Extinction

This is a revised draft of the site favorite on my page. There is a bit more in there to make it a more intense story.

The human race is extinct, and I am the last one left alive.  I feel compelled to tell you everything I can while I have the chance. I feel that putting my thoughts to a screen will help me rationalize them and maybe I’ll wake up and this will all have been a terrible nightmare. Despite my complete abandonment, I am beginning to have the strange feeling that I’m not alone.

My name is Kathleen Prince and I am twenty-four years old.  I was a Law Student at the University of Pennsylvania on thirty-fourth and Chestnut Streets.  It was my first year in the Law School and I was so excited to be starting my life.  The classes were okay; Introduction to Law, Legal Ethics, and the core classes like English and a language.  I was awestruck at how big the campus was and I’m not ashamed to say that for the first month I was barely making it to class on time. 

I woke up in my room at the Radian; which is on fortieth and Walnut Streets, at around six o’clock in the morning. I knew that I overslept but I had an exam and wanted to make sure I was well-rested.  After getting a shower and having breakfast, I made my way to school for class. 

When I got downstairs, I was surprised at how quiet it was in the lobby.  It was never this quiet before, but I tried not to think anything of it.  What really made me wonder was the fact that when I stepped onto Walnut Street, it was completely deserted as far as my eyes could see. 

I walked over to the division of public safety annex on south fortieth street to see if anyone could tell me what was going on, but that was quiet too, the building was ransacked as if everyone had been in a rush to get out.  Walking over to the fresh grocer across the street I found the same thing; everywhere I went was completely deserted and ransacked.

I dropped my backpack on the ground and made my way over to fortieth and Market and looked around; no one.  I walked back towards Chestnut, Sansom and Locust Streets; again everywhere was deserted. I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and looked at it. That’s when I noticed that today was the twenty-second of December.

Yesterday was the end of the Mayan Calendar, the end of humanity.  Yet, I was alive.  I think out of everything I faced today, that was the most numbing thing.  I was the only person left alive on the planet.  But it went beyond that.  There were no cats, no dogs, no birds, not even any wind.  There was nothing.

I don’t know what made me do it, but I began to go into every building down Walnut Street checking for signs of life.  Every building I went to was the same; nothing.  It began to get very frightening to think about and the more buildings I went to and seen were empty, the more terrified I became until I felt my heart thumping to break out of my chest and a cold sweat forming across the top of my forehead. 

I went into the bathroom in the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to splash my face with cold water, and when I looked down at my hands, I noticed they were trembling uncontrollably.  I didn't want to give up hope yet though.  I pulled out my cell phone again and made sure I had a full battery before calling everyone in my phone-book.  I needed to be comforted; I needed to know this was just a nightmare.  No answers on any phone, no replies to my text messages.  There was no denying the situation now, all I could do was fall to the floor and cry.

An hour later I was finally composed enough to handle the situation as best I could. I left the building and continued to make my way down Walnut Street.  I knew now that there was no use in my trying to investigate any other buildings; I was alone.

Noticing a car on the street with the doors open and keys in the ignition, I got in and began to drive around the university to check for anyone I could find.  I would have even been happy to find someone I hated at that point, just to know that this was all just a horrible nightmare. But, much to my dismay; there was nothing.

I began to grow frantic.  Every building was a shadow from the corner of my eye.  My mind was racing a million miles a second and all I could think about was the fact that I was probably going to go insane before dying in this city.  I drove as fast as I could until I got to the Law School and I made sure the front door was shut and locked from the inside before going upstairs to the computer lab. I don’t know what made me lock the door, but I guess it was the last bit of security I had.

I sat down and pulled up Microsoft word when I thought I heard the floor creak.  Maybe the building is just old and it’s what happens in old buildings.  I’ve been in plenty of older buildings where it seems like the entire building just creaks with age. It sounded distinctly like the floor creaked again this time I got scared.  I felt my hands get clammy and the, sweat pour down my face and my heart race faster than before.  I’m starting to think I’m going insane already. 

When everyone was around I was more introverted and really didn’t look for excuses to mingle.  Now though, I’d give up any and everything I have just to see a recognizable face.  Perhaps it’s for the best I lose my sanity now though, it’s better to be insane at this point than to let my mind play tricks on me when I’m at my most vulnerable.

The hardest part about being alone is that I never got to say good bye to my friends and family.  But, if I really think about it, I’ll see them again soon. I heard another creak, this time there was no denying it came from the floor.  I looked around to see that I had locked and barricaded the doors and windows before turning back to this manuscript.

I hear more creaks.  It sounds like the building is speaking to me, egging me into insanity.  I feel that the walls themselves are watching me.  What if this whole existence was nothing but a dream and I’m about to wake up to the horrible reality of the true world?  That can’t be though, because things like that only happen in The Matrix. 

I’m starting to hear voices in my head.  They keep telling me that there’s nothing out there, that there’s nothing outside the door waiting to get in.  I want so bad to believe them, but the creaks are breaking me slowly but surely.  Whoever thought so insignificant a sound could be so important to the last person left alive? I don’t know how much longer I can take it. 

I have to leave this building.  I opened up the door and ran as fast as I could back to the car I left outside; it was gone. I guess I have no other alternative but to await my fate inside this computer lab.  I want so bad to just break down and cry, but what’s the point if I’ll get no comfort?

I see a shadow flitting across the bottom of the door and I don’t know what to make of it.  I’ll try my best to ignore it and continue writing this out.  I feel it’s important to type these things as I think them in order to help me make sense of the things I am dealing with.  The voices have returned.  This time, it sounds like they are coming from directly outside the computer lab door.  Is there someone out there?

I turned away from the door; I can’t let myself become too overwhelmed. I hear more creaks and voices. The voices sound as if they are surrounding my entire body and all speaking at once.  I can’t get away from it.  Turning around to look under the door I keep seeing shadows pass from underneath the door, these hallucinations are driving me insane. 

This time I see a shadow pass in front of the door and stop.  A few seconds later, I hear a soft but audible knock. 

Author's Note

This is a revised draft. Let me know what you think!