Read other issues of Blackout on my author page.

Sarah racked her brain, trying to figure out who the boy was talking about. The only “hims” she knew were her dad and brother. It couldn’t be either of them because both were completely devastated by the blackout, though her dad was recovering much more quickly than her brother. James still hadn’t said a word since the whole world went dark.

The boy watched as her mind circled, searching for the person trying to destroy her world. He seemed both patient and annoyed as he waited for her to sort out her thoughts.

“I…I don’t know who it could be,” she said quietly. “Are you sure I know him?”

At that moment a voice boomed from behind her, echoing in the empty park.

“Well, we’ve definitely met.”

Sarah whipped around to find the man she’d met briefly the day she found the pager in the grass. Her stomach dropped and she felt sick. It was then that she realized that he too, like Benjamin, seemed out of time. Where the boy’s outfit was definitely from more than a century ago, this man’s appearance was only a few decades off, which is why it wasn’t so noticeable that day. His jeans were too baggy and his boots were like her dad’s from high school.

“I remember you,” she whispered.

He smiled and approached, but the boy jumped in front of her to protect her. The man laughed.

“Benjamin, you know this is all very silly,” the stranger said to the boy. “You know this world is a disaster. These people, they are zombies. Slaves to their devices. The best thing for them is to be completely disconnected. Have their temptations removed so they can recover.”

“It’s not your place to teach a lesson, David,” Benjamin said. “And many worlds have survived just fine under the same circumstances.”

“Yeah, well, someone has to take charge here,” David declared. His tone went from gentle and friendly to more aggressive.

Sarah flinched. She was afraid of him, and she still was unclear how she got involved in any of this. Benjamin took a step closer to David, leaving Sarah’s side and making her feel vulnerable.

“I understand that you feel like they’ve become too reliant on technology,” Benjamin began slowly. “That they are moving farther away from their humanity. But this is their course.”

“And if it ends in their demise? You’ll have that on your conscience?”

Benjamin nodded, “It’s what is supposed to happen. It wouldn’t be the first plane to fail.”

As the pair argued and remained distracted, Sarah began slowly creeping away from them. She was too scared to stay there, too unsure why she had to be a part of it all. After a few paces, she sprinted toward the entrance of the park and toward her house. Sarah heard both strangers yelling after her, but she didn’t stop.

She got to her house in less than five minutes and realized that it was probably the last place she should go. They knew where she lived, at least Benjamin did, and it would be the first place they’d look. What if they hurt her family so that she’d cooperate?

“Where to go,” Sarah whispered to herself.

She had an idea.

The school.