It was a typical morning in Pocatello, Idaho. The morning dew dripped from the tips of the trees leaves. The roads where left deserted, all except for the rushing tumbleweeds. The only sound was the faint rustle of the morning gust within the trees. Yes, it was just a typical morning within this little town. That is, until the unimaginable was revealed to the people within the town.

As the people started to arise from the warmth of their beds, and stepped out into the cold morning, they all felt as though something were different. A shrugging of their shoulders, each one of them brushed it off as a possible oncoming storm; or perhaps the absence of their morning coffee. They were soon to realize that letting a small gut instinct go, could have just been their final fatal error.

As people clicked on the morning news, the newscaster caught their attention with an intriguing news announcement. “The town of Pocatello, Idaho will be experiencing ongoing dust storms; they have been traveling for quite some time and have no intent on stopping anytime soon.” The newscaster spoke with a sense of urgency that had many people concerned.


In the distance a slight humming was to be heard. This sound caused heads to turn upwards towards the sky. The look of confusion spread from face to face. Some people mistook the sound for the oncoming dust swarm, but others questioned the possibility that the sound coming from the bright blue sky could be caused by such a thing. Most took faith in this misleading news announcement. Continued on as what was thought to be, a normal day. Those who didn’t gathered their friends and families behind closed doors, waiting what was to become of that questionable day.

It took twenty three minutes and fourty five seconds for their simple lives to be drastically changed…forever. At nine o’ clock in the morning, the skies were crystal blue, like the sun gleaming off of a pool of water. At nine thirty, the people started noticing brown colored swirls in the sky. At ten o’ clock, the skies were as dark as night. It was then that the horror began.

The slight humming was no longer just a whisper in the wind; it had morphed into an ear shattering shriek. Once the people realized what was actually going on, it was too late. The brown colored swirls were not dust at all. They were in fact swarms, of diseased infected locusts. As the swarms swiftly entered into the town, the citizens set out into a dead run away from the horrific screaming of the swarm. It was no use, for the dreadful swarm was faster and much more deadly.

The people in their homes had a much needed advantage against the horror on the outside of their homes. Their advantage was time, time to prepare. While the parents barricaded the house off, their children hid under their once warm and comforting beds. Waiting for their parents return.

Locked doors and taped windows was the only defense against the swarm. In the back of their minds, didn’t fully believe that this would be affective enough to keep them safe. They did however have enough faith to return to their children and wait out this horrible and unfortunate circumstance. The swarm made its way through the town, destroying anything and everything in its path. Leaving a trail of darkness behind. It finally reached the homes of the surviving citizens.

From inside the homes, the sounds upon the windows and doors sounded as though there where a thousand angry dogs thrashing against the exterior to get inside. The families inside the homes were horrified, but never flinched. They were frozen with fear. After several moments of heart wrenching fear, fear of the swarm infecting them, the people heard the shrieking slowly fade away to a slight hum. And then disappear completely.

When the survivors thought it was safe, one by one they emerged from their barely standing homes. There weren’t many survivors. The ones who did survive, would have an unbelievable story to tell to what was left of the world. No one knew, nor wanted to discuss what impact the swarm had on the rest of the world. All they knew was that their town, family, and friends were gone in a matter of minutes. As they walk through the town, searching for survivors. They were shocked with despair, when they didn’t find hardly any. There was no funeral, no bells tolled, no goodbye for their loved ones. As they stood in the midst of dubree, all they heard was silence. Finally….silence.