I’m not quite sure what causes it. The phenomenon, that is. Perhaps it’s the fact that the moon moved so much closer to Earth. Or perhaps it’s some god or deity in the sky who has decided to punish our godforsaken planet. But, as humans do, we’ve adapted to it. Life isn’t much different than it was a hundred or so years ago. There’s just minor little things you notice. Like kids.
There’s not many kids at all these days. And when they do exist, they aren’t on the streets playing. They’re rarely outside at all. Children are frowned upon. Many don’t have any at all, while those that do hide them.
And then there are humans in general, of course. Humans have been dying off at a considerably higher rate than ever before. Our population has decreased substantially. This has its ups and its downs. By some grace of god, it seems all of the people that died off at first were people that were already struggling in some way. Impoverished people, sick people, single parents caring for multiple kids. It was, dare I say, convenient?
This has carried on now for a while. Humans dying off faster than they can or want to reproduce, leaving only the elite still standing.
That’s another thing that happens a lot. Everyone always asks if I’m part of the elite.
Or if I’m rich.
Or a politician.
Or if I’m a part of a top secret group lobbying for and funding the large scale eugenics program that “the phenomenon” really is, assisting directly in the murder and sterilization of all people who are sick, impoverished, or have more children than they can afford, while additionally helping to cover up the program using the lies of scientists, all of whom attribute the phenomenon to the moon moving closer to the planet.
Or what is keeping me alive.
To all of which I answer no.
I tell them I’m alive simply off my wits, survival knowledge, and an emergency fund I was able to set up before the disaster began.
I am, of course, lying.
It would be true, in fact, that I am quite important in the existence of this top secret group.
But they don’t know any better. And as unfortunate as it is, I don’t believe people would be happy to hear that the person they are talking to is a part of this top secret group.
At least in my experience, they definitely aren’t.