The End of the World

It is the end of the world, but there is no fire in the sky or people screaming. There is almost no fire anywhere and everyone is already dead or slowly dying.

I spend my time in the ruins of an ancient city. I walk among the shattered glass from the enormous skyscrapers, it would be a hazard if there were any children around. They would cut their tiny feet as they laughed and played. But the world has not seen children for so long.

I stop to admire the giant overpass, a stretch of highway above the historical district. Down below, people would stroll and stop for coffee, or chat with friends. High above machines would move in a hurry, not a bolt out of place, all perfectly planned. I wonder why they built this giant road and then I think about practical reasons - getting supplies into the city from all around. Practical things no longer apply. A million million apartments with chairs nobody will ever sit on and windows nobody will look out of.

There are creatures left here and there, hardly human anymore. I am hardly human myself. No more need for shelter from the rain. No more hunger to satisfy. No words I could use to speak to the others. No desire get anything across.

The night falls. The sky is overcast and I cannot see the stars. It is a pity. I could see a lot now that all the lights are out.

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk