I first noticed it yesterday.

It was 9am, a few days after Christmas, and I was wrapped up warm in my bed. I heard the familiar buzz buzz of my phone, charging across the room. I forced myself out of bed, slipped into the cosy slippers I had received this year, and hobbled over to the phone.

It was my friend, Lucy. We had arranged to go out for a meal the next day.

"I hope it's not this windy tomorrow!"

I texted her back. "Lol yeah, I hope not."

I hadn't even looked out the window yet, I just wanted to get back into bed. So, I did.

I next woke up at about 1pm, having slept for way longer than I intended. But in the days of void between Christmas and New Year's Eve, who really cares? I got up, and opened the curtains to breathe some light onto my dull room.

It wasn't windy at all. What was Lucy talking about? Although, it'd been a few hours - I figured the wind had just died down. I stood for a moment and admired the clouds. It was the kind of sunny day where the sky is the right balance of cloudy and clear. Clear enough for the sun to pour onto the Earth, but cloudy enough to give a contrasting view upwards. It was very picturesque.

What I didn't yet know is that the nightmare had already begun.

I didn't go out at all that day, despite the great weather. I spent it on various streaming sites, in my pyjamas, going through 3 hot chocolates. As nice and cosy as I felt, something felt strange. I always feel strange after Christmas, feeling as though I exist in some kind of limbo. But this felt more exaggerated than usual. But I brushed it off.

The next day rolls around; Today.

The same routine again - I got out of bed at about 1pm, slipped into my slippers, and opened my curtains. I stopped to look at the sky again. It looked remarkably similar to the day prior. As I tend to do, though, I brushed it off as something "a bit weird".

I realised my phone was on my bed. I had forgotten to charge it, and it was on just 2%. I had a missed call from Lucy, so I called her back.

"Hey Lucy, sorry I missed your call!"

"No worries - Are we still on for 2?"

"Yeah absolutely! I'm basically ready!" (I was not.)

"Cool, just wanted to check because of how windy it is again."

"Oh? It doesn't seem that windy?"

"Ha, wait until you get outside. It's horrible! Just let me know if you need to cancel."

"Alright, sure... Will do... Speak to you soon!"

As soon as I put the phone down and on to charge, I opened my window and stuck my hand out. It didn't feel windy at all. But I quickly forgot about it as I began to rush around getting ready. I just barely left the house at 1:40, with my phone now on 10% thanks to my dodgy charger, but knew I would at least get there on time now.

As I began to walk, I noticed the distinct lack of any wind at all; Not even a gentle breeze brushed past me. The sound of rustling leaves in the trees was eerily absent, and looking up revealed the clouds to be entirely motionless. I had never seen the air stand so still. If I stood still, and didn't move, the world looked as though it were frozen in time. Perfectly kept pristine for me. At that moment, it was oddly calming.

Until I noticed something even more peculiar - Something I hadn't yet noticed. I had not walked past a single person. I had not heard the chirp of a single bird. I had not seen a single car.

I thought perhaps the wind had just recently stopped, and so nobody had come outside yet, though I also knew deep down that this was impossible, for I had known when I woke up that it wasn't windy at all.

I arrived at the meeting spot at exactly 2. The town centre was absolutely dead and empty, with nobody in sight, not even Lucy. That's when she texted me.

"Where are you?"

I was outside Pete's Pizza.

"I'm outside Pete's Pizza."

"So am I. Maybe you're behind the crowd lol, come closer to the door, I can't see you."

Crowd? What crowd was she talking about?

"What crowd are you talking about?"

She video-called me at this point, and it's when I truly realised what was going on. I answered, and at the same moment, we noticed we were standing in the exact same spot. Both of us directly outside the main entrance. Only in her video feed, other people were walking past her. I was completely alone.

I was factually standing right on top of her. Yet I was clearly nowhere near her.

We both stood looking at each other through our phones - The only thing currently connecting us. Neither of us got a word out before my phone died. The only thing in the world acting as a window out of this just died in my hands.

Panic began to set in.

I ran into the restaurant. Empty.

I ran into the shop across the road. Empty.

I ran outside and screamed. It echoed through the empty streets.

Being alone has always been an anxiety of mine, and this is my worst fear realised into reality. I broke down on the road, crying. I wanted to wake up, but I was painfully aware of how awake I already was.

The run home took half the time it had taken me to get there. I turned on the TV, and...it was normal. Everything was normal. The signal is working completely fine. Yet physically I am alone. I am in my own world.

I'm typing this from my laptop as my phone charges. Once I post this I'm going to call Lucy back. I don't know what this is yet. I just know that this isn't your world. It's connected to it. I mean, it must be, otherwise, how would I be able to use and browse the same internet as you?

I look outside though and everything is so quiet. Everything is so lonely and empty, and I don't truly know where I am.

The trees do not sway; The clouds stand still; The wind no longer blows.