Morning Surprise

Amanda woke suddenly from a deep, dreamless sleep. She could have sworn she heard something outside. She slid out of bed and walked over to the window. Raising the mini-blinds, she looked outside.

"What the hell?" she gasped. She stared in horror at what was left of her neighborhood. All of the houses had burnt to the ground as she slept. Fires still raged in some of them. The street was strangely empty.

She grabbed the phone to dial 911 but the line was dead.

She hurried out into the street, still dressed in only a flimsy, pink nightie.

"Anyone here?" she called. Only silence answered. Amanda wandered to the end of the street and was dismayed to find that the houses on the next block had also been destroyed. As far as she could see, there was nothing but smoldering wreckage. She began to cry.

For the next few hours she roamed her small town, looking for any sign of life. She found nothing. Nothing but devastation. She slowly made her way back home. In the living room, she turned on the television. The local stations showed nothing but static. She surfed up to CNN, hoping to find some answers.

"The small town of Libbon, Iowa was completely destroyed today," the newsman announced somberly. "We are unsure what caused the fires and total destruction, as we are unable to get within fifty miles of the town. Anyone who tries to get closer falls to the ground unconscious. We'll keep you updated on rescue efforts. And in other news..."

She turned off the set, sat down on the couch, and sobbed.