The Last Human on Planet Earth

Beginning

Peace. That was the only word that could describe the feeling right now.

In this dark world, there was no searching for heat or blister's disease.

There was harmony here and the feeling was so great that she thought every part of her would wax into exhilaration. How long has it been since she last felt this? Forty years ago?

It was hard to keep track of time. If only she had been born into this dark world where the hands of science cannot touch or distort.

Something smeared her face and she opened her eyes weakly to the face of Mr. Chin, her dog.

“Hey, stop that,” She giggled and pushed Mr. Chin away, playfully. She knew what the dog was trying to do, but at the moment, she was not ready to get up from the bed. She was not willing to face this real world where everything has gone haywire.

The smear on her eyelid came again this time more intense.

“Okay, I am up,” Celeste chuckled and instead of pushing away Mr. Chin, she pulled him towards herself. “Hope you had a lovely night rest boy?” She said but looked to the other way when the dog licked her face in reply.

Celeste stroked her nose when they caught the aroma of some fried eggs, hanging around the room. Her stomach churched and using that avenue, she walked up slowly to her feet.

“Go on without me, Mr. Chin, I will join you in a moment.” She said and released the white dog.

Somewhere in the room, the voice of Santa-Claus could be heard over the FR (frequency receiver) as he sings the years Christmas into life. That had been the order since the blistering disease started. It had been here so long that she just could not pick the actual date it came. Well, most people had emphasized that it came about three years ago, the same day the president had launched the AI.

Celeste hissed, wrapping her pajamas around herself. Christmas used to be a thing of fun. The snow, the music, and the voice of children roaming about the place. Now it was something they celebrate on FR (frequency receiver) or VR (visual receiver). With Santa-Claus singing and making wishes which were written on the wind.

“Good morning, Celeste Sheverein,”

“Good Morning, Luke,” Celeste replied without looking at the boy. Her eyes were on the window now, staring into the yellow heavens. What was left of the cloud had turned into a dark spot, stretching into the horizon as far as any eyes could see? The mountains and valleys had turned to dust and the rivers were beginning to boil as if being cooked.

The once green lands were now a mixture of yellow and red, with a tincture of blackness here and there.

“You had a good night's rest?” Luke said, walking to stand beside her.

“Do you think it’s getting better?” Celeste asked, ignoring his question.

“I wouldn’t say better. If compared with the values of last month, my record shows that the Ozone layer had depleted threefold. Twice in every hour.”

“So it is getting worse,” Celeste hissed, hoping she could go back to bed and rest in that dark world.

“Yes, Celeste. It is much worse than we think.”

“What has the weather investigators and regulation of the environment, got to say about this?”

“Well,” Luke shrugged, “The WIRE has not said anything much. They are all sitting in the dark with the rest of the citizens as if waiting for the inevitable to happen.”

“So that’s it then, they are giving up?”

“No, Celeste. They don’t know what to do.”

Celeste looked away from the window and returned back to her small bed. Her stomach churned again, but this time, not because of the aroma of the egg that hung on every side of the room. She felt sorry for the world. She felt sorry that everything was being lost.

“But what are you doing about it, Luke? Is your kind not some high intelligence that is supposed to help man especially in a diverse situation like this?”

“I wish I could do something, Mrs. Sheverein, but the current situations are above our intellect.”

“Above your intellect?” Celeste flared, not knowing why she was angry. “Welcome to the party, AI” she hissed, stressing the last part with mockery.

“Why are you angry with me, Mrs. Sheverein? Our kind has been of much help to humans. We were the ones that created this safe haven that has preserved the life of the human race since the scorching heat started.”

“Please get out.” Celeste shouted, “I don’t want to see your face again.”

“If that is your wish, Celeste. I will go now,” Luke said looking a bit pissed off. A small light flickered in his body, followed by a twitch, and with that, he was gone.

Stupid creatures.

Celeste cursed as she threw herself on the bed and closed her eyes. She knew she was overreacting. Blaming someone or something for the cause of the world’s problem would add more salt to the injury. There was no amount of wish that could make the world return to its previous state. The deed has been done, and they need to face the facts.

“Is Mrs. Sheverein awake?” Someone asked from the doorway.

Celeste smiled despite the anger that was crawling in her stomach. His voice is always sweet in her ears. And his face…

“And who shall I say is asking?” Celeste said and sat up from the bed.

There standing on the door was her husband Richard Sheverein. An astronaut and a physics in the WIRE aviation.

“The apple in your eyes of course,” He said and walked into the room with a tray which bore some steaming cup.

Breakfast is the most important thing in the morning.

“How can you tell if it is morning?” Celeste asked as she picked one of the steaming cups.

“Time of course.” Richard chuckled and dropped the tray on the table, “Luke,” He called, “Play me grow old and die with you by Godin Anthony.”

What are you doing?” Celeste asked as the music started playing almost immediately.

“Let’s have our last dance. If I die today, I want to die in your arms.” Richard said.

“So romantic” Celeste chuckled and took the extended hands.

The calmness on his shoulders made her relaxed, it seems to take away all the pains and the fears of the world. It was the peace she had the yarn for. The comfort she would never find elsewhere.

“I love you,” She heard him say.

“Always,” Celeste replied and lifted her head to meet those coppery eyes, but to her dismay, he seemed to be dissolving and everything around them. The chairs, the bed, the wall. Everywhere was dissolving and evaporating into thin air.

“What is going on Richard?” Celeste asked but terror struck her when she noticed that her body was also dissolving and evaporating into nothing.

“No, No!” She screamed and screamed, but her scream did not stop her body was dissolving into nothing.

So this is the end of all life. Celeste thought as the peace in the serenity claimed her consciousness.