They emerged from the chamber, confused and disoriented. And they were stunned by what they saw. The city still stood around them; it looked just as it had on the day they’d locked themselves into the chamber, except that everyone was gone. They glanced back and forth nervously.

“What … what is this?” asked Megan nervously. No one answered her.

Brian slipped over to a nearby parked car and peered inside. “There’s no one in it … should we look in the houses, see if we can find anyone?”

Ashley looked surprised. “We can’t go breaking into people’s houses! That’s illegal! And … and … it’s just wrong!” she finished defiantly.

“Who’s going to stop us?” asked Brian, motioning around, at the utter lack of humanity. “Who’s here to care? I don’t see anyone.”

Ashley replied heatedly. “So we can just do whatever we want because no one’s watching? I —”

She stopped suddenly, with an expression of terror. There was a noise, behind the car … an ominous growl.