It began so slowly that no-one noticed anything was really happening at all. The date today is November 11, 2012 and, all over the country, parades were in full swing for Remembrance day. People were randomly hugging vets who, almost instinctively, tried to push them away, rolling their eyes and laughing. Flags flapped in the stiff breeze around cenotaphs, circles of flowers garnished statues of soldiers standing at ease, helmeted heads lowered and hands folded over stone rifles pointing downward to the earth. The crowds watching ceremonies in the cities, towns and villages were sombre for the losses of the past decade and yet smiling since everyone knew the shooting war in Afghanistan had finally ended for their brave soldiers.

Here and there, you could hear children laughing as they ran through the various parks, waving tiny flags and chasing grey and black squirrels which were only trying to put a few nuts away for the coming winter.

In the forests, the deer hunt was fully under way and groups of men were returning from their early morning adventures smiling with the bounty they were able to take. White-tailed deer, in particular, were everywhere, it seemed. The population had exploded from the benefits of preceding mild winters. There was food aplenty all year round and, as a result, the Ministry of Conservation extended the hunt and increased the number of tags available.

Sunny skies warmed the fallen leaves with their myriad colours on that morning and the brisk wind wafting over the windrows smelled tangy, yet pleasantly musty. Overhead could be seen flocks of birds. Geese, ducks and blackbirds in flocks of thousands filled the skies with their noisy passage.

The day was all it should have been, even though tradgedy lingered in the minds of many on such a beautiful day. In cities all over the world, alarmed newscasters had reported missing children... lots of them. In India and China, Peru and Mexico, Paris and New York City, police were combing neighbourhoods, ditches, parklands and rivers for hundreds of missing children reports. Parents worriedly watched their youngsters, wherever they played, with a constant gaze. Everyone had heard the unbelievable accounts of a few parents who had claimed, live on camera and stuttering between sobs, that little Joey or Maria had just... simply... DISAPPEARED before their astonished eyes!

The first reports had been discounted, of course, but then many more had rolled in. There were even some who claimed that their precious pet had popped out of existence in a flash of light. Those were few indeed, but it was obvious only the most daring would even make such a claim publicly. People were getting worried, that was for sure.

November 28, 2012.

Television anchors related the morning statistics in a blue funk. It was never pretty, watching those ashen faced people on screen pointing at various cities worldwide and tallying up the missing persons reports. The ages of the disappeared children had increased as well and now teens had joined their swelling ranks. Hundreds of thousands every morning in each major city were said to have vanished into thin air. Beloved dogs and cats gone in an instant. Zoos agonized over the loss of lions, elephants and all manner of other life. Even certain trees and woody plants suddenly and without warning popped out of existence.

December 12, 2012.

A chill wind swept dust from empty streets as only a few cars drove through wide city boulevards and over eight lane superhighways. Drivers, mostly elderly or darn close to it, wore faces of utter defeat and loss. No-one had escaped the heart-ache and Christmas this year would be a distant and melacholy memory of happier days.

No trucks. No buses. No airplanes... not much of anything moved but the occasional colourful, shiny brand spanking new sedan that ALL the survivers just took from car lots everywhere. There was, after all, still plenty of gas left in the service stations and grocery shelves were stocked with non-perishable items. Everyone was a vegetarian these days, though, since fresh meat was nowhere to be found.

December 25, 2012.

I'm alone now. Looking out my window, all I see is bare earth, empty buildings along empty steets. There's no-one to talk to, nothing to see. I'm so alone I cou

Good read!!

It'll be fun as long as I don't die at the start!

Originally posted by Lug
Beloved dogs and cats gone in an instant. Zoos agonized over the loss of lions, elephants and all manner of other life. Even certain trees and woody plants suddenly and without warning popped out of existence.

Excellent details. I can see it.

What do you think selected the order of disappearances? It is certainly a vivid image, which amplifies the total mystery of this story.

Well done.

This was excellant.I didn't want it to end I wanted more elaboration which kept my mind thinking of more scenarios.
WELL DONE!!!!

vey nice read my friend

2nd line to say good job, enjoyed it

I enjoyed this very much Lug

You should write more.

Originally posted by Axial Leader

What do you think selected the order of disappearances?

The idea was that life on earth vanished according to a level of spiritual innocence. No-one much noticed animals and plants disappearing until the youngsters started to pop out of this world.

Think of it as a combination of the rapture and ascension to a higher level like many of the 2012 ideas propose. Nothing died but simply moved on up.

I guess the viewer was the oldest and vilest human around because he or she was last.

I very much enjoyed your story, it made me think of how the Christians may see the rapture. I also thought about what it must have been like for the parents of the children, what an awful thought lets just hope your rendition does not have to happen. Even if it did come to a peaceful end, to take people and families , pets seperate would be awful.

Your story gave a bit of a chill as if you look around today....it would appear this is already happening.

With each passing day it seems as if the number of missing children is continually, on the rise. ::insert eerie music::

Originally posted by mrwupy
You should write more.

I might just do that, mrwupy, even though the number of posts I've made so far is a short list.

To antar and Whisper67, I want to thank you for reading my story and being moved by it. Missing children is the most horrible experience a parent could ever envision let alone experience. The very idea makes my stomach ache.

Losing a pet can be just as emotionally charged for a lot of people. They're just like family to me.