The Odd New World

Introduction - Faith Pennington

It has been about a month ago since that day. The day that everything has changed for the worse.
The day those "things" came.

It was a regular day. I was just an average working-class citizen, leaving my job from the nursing home.
I have lived all on my own in my apartment room for years after I lost my father.

There was a time before when I lived with both of my parents. However, about a year before I graduated from high school, my parents got into yet another heated argument. That time, it was way worse. To the point where things even got physical.
That was the final time I saw those two together.

My father won the custody battle, as the history of my mother's abusive nature was brought to light. Ever since then, I have never saw my mother's face again.
I lived with only my father up until I was the age of twenty-one and started to move out. I thanked him for all the years of looking after me, and bid farewell to him.

A few weeks later, after moving out, I got horrible news that my father died in an accident at his job due to safety failures.
It saddened me that I couldn't be there to see him on his final moments. He was only one left that I could call 'family'. To this day, I still feel that bit of sadness lingering.

After he had passed four years ago, I was only left with my friends that I have made out of my co-workers and care-patients.
Having them around always gave me such a wonderful feeling. And though I didn't have much going for my life, I was happy where I am right now.

But, on that day that I was leaving work, was when it happened. And I no longer was able to see those friends anymore.

I have heard recent news on television and on newspapers about strange sightings that astronomers have found floating around space.
Sightings of these ginormous, glowing rocks and odd looking creatures near or on said rocks.

There was a lot of mixed reactions to the news. Some people were horrified, some thought it was fake, and most of them just shrugged it off and carried on with their day.

I laid somewhere in between all the responses. I wasn't entirely sure if I should believe it, but I also wasn't doubting the possibility. Because space was not very much traversed by us humans. There is still so much mystery when it comes to space, so much that has possibly been unexplored and would probably stay that way for the rest of eternity.

That said, the conspiracy theorists and those who have feared something bad is coming, were entirely correct.

On that day, one of the giant glowing rocks landed on this planet. It happened to land in a city about ten miles from the one I'm in.
News then spread like wildfire, showing that after the giant glowing rock has crash landed right onto the city, a large variety of strange looking, otherworldly monsters spread around and were attacking citizens.

Much was done to try and contain those monsters, but it was a lost cause.
The monsters fast approached other cities on the planet and killing humans at an astonishing rate.

Because of the sheer number of lives these monsters took, humans were forced to hide away, or escape from the planet.
When radio signals were still available, I heard that there was a large ship that was out gathering any remaining survivors that can make it there safely.

I, however, wasn't very lucky to board onto that ship.
After the monsters began seizing the city I live in, I ran back into my apartment room and I was stuck in there for a while. The monsters were everywhere around the city for weeks after the day they came.
I was almost eaten alive by one of the monstrosities too, but I barely managed to escape, only suffering a large scratch on my arm that was bleeding heavily.

With the monsters spreading everywhere, it was impossible for me to leave my apartment without running into one of those things.
So I was forced to stay right where I was and ultimately miss my chance to get out of this planet.

I was sad, alone, and lost.
There was not a soul that I was able to contact. All signal in the area was nonexistent.

All I could do was stay in my room, and survive with what I have.

After a few weeks had gone by after that day, things seemed to have settled down.
It has gotten very quiet. No sounds of people screaming, no destruction, no horrifying growls of the monsters, anything.

I had a battle with my own thoughts. I wanted to get out of my apartment room, but at the same time, I kept telling myself that it would be a horrible idea. I would die if I dare to do so.

But then again, what more could I possibly have to lose at this point?
If I stay in my room, and inevitably run out of supplies, I will die regardless.

It's either I inevitably die here, or go out there once again, and find anything to either help myself get by just a bit longer, or, hopefully, find any way to get myself out of this place.

Before I set out, I decided to focus on a few things first.
I took good care of the wound I have gotten, which I have feared that it would've poisoned me or something. Thankfully, it has not.

I have also spent many days exercising using some work-out equipment I have in my apartment, to physically prepare to head out there in case of anything.

I also wanted to take some things with me in case of an emergency.
I grab myself a backpack and I put some small food rations and water bottles in there. I will also be taking a tactical knife that my father gave me that I never wanted to touch until now.

Last but not least, some firecrackers that I was holding on to for a holiday. No use saving it for that anymore, so I'll just have to use them for other means. And also, a lighter to set them off.

I have everything set.
I do not know what awaits me out there, but its about time I step out of the apartment and not waste my life away in there.