Shatters in Space: Stories about Scientific Horrors and Cosmic Threats

9. Extinction

It might be foolish to think that we'll survive this war. It's an infantile thought that someone in the distant future will come along and find this paper. I know that there is no hope for mankind, due to our current status. Man has failed to do anything to score a victory against the hordes that now roam the earth in our place. It's taken five years for our species to learn the most important lesson in the history of the collective life of humanity itself. I shouldn't think that anyone will survive this extinction but, I am an optimist by nature. Maybe the next species to climb to the top of the food chain will be so advanced as to be capable of reading this letter. I don't know, but I do know that by that time, we shall be long gone, just figments of history's memory. I must believe that there is some time that we'll be capable of changing our fate. This letter must be written so that the next generation that's on the top of the food chain will understand that this will also happen to them. It's set to repeat to any species that will ever misjudge the ferocity of Mother Nature.

I must explain the reason why I'm writing this. I'm not sure what month or day it is nor do I know the year, and the human race is close to be extinct. The word extinct must seem a little too overwhelming to be used to describe the state of mankind and its future. But, it's the truth. Humanity is being wiped out, and the whole population is below five thousand people left alive. Billions of human beings are dead, men, women, and children, and it's too much for some to bear. The world governments have fallen, including the United States of America, and there is no more military to protect those who are left. Blood is most definitely staining the ground red, bodies are literally piled in the streets and in buildings, covered by ash. Birth rates are low, almost only two births are successful each year. The only mode of transportation is on foot, as many of the hordes that swarm this planet are in the skies. No boats, ever since the assault on beachgoers. The tunnels and subways are also infested by the hordes. Disease rocks those left behind, Ebola, AIDs, Cancer, HIV, The Bird Flu, West Nile Virus. Death has covered the lands with his shadow. But it's not because of any artificial methods of destruction that we are like this. Not by any missiles, guns, bombs, comets, storms, or human on human violence. Humanity is ignorant and violent sure, but he is not capable of committing such crimes and violence. No, the real reason as to our current state is the rise of Mother Nature.

Mother Nature has risen up against humanity, spreading her hordes across this once man inhabited world in swarms. The cause of this is due to our own actions upon her. The deforestation. The pollution. The hole in the ozone layer. The massacre of many species that have since gone extinct. We had almost killed her in such foolish chases for oil, wood, meat to eat, fabric, and other materials that were dependent on animals. Animals. They have become different, more aggressive and violent towards humanity, than the past iterations.

It all began on March 3rd 2016, when the first sightings of new strange animals occurred. Scientists in Africa had sighted a new form of the rhino, one that had green skin, tough plates all over its body and back, and with a hammer like weapon on its face. They were certain that this species was some form of rhino that had suffered rapid evolution, through some course that was initially unknown to the scientific community. At first, they didn't believe that it was real, and the news companies played on the possibility of it being alien. The species was known to have attacked the scientists, leaving all but one dead. The poachers in Africa tried to capture it or to kill it but, they couldn't. All that tried were killed by the creature. The public had interest in this new form and was most definitely responsible for creating the ensuing rumors that it was a gift from God. If they only knew the truth, which was more insane than what they could have fabricated in their minds. Religious extremists were quick to point to revelation and scientists were quick to try and study this creature. The military was also present, and it was using the soldiers to contain that thing. They ran tests on it and studied its blood, appearance, and it's biological make up. After a few weeks, everything just calm down. The military killed it, after it tried to kill the scientists, and they burnt the corpse. Scientists assured the public that there was nothing to worry about. And it worked.

Until, in April, when reports came flooding in about new creatures being found in the oceans around the world. Beachgoers were being attacked by some new form of shark that had the capability to launch a second jaw out from within its mouth at people. Hundreds died, and that was just the beginning. A bird that resembled the hawk with a giant wingspan appeared in the skies, attacking airplanes. Millions more died. These creatures were coming out of nowhere, in sudden attacks on humans across the world. Scientists were dumbfounded as to why this was happening. Churches believed that this was a sign of the apocalypse and millions flocked to churches to pray.

People were caught off guard by these animals. The military was the first to respond to fears that there was something supernatural going on. They told the public that there was no signs of any higher power at work and forced all news to not run the story due to an information blackout. We were not getting any information and the beaches were quarantined. When the first city attack occurred, they had no choice but to reveal the cause of this apocalypse. New York was first, with thousands dying when a flood of changed animals assaulted the city. Giant rats, spiders, and those birds were all attacking the city. We were helpless to stop them. The military tried to stop them. But.... They couldn't. The animals were evolved to the point of being invulnerable to any weapon aside from a nuclear missile.

Millions of soldiers died, many were injured, most were eaten.

The city of New York was isolated under the pretense that the animals were biological hazards, infected by some sort of retrograde agent that induced spontaneous evolution. The CDC was called in, people in hazmat suits were sent in, residents were evacuated. The military initiated a nuclear bombing of the area. The resulting fallout caused a nuclear winter, the ash cloud resulting from the incarnated materials blocked out the sun. Thousands of plants died from the withdraw of sunlight and many crops died as well. Death rained over the United States, Canada, and even parts of Europe. UK initiated a lockdown to prevent infection. The third world countries quickly became under invasion by billions of infected animals. Germany, Russia, Asia, Japan, Iraq, Iran, Italy, every country not already invaded was being invaded by those animals. Every kind of animal was changed, some were enlarged and others were mutated beyond any recognition. CDC tried to contain the infected but, the animals broke free. The United States was blanked by nuclear snow, the U.S. President was reportedly mauled by a giant rat that had intercepted the convoy that was to transport him to an underground bunker. The governments of the world became broken and society collapsed within a year. The UK was wiped out by infected birds, and the queen was killed as well. Earth was broken and nature was almost wiped out. No more plants, only animals remained.

Humanity is facing extinction. I don't know what year it is, the sun is gone. It's been so long since we've ever experienced warmth. The animals are prowling the snow landscape, anyone who has ever went outside into the wasteland has been attacked and devoured by those things. Food is becoming scarce and many are so desperate as to engage in cannibalism. They eat anyone, women, men, even children. I know that this is the end of the world. Just pray that we'll even survive this. I've got a gun in my hand, one bullet to do the deed, and it's my final choice. I can't live like this, no light, no food, just darkness, ash, and animals. God please forgive me.

-TB