139 Years to the End of the World

The Final Day, Part One

"Initiate video playback," I said out loud, as per Leah's instruction. I also set the new earpiece that popped out of the console into my left ear. I wondered if she got the engineers to build that compartment specifically for me, or if it was just something that had always been part of the set.

My left eye blinked to black before slowly loading up colours. Gradually, after some static, those flashes of colours sharpened into a clear image.

My grandparents once told me there was a time, before even them, that people would make casts of the faces of the deceased as mementos or portraits. As a child, I would have nightmares of the faces of dead people come alive from these death masks to talk to me. Imaginations were wild back then. In real life however, it hits the heart much harder than the fear of nightmare could, at strings that were not expecting to be tugged.

"John, get the fuck out here!" Amelia screamed into the camera, ruining the heartfelt moment again. Her face settled dead centre on the screen. "Camera's rolling!" She waited for her brother to reply.

"Wait! I'm stuck!" I heard him scream. "Lindsey! Help!"

I heard Lindsey cursed something off-screen along the lines of "Useless idiot" while Amelia shook her head disappointingly at the camera.

She turned back to face the screen and I realized she was in the chamber. Not with me now, but in a brightly lit, slightly cleaner chamber from decades ago.

"So um...hey old man. Found mom's diary and she said this video thing would work, so I'm hoping it does." A loud crash came from behind her and she winced in almost physical pain. Recovering after a sigh, she continued, "Anyway, if you're watching this, we're all probably long gone. But we wanted you to know what's been happening with us and some other mushy stuff."

I pulled out the chair behind the control console, probably the same one Amelia sat in as she made that video and realized that as the video continued to play, my other eye continued to adjust its aperture to cope with the darkness. I wondered if it would be able to see fully in the dark after the video is done playing.

"So first thing first, the bad news." Of course she would start with the bad news. Amelia might be one of the most negative people I've ever met, or at least the most vulgar. "A few years after you left, details of what The Forum had been doing to the people outside Roagnark hit the public. There's been a rebellion and you know, city wide evacuation and stuff." She looked towards the door, as if expecting her words to jinx her. She turned back. "So we're here, one last time, in Roagnark, to get Clover and as many civilians as we can out of the city before shit hits the fan."

Another war. More fighting. A thought crept into the back of my mind. What was the point of my family and friends risking their lives to save the world if everyone just goes back to fighting each other the moment we turned our backs? Joan's effort to stabilize the effect of the Mist was negated by the first war. Our efforts at stopping Jason's E.M.P bomb was overwritten by this new rebellion. I wondered if humanity could only fight.

Amelia continued, "So um...this would probably be the last time we get to see you." She turned the camera to the Cryo-Tube where I floated peacefully within. "We're leaving you stuff and gear, you know, in case of an emergency. I'll uh...let John explain all that." She nodded off screen and got off the chair.

John slotted in, his hair having grown considerably longer since I last saw him, covering his eyes. It was a much rugged look than I remembered, and a new scar ran across his nose. "Hey grandfather. So good news first before I tell you about our little gift for you." Of course, the opposite of his sister. Positive John. "Well, me and Lindsey are engaged." The news brought a grin across my face. It was weird, finally being able to feel the pull of my facial muscle. "And I'm sure Milly's too embarrassed to tell you this, but she and Clover are married now. It's been kind of long distance. She's really happy we're getting Clover out of Roagnark today." The grin got wider, and I felt my eyes trying to tear up, but the implants prevented any real crying from taking place.