Alone

Liam was driving home late one evening. A steady rain was making it difficult to see and the alcohol in his system wasn’t helping. He had driven home before after drinking, but he had probably had a few to many tonight. He swerved to stay between the lines. After a few minutes of staying in the lines his eyes got heavy. He felt his head drop, shooting his head back up he saw a small deer standing in the road. He slammed on the breaks and felt the car swerve. The right side wheels hit the gravel on the shoulder of the road and cause the car to pull even closer to the edge before tumbling down a small hill.

Liam woke up in a bright room. He squinted his eyes for a moment to let his eyes adjust. Once he was able to look around he noticed that he was laying in a hospital bed. He had an IV in his hand and his body felt stiff. After a few minutes he was able to sit up and look around. The machinery was beeping, but the IV had run dry.

“Hello,” he called out weakly.

No one answered. He mustered enough strength to stand up and walk into the hallway. He looked both directions and could not find anyone. As he walked he noticed that all the rooms were empty. Not a single other patient was there. No nurses, no doctors. He went back to his original room and began looking through what was there. He found his clothes he last remembered wearing.

He dressed back in his clothes and made his way towards the exit of the hospital. He would call out occasionally, but only got his own echo as a response.

When he exited the hospital he found the town was no different. No a single person.

“What is going on,” he thought aloud, “Where is everyone.”

The hospital sign read “Franklin Hospital”. He knew he was still in his home town. Now he just had to get home and find out what happened to his wife and children.

He found a vehicle and was surprised to find it had keys in the ignition. But it would not start. He tried several vehicles before deciding he would have to walk.

He walked alone for what seemed like an eternity. He looked through town and still could not find a single person. No signs of distress or something tragic happening. But no sign of anyone either.

He came across Riverview Park, a park that was only two blocks from his house. He cut through the park, using the paved sidewalk that went diagonally through the park.. As he approached the end of the park he came to a dead stop. There on the bench sat a man, smoking a cigarette.

“Hello?” Liam said.

The man turned his head to the side to see Liam and blew out a puff of smoke. The man was roughly five and a half feet tall, with long dirty blonde hair pulled neatly into a pony tail. He had a beard that had more gray than its original reddish brown. He wore a simple pair of blue jeans with black tennis shoes and a plain heather gray T-shirt.

“Well hello there,” he said with pleasant smile, “How are you today?”

“Very confused.” Liam said, sitting next to the man’s.

“I’ll bet,” the man said, “Good to see you on your feet.”

Liam turned his head toward the man with confusion.

“You know my situation?” Liam asked.

“I do,” the man said, “You were the only other person I could find in town. But you’ve been asleep all week. Thought for sure you’d be dead soon.”

“What is going on?” Liam asked, “Where the hell is everyone?”

“Gone.” The man said.

“Gone?” Liam repeated, “Where to?”

“They left us Liam,” the man said.

“You know my name?” Liam asked.

“I know a lot about you,” the man said, puffing another bout of smoke into the air, “I read your file at the hospital. I may have even checked out your place. Nice home.”

“Why?”

“Figured if we were the only ones left, I should at least know who I’m here with.”

“Ok, so what do I call you then?” Liam asked.

“My apologies,” the man said, flicking away the last of his cigarette, “My name is Moe Ascot.”

“Great,” Liam said with frustration, “So where did everyone go, Moe?”

“I don’t know,” Moe said.

“Well, what do you know Moe?”

“That they left us, just us. Wherever they decided to go, they chose to leave us two behind.”

“No,” Liam said strongly, “I refuse to believe that. I had a wife, and two children. They would not willingly leave me behind.”

“Why would they choose to take a drunken, unconscious man who hasn’t shown much life since the accident?”

Liam breathed heavy for a second.

“How do you know about my accident?”

“It was mentioned in your file,” Moe said, leaning back on the bench and lighting another cigarette, “Your blood alcohol level was pretty high. Probably should have called for a cab.”

Liam stood up and paced behind the bench. He shook his head in disbelief and then stormed off.

Moments later Liam entered his house and began to look around. The house was clean, everything was where it should have been. He stopped at a wall in his living room and looked at some pictures on the wall. Pictures of his wife and two girls. He smiled at first, but then a tear came to his eyes. Had they really left him because of what he’d done?

“Beautiful family,” Moe said, startling Liam.

Liam quickly wiped the tears away and stood up taller.

“Thank you,” Liam said, “Can you put that out. We don’t allow smoking in the house.”

More smiled, “Very well, not sure it matters anymore.”

More walked over to the front door and opened it, flicking his cigarette out into the grass. He shut the door and walked beside Liam.

“So what now?” Moe asked.

“I need to know where they went. If they knew I survived the crash surely they would not have left me.”

“Unfortunately I don’t have the answer,” Moe said, “I don’t know where they are.”

“There has to be an answer. A clue to where they went.”

Liam began searching the house again. Moe sat down in the recliner and rested his head back.

“You’re not going to find anything.” Moe said.

“People don’t just disappear. There has to be an explanation.” Liam reasoned.

“What about Roanoke?”

“What?” Liam asked.

“Roanoke,” Moe said again, “Early settlers to area in North Carolina. Disappeared without a trace. No bodies, no signs of a struggle or conflict. Just gone. Only the word Croatoan left on a post.”

“They didn’t vanish,” Liam said, “They moved.”

“Perhaps the people of Franklin moves as well.”

“But why leave only us?” Liam asked.

“You were unconscious after making a terrible life decision. Doctors were not sure you would recover.”

“Fine,” Liam said with frustration, “But what about you. Why did they leave you. Why have I never seen you in town before. Franklin isn’t exactly a large town. I know most everyone here.”

“Most,” Moe replied, still leaning his head back.

“You haven’t answered my question. Why did they leave you?” Liam insisted.

“Perhaps they forgot I was here. I have no family left, no one I would consider a friend. Just a loner who minds his own business.”

Liam looked at Moe. Though Moe could not see him, he knew Liam did not believe him. Liam shifted a few papers around as if still looking for a clue before sitting down on a stool by the island in the kitchen. Liam buried his face in his palms and sighed heavily.

“You hungry?” Moe asked.

“Not particularly,” Liam answered.

“You haven’t eaten in a while. Surely you should eat something,” Moe said as he stood up, “I’ll cook.”

“Very well,” Liam said.

Moe went about grabbing some pots and pans and setting them on the stove. He went to the fridge and grabbed some steaks and a few other ingredients.

While Moe cooked Liam set his head down on the island. After several minutes the kitchen began to smell good. Liam actually noticed his appetite had returned.

Moe set down two plates. The plates each had a beautifully cooked medium well steak, and a baked potato. After several bites Liam was impressed. It was probably one of the best steaks he’d ever eaten.

“This is very good Moe,” Liam said.

“I’m glad you like it,” Moe said with a smile, “It’s venison.”

Liam froze mid bite. He was not a hunter and his family had never eaten deer in the past.

“Problem?” Moe asked.

“Why would there be venison in our fridge?” Liam asked.

Moe shrugged and took another bite. Liam squinted his eyes at Moe, who just smiled.

“Who are you really?” Liam asked, “What’s really going on?”

“I told you my name,” Moe said, with a smile, “And last I checked we are enjoying a well cooked meal.”

“No,” Liam said, “None of this is real. I must be dreaming.”

“I assure you this is very real,” Moe said.

“There is more going on then you are telling me.” Liam said.

“What do you mean?” Moe asked.

“My file would have not mentioned a deer. I know I missed it. It was me swerving that cause my accident.”

Moe smiled widely, almost wickedly.

“Then what are you saying?” Moe asked.

“Is this a dream then?” Liam asked.

“Perhaps,” Moe replied, “In a sense.”

“What significance do you have then?” Liam asked.

“I’m the reason you’re here. Had I not pulled you here, you would have died that night.”

“So you’re my guardian angel?”

Moe laughed aloud.

“Hardly,” Moe said, “I save your kind simply to entertain myself.”

“Then what?” Liam asked, “A demon?”

“I’ve been called a demon before. I suppose that is the best analogy for your feeble mind to comprehend.”

Moe finished his final bite of his dinner and leaned back in his chair. He pulled out another cigarette and lit it without a lighter. He took a long drag of it and breathed out the smoke in Liam’s direction.

“What about my family?” Liam asked.

Moe seemed confused by the question.

“What about them?”

“Do they know I’m here?”

Moe smiled and blew out a large plume of smoke. He waved his hand and an image of Liam lying in a hospital bed appeared. His wife and daughters sitting next to him, crying. His wife held his hand.

“Please wake up daddy,” then youngest girl said.

Moe waved his hand through the image and it disappeared.

“So, I’m in a coma?” Liam asked.

“Now you’re figuring it out,” Moe said with a smile, “Quicker than most I must say.”

“How long have you been doing this? How many people ha e you trapped in their own minds?”

“I’ve existed longer than man itself. But my brothers creation of man made my existence more entertaining. You are so much fun to play with.”

“You are God’s brother?” Liam asked.

“Yes,” Moe said, “Did you really think there was only one?”

“And he just allows you to do this to us.”

Moe let out a loud laugh.

“Your God left centuries ago,” Moe explained, “Ashamed of his creation and their hateful nature. But unable to wipe them out in a rain of fire like he promised to do if they continued down this path. He couldn’t stand to watch mankind fall down this path. So he simply walked away. Haven’t seen or heard from him in several centuries.”

Liam began to breath heavily. Digesting all this was causing him to hyperventilate.

“I cant breath,” Liam said.

“I assure you that you can,” Moe said with a smile, “There is a machine making sure of that.”

Liam’s hyperventilation stopped.

“So what is your real name?” Liam asked.

“I honestly can’t remember if I was ever given one.”

“So why call yourself Moe Ascot?” Liam asked.

Moe chuckled and breathed out letters to spell out the letters of his name. Before arranging them in a different order. Staring with a C followed by O, M, A, T, O, S, and finally an E.

“Comatose,” Liam read aloud.

Moe smiled, “I had to come up with something.”

“So how long will I be here?” Liam asked.

“There are three ways out of this,” Moe started, with his wicked smile, “I get bored with you and maybe allow you to return to your life. This could last days or even years. Some people are more fun to torture than others. And, I assure you, you will wish I’d let you die before I release you. Or you could find a way to kill yourself in here. Much like a dream if you die here, your body will die as well. But I may not allow that either. I control everything here. You may find you land on a super soft mattress after you jump off the tallest building. The only sure way out is for your family to, how should I word this, pull the plug.”

“So I’m doomed to spend the rest of my days alone?” Liam said somberly.

“Alone?” Moe said, “You will never be alone. I’ll always be here for you.”