When Nothing is Around

How does someone die? Is it in an instant or over time? Painful or peaceful? Expected or unexpected? It’s an answer I wish to know. Each death of mine has always been left to the fate of the apocalypse, watching until it finally hits the nail in the coffin. There’s nothing normal or reasonable about that. Maybe once upon a time my death may have been normal, but I cannot remember. My role is simply unending.

Still, I want to experience something normal. Not normalcy or a doll’s normality, but the normal life of another person. My senses have long been skewed by my long past and infinite future. I can tell anything human is but a simple imitation of those around me. Even my ethics are a whim to pass the time.

And yet, for some reason, I…

Tick.

Time continued to pass slowly, yet it seemed to speed up all the same. Even my body was no longer immune to the effects of the gamma rays from the green dot. Each movement weighed on my creaking limbs as I lumbered through the dilapidated city. While there weren’t any visible cracks, I could tell this form wouldn’t last much longer.

Still, through it all, my eyes ticked, unbounded from the laws of this reality. Because of that, I knew how much time was left, which meant I needed to find the perfect place. Not one to die, mind you, though they tended to be the same place. No, the perfect place to watch the end from.

The final chapter of this world had begun.

Tick.

I spent the remaining weeks scouting all the potential spots I saw from the train on the ride over. Deliverance would fall from the sky, so it only made sense I would get as close to the heavens as I could. The mountains were too far away, and I didn’t want to gamble on finding another city in time. So, with what remained in the city, there were only a few remaining.

In the end, I chose the one that originally caught my eye: a skyscraper near the center of what used to be downtown. It was the only tall tower made out of stone rather than pure glass panels. Of course, the building no longer held its former glory. All that remained was a collapsed spire standing just a bit taller than the rest. However, that was more than good enough for my VIP seating.

Beginning my ascent, I walked with heavy footsteps up the partially intact staircase. There were a few points where I had to make a jump across some gaps, but even in this decaying body, it wasn’t an issue. Though, I did take a break every once in a while. The creaking noises turned into snaps, making it extremely likely something was breaking where I couldn’t see. Luckily, it didn’t seem to hamper my movements too badly, at least for long enough to make it to the top.

Tick.

The rooftop, or the floor that was now the rooftop, seemed like any other office space, or what remained of one. Dividers separated the space into rows of cubicles, some more crushed than others, with just enough space to walk side by side. I imagined there used to be something within them, but most were empty, likely by the people who worked here only a year ago. From what I could piece together, it was something more advanced than a radio, or a larger version of a smartphone. It would have been great to try one, but without electricity… yeah, it was a pipe dream for the next similar world.

From a quick inspection, there were a number of chairs left behind, some in better condition than others. Although they all were the same, how far it leaned or how high the armrests varied. The levers and knobs on the bottom of the chair probably had something to do with it, so I played around with one until I figured out how they worked. It was actually pretty simple – the two knobs adjusted the flexibility while the levers changed the height and angle. Such convenience was welcome, but also sad to see go. I would’ve liked to experience this place before the fall…

I rolled the chair over to the largest opening I could find, which happened to be a small corner office. Something must have hit it, as almost the entire wall was gone. There was a story here too, though it wasn’t one I knew or would be able to tell. Like most of the world, it would disappear forever, unknown to anyone.

Tick.

As I reclined into the chair, adjusting my position, a breeze blew through the giant hole. The soft gust lulled me into a sense of relaxation while the rough current meant to weather my body away. It was a juxtaposition, trying to grab my attention while simultaneously sneaking under the radar. All I could do was observe as much as possible, making sure its legacy persisted even when it was gone.

The wisps of the dead danced, reflecting my eyes. The left already reached its twilight, and the right was at the eleventh hour. The green sky seemed to flicker with delight, ready to take over and devour its prey. That was fate bestowed – a tragic one that could never be changed.

And yet, even now, I resisted. In response, the wisps glowed ever so brighter. Trillions of them rose into the sky, spinning around as if saying their goodbyes. Every time one touched the blinding green, it turned ever so slightly blue. It repeated over and over again, restoring the missing color as white dots popped out of nowhere. It didn’t change the result, nor did it change the end soon to come. But, for the first time in a while, the delusion was slowly stripped away, revealing the twilight city underneath. The world was here, and it would exist until its time ran out.

Tick.

Only five minutes remain.