As I walk home from a day of doomsday shopping I look up at the sky. The sky has gradually been getting darker earlier this over this past month. It seems like the world went from having bright orange sunsets to dark blue and cloudy nights. Anyone else would most likely believe that this was normal and that this change was because we were going through a change of the seasons or because of global warming which sure while that would be a reasonable explanation something has just felt off lately.
When this was really because we were starting to see warning signs of the apocalypse. Besides a change of seasons when summer just arrived? People always seem willing to make all sorts of excuses when things happen and they are unable to explain them through science of any other realistic reasoning.
I started noticing the changes of the environment around me pretty soon after my nightmare/soon to be reality. The grass at the park started looking a lot more dry and turning slightly yellow. Whatever experiments those scientists did they clearly did not care to take care of any toxins that could affect the environment.
When I reach home after taking a lift in the elevator I greet my neighbour Rose as I see her walking out of her apartment just before I reach my door.
"Hey Rose, it's been a while since we last spoke." I say.
Rose just lets out a little huff, "Yeah, because you've been so busy lately, I can barely catch a glimpse of you nowadays."
"There's just been a lot going on, I've been so preoccupied."
She smirks a little, "It's totally fine, I get it, just be careful out there and try not to get sick especially with the way the weather has been acting up."
Rose turns around and starts walking towards the elevator after she says this.
"You too Rosie, be careful out there." She just gives me a wave before getting into the elevator. I turn back towards my door and get into my apartment.
I start to hum a little tune as I put all my shopping bags down and take off my coat and scarf.
I walk up to the my TV in my living room and switch it on before walking to my kitchen and preparing to cook.
These past couple of weeks I have been so invested in getting ready to run for my life that I haven't had a quiet night like this.
The system didn't even tell me the exact date the world would end, I'm glad I got a warning but I would have appreciated a good timeline of when everything was going to go down.
I put my phone down on my counter top a little bit further away from the area where I'm preparing my food and call my brother. Once the video call is answered I put my phone on speaker, wash my hands and start cooking.
"Hey Ivan! How is my favourite little brother."
I let a laugh slip out after I say this.
Ivan sticks out his tongue at me and says, "We're coming to your place now, I'm not even sure why you insisted so much," He lets out a dramatic gasp, "Wait a minute is this because you're finally putting your pride aside and admitting that you miss us?"
"By the way, I'm like 21 now, you're only 2 years older than me, I do miss you though big sister," he continues with a smile.
I hear laughing in the background from the front of the car.
"Put your phone out in front Ivan."
My brother strecthes out his arm to put his phone upfront at the turns it towards the drivers and passengers seats. My parents sit there with my mother in the passengers seat and my father currently driving.
"Cassie! How are you sweetie?," my mother asks sweetly.
"We are so excited to come over to your place, it's not everyday your daughter asks you to drive to her city and stay over for a couple of days."
I can hear the excitement in my father's voice as he says that.
I just really wanted to see you guys," I point my chin out to the food in the oven amd pick my phone up while moveng it closer to my face, " I'm even cooking such a wonderful meal for us."
My mom smile as she looks over at me through the phone, "I can't wait to have some sweetie but lets get off the phone before your brother's arm goes numb."
I hear Ivan let out a dramtic groan in the background.
"Seriously Cass, get off the phone and don't burn the food."
I stick my tongue out at the phone, "Okay everyone, see you soon!"
I hang up after saying my goodbyes and making sure they are and safe on their way to my place.
Even though I don't know exactly when the world will start being chaotic and life will change. I decided to get my family to come and stay with me because I can tell that it everything will start soon. The strange changes currently going on daily tell me all I need to know.
After an hour my food is ready and I hear a knock on my door. As I get closer I start hearing a myriad of familiar voices outside my door.
I open the door after figuring out that the voices I'm hearing belong to my parents and my brother. I open the door and give them all a warm welcome full of hugs before leading them inside and helping them with their luggage.
When we get inside I ask lead them to the dinner table and get them seated before I say, "I'm so glad you guys made it here in one piece, for a second there I thought you were having so much fun on the drive here that you would decide to make your trip as long as possible."
I bring the food out and server everyone their food.
When I take a seat at the table with everyone else my mother answers me with a sigh while she looks out at the dark and dense clouds that have started to have been excessively gathering in the sky day throughout the whole day.
"We really did have such a great trip on our way to A City but we decided to get here as soon as possible when we saw the clouds gathering," she shakes her head after saying this, "We just didn't expect such a rapid change in weather, sure in the morning it was a little cloudy but this is just unimaginable."
"I think we can all just relax now and enjoy the food my wonderful daughter has prepared for us." My father says as he starts digging in to the food.
My brother discretely makes eye contact with me and silently mimicks the 'my wonderful daughter part'.
I role my eyes at him and we all eat the food and have a great time catching up.
Once we are done and everything has been cleaned up I suggest that we all should catch some sleep and talk more tomorrow since they are supposed to be spending a week with me.
My parents get the guest room and Ivan gets to sleep on the coach. On my way back to my room I say goodnight to everyone and make sure the door is locked and the curtains in my living room are closed.
I take a shower and just before I reach the bed I see my system panel pop up with a notification.
BASE BOSS SYSTEM
- 8 HOURS UNTIL DOOMSDAY.
I am a bit shaken by this but I get into bed and look up at the ceiling.
Knowing that I had been warned about this a month in advance just doesn't make me feel any less scared. I remember the nightmare I had and the things I saw and feel the same fear.
I lay my head on my pillow and quietly whisper into the darkness.
"I'm ready for this and I will survive and make my way through this nightmare."
With that determination I feel like my drive to survive will probably beat out the fear in the long run. I manage to fall asleep soon after knowing that when I wake up everything will probably start changing.
Suddenly the next morning instead of being woken up by the sound of my family or my alarm I get woken up when I hear a loud bang of lightning.
I slowly get out of bed and look out my bedroom windows where I see the still dense clouds with lighting and thunder appearing. The sky briefly flashes blue and then rain starts pouring down on the city.
The system voice enters my head.
"The apocoalypes has begun, are you ready human?"
I silently stare out at the city and picture it's eventual collapse.
"As ready as I will ever be."