The year 2054 marked the end of everything. Jack Hanson, a 17-year-old on the verge of starting college, had always been creative, brave, and anxious mostly anxious because of his past.
When Jack was nine, his father died in a car accident, leaving him with his devastated mother. Grief drove her to drinking, and she was often away, lost in her sorrow. At school, things were no better. Jack was bullied punched, kicked, and left bleeding, while his classmates and even teachers turned a blind eye or joined in. They mocked him about his family, his poverty, his whole life. It became unbearable. So, Jack ran away. For two years, he lived on the streets, sleeping wherever he could, with no one to turn to.
One cold winter day, a man named Julian Mathews found Jack scavenging for food in a dumpster. Shocked, he offered Jack some bread and his coat. That simple act of kindness changed everything. Julian took Jack in, adopting him into his family, which included his daughter, Alyssa. For the first time in years, Jack felt safe and cared for. He went to school with new energy, part of a family again. But now, standing in the ruins of a broken world, Jack couldn't help but wish everything had just ended back then him, and the world.
"New life, new me, new school," Jack said to himself with fake enthusiasm as he walked toward class.
Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw his only friend.
"Oh, it's you, Mark," Jack said, dragging out the words with mock boredom.
"Aww, come on, I thought you'd be more excited to see me after so long!" Mark replied with a teasing smirk.
"Yeah, sure," Jack said, shrugging.
"But hey, did you hear about the presidency?" Mark asked.
Jack nodded absentmindedly. It had something to do with a war brewing in New York and other cities, North Korea trading rare stones, and some drama with the U.S. stealing resources. Jack didn't really care.
"I'm more concerned with starting a new life and maybe getting a girlfriend," Jack said, grinning.
Mark laughed. "Right, still hung up on Stephanie, huh?"
Jack's smile faded as he looked at the ground.
"Oh man, it's true! You're still into her? Dude, she doesn't even know you exist like that," Mark teased.
"Hey, people change," Jack said with a hopeful smile. "Plus, we talk. Like...friends."
They reached their new classroom, sat down, and the teacher, looking as tired as ever, told everyone to settle in. Minutes passed, and Jack found his eyes wandering toward Stephanie. To him, she was glowing, surrounded by some imaginary sparkle of flowers.
Suddenly, she turned around. Jack, startled, waved awkwardly before looking out the window in embarrassment.
Stephanie, 17, popular, smart, with long, light brown hair, had been Jack's friend since he moved to the city after running away from home. She was always kind to him, but nothing more. Jack had been crushing on her ever since, though he couldn't help but notice the string of boyfriends she had over the years. Jealousy gnawed at him, but he kept it all inside, holding onto the hope that maybe, someday, she'd see him differently.
"Jack, if you're so interested in Stephanie, why don't you go sit with her?" the teacher snapped, catching him staring. "Detention after school. Clean the classroom."
After class, the other students left, but Jack and Stephanie stayed behind to clean. The room was filled with an awkward silence. Jack, nervous, tried to focus on sweeping the floor, too afraid to speak.
Stephanie broke the silence by gently tapping his shoulder, causing him to jump.
She giggled. "Why are you so jumpy?"
Jack sighed. "It's not funny."
"It kinda is," she said with a smile. "You don't need to be so nervous around me. We've been friends since we were eleven, right?"
"Yeah...friends," Jack mumbled, his voice heavy with unspoken feelings.
Stephanie tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean?"
Jack put down the broom and turned to face her. "I've liked you for a long time, Stephanie. I'm just...I've never had the guts to say it."
Stephanie looked surprised, then smiled softly. "I like you too, Jack."
But Jack shook his head. "No, you don't. Not like that. You've always been with other guys, guys who don't even treat you right. If you liked me, you wouldn't be with them."
He felt his chest tighten as he finished sweeping, grabbed his things, and walked toward the door. "Just forget it," he muttered, brushing past her. He left the classroom without another word, heading home in silence.
When he got home, Julian noticed something was off but said nothing as Jack rushed upstairs. Jack flopped onto his bed, face down, replaying the day in his mind. Maybe it was for the best, he thought. He closed his eyes, wishing—just for a moment—that everyone in the world would disappear.
The next morning, everything was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Jack sat up, confused. He wasn't in his room anymore. Panic surged through him as he realized he was in some kind of bunker. Racing up to the door, he unlocked it and stepped outside, only to find destruction everywhere. Buildings were crumbled to the ground, the air heavy with the smell of bomb explosions.
Kneeling in the debris, Jack felt a deep sense of hopelessness. He was alone. Completely alone. He wandered the ruins for hours, searching for any sign of life, but there was nothing. Not even his family.
Weeks passed. Jack scavenged for food and supplies, surviving on scraps. But he found no one. It seemed like the world really had ended, leaving only him.
Then, one day, while exploring, Jack spotted someone in the distance. He crept closer, his heart pounding, and, without thinking, pulled a knife, holding it to their throat.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The person slowly turned around.
"Jack?"
It was Stephanie.
They stood there, staring at each other, both unsure of what to say. Maybe it was the tension from their last conversation, or maybe it was just the shock of finding each other in a world so empty. But deep down, they were both relieved to have found each other first.