Daily Writing Challenge

F-26

I nabbed the daily flash fiction challenge prompt for today. I do not know if I will submit to the contest. I got really sick after dinner and am not feeling well at the moment. Damn taco bell, they did not even get my order right. Yeah I customized a lot, but that does not give them an excuse to screw it up. Then the door dasher took forty five minutes to get it to us. It was not cold but it was not warm either. I ate and was putting the leftovers away when I burped chunks. From there things went south really fast. Now I am laying down and doing my words on my phone. One hundred thirty seven words and I have not even started on the prompt. I have seven hundred twenty five words to write today. Six hundred more words. I hope one prompt is enough because I do not have the energy to scrape up another prompt. I might just have to bs through to the end. Here it goes now to the prompt..

Daily flash fiction challenge 2/26/26
Write a story that includes the line: "Where is everyone?"

Have fun!


"Where is everyone?" I asked no one. I wandered through the empty house. It seemed like everyone had simply put aside what they were doing and left. The stove was off but the pot of potatoes was still warm. I do not like mysteries, and this situation cried out for a detective. I checked every room, closet, and cupboard. I could not even find the cat. The parrot cage was empty too.

I finally sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Commercials played while I considered things. The minivan was missing as was everyone. The TV whistled loudly and a red ticker ran across the bottom of the screen.

"The mandatory evacuation has officially been lifted. People are being allowed to return to their homes. The threat was neutralized before a catastrophic meltdown could occur."

Evacuation?? Meltdown? My head turned to eye the power plant visible out the big bay window. They all up and evacuated without me? They gathered up the cat and the parrot but could not be bothered to gather me from... Wait where was I before I started looking for everyone ? The last thing I remember is... Was I at work at the plant?

Yeah, the coolant system was malfunctioning. I went into the core to free it up. It was so hot. I got the flow going again but I was so hot.. I sat to rest and...

I looked at the television as a news update flashed on the screen.

"The meltdown was averted by a quick thinking engineer who sacrificed their own life to save millions."

I settled back in the chair. Things were getting fuzzy again, blurring into an overall warmth and comforting brightness. At least my family would be alright.


That turned dark quickly. I did not see the ending coming. They must have just missed their family as it evacuated. Too bad they did not get to say goodbye.. Though their family likely would not have been able to see them if they were still there.. I thought for a bit in the middle that the character had just been forgotten about in the basement or something.. it was going to be snarky about how little they must mean to the family. Instead they were actually of utmost importance to not just their family but to the community as a whole. The details of where and why are pretty muddy. I did not plan this story out ahead of writing it I just went with the flow.. I would need to research to see if it is even plausible. Also I would need to figure out a precise location.. I could use this this story running a lot longer if I sat down to do it right. It just is not happening today though. I feel like what I left in the toilet after dinner.

I only need about fifty more words for today's goal. I can do this. It is nine o'clock. That means it is time for Charlie's insulin and Sophie's heart pills. I think I will probably give Precious a pain pill too. I think they are getting our leftover dinner as their dinner tonight. I wait to give them dinner until med time because the meds stay down better if they eat with them.