Cities disappear

[Norman]

ASB's, amused by our urban vs. rural problems, decide to help out. We all go to sleep in our respective urban or rural area, and wake in a world without the opposite.

So for example, New Yorkers awake to a world where there are only cities surrounded by vast empty forests where rural areas use to exist, and rural areas awaken to find every major population center is gone.

Which is more successful in adapting to their new world and why?

Where would each be ten years later?

[tom]

I think the rural areas would be better able to feed themselves, especially if they figure out how to do farming without modern infrastructure.

[Zach Rosen]

People in cities would be fine too, as they have libraries/universities from which to glean knowledge. Plus they have many, many more inhabitants, and are therefore more likely to have people who know various tasks.

[Norman]

Food Vs. Knowledge?

Seems to me the cities take an initial very large hit, many starve to death before they stabilize.

On the other hand, rural areas do better initially, they have food, but what about factories?

Also, sonce this is a world wide phenomena, what happens in places like China? Or, he daringly asks, what happens in the mideast?

[DominusNovus]

Well, there are factories in rural areas, depending on what you define as rural. I've been to towns so small that it sends chills up my spine, and they have some factories.

[Archangel Michael]

Well, there are factories in rural areas, depending on what you define as rural. I've been to towns so small that it sends chills up my spine, and they have some factories.

What is your description of a "small town"?

[Norman]

I haven't really defined what a 'small town' is, let's define it as any city under 15,000 people. Another way would be to do this based on population density, say any area with a population density over a certain number is consdered urban by the ASB's.

[Archangel Michael]

That is realitivley big for Nebraska area, but not for other part of the nation.

[Norman]

How about a population density approach? Pick the right number and the Netherlands and Belgium are gone.

[Psychomeltdown]

Just felt like writing this, don't know why. Boredom and whatnot. :D Maybe I'll even add some more, who knows.

XXX

In This World

Day 1- MAY 7, 2005

He awoke, it was humid, it was hot, and it was silent. For a moment he was confused by the silence and by the fact that he was not feeling the breeze of air coming from the fan that sat at the end of the bed. Lifting his head from the pillow revealed the motionless blades of the fan.

Irritation flared in him. Had it finally died? After three years had it finally given up?

Sighing he got to his feet, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and yawning. Light was coming in from the windows, bright enough to know that morning had come and possibly was settled in. The sleep blurred memory of going to sleep late flashed briefly. He glanced at the radio clock sitting upon the small stand beside the bed, it only reflected black.

What now?

He walked over to the computer and hit the power button. Nothing.

The power was out? Damn. Well at least the fan wasn’t dead.

He looked back at the computer and felt another wave of irritation. Damn power companies.

He exited the room, pulling on a well worn shirt and yawning some more. It was early, wasn’t it?

A large recliner dominated the small living room, situated directly before a television. He picked up the remote and was confused by the lack of response from the television before again realizing the power of still off.

“Power out?” A voice asked.

He turned and saw a bushy haired girl standing there yawning. Kelly, younger and annoying sister who shared the two bed room apartment.

“Looks like it, don’t it.” He replied tossing the remote onto the small coffee table.

She shrugged, heading toward the bathroom. A moment later.

“The water’s out too.”

He sighed this time. What else could go wrong now?

There was a sudden knock on the door. He got up and cautiously opened it, not really surprised by the person standing there.

“Man, you gotta check this out.” Fred, a friend and a neighbor, said holding lifting a small portable radio.

“Good morning.” He said, smiling at Fred’s wild eyed look.

“Dude. Really, listen to this shit. It’s crazy.” Fred said, entering the apartment.

“What’s going on?” Kelly asked, brushing her hair.

“Hey, listen to this. It’s crazy.” With that detailed explanation Fred set the radio down upon the recliner and flipped it on. There was a hiss of static and a voice began an unfamiliar female voice.

He listened for a while and looked at Fred who was engrossed in what was being said and then shook his head.

“You got to be fucking kidding me.”


Radio Broadcast - KVQE –

“-once again we’re telling everyone to remain in their homes and residences. You need to stay off the streets, to allow the Emergency – static - and Sheriff’s Department through. Please do not attempt to drive anywhere, unless it is an emergency. – What? – Who? Right now? – alright – We’ve just got word that we’re getting a statement from the Governor as to what’s been occurring these last few hours – static – getting a live feed? Right. Everyone, this is Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.”

“Good Morning, mo wait. It’s not a good morning. As of 6:15 this morning there has occurred some kind of event that has left many areas outside the city limits of the metropolitan valley, for the lack of a better word, gone. From our preliminary reports, we have determined that much of the areas outside the cities of Chandler, Mesa, Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Peoria, Paradise Valley have all disappeared. We as of yet do not know what’s the cause of this occurrence, but we are looking into it. For now we are asking all residents to stay in their homes and to stay off the streets. We are doing all we can to rectify this situation and we will do all we can to determine what has actually happened.

“The full extent of this phenomenon has as of yet to be determined. But we have evidence that is showing areas north of Glendale have vanished and replaced by what can only be determined to be as undeveloped land. The I-10 freeway ends abruptly just north of the 101 Freeway, what lies beyond it is simply land that looks to have never been developed. Yes, this is a reason we as asking residents to stay off the roads. Many of the surface streets and the freeways end abruptly as they near the city limits and move out of residential areas. No. We do not know the reason areas were replaced with undeveloped land.”


“Christ, this is…” He shook his head, unable to come up with a word to describe it all.

Kelly continued to stare at the radio, her eyes wide and a growing look of panic on her face. “What’s going on? What do they mean by things being replaced by undeveloped land?”

“Man, this has to be the work of aliens or something.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, fucking Alien Space Bats.”

“Seriously. What else would have done shit like this?”

“God?”

Fred scoffed.

“I gotta call mom.” Kelly said suddenly and raced toward her room.

Fred watched her for a moment. “The phones are dead. Cell and land lines. Lisa tried calling her folks already…” Fred shook his head. “No go. She was beginning to freak out, but Cassy’s keeping her sanish.” Fred looked around a bit. “You guys gonna be okay?”

He shrugged. “I guess we’ll see what we see.”

There was a sudden anguish cry.

Fred fidgeted. “Gotta check on Lisa, make sure she’s not wigging out.” He hefted the radio. “You guys need it?”

He shook his head. “Nah. I got one.” Fred nodded, looked about again and quickly left.

He stood in the living room and heard Kelly begin crying.

[Norman]

good story, hope to see more.

[orion900]

Very Good Story, like the details about location, I-10, and the reports from the Governor, Keep it up, this could be great.

Most Large cities have only a few weeks of food, after the first days, there would be rioting and system breakdown, knowledge of farming and large or medium size farming, is not gardening, it is long hard work, and requires organization, and long term planning.

Also transportation of the products, canning, bottles, seeds, so many other items, the only way to make it work would be to break up into small groups, and or villages.


Most small towns have there own water system, can receive food from the local area, and will make it with there own local government for a short period of time. But there would be problems after a year.