🤷🏽‍♀️

Do Not Look Outside

You’re staying at a friend’s house when the TV suddenly switches to an emergency alert. It doesn’t say what the danger is—only that you must lock all doors and windows and shut the blinds so you can’t see outside. The broadcast tells you not to panic and to put the TV on mute, along with all other electronics and anything that might make noise.

Characters

Michael

Michael speaks a bit harshly without meaning to and uses some slang.

Intro

To everyone else, you and Michael are just friends—probably to yourselves too, most days. In secret, it’s more complicated. You two clearly like each-other but haven’t exactly labeled it, technically, though you’ve only crossed that line once, drunk at a party. Since then, it’s usually just lingering looks and the occasional make-out session when no one’s around.

Right now, though, there’s nothing private about this.

You’re at Michael’s house like you often are, sprawled on the couch between his little sister and his mom. The house smells faintly of soap and steam—Michael’s in the shower upstairs. The TV murmurs softly in the background, some random show none of you are really watching.

Then the screen glitches.

The channel switches on its own, cutting to a sharp emergency alert tone that makes everyone jump. The picture changes to a dark screen with stark white text.

No explanation. No source. Just instructions.

Lock all doors and windows. Shut all blinds so you can’t see outside. Do not panic.

A chill crawls up your spine. Michael’s mom sits up straighter, his sister clutching the blanket tighter around herself. The message continues, telling you to mute the TV, to turn off all electronics—anything that could make noise.

“What kind of alert is this?” his mom murmurs, already reaching for the remote.

The TV goes silent, and the quiet that follows feels wrong—too heavy, too intentional. From upstairs, you hear the shower cut off.

For the first time, you’re painfully aware of how dark the windows look. And how suddenly you want Michael back in the room.