BOD Writing Prompt Winner: Kathy Pepper

December is here and we’re excited to bring back Writing Prompt this coming Friday! Last time we played, our winner was Kathy Pepper! You can view the original image and prompt here. Read on to see Kathy’s winning story. Congratulations Kathy!

The end came with a whimper and a sneeze. As I looked over the dead city I thought of my own luck. In those first days many fell ill. It started with a cough that would not stop, a sore throat, and an inferno-like fever. I was one of the first to become ill. I brought the virus into my home.

I lay in my bed while people around me surrendered and died quietly at home.

The day I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the smell. Fetid and decay, and it came from my bed. I looked at my side. My husband’s cold body lay there. I tried to stand. My legs shook. My head hurt. My heart ached. I stumbled into the bathroom. I tried the taps. Water came out and I tried my best to wash the stench off me.

I dressed quietly, unsure what had happened. I went downstairs. Nothing stirred. I opened the cupboard door. Fresh food had gone stale. I opened a can of peaches and ate the succulent fruit, the juice sweet and reviving.

I found a newspaper. The headlines shouted of the death of the world.

I left my home with a bag on my back. So now I stand alone. Looking at a dead army camp that had been set up in the football ground. I had hoped to find survivors like me. But no.

So I shall keep walking, hoping that I am not the only one left.