Who We'd Die For

The Downfall of Us All

Before

Chronicle 2

Helix X-1 13

Just for the record, I didn't wake up that day thinking that the apocalypse was going to happen. I didn't go to school wondering if I might have been one of the last living people left on the planet before the final bell rang. Despite my almost never cheery disposition, I still did not ask for any of that. 

But I promised you that I would tell you the truth, every last horrible piece of it. So, if we're being completely honest (I mean it's the end of the world so why not?), I really have no desire to talk about the past whatsoever. Remember the befores and afters I was talking about? This is the only "before" that you're going to get, so enjoy it. . . even though it's actually not that enjoyable. At least it wasn't for anyone involved. But this is it. The past is gone, and I can guarantee you that I will never be in the mood to talk about it. 

I often wonder what the days were like before this one. Did anyone see it coming? Could any of us have stopped it? Was the ignorance really bliss? I guess I'll never be sure. Maybe you will. If you're reading this, that means that you have lived long enough to see history being rewritten. The slate has been cleaned, and you were lucky enough to survive that. Hopefully, someone will have given you an answer by then. But, sticking to my honesty, I don't think any of us are going to make it. I would apologize to you for that, but if no one is around to read this, that means there's no one around to offend. Lucky me, my sarcasm and humour finally get a break. 

But anyway, here it is. That day. At least how it went for me. This was the day that changed it all. This was the day that mankind learned its place in the universe. This was the day that became known only as The Fallout, the fall of the earth as we knew it. The downfall of us all.

                                                                                            ➵

My head buzzed with the reverberations of hundreds of voices echoing throughout the room. Lunch was no fantastic affair for me on any particular day. Today was no different, really. I sat alone, in the corner, as usual. Ever since the day I lost one of the most important things in my life, I wasn't really in the mood to be social. I quit playing nice. I was never really all that nice in the first place. I just put on a front to try to make things easier for everyone else, I guess. It wasn't always that way, but I'm not about to admit to anyone why. So don't bother asking.

The cafeteria was in a rush with people bustling between tables and hurrying to claim their spots. I didn't have to raise my head from my book to know that. Every so often I would glance up to the daily city newscast that was flashing across screens spread around the expanse of the room. There was nothing of any significance that was being reported at the moment, so I ended up picking at my salad instead. 

My thoughts drifted like empty breaths. They wandered between small things that could barely hold my attention for more than a few seconds. I couldn't force any of that attention to my book either, the ink on the pages coming in and out of focus like blurred pictures. The noise of the cafeteria seemed to grow and bend throughout the room like a living being, becoming soft only to thunder around me once more like waves of the sea swallowing me whole.

At first, I didn't notice it. The sound could barely be heard over the roar echoing off of the walls. Just as though in slow motion, I watched one small fragment fall from up above. It clattered to the floor seemingly without a sound. No one had appeared to notice it, though I stared at the object for what seemed like an eternity.