The Last Flower on Earth

My Family

We all sat in silence, we had no instructions on what to do now, we don't know if the surface is radioactive, or if the whole atmosphere is missing.

The only thing we did know is that we only have each other now. As we must assume that we are all that remains of humanity because that's the worst-case scenario.

"So, what do we do now?" I say aloud, breaking the deathly silence around us.

There are six of us, meant to be ten. And I shouldn't even be here.

The 5'11 man with dark hair is Xavier Caulos, he was a chemist who was a vital part in making sure space travel was safe for people.

Mr. Blond hair blue eyes with a moody aura is Lieutenant Anderson, who goes by Neil for some reason. He's military if you can't tell, but I don't think he's all here.

The shorter woman with the dyed blue and purple hair is Jaiden, she works with electronics to make sure everything is functioning right.

Lisa is a psychiatrist and a therapist who specializes in making sure that everybody stays calm, as knowing everybody you love is dead and you'll never see them again can be troublesome to the mind.

And last but not least is our electrician who also works with pipes, Nelson, he and Lisa have to be the kindest of all the adults here. I learned this later.

Oh, and I'm here too.

Neil ruffles his hair before his hands slide down to the back of his neck. "I don't know kid, I never thought I'd make it this far."

Melancholy fills the air as nobody knows what to do anymore.

I attempt to break the silence. "Since we're all stuck down here together, shouldn't we all get to know each other?" Lisa grins at the thought, but no one acts upon it.

I grab the backpack between my legs in bitter silence and find myself sitting on a bed all alone.

I sniffle in an attempt to hold it all in.

But I cry, not even that, I bawled into my hands in an unfamiliar room, truly alone.

Everything I've ever known was gone in an instant.

Mom had the family photo in her bag, I sniffle again and look into my hands. I'm going to forget her eventually. I'm going to forget all of them eventually.

The thoughts of all those people above us start eating away at me, and the existential dread that we sacrificed all those lives makes me feel sick.

My door creaks open, I glance up to see who it is. The tightness in my throat renders me mute.

"Hey, kid." Nelson opens the door more so I can completely see him. He turns on the bedroom light. "You aren't doing so well, are you."

Nelson tosses me a water bottle, "I won't enter if you don't want me to", he slips his hands into his pockets. "I understand what you're going through kid."

I look back down into my hands. "My mom had the family photo in her bag." That one line told Nelson everything he needed to know. He walks over and sits beside me.

"I had a son, he was a couple of years younger than you. But I lost him about halfway into the war because of a divorce, and I haven't seen him since. But I highly doubt they made it into a bunker since she wasn't essential. And on top of that my folks are gone too, I know that as I said bye to them myself." Nelson was shaking all over, his right leg bouncing as his fists clenched and a single tear runs down his dark, masculine face.