Chapter 1: The Viewing and Immediately Thereafter

It was Monday, August 21, 2025. All across the United States, people were viewing the Great American Eclipse with funny glasses. The day passed quietly except for some traffic jams. It took a while for the strange rays to affect the optic nerves and brains of the innocent people viewing the eclipse all across the country. Most of the country had a good view because the weather was good. Even where clouds were present, the rays still infected people looking at or trying to look at the eclipse.

I was pissed. I missed the Great American Eclipse! First, it was partly cloudy. Second, worse and more to the point, I was stuck working in my windowless cubical. No one was permitted to be off or away from our desks at all that day. Here was a once in a lifetime event and I missed it! I slapped at the keys of my computer’s keyboard as if that would change things. Things didn’t change.

The eclipse came and went. I got off work and could check my phone. I had a number of texts from friends about how wonderful it was to see this event that wouldn’t be repeated in this country at least not in my lifetime. I managed to drive to my little ranch-style house without hitting anyone or getting into any real traffic. I turned on the news to listen to the reports of and watch the pictures of the Eclipse. It wasn’t the same as being there and watching it in person. I would later find out that was more true than I would have wanted it to have been.

On the late news, I heard the first reference to Z-rays affecting people when viewing the Eclipse whether a person wore the special glasses or not. A scientist postulated that the Z-rays would affect the brain through the optic nerve. The news reporter didn’t think much of the theory and used a few experts to prove her point. I took that with a grain of salt since the scientist had some credentials and the “experts” didn’t seem to have any to tout. I figured I would find out sooner or later.

My phone rang. It was my ex-girl. I wondered why she would call me at almost eleven thirty at night. Our parting hadn’t been particularly friendly. I had caught her cheating but she blamed me. “Hello, Sharon.” I tried to sound unemotional.

“Hank, are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Everything I see is through a film of red. I’m scared.”

“Sharon, I’m sorry you have a problem. Call your mother. She will comfort you. Call Will. He will come over and screw you bowlegged. You were enjoying that when I caught you.”

“Don’t talk to me that way, Hank.” She whined.

“Sharon, I didn’t plan to talk to you at all. You called me. You blamed me for us breaking up and said you would never talk to me again. I had hoped you would hold to that statement.”

“Hank, I’m scared. You’re the first one who has answered their phone. Where did everyone go? What’s happening?”

“Surely, I wouldn’t know. As usual, I am out of touch.” I paused for a second. “Sharon, call someone else. I didn’t and don’t want to talk to you.” I thumbed the off button and set my phone to one side.

She called twice more but I just let my phone ring until it went to voice mail. I didn’t even press the “ignore” button. A few moments later, my voice mail icon appeared. I let it be. I went to bed leaving the phone in my living room.

In the morning, I woke and turned on the TV. There was no news on the local channel or the other local channels! I figuratively spun the dial and found there were no live shows on any of the local stations! I called my office to hear the standard recording.

I washed and dressed. I noticed that it was quiet. As I went out, I noticed that the school bus that stopped in front of my house about this time hadn’t come nor were the children waiting on the other side of the road as they usually did. I usually saw that bus when I went out. I was leaving on time.

I wondered about that. I got in my car and wondered what was happening. I made another note to myself to fix the garage door. I hadn’t locked the door from the garage to the house again. I got out of my car and locked that door. Getting back in the car, I drove out of my driveway and headed to work.

I arrived at my usual time or a little bit sooner. Traffic, which was usually light, was even lighter. I went inside using my key. I was usually one of the first to arrive. I went into the office area and started coffee. I listened to it bubble and drip for a while before filling my cup. No one had arrived yet. That was rare. There was only ten minutes before time to start work. Someone should be here by now other than me. Ten minutes passed and still no one arrived. I went to my cubical and looked over my work for the day and wasn’t impressed. There was nothing pressing. There rarely was. I walked out to refill my coffee cup at eight thirty and I was still the only one at work. I noticed that the phone was quiet also.

Even though it wasn’t my job, I decided to check messages that had come to the general line. There had been nothing in my voice mailbox. I noticed that I had no new emails either. The general line had no voice mails! I was now worried. Some of my fellow employees should be here and there should be some activity. It was quiet.

Outside, I saw no traffic on the main road. That had never been true even on Saturday or a Sunday. It was a busy road that always had cars rolling up or down it by this time. I began to worry.

I stayed up front rather than in my windowless cubical. I looked out the window to see nothing moving. It was dead quiet, to use an old phrase. I wanted something to happen if only to indicate that I wasn’t the only living being in the world.

Less than two minutes later, my wish was granted in a graphic and horrible manner. I saw a man running up the road looking over his shoulder. A small crowd of six or eight seemed to be chasing him. He was tiring. The others moved at a steady rate that was too fast to be a hurried walk yet was less than a run. The man in front faltered and fell. He rose to his feet and took a few more steps but was now in the grasp of one of those following him. He screamed.

One of the others remorselessly pulled him down by his foot. He screamed again as they gathered around him, taking him to the ground. He seemed to fight and scream some more but they were all over him. They hit, scratched, and bit him until he no longer resisted. I saw a woman take a bite out of his neck allowing blood to spurt. The crowd’s intensity increased upon seeing the blood. They scrabbled for a taste. It was horrible to watch them and it became even more true as they began to feed on his quivering body as he died.