WEDNESDAY 07TH UNDECIMBER 2016

Elias," she called out. I heard my name, and by the voice, I knew it was her, my world. I turned, but it was too late. Her arms wrapped around me, squeezing the air from my lungs in a familiar, welcome embrace. I could smell the faint scent of her shampoo, a mix of coconut and vanilla. "Darling, darling," I giggled. "Why are you like this?"

She responded casually, "Because you stole something from me. I hope you're keeping it safe."

My heart skipped a beat. She always knew how to make me melt. "I'm so confused. What did I steal from you, miss lady?"

She snapped back, "My heart, boy."

Shit.

"Yeah, I did that," I said, my face turning a ripe red tomato.

She responded with a quick kiss on the cheek. That didn't help my situation; my face was on fire. To fall in love every day of my life with the same person over and over again was surreal. I looked at her, and now I was pissed—I had to leave for work. "So why did you run all the way outside?" I questioned.

Kara held up my car keys with a deadpan look, whispering the words, "Ungrateful." Those words sank into my ears and permeated my soul. Well, damn. What would I do without my girlfriend, soon-to-be wife, huh? A faint news report played on the TV inside about increased solar flare activity, but I barely registered it.

She puffed up and said, "I know you're helpless unless you're in the kitchen."

"Can I have my keys now?" I asked.

"Depends. Will you cook when you get home?" she replied.

"Fine," I grumbled.

"Your favorite?"

"Yes, please," she said with a cute smile, handing me my keys. I watched as she waddled back inside. I turned on my car, and Imagine Dragons' "Sucker for Pain" quickly followed the engine's rumble. If I could inject this into my bloodstream, I would, but that's not possible.

I work at a nuclear power plant. Simple work, usually.

I clocked in. The hum of the reactors, the rhythmic clanging of machinery, the familiar scent of ozone in the air – it was all routine. I was running diagnostics on Reactor 4, checking the coolant levels, when a high-pitched whine cut through all of the noise, a flash of white, and that was it.

My heart pounded in my chest. A blinding flash of light engulfed the control room. It was like staring directly into the sun, but a thousand times more intense. The air crackled with energy, and a searing heat washed over me. I felt my skin prickle, my vision blurring. Then, darkness.

I don't know how long I was out. When I came to, the world was a twisted mess of metal and concrete. The control room was half-collapsed, wires dangling like severed nerves, sparks flying from exposed circuits. The air was thick with dust and smoke, and the smell of burning metal and something else… something sickeningly sweet stung my nostrils. But something was different. A strange tingling sensation ran through my body, a low hum beneath my skin. I pushed the thought aside; it wasn't important now.

The plant fell silent. Everything had stopped: machines, operations, and life also. Everyone I encountered was dead. Their faces were contorted in silent screams, blood trickling from their ears and noses, staining their lab coats crimson. Their eyes were vacant, staring blankly ahead as if they'd witnessed something unspeakable. A sickening sight. I never really got to know any of them. It was sad. What could have done this?

I stumbled out of the plant with one thing on my mind: Is Kara okay?! My legs were shaky, but my body buzzed with anxiety. The world was silent, eerily so, but my thoughts were loud. The usual sounds of the power plant, of the city beyond, were gone. The realization hadn't fully hit me yet, but the world had changed. And something felt different about me too.

I pulled out my phone, trying to call Kara, but to no avail. "No Signal" flashed across the screen. I tried again, and again, the same message. I kept ringing and ringing while running towards my car. No answer. I never stopped. Kara… please be okay. Please.

I reached my car. The front left tire was flat, shredded by a piece of twisted metal. Damn it! I kicked the tire in frustration, then took a deep breath. I had to get to her. I found a spare in the trunk, quickly changed the tire, and finally ignited the engine. Surprisingly, it sputtered to life. I was on my way back home, never mind what happened here. I needed to know if my Kara was alright.