeted the isolated, many made the counterintuitive decision to separate themselves from others as much as possible. Apart from any immediate family they lived with, or maybe a close friend or two, many felt being alone and focusing solely on their own survival would keep them alive. Sure enough, if the lack of resources or bitter, freezing cold didn’t do people in, the Callers eventually found their way to get them one by one.
Those with the power and influence complicated matters further, even prior to this event. Doing whatever they could to retain control over others, they pushed many towards a cynical world outlook that harbored a sort of dissonance. Humankind was convinced that we were naturally selfish, lazy, perverted, murderous, and could never be trusted, yet the only way to prevent stepping over the precipice into chaos and self-annihilation, required trusting ourselves to lead governments, run businesses, interpret faiths, and dictate old traditions. When those governments and institutions collapsed, it became clear that no help would come, and everyone was left with learned helplessness and fear against neighbors.
People began following the Callers’ lead and preyed on others in isolation, figuring that everyone else would keep to themselves and not get involved. No one dared to get involved because, what if your neighbor was a Caller in disguise? What if they were secretly plotting against you, but they just so happened to get attacked first before they got to do anything? What if they turned on you after you helped them or what if their assailant turned their attention on you? Rationalizing why not to help others is easier than finding ways to aid one another. I should know because I thought that way too until I was targeted.
They were brothers, and they picked apart the block of townhouses I had resided among, not caring whether the places were occupied or not. Without the help of anyone from outside, no one stood a chance in fending them off. I knew I didn’t stand a chance against those guys since I was alone, so I had my bugout equipment ready for a hasty escape. When the time came and they broke into my residence, I slipped out a window that wasn’t blocked by snow and ran away. I would come to regret it later that day. Or was it night? By then, there was no sun, stars, or moon to see up in the sky since everything had gotten so dark that daytime and nighttime had become indistinguishable from one another.
I decided to build my shelter inside a large snowbank. Using my collapsible e-tool, I dug down into it to form an entrance, into a ditch for the cold air to sink into. Then, I dug an elevated ledge to create a spot for myself, sleeping bag, and niche for a tin can to hold a small fire. Finally, after digging to create some more space for myself, I used the end of my shovel to poke out ventilation holes. This is where I chose to stay, and this is where I am now.
For the next few days(?), I would scavenge and scrounge for food, with little fruitful results. I caught something in one of my hunting traps once, and I thought I was going to eat relatively well, but then I heard something while I loosened my trap. I thought I was mistaken, so I continued to work until I heard again, “Hello?”
I stopped and shone my flashlight in the direction from where it came. I hoped I was just imaging things due to my lack of eating, but I slowly backed away from where I heard it. That was when the sound of movement headed towards me, while I heard an unmistakable, “Hello?”
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I left my quarry behind and fled as quickly as possible. The deep snow made it hard to move at a good speed. I tried lifting my feet as high as I could with each step trying to get away from the voice. Every pull of a foot was weighted down by the heavy snow that packed on the tops of my shoes, throwing up flakes before being pulled back into the white mire that surrounded me. My arms swung wildly in my attempts to gain the momentum needed to repeatedly lift my legs. Still, I heard the hellos stalking me.
While I ran, I noticed things following me, darting from behind object to object along my way. I shined my flashlight on where I saw them. I never got a good view of them, but they were as if the dark came alive and was running on all fours. Just like my primary pursuer, they too called out to me with that same word. They called out in different voices, different tones, some were almost like howling. It was like they were a pack of wolves trying to corral the sickly into their jaws and claws.
I started to feel exhaustion creeping up on me, and the voices were closing in around me. When I saw my shelter ahead, I felt a needed boost of energy push me to pick up the pace, powering through the heavy snow. Without hesitation, I dove down the entry hole, crawled through the ditch, and climbed up onto the elevated ledge, before blocking the way inside with a slab of concrete I had found a while back. It didn’t seem like anything tried following me at first. When I was about to calm down, that was when something began clawing on the underside of the concrete. I backed away from the slab when I heard it: “Hello?”
I heard the others outside, muffled by the walls of the shelter joining in: “Hello? Hello? Hello?”
They all called out to me incessantly with that same word, while the scratching continued under the concrete. I cowered in a corner with eyes squeezed closed, hoping they didn’t start digging through the snow to get to me. Suddenly, the noises all stopped. I opened my eyes and saw that everything in my shelter was still intact, but I dreaded what was to happen next. That was when I heard nearing my location from a distance, “Hello?”
‘Another has come to join in on that awful choir.’ I thought to myself. Soon, I heard again, “Hello?” but this time followed by, “Are you still around?”
I was thrown off. Never before have I heard a Caller say anything more than ‘hello’.
“I saw you running some ways back towards here! I was hoping that I could meet you on your way past here!”
It occurred to me that it wasn’t one of them, but one of us, which to me was more dangerous. Could’ve been another opportunistic thief, or bloodthirsty psycho getting their kicks during these unending storms. I kept silent as they continued, hoping whoever it was didn’t notice my shelter’s entrance.
“Please, can we talk? Everyone I knew, everyone I love, they are all gone! I’ve been by myself for so long, I can’t take it anymore! I need to talk to someone! Anyone! I’ll give you anything I’ve got, just if you’re around, can we please talk! Please?”
“Hello?” I heard further away.
“Hello?” the person responded, hearing them move further away from my place, “Is that you?’
It didn’t take any time at all when I heard that same individual ask, “Who you? What are you? Why are you doing this?”
“Hello?” the Caller asked again.
“Hold it, stay there! Just talk to me! What do you want of us? Please say something more than ‘hello’!”
“Hello?” a different voice announced, before more inquired with the same word.
“Stay where you are!” the person yelled, “Stay back or I’ll shoot!”
Shots of a gun rang out, with some rounds hitting the outside of my walls. I even noticed the tip of one of the bullets poking through my room’s frosted interior. Still they didn’t stop: “Hello? Hello? Hello?”
Though the noises were still muffled by my shelter’s walls, it was all still loud enough, hearing the screams as the Callers still called out. I didn’t know what they were doing, but it wasn’t what I’d imagine fate by their hands would sound like. Best I could describe, it sounded like a cross between mashing or wringing out a washcloth and loud drinking. Their victim then sounded as if they were being smothered or strangled before everything went silent momentarily.
“Hello?” one called out.
“Hello?” another followed, and all the others joined in; their numerous calls growing fainter as they moved further away, into the surrounding blowing winds.
I felt whoever that was outside that day was a complete fool, stupidly placing their own life in danger, and for what? Companionship? Ridiculous, I know. However, as my supplies ran out, resources became next to nonexistent, and the snows grew thicker, I found myself thinking more about others. Not food, not a warmer place, not my waning health, but the regret that I never truly tried to get to know anyone outside of my own nuclear family. I was always taught that family will be there for you, but once they were gone, who did I have except for myself and my memories? The yearning for contact with other people accompanies the madness of soul-sapping loneliness. I needed the nourishment of socialization for my mental stability as a full-course meal to my body, and I’m sure that was what happened to that fellow outside.
I took people for granted, figuring that there would always be nobodies to ignore, and somebodies to gossip about. Like everyone else, I lived at a distance without actually getting to know anyone. I thought second-hand experiences and systems without personal connections would reduce my risk of getting hurt. In the end, when the snows and darkness came, I had come to realize that no one was there once those mediums were no more. The refusal to reach out devoid me and many others of any real meaningful relationships; no one reliable to watch our backs. There was no network for mutual survival. We became easy targets for the Callers.
If you are reading this, you’ve somehow found yourself in my shelter, and have surely found that I’ve succumbed to starvation or whatever I’ve contracted, whichever got me first. Don’t make the same mistake as I did. If you know of anyone who might still be alive, reach out to make contact. Evaluate whether to take the risk by both thinking critically and using your gut feelings. If you accept them or the other way around, there must be an effort to work together to survive. No human being is made to be alone. This has been true before the darkness, and it is still true now. I hope one day, when the sun finally shines again, you’ll be alive to share that moment with others by your side, ready to start something new. Best of luck to you all, and to all a great life.