I looked out of the window, at the empty field just a few metres away, slightly obscured by the grubby glass. I sighed, and tried to ignore the fact that I was the only person who dared to stay out of their homes. After all, the threat was increasing, or so I had been told by a frantic neighbour.

"They will come!" Mrs Rivera had rasped suddenly while we were talking , her voice even croakier than usual. I felt so sorry for her, after all everyone usually stayed well away from her - and I didn't know if she had any family.
Sighing, I had looked over at her and smiled sympathetically. "Who are they, then?" Her eyes lit up for a second, and then faded again almost instantly.
"I am so sorry, so very sorry." She had stepped backwards, as though terrified. I then stepped forwards to comfort her, but she frowned and stumbled backwards. As she scurried back into her house, I had dumbly called after her.
"So you don't want a coffee then?"

Things had been changing in our little town, but it was as if I was the only one who hadn't been directly effected. All around me neighbours and friends had been talking in whispers, and stopping when I approached. Countless people had out of the blue put their homes up for sale. Even then, just looking out of the coffee shop window I could spot twelve multicoloured "For Sale" signs adorning front lawns.

For the past three weeks, every day I had saw families tying belongings down onto the tops of cars and driving off into the distance. Now the town must be all but empty. To get into the coffee shop was easy enough. In her hurry to leave, the owner had left the key hanging out of the door, dangling on a tiny keyring.

I simply couldn't skip town anyway, after all I didn't have a car and none of the buses were running anymore. I was trapped here as much as the rats that scurried across the streets.