*Note: Read artist description first*

….



       You know they told me, 'Renata, everyone has a place in this world. But something
about you makes you special. You were born to do great things in life.' And you know what? They were right…

---

     "Mom, Dad!" I called out for like the millionth time. I felt lonely that my parents disappeared without telling me. I paced around the house like a tiger trapped in a cage. I kept asking little sister and brother if mom and dad said they were going somewhere. Of course the fear built up as they responded no.
     "Rennie," Jake tugged on my shirt. He was a short little boy with naturally spiked up chocolate brown hair. Thin eye brows and wearing his long red denim drench coat with a dark blue shirt. His jeans were loose and dark. "Is mom and dad going to come back?" His little brown eyes were sparkling with hope.
     "I dunno." I sighed in defeat.
     Jake leaned against me hugging my hip. "I feel low." He drowsily said.
     Jake is a type 1 diabetic. He wears a device called an "insulin pump" this help give insulin without poking him with needle and shots to give him insulin.
     I tested him, he was low. 56. "Go get some apple juice in the fridge."
    Jake trotted over and helped himself to a carton of apple juice.
    "Rennie!" Izabella called over, "T.V won't work! Fix it!" she demanded. I waltzed  in to the living room to find the T.V in static. Izabella just sat there. She had long ash blonde hair and a pink hair clip. She had a bit of a round face with freckles. Her luminous green eyes glowed even in her pissed off mood. I tried to set up cable but the T.V screen said 'no signal'.
    'This is weird…' I thought, 'Maybe dad didn't pay the bill… oh well better call them.' I flipped out my cell phone and dialed my dad's number first. He didn't answer. My only thoughts to that were, 'The hell?' I checked the internet and it was down. 'Damn DSL.'
    I reset the modem and tried the internet again. Didn't work. 'Possibly power lines are down?' I guess I'll pay a quick visit to Gena.
    "Stay here and don't open the door to anyone." I told the young ones, I looked over at my yellow and white Lab Chelsea. "And keep an eye on Chelsea."
    "Ok." They both nodded.
    I walked outside into the fog. It was a bit foggy this morning. How am I suppose to get to school without a ride? I questioned. The elementary was on a holiday but the high school wasn't. My school is a middle and high school combined. It's the 2nd best in California and 7th in the nation. Yup, La Cañada a bit of a sleepy town but definitely beautiful especially downtown.
    I saw that my neighbor's kids, Jack and Dora have been playing outside by themselves. Odd. Normally their mother Tina would be supervising them. I guess she went inside or something.
     "Hi Vennie!" Little 4 year old Jack waved. He can't really pronounce my name well, but I forgive him. He's still a small kid.
      "Where's your mom Jack?" I asked. Dora kept playing with skipping rope and Jack seemed to ignore my question. His attention was too focused on the bouncy ball he was playing with. "What?" he asked to repeat my question.
     "I said, Where's your mom Jack?" Jack simply shrugged.
     "I don't know. Mama and daddy have been gone all morning." Jack explained and with hand jesters. His eyes lit up. "Have you seem mommy?" he asked.
     I felt his fear. "No, sorry Jack. But hey maybe you could play with Jake, just knock on the door. Tell him I sent you." Jack's little hands were shaking with excitement. He threw the ball down and ran across our lawn and knocked at the door.
    "JAKE!!! Let's play!!!" The door unlocked and Jack entered the house. I looked over at Dora.
     "If your mom comes back tell her Jack is at our house." Dora nodded and shyed away. I realized that no car passed by at all. No bikers, no joggers, nobody. I sprinted across the street and to Gena's house.
      I knocked on the door and someone answered. Gena was wearing her red sweater and Charlie the unicorn T-shirt, some jeans and a pair of Ed Ugg boots.
     "Rena!" she yelled in excitement. She lunged at me and hugged me. She could never remember any of my nicknames so she just calls me Rena. That's cool.
     "Hi Gena…" I tried gasping for air. She let go.
     "Have you seen my mom and Ara?" Ara was her older cousin. I think he was 16.
     "Nope." I answered. Gena let out a sad groan. "Aw."
      "You know my parents are missing too. Even my neighbor's kids are all alone. Also haven't you noticed that no one is driving like no ADULTS driving?"
      Gena's light bulb lit up, "yeah come to think of it. Also the phone and internet is down."
      "Yeah. Hey let's head to Vons real quick to see if we can get a phone." I suggested.
      "Sure."

---

      We entered the deserted building. No one was here. No adult just a few 7th graders stealing and eating candy.
     "Hey those kids are stealing. We better stop them." Gena wanted to go after them. I shook my head.
     "Nah they'll learn not to steal the hard way when the manager catches them."
     Gena and I ran around Vons looking for an employee. I couldn't find anyone. Just kids taking stuff from shelves and stuffing themselves with it.
     Gena tapped my shoulder. "Hey Rena." She got my attention,  sherchanged her facial expressions into a rape face, "let's go steal stuff." We both broke out into laughter.
     We left Vons and tried CVS. No luck. We both decided to go home and get our backpacks. We left to go to the bus stop and found the bus. We looked inside and it was empty.
     "Come on let's see if anyone is at school." she suggested. We both sprinted off and the school was about a mile away. We saw a car that crashed into a tree but no driver or passenger. We tried to open it but it was locked in the inside.
      While on our way to the school we found a few St. Francis private school boys sitting on the curb. How did we know? Judging the uniform.
      "Hey why aren't you guys in school?" I asked the small group. They looked to be around 14 or so.
       "No one is in there. No teachers or staff. Even the principal is gone." One of them explained.
      "Oh alright… thanks anyway!" I said as Gena and I moved on. Still no cars were passing by. Absolutely nothing. By now there should have been traffic. We walked into school grounds and into the 7/8 office. The door was open but no one was inside. We searched every room in the building. It was like  a ghost town.
       I grabbed the office phone. It had only static.
       "No signal." I informed. Gena's forehead wrinkled.
       "Hm… Let's check Ms. Walter's room."
       The room was only  across. We opened and no one was there. I felt that tears were forming in my eyes. The room was neat and untouched.
       "To the lunch line!" I ordered. We dropped our bags and walked to the lunch line. Then to the library, then to my History teacher Ms. Yung's room.
       "You know what Rena. There are no adults. Nobody. Even the seniors and sophomores are gone." Gena stated.
       I nodded my head, "Yeah."
       "Let's get out of here. This place is starting to creep me out."
       "Agreed." I said.

---

     We were walking back to my place since I couldn't leave the younger ones alone for a long time. I was finally starting to break down. I shed out a few tears and I tried to toughen up.
    'Mom and dad are gone… deal with it…' I felt the fear and anxious built up further and further.
    'Was this my fault?'
    'No it wasn't! It was nobody's fault it just happened!' I debated against myself till we got home.
---

     I literally broke down the door and dropped my bag looking for my siblings. They were on the computer watching YouTube videos.
     How could they? No. How dare they. Laughing at a time like this.
     "Rennie look at this." Izabella waved her hand over to invite me.
     I pulled back and bumped into Gena. That's it I'm getting out of here. I have to. I must see if there are other adults in other towns so I can get help. It seems that I was the only one worried.
    I turned back and said, "Gena… let's get a car and go to Hawthorne."
    Gena shook her head. "I want to stay here." She said blankly. Her eyes flickered and teardrops fell down. I hugged her.  
   "I'll be alright… I promise." Gena hugged back tightening her grip like an anaconda wrapping its prey.
   We finally released each other and I went over to the cabinet to grab all the insulin and the sights there was. I stuffed them into a backpack and had Jake to carry it.
   I found the keys sitting and waiting for me on top of the kitchen counter. I grabbed my cell phone and charger, and ran straight for the black Honda Civic. I just hope it wasn't too late for help…