Van Winkled

Last night I fell asleep to a bottle of tequila, a handful of mixed party drugs, and one slowly exhaled bong hit.

This morning I awoke to whole new universe...

I never used to believe in the story of Rip Van Winkle, until my elongated slumber transformed me to this cavernous new future. I was surprised to see the rotting house that I had been passed out in last night was still standing, but the damn thing was using its last ounce of life support until I awoke and it all collapsed on top of me. Luckily the rotted wood and moldy walls erupted into powder when they hit me and I wormed my way out of this foreign home stay.

Where there was once paved roads is now dust covered gravel, where there was once vibrant trees lies oily rotted roots.

What happened to this beautiful place that I once despised completely? If I would have known the outcome of this damned civilization I would have played a part in changing history, but instead I sway back and forth, weak from my rest and hung over from my partying.

Where are all my friends? How did I survive? All questions that should be answered but then I think back to the collection of stories I used to read. 1984, War of the Worlds, I Am Legend....nothing ever really makes sense in those books, except the fact that there was once a "normal" civilization that rested easily. Now lies a futuristic Apocalypse where I am doomed to no less wander this strange world and come across strange, horrific things.

Will the tall dark things that go bump in the night come to collect? Or will I be the lone survivor that tends to cater more to a female protagonist than a male? If I'm lucky, I will not come across a single person in this ghost town and live out the rest of my life bored, comfortable, and alone.

No such luck. I hear a woman's voice. She is begging for help. I can't quite see what's the matter with her, but I have two choices cross my mind. Do I help an innocent face, or do I flee the scene with some sort of head start in surviving this new strange land.

I better make a run for it...besides, you can never be too careful in a foreign land and women bring nothing but baggage and double crossing trouble.