How had things gone so wrong? How?! The apocalypse happened, like everyone knew it would. The rich, sophisticated, and the lucky were able to find their way into underground bunkers and had elected to stay for as long as needed. No one knew how long it would be. To be honest, no one really cared. There was a chance to start new, underground, and many believed it was for the best.
That was before the experiments. Before scientists tried tinkering with the biological. They tried everything to make things ‘better’, elongated lifespan, heightened immune system, treatments for muscle atrophy and brain diseases. But they couldn’t stop. Didn’t stop.
I ran to my terminal and typed up an entry, trying to drown out the banging from the locked door behind me. It was solid. It was supposed to hold back anything and everything once locked. The creaking metal told me how wrong we were to assume our handiwork was flawless.
This was the only way to tell the story. I hoped it would survive. I hoped the network between bunkers was strong enough to get the story out. I hoped the other bunkers hadn’t repeated our mistakes. I hoped I wasn’t the only one left.
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Our medical staff were working on something. I think it was some kind of new serum, something that was supposed to extend our life down here. Make things a little better for us. Help our bodies resist disease, reinforce our ability to survive underground.
A few weeks ago, Dr. Ethos shared some files with me concerning matters that worried him. He indicated the last few patients receiving the serum were acting strange.
They had displayed an increase in aggression and strength, while experiencing a decrease in cognition and coordination. He was concerned because other patients, ones that never touched the serum, were displaying the same symptoms in rapid succession. As if symptoms had become airborne.
And they had.
I did what research I could. But it wasn’t better than the scientists. Soon we were overrun. The symptoms were spreading everywhere, every room that had air vents. The recirculators had to be cut off. A small band of us tried to get out, working our way through back rooms and stealing oxygen tanks as we could find them.
We didn’t know. How could we know?
We fought our way to the bunker hatch, but it wouldn’t open. We checked our outside sensors. The world...Our world has been flooded. Maybe the ice caps finally melted. Maybe land masses finally just fell off into the sea. Either way, we’re sealed in. Our underground bunker is now underwater.
A small group elected to stay, try and force the doors open, take a chance with the outside world. I don’t know if they made it or if they’ve been ripped apart by the others. But I managed to make my way back, find my way to this machine. Type this message.
I had to warn you. All of you. If anyone is reading this message, stop the experiments now. Find another way to make sense of your life. Don’t make our mistakes. Our mistakes led to this; forced to join a mob of savage survivors...or drown trying to get out.