Gone

By Joe Banks

Alex opens his eyes. Everything looks the same. But nothing sounds the same.

What's different?

When he goes out into his apartment, he can't find his wife and daughter.

Nobody's on the street.

An entire city, and no one is outside.

Everyone is… GONE.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joe Banks Books
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201049539

Joe Banks

Joe Banks likes to write books, stories, comics and movies that make your heart race a little bit. Crime thrillers, mysteries, psychological thrillers. Modern stories and sci-fi.

Book preview

1.

Alex’s eyes blink open.

They’re heavy with sleep and it takes a couple seconds of wet-eyed blinking and squinting to adjust to the morning light. First the ceiling is blurry.

Finally morning comes into focus.

2.

He can’t remember falling asleep. Must have been more tired than he thought. Alex has absolutely no memory of going to bed, falling asleep. Nothing.

He hadn’t been drinking. No beer with dinner.

Hell, we don’t even have any. I keep forgetting to grab it at the store.

No, there’s only a blank spot where last night should be.

Blank like the now in focus ceiling.

He yawns, puts the empty memory aside. It doesn’t matter. He is home. It is morning. What else is there?

I forget stuff all the time, he thinks.

His head feels good and comfortable deep in the pillow and that sunshine coming in through the blinds is a cool kind of white on the walls and ceiling. The room is comfy-cozy and Alex is thankful for the power of sleep.

He stretches, a big full-body stretch and that kink in his shoulder is gone. Sure, it will be back once he starts moving around but it’s gone. Even his knees feel OK.

Man, I need to sleep like that every night.

He’s got his head turned toward the window, enjoying the light. There’s no one else in bed. Mary is an early riser and Lexi is a teenager who would rather sleep the entire day away.

I’m not going to look at my watch, he thinks. Neither one of them will let me sleep too long. Who cares what time it is anyway?

3.

But Alex knows he needs to get his ass out of bed. Even though it’s Saturday, Mary’s not going to let him get away with doing nothing. They sat down and made a list the other day and today, Saturday, is packed tight with chores.

Fix this, replace that, maybe some painting.

I do not want to paint, he thinks.

So he knows he needs to get himself out of bed before he’s dragged out.

Even though he can feel she’s not there, Alex looks over at Mary’s side. She’s not there and he doesn’t hear her out at the other end of the apartment.

Mary’s weekend morning routine is to wake up at the crack of dawn, literally (maybe not literally) bounce out of bed and exercise. Alex can’t remember which 5K she’s training for this time. Cancer research? Diabetes? No idea.

He doesn’t hear it, but he knows she’s most likely already gone out for a run and come home. Judging by the sunlight pouring into the room she should be out in the kitchen measuring things to make those protein shakes.

Maybe she’s doing those stretches I love so much, he thinks.

This is a little more incentive to finally get out of bed.

Maybe she’s making one of those strawberry shakes I actually like. Maybe