One of the first things that crossed his mind was a limnic eruption, on the chance of that, he kept on his tank and mask.
He drove the boat back to the dock, and as he suspected the family of the little boy all lay on the pier.
He secured the boat and loaded the four tanks from the boat into his truck.
Kyle didn’t think he’d need anymore, he just needed to get out of the radius of whatever it was that happened.
Each tank, using on the surface, gave him a hundred and forty minutes of air. That was plenty to get to a safe area.
Never in his life did he think he would have to drive his truck, as if he were underwater. Relying solely on mouth breathing. Not able to pick up the phone to call for help or take a drink of water.
Maybe, he thought, it wasn’t that bad.
He drove miles and it was the same thing.
Bodies everywhere, cars just stopped. Dead deer, dogs, cats and birds. The lack of abundance of dead birds told him whatever it was hovered low. Low enough that it didn’t kill all the birds in the sky.
Every mile was more desperate.
He even parked the truck to dial 911. He couldn’t reply but they’d track the signal, he thought.
No one answered.
Kyle worried that he would never be able to take off the tank and would have to think of another way.
There was electricity, and Kyle pulled into a roadside tavern. That was when he knew it wasn’t just local, it was everywhere.
The television behind the bar showed two dead newscasters.
It was shortly after he connected a third tank, he knew it was temporary or there was at least a reprieve, when he saw a bird. It flew down, landing on a body, then another came.
With a short prayer running through his mind, Kyle removed the mouthpiece.
He was able to breath, hopefully, long enough to change clothes, chug water, and figure out another way.
“The birds?” the male voice on the phone asked.
Contact.
Kyle had made contact. It took over twenty-four hours to do so, he went into the police station not far from the scuba gear shop and tried.
He was pretty good with a radio, he knew how to scan frequencies. He did so, right there in that police station. It was quiet in the dead town, it allowed him to hear the loud flocks of birds outside the station and see them fly fast and high.
They were fleeing for safety.
Kyle put on the oxygen again.
He tried again when he saw the birds return. He watched the sky.
“Yeah,” Kyle replied. “They are a great warning system. Like a canary in a mine.”
“That’s true. Oh, wait, hold on buddy. Here he is.”
The voice changed to another man. “Hello, this is doctor Gene Taylor.”
“Hey, there Doctor Taylor, I’m Kyle Davis. Your friend said you’re the man when it comes to this stuff.”
“Not really. Not much better than anyone else,” Gene replied, then laughed. “This is terrific. Where are you?”
“I’m in Ligonier, Indiana,” Kyle said. “I reached you on radio, but the landlines are still up. Phone is much better.”
“We have that whole area marked as being hit.”
“Yes, sir, it was. It seems to come in waves. Deadly for about five hours, Calm for five or six. It’s been calm now for nearly eight hours.”
“We don’t have any probes in that area. But we’re confident the event is coming to an end. Maybe one more eruption.”
“I got the birds.”
“How did you survive?” Gene asked.
“I work with the Indiana State Police Rescue divers, I was underwater. When I came up, I saw something strange. When I saw the men on the boat and my partner, I knew.”
“And you didn’t remove your air supply?”
“No, sir.”
“That was very smart and lucky. How did you know it was ongoing?” Gene questioned.
“You’re gonna think this is strange,” Kyle said. “But I am an old movie buff. Not just old movies, but ones people rarely see. I remembered the movie Last Woman on Earth. Always stayed on my mind since I’m a scuba diver.”
“I’m not familiar.”
“Basically, when these folks are scuba diving they emerge and there is no oxygen in the world.”
Gene chuckled.
“That’s what happened isn’t it?”
“In a nutshell, yes, it’s a long explanation.”
“Is there anywhere safe?” Kyle asked. “Some place I can go?”
“Nowhere close,” Gene answered. “But if you can hang tight, stay alive the next eight hours or so, we can figure out your next move. Can you do that?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
Kyle didn’t have a choice. He didn’t have a choice but to figure things out nor did he have a choice but to trust the stranger on the phone.
Before they hung up Gene told him about coming up with a plan to either meet up or get him.
It would work out.
He didn’t know the man that he spoke to, but Kyle did know Gene was one of the few people that survived and Kyle, unlike the cult classic movie, wasn’t the last man on earth.
For that he was grateful.
<><><><>
Las Vegas, NV
“Stop!” Gary ordered before they stepped into an elevator.
“We need to go,” Tom said.
“We need to make sure everyone knows how to put on and use their SCBA,” Gary told him. “This will only take a moment.”
They all had their masks and Gary gave the fastest explanation he could, telling them, “When you have twenty-five percent left a low air alarm will sound. Keep in mind, use slow breathing, conserve your air. I will help you change canisters.”
“Dudes, we gotta go,” Gabe said.
Owen reached and pressed the down button. “So we all have two canisters, right?”
