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The Sleeping Ones: A Post-Viral Apocalyptic Short Story
"Hello, hello? Is anybody out there?"
Four-point-nine billion people dead already. Killed by the virus.
London, England. 22-year old simple-minded Sally Jones is all alone with her mother lying dead in the house and her decomposing dad outside in the yard.
Sally's searching for someone, just anybody to answer her - her only connection is the internet, and there's one line open. But not for much longer.
The conversation that ensues will fascinate and shock you.
As Sally struggles with the macabre reality and the devastating losses, her new found friends struggle to reconcile the current state of the world and where fate will take them.
Four-point-nine billion people dead already. Killed by the virus.
London, England. 22-year old simple-minded Sally Jones is all alone with her mother lying dead in the house and her decomposing dad outside in the yard.
Sally's searching for someone, just anybody to answer her - her only connection is the internet, and there's one line open. But not for much longer.
The conversation that ensues will fascinate and shock you.
As Sally struggles with the macabre reality and the devastating losses, her new found friends struggle to reconcile the current state of the world and where fate will take them.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2020
44 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 13, 2024
*3.5 stars*
We all know how devastating Covid-19 has been for the whole world, but imagine how much worse the pandemic would have been if it had been an airborne disease.
London, England, and Sally Jones sits in the house with the body of her mother lying on the floor, whilst her dead father’s body lies decomposing outside in the garden.
She doesn’t know if anyone else in the world is alive, until she makes contact through a live chat on her laptop!
Very scary concept, and it sounds depressing but could there be a glimmer of hope?
We all know how devastating Covid-19 has been for the whole world, but imagine how much worse the pandemic would have been if it had been an airborne disease.
London, England, and Sally Jones sits in the house with the body of her mother lying on the floor, whilst her dead father’s body lies decomposing outside in the garden.
She doesn’t know if anyone else in the world is alive, until she makes contact through a live chat on her laptop!
Very scary concept, and it sounds depressing but could there be a glimmer of hope?
November 14, 2021
This is a 3.5 star read.
October 6, 2020
Good heavens! Pandemic? How fitting!! Story is short,yes,but fun to read. And oh my, foul it be any closer to home? Makes you not to go to bed to sleep--oooooo frightening!
But hey, the a comfy sit,take about half hour break and enjoy spookin' yourself!😁
But hey, the a comfy sit,take about half hour break and enjoy spookin' yourself!😁
November 1, 2020
10/21/17, London, England. There is a bloated body lying in the front garden of at # 46 Ludley Lane.
Flies & maggots are having a feast on the decomposed body.
It’s the 96th day of the pandemic & 4.9 billion people have been killed by the virus.
An estimated 2.1 billion have survived all over the world.
Sally Jones (22) is on her laptop searching the internet while the wife/mother Barbara Jones is lying on the floor foaming at the mouth dead.
The husband/father is dead out on the front lawn.
The Global Safety Alert System (GSAS) starts broadcasting on her laptop.
The PPL who are not contaminated by the virus should report to the designated zones shown.
2 women (20 blonde hair; 40 auburn hair) & 1 a man appear on the screen.
Danika Patrick (Patrick’s wife), Las Vegas, NV. Mrs. Jessica Sullivan (widow) Brisbane, Australia, & Patrick Bowen Seattle, WA. (Danika’s husband) exchange valuable information to each other.
What news did Danika have for Patrick?
Sally’s screen goes blank.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written pandemic book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great pandemic movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Flies & maggots are having a feast on the decomposed body.
It’s the 96th day of the pandemic & 4.9 billion people have been killed by the virus.
An estimated 2.1 billion have survived all over the world.
Sally Jones (22) is on her laptop searching the internet while the wife/mother Barbara Jones is lying on the floor foaming at the mouth dead.
The husband/father is dead out on the front lawn.
The Global Safety Alert System (GSAS) starts broadcasting on her laptop.
The PPL who are not contaminated by the virus should report to the designated zones shown.
2 women (20 blonde hair; 40 auburn hair) & 1 a man appear on the screen.
Danika Patrick (Patrick’s wife), Las Vegas, NV. Mrs. Jessica Sullivan (widow) Brisbane, Australia, & Patrick Bowen Seattle, WA. (Danika’s husband) exchange valuable information to each other.
What news did Danika have for Patrick?
Sally’s screen goes blank.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written pandemic book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great pandemic movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
March 30, 2021
If there were a G-rated post-apocalyptic short story contest, this story would win hands down. It features Sally, a young woman in London who's the sole survivor in her immediate area. Everyone else has fallen asleep (whether they'll reanimate into zombies, is left to the imagination. Or to the full length novel, I suppose). Sally is "touched," so to speak, and really doesn't understand what is going on around her. But with the help of her new found friends on her laptop, an international group to all log in to Hangouts at the same time, Sally is able to get up and walk out the front door.
Go, Sally!
(I'm not sure Sally and a post-apoc world are a good fit. My fingers are crossed for Sally's survival.)
Go, Sally!
(I'm not sure Sally and a post-apoc world are a good fit. My fingers are crossed for Sally's survival.)
May 10, 2022
Yep, quirky
I agree with several other reviewers who called this book quirky. I think it's because a good bit of the story is told by a narrator instead of the characters. It reminded me of the old Twilight Zone narrator. I haven't seen a book like that in a long time. It's written from an interesting perspective of a main character/virus survivor who appears to have a mind like a child and finds herself alone in the world. But, in the end she shows she knows what is really going on. Perhaps she is not as simple minded as she seems, but simply does not want to face the terrible truth.
I agree with several other reviewers who called this book quirky. I think it's because a good bit of the story is told by a narrator instead of the characters. It reminded me of the old Twilight Zone narrator. I haven't seen a book like that in a long time. It's written from an interesting perspective of a main character/virus survivor who appears to have a mind like a child and finds herself alone in the world. But, in the end she shows she knows what is really going on. Perhaps she is not as simple minded as she seems, but simply does not want to face the terrible truth.
October 7, 2020
An interesting story
An interesting story and very timely/relevant. A few survivors connect for a moment after a viral pandemic. But will they really survive for long? It was reminiscent of The Last Man on Earth but in a virtual setting. I wish it was longer so that we could see what happens next. I immediately got the box set by this author. Would recommend!
An interesting story and very timely/relevant. A few survivors connect for a moment after a viral pandemic. But will they really survive for long? It was reminiscent of The Last Man on Earth but in a virtual setting. I wish it was longer so that we could see what happens next. I immediately got the box set by this author. Would recommend!
October 9, 2020
Found on a free site, this was a fairly scary concept story and relevant to today's pandemic, although set in 2021. .... Interesting read.
May 11, 2021
This is the novel that prompts you to think that even under the most dire of circumstances hope remains.
Despite the odds some will survive the apocalypse but what now?
Despite the odds some will survive the apocalypse but what now?
September 28, 2020
A lovely, well written short story! Quite touching! A good quick read!
October 24, 2020
really short read. its about a girl with a childs mind who finds herself alonee with everyone dead around her. she calls them sleeping for her comfort. shes imagining watching videos on her laptop when a chat opens and she has company! shes faced with three other people from around the world.
October 11, 2020
Will four people make a difference in this new paradigm?
It is October 2021 and the world has been hit by a deadly pandemic. The population has been reduced by 4.9 billion people worldwide. On this particular day we are introduced to Sally Jones in London, England who refers to all the dead as “sleeping” which includes both her parents. Sally has reduced mental capacity and is more child-like but still knows her way around a computer. While messing with her laptop, suddenly, up pop three people in hangouts: Danika Patrick from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Jessica Sullivan from Brisbane, Australia; and lastly Patrick Bowen from Seattle, Washington, USA. These people have a story to tell.
After having read this book, I don’t know whether to feel sad or uplifted and hopeful. I guess the author has written it so that we can make up our own ending, but I would rather have had this as a prequel to four other books about the destinies of these four people. It is well-written, very short and evocative. I would recommend it to a reader who enjoys short (roughly 23 pages), paranormal post-apocalyptic books. I accepted the invitation from the author for voluntary reviews.
It is October 2021 and the world has been hit by a deadly pandemic. The population has been reduced by 4.9 billion people worldwide. On this particular day we are introduced to Sally Jones in London, England who refers to all the dead as “sleeping” which includes both her parents. Sally has reduced mental capacity and is more child-like but still knows her way around a computer. While messing with her laptop, suddenly, up pop three people in hangouts: Danika Patrick from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Jessica Sullivan from Brisbane, Australia; and lastly Patrick Bowen from Seattle, Washington, USA. These people have a story to tell.
After having read this book, I don’t know whether to feel sad or uplifted and hopeful. I guess the author has written it so that we can make up our own ending, but I would rather have had this as a prequel to four other books about the destinies of these four people. It is well-written, very short and evocative. I would recommend it to a reader who enjoys short (roughly 23 pages), paranormal post-apocalyptic books. I accepted the invitation from the author for voluntary reviews.
October 12, 2020
Sam does a good job with such a short book. No thrills but just a good short read.
As always, Sams writing is soooo good. If you want a quick read before bed then give this one a try.
As always, Sams writing is soooo good. If you want a quick read before bed then give this one a try.
October 10, 2020
Sally and 3 others are find each other on the computer during a pandemic. A timely story. Wish I knew what happened to them.
November 10, 2020
Dystopian hope
Who knew a story about life immediately after a pandemic could be heart-warming? This charming little story is just that.
Who knew a story about life immediately after a pandemic could be heart-warming? This charming little story is just that.
October 2, 2024
23 pages.
A STRANGE STORY.
London, october 2021:
Three months ago there was a terrible pandemic from the east killing billions of people on the planet.
In her London home, 22-years-old Sally intercepts a communication on her computer screen...
------------
A strange reading, as well as the scenario and the characters...
I wait to see what it turns out in the first volume of the series...
A STRANGE STORY.
London, october 2021:
Three months ago there was a terrible pandemic from the east killing billions of people on the planet.
In her London home, 22-years-old Sally intercepts a communication on her computer screen...
------------
A strange reading, as well as the scenario and the characters...
I wait to see what it turns out in the first volume of the series...
October 16, 2020
Just so-so for me. If it had been a longer story, it would have ended up on the DNF shelf.
September 29, 2022
Compelling Reading.
I blinked and I was at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author.
I blinked and I was at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author.
September 19, 2023
Having enjoyed the authors other books, I went to see what else was available, and spotted this short story.
It could have been a normal story, but in the author’s usual style she throws in a little character twist. The first person we meet is Sally, but I won’t give away anything about her. You can find out for yourself if you read it. Then we meet Jessie from Australia, and Danika, who was separated from her husband Patrick by a pandemic. Because it’s short, we just get a moment in time.
Overall, it took me less than an hour to read. Perfect for relaxation in the middle of the day. It was entertaining and left me wondering, what if, and how would I cope thinking I was the last people on earth.
It could have been a normal story, but in the author’s usual style she throws in a little character twist. The first person we meet is Sally, but I won’t give away anything about her. You can find out for yourself if you read it. Then we meet Jessie from Australia, and Danika, who was separated from her husband Patrick by a pandemic. Because it’s short, we just get a moment in time.
Overall, it took me less than an hour to read. Perfect for relaxation in the middle of the day. It was entertaining and left me wondering, what if, and how would I cope thinking I was the last people on earth.
November 15, 2020
This is a well written novella. It is a dystopian world with a pandemic. (What a surprise!) However, their pandemic is much worse than ours. We know of 4 people who are alive and online. One pair is a husband and wife in different cities in the US. A third is perhaps a somewhat simple-minded woman in London, England. And, lastly, there is a woman alone in Australia.
They meet in an online conversation on the last website in the world. They exchange views. They are exceptionally nice to one another, which I see as an improvement over the situation we have in our pandemic.
Is a pandemic necessary for us to be nice?
They meet in an online conversation on the last website in the world. They exchange views. They are exceptionally nice to one another, which I see as an improvement over the situation we have in our pandemic.
Is a pandemic necessary for us to be nice?
October 18, 2022
The Sleeping Ones: A Post-Viral Apocalyptic Short Story, my twenty-fourth read from author Sam J. Fires . A well-written, short 29-page , entertaining read that packs so much into its pages that you want to read more about these characters. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book an am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018)
February 19, 2021
Short but sucks you into this world
It’s short, but there’s a lot packed in, and while the characters involved are sketched out solidly, there’s definitely set-up happening for more books. I suspect the author was checking to see if the response would be good to the premise. And it is positive! And the good news is, there IS a book coming!
It’s short, but there’s a lot packed in, and while the characters involved are sketched out solidly, there’s definitely set-up happening for more books. I suspect the author was checking to see if the response would be good to the premise. And it is positive! And the good news is, there IS a book coming!
October 21, 2021
A Worldwide Extended Sleepover
A snippet of "survivors" who manage to connect via the internet for a very short period of time as the rest of the world falls ill and goes to sleep around them. Then their internet connection keeps blinking out and finally goes out completely as they do their best to encourage one another. Great intro for a series.
A snippet of "survivors" who manage to connect via the internet for a very short period of time as the rest of the world falls ill and goes to sleep around them. Then their internet connection keeps blinking out and finally goes out completely as they do their best to encourage one another. Great intro for a series.
December 20, 2022
from desolation to hope
Seeing everyone around you “sleeping” you feel so isolated but the computer has a little power left and finding a few people “awake” brings hope for the future as the conversation goes. You meet friends, the Awake ones”and it brings joy. I liked this sweet story, it makes you think. I recommend this book for everyone.
Seeing everyone around you “sleeping” you feel so isolated but the computer has a little power left and finding a few people “awake” brings hope for the future as the conversation goes. You meet friends, the Awake ones”and it brings joy. I liked this sweet story, it makes you think. I recommend this book for everyone.
March 26, 2024
This short story ended abruptly, but I feel like it somewhat fits in an apocalyptic setting. There were quite a few characters for it being such a short story and yet I felt like they each had enough time to show us who they were.
There was a good deal of humor and sadness in this quick read. I enjoyed it!
There was a good deal of humor and sadness in this quick read. I enjoyed it!
February 11, 2021
a plague of some sort has swept through the world and killed most of the population. Sally pretends they are not dead, but sleeping. She is able to get on the internet and communicate with some of the other survivors
February 23, 2021
Really enjoyed this short story. Quirky and unusual, which was good! Loved the growth of Sally in just a few pages. The story is about hope, and I had a lot of hope for all the characters (how can you go wrong with Danika Patrick?). Great example of a GOOD short story.
June 20, 2021
All that's Left is Hope
A short story with an interesting, likeable main character, who could be any one of us. I would like to read a longer version of the book, I enjoyed this taster, from an author who is new to me. I will be reading more of his stories.
A short story with an interesting, likeable main character, who could be any one of us. I would like to read a longer version of the book, I enjoyed this taster, from an author who is new to me. I will be reading more of his stories.
December 1, 2020
Quirky, sad, hopeful.
December 13, 2021
Compelling
The world is devastated by a virus, 4 people find each other thru the computer. They are kind to each other giving you hope for the future.
The world is devastated by a virus, 4 people find each other thru the computer. They are kind to each other giving you hope for the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews