Seven Days

The goal was simple- find the locket. We had seven days to save what was left of the world, and that was only possible with Avery’s rose gold heart-shaped locket.

Day one. There are precisely 10,547 locked chests in the underground bunker, each filled with something that will save the world. They can only be opened with the locket. Avery claims the last place she brought it to was the bridge near the river.

Jaxx and I searched everywhere. He even brought some old scuba gear to search the river. Of course, we weren’t able to use it. Not since the mutations.

We looked for an hour before we found a fish. To my surprise, it was a regular fish. One that wasn’t affected by the mutations. Jaxx caught it, bringing it back to the base for dinner. Unfortunately, we forgot that Mary is allergic to seafood. Now she’s sick.

I sincerely hope that the locket wasn’t in the river. With all the sea life living there, we don’t stand a chance.

Day two. Mary is still sick. Avery offered to come with us to look for the locket, but we refused. She’s the only one who knows how the locket works, and we couldn’t risk putting her in danger. She’s mad at us now, but she’ll get over it.

I reviewed the letter again. It was the only thing to come out of the device. According to the date, we now only had six days to save the world. Whatever is in the chests will stop the mirror. Mary says it’s not worth it, that the world is already destroyed. But from my perspective, we still had a chance to restart.

Jaxx came back from his mission with a new scar, a slash across his face. His son, Michael, adores it. Jaxx hates it.

Avery finally got the radio to work, but we didn’t get anything from it. We might be the last people alive. If that’s true, we need to find that locket. There’s a chance that we are humanity’s last hope.

Day three. I got attacked by a snail today. One of the venomous ones. I ended up losing my leg, but thanks to Avery, I got a replacement. She had been working on that robotic limb for years now, and she finally got the chance to use it.

Jaxx keeps running his fingers down his scar. He already sees himself as a burden, and the scar definitely did something to his self-esteem. I wish he knew that he doesn’t need to be invincible, he just needs to be strong.

Good news, the device is working again. I hope that the actions we’ve taken have affected the future.

Avery just came back with another letter.

6/26/2033

HELP ME. IT’S SO COLD.

I CAN’T FIND THE LOCKET. I’VE TRIED TO OPEN THE CHESTS IN THE BUNKER WITHOUT IT, BUT IT’S IMPOSSIBLE.

COLD.

It’s dated two days from now. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like we’ve done anything useful. Not yet, anyway.

We’re preparing for another mission. I have to go.

Day four. The letter is to be written tomorrow. The handwriting didn’t look familiar to me, so there’s a chance that somebody else is out there.

We are currently resting in an old cabin. Mary keeps complaining about all the nails sticking out of the floor. Jaxx and Michael haven’t returned yet. Avery is still trying to remember where she left the locket.

Michael just came back. He says that Jaxx is still out there. I hope he’s doing okay.

Day five. Avery just remembered where the locket is. It’s in the castle, where the device was held before the apocalypse. Thankfully, we're almost halfway there.

The letter is being written as we speak. Hopefully the writer is close by.

Ok, Jaxx is back. We’re getting on the road again.

Day six. We did it! We found the locket! We’ve been running all day, and this is our only stop. The world ends tomorrow. Our base isn’t too far from here.

The locket is more beautiful than I remember. There’s not a scratch on it.

Hang on, we’ve got to fight this mutated coyote. I’ll be back soon.

Day seven. We lost. Avery is dead, mauled by the coyote. Nobody can open the chests now.

We’ve been at it for hours, but to no avail. Avery was the only one who could work the locket. The letter is to be written today. I know what I must do.

6/28/2033

WE LOST. IT’S OVER.

THE WORLD IS ENDING AS I WRITE THIS. I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE DID WRONG. I CAN SEE THE METEOR.

-HOPE