Day 275

“I stand here at the edge, the remaining highest point in the city. After the bombs fell, humanity was broken. Our collective psyche was destroyed and with it every semblance of society followed suit. Doctors said it was not the genetic augmentations we had added to ourselves. It was a psychological matter that could be easily identified. A panic swept through millions of people and the few who were spared became witnesses of society’s fall. All it took was three nuclear devices that fell over some of the most populated cities in our world. Then we saw as the media caused the first upsurge of panic. People were afraid of the next bomb that could fall. That was months ago, but the panic did not stop. Along with the quick decline we saw how fragile everything was. Chaos bred more chaos. People were constantly at each other’s throats. Some fought, others hid and many more ran away. Countries were soon leaderless, murdered by the angry chaotic masses, some of which screamed justice, while others screamed freedom. It was a confusing set of events.”

Day 278

“I backed down that day. Some voice deep within told me not to give up. Maybe it was an omen. Walking through the streets I noticed a few left overs of what once was. A group of people gathered in front of a view screen. The remaining news channel was reporting on the world. Millions upon millions had died. The panic that drove through the people still had no explanation. A doctor said that it was an ingrained fear within us that may have been aggravated by years of peace and the incredible advances in genetic augmentation. In this age we could run faster, jump higher and survive diseases we thought were incurable, but we failed to factor in how fragile the human mind is. We were all geniuses in our own right but the fears that lurked beneath us were stronger. Some people speculated that the panic was a new bacteria or virus. Investigations said otherwise. Humans had mostly lost the sense of mortal fear. Death was not as much of an issue, at least from the sources that made us most fearful. For example, I have not eaten in various days, yet my body has quickly adapted to using little energy. Not even the sun shines brightly, for the fall of the cities has clouded the sky with large plumes of dust. This has given us the coldest nights and unbearably hot days.”

Day 289

“I had a morsel of food, something to keep me going. In previous days I would roam the ruins of the city, an idle search for something familiar. My home, my friends and my family are gone. This lonely existence is said to bring that dreaded panic, yet I have felt nothing. At some point I did mourn my losses. After so many months I accepted that we still had much to grow as a civilization, and that even with those losses we could, perhaps, get back on track. So I decided to walk. Hours upon hours soon saw me on the outskirts of the city. Looking back I saw the smoldering ruin of what was once a beautiful, lively city. The parks that dotted the landscape were destroyed. The trees had no leaves and the grass had dried. Most of the soil was completely dehydrated and rains were often highly acidic. People depended on one or two purification centers that still offered clean water. Those were guarded by a military group left over from a government long since dead.”

Day 320

“I was attacked. My bloodied nose and handful of bruises were the evidence. I survived thanks to an old self defense technique my father was able to teach me. My assailants were two men with a full onset of the panic. There was no logic to their thoughts, no way to reason, they lusted for the satiation of their inner most desires. A young lady with a still functioning hover car was able to pick me up after I fought off the men. They were fearful of the technology they saw, it was bewildering for them. Such was the effect of their broken minds. The lady on the other hand promised to take care of me. She mentioned an oasis had been built far from the ruined cities, far from the panic. Even with her reassurances I felt I was returning to that edge that I had stepped down from.”

Day 365

“I am free. The oasis has provided a respite from the dark days. It is far from the more ordered past we once had, but it is a balance of what we should acquire. I have been able to eat properly. My strength has been put to use. The panic is far from here. This place is the gathering of many prestigious minds working together to find a way to cure our ailments. From time to time new people arrive and they are quickly given a shelter, assigned a doctor and provided with a means to distract the mind while the evaluations go on. It is still a very uncertain time but for now there is some hope that we may be able to rise up once again.”