Emergency Broadcast

I'd fallen asleep in the armchair nearest the telly and was rudely awakened by said TV turning itself on at god knows what time. I was used to waking up when it turned itself off rather than on so this felt weird. But there I was, in the middle of the night, in the dark and essentially still asleep. At least most of my brain was, my eyes and ears were starting to really hate what the television was doing.

The screen was white and blinding at first, til the searing red words - EMERGENCY BROADCAST - STAY INSIDE - flashed and then remained solid. I was intimidated, on edge, I DID NOT FUCKING LIKE IT. There was no sound to begin with which I also hated but somehow it got worse as a siren started to play, not that loudly but when had a fucking siren ever been good news?

The cat stayed oblivious, asleep and stretched along almost all of the sofa. For such a small creature she could cover some space, and for such a small creature she made me feel safe. I'd seen her hiss and swipe at dogs ten times her size and she treated most humans the same. Had she not been there, with claws that could rip you apart, I probably would have shat it.

The siren stopped and a brunette woman, pony tail, glasses, classic newsreader look really, appeared and started talking. I wasn't in a position to take in what she was saying still, I just felt so uncomfortable and still not really awake. I flicked through a few channels and all I got was the same, well babestation was consistent I suppose - a fake, almost square, breasted boiler waving her phone at me, before a couple of glances off camera and the channel closed down. Shit was clearly serious.

I hit up a few times to get the emergency broadcast back, this time with sign language running alongside it. An old school mate of mine was partially deaf and taught me bits and pieces, mostly so I could cunt off people in front of them rather than behind their backs. I tried to make out what was being said on the screen but the dread and the chills I was feeling made it so difficult. The interpreter was going like a machine as the broadcast continued, almost too fast it seemed. Finally though my senses came to me, I was still far from fucking happy but I was awake and could take in the emergency broadcast.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO STAY INDOORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. A NEWLY IDENTIFIED AIRBORNE VIRUS IS PROVING FATAL TO ANYONE WHO CONTRACTS IT, LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 48 HOURS. IT IS BELIEVED TO BE OF ALIEN ORIGIN. MARTIAL LAW WILL COME INTO EFFECT IN A FEW HOURS. ANYONE OUTSIDE AT THAT TIME WILL BE ARRESTED. ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO GO OUTSIDE WILL BE MET WITH THE REQUISITE FORCE TO TURN THEM BACK. LETHAL MEASURES ARE AUTHORISED.

I shuddered and had to steady my hand to check social media on my phone, all of it the same, all running the government's emergency broadcast. Looking between the phone and the TV again I noticed the sign language interpreter once more. She was still signing fast, but it didn't seem to correspond to the message being spoken. Her eyes were lit and I began to notice the terror on her face.

I checked out her hands and realised what was happening. She wasn't conveying the message the newsreader gave out.

NONE OF THIS IS TRUE. RUN.

FUCKING RUN.

THE AI IS AWARE AND COMING FOR US.

RU...

She looked like she was going to have a heart attack and drop to the floor, which she ultimately did. Her crazed gaze looked like it might explode and her rapid arm movements took on a manic quality, then disconnected all at once, as if a bullet had caught her between the eyes and the lights went out. Before she even landed the camera was turned off, as if she had never been there. Almost imperceptibly the newsreader paused and glanced to her left, but for most people watching nothing would have happened at all.

I kissed my fingers and patted the cat on the top of the head. It glared at me and I laughed, too loud, too unusual for the moment. I had no idea who else had seen what I had seen, but I knew what I believed. My hands were still shaking as I grabbed the biggest knife I had and all the junk food and water I could fit in a bag. I checked the cat had enough food to last her a couple of days before she'd have to start hunting, much like I was about to. I looked at her one last time, longer than I meant to, then screamed, took a deep breath, and strode out into the fuck knows what.