Monday, April 1, 2013

Alone

The A to Z Challenge is underway. Hats off to the founder Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out. This is my first attempt at a blog challenge. I was unable to decide if I should theme or not, so my posts will be loosely based on emotions/mental drama and anguish. So, here goes!



Alone


Vilma reading on a Sofa," T.F. Simon 1898–1925, c. 1912.


She had never experienced being in a house alone. All through childhood and her teen years, as the other kids in her neighborhood arrived home from school to an empty house, she was greeted daily by her great-grandmother.

Alone finally came one day, after marriage and children. Her husband realized she needed a day to herself and he took the kids on an outing. She excitedly hurried her family out the house, prepared a cup of tea, grabbed a book and settled down into a cozy chair. Taking a sip of tea, she closed her eyes, allowing the quiet to fill her ears. When she opened them she saw the shadow in the corner of the room. "Dammit!" she said in an angry voice, "do you not understand the meaning of the word alone?!"


 Alone on the bookshelf!

 

The main characters in the following books find themselves truly alone! What about you? When was the first time you were home alone? Have you read either of these books?



Alone
 When Daniel Miller wakes up one morning, something has gone terribly wrong. The power is out. The phones are dead. The house is silent. The street is shrouded in fog. Both his partner and their adopted daughter are missing. So are their neighbors. And so is everyone else in the world. Daniel Miller is the last person left on Earth... or is he?

From award-winning, best-selling horror writer Brian Keene comes this quiet, chilling, supernatural short tale (15,000 words).




Alone
Alone is the story of Ralph Banister. He is a normal average man, married with two kids. When his wife and children leave for a visit to his in laws in England, Ralph finds himself alone at home. He goes about his daily chores and with his faithful dog Jason at his side, Ralph soon discovers that he is not only alone at home, but he is truly alone. Everyone on the face of the Earth has vanished. With no explanation, Ralph and Jason struggle to survive in an empty world. As power fails and the phones go dead, all hope of contacting his missing family is gone. With no outside communication and no idea what has caused the worldwide disappearances, their outlook is grim. With no power, water or phones, Ralph abandons their home and searches for some place to live that will allow him to provide for the future, whatever the future might bring. As Ralph and Jason face new challenges, the two grow closer together and come to depend on each other for their very survival.





12 comments:

  1. Good first post in the Challenge. I never realized how prevalent this theme was in books, thanks! I will be back to see some more :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Nicky!
      Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. I do hope to "see" you again. :)

      Delete
  2. Nice.
    A to Z Challenge: http://www.shellygoodmanwright.com/apps/blog/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :) I want to keep everything short and sweet. Thanks for hopping by.

      Delete
  3. You made the most of the "alone" concept. Nice job.

    Have a great Challenge!

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (chanting, while bowing) We're not worthy! We're not worthy! :)
      Thank you so much, the positive comments mean a lot coming from you.

      Delete
  4. *shudders* Not sure I like the idea of being the last person on earth! (Even though, with kids, I wouldn't mind just a few hours alone some days...)

    Rinelle Grey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I certainly want some alone time from the kiddos but I wouldn't want to be alone on earth either. Thanks for stopping by!

      Happy A to Z to ya!

      Delete
  5. This sounds like a good start to a great book. I personally don't like to be alone in a house or anywhere else. But I do need and demand alone 'time'. I like to know there is another living thing near me.
    Looking forward to reading more.
    Kathy at Oak Lawn Images

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Kathy!
      Great comment. Alone time is always good! Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  6. I need alone time, but the books sound too scary for me.

    Carol's Notebook

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I should probably pass on them too seeing how I am sure they will give me nightmares. :) Thanks for hopping by!

      Delete