The Artifact

Journal entry: Day 193 since the disappearance

This should’ve been a normal day like any other. I would wake, wash, get dressed, have breakfast, and go to my classes. But it isn’t, no anymore. I don’t even know why I keep writing into this stupid thing, it’s not like anyone can read it considering that they all disappeared from the face of the earth, but I guess writing here is still keeping me somewhat sane, if there was ever such a thing.

Anyway, I think I’m getting close to finding the “artifact”. After weeks of looking like a lunatic for all the clues, I think I’m finally on the right track and hopefully close. I still can’t explain it, any of it, but maybe somehow I can fix it, maybe I can bring everyone back.

In case anyone else reads this, somehow, my name is Alice, I’m a 21-year-old woman from North Dakota and I am currently the only human on earth as far as I know. Or at least the only one in the USA, I haven’t been able to check the rest of the world, but considering I’ve tried all communication methods and no answer, I think it’s pretty safe to assume I’m alone. How did this happen? Honestly, I don’t know. I just know that it was a normal Wednesday afternoon, I just got out of my social psychology class and was running late for my yoga class, when all of a sudden I felt sick and very dizzy. Before I even knew what was happening, I think I fainted. I woke up a couple of minutes later, dusted myself off, and continued on my way slowly. And that’s when I first noticed it, the silence. It was so strange, I mean I could hear all sorts of alarms and weird mechanical sounds like car alarms, or fire alarms, birds and animal sounds, but nothing else, no human sounds. I freaked out in the beginning, of course I did, who wouldn’t? I started running around looking for people, but found no one. I started screaming and shouting, asking for everyone, anyone to answer, but still nothing. I ran quickly back home looking for my mom and she wasn’t there; she should’ve been there. I tried to call her and dad, but no answer. I switched through all the TV channels and they were all empty, I mean no emergency transmission giving me any hint of what might’ve happened, nothing, just quiet. While I still had electricity and internet I quickly tried to find any sort of information of what might’ve happened, and that’s how I found it.

I was number 6 on trending on Twitter: The manifesto. A 22-page document describing how there is a glitch in this “system”, that a “disruptive object” has appeared in the system and has created a glitch in the normal flow of the process. The document described that we needed to find the object and destroy it before it damages our system so badly that the “testers” decide to terminate the project. Just a bunch of crazy talk right? Yeah, that’s what probably everyone thought, but when I read the part where it was briefly describing what will happen if the project will be terminated everything clicked for me, because that is exactly what happened.

So you might think, what is this? Are we just some lab rats being experimented on by aliens, or, is this the “simulation theory”? Honestly, I don’t know, and I don’t really care. Because everything that was written here so far actually happened, step by step, and I don’t have that much time left. You see, the disappearance of the entire human race in a blink of an eye was just the first step in the “shutting down” process and, since then all other steps that were written in the document have happened. So it’s pretty much the end of the world, but there is still one hope. I know, I know, cliché end of the world scenario, there is always one last thing, one hero, that can save the entire world, but honestly, I don’t care. If I can somehow save everyone I love and save the entire world while I’m at it, you best believe I’m going to try everything I can.

So at this point, you’re probably saying: Go on protagonist, tell us what is it, how can you save the entire world? Haha ok, at this point I think I’ve definitely lost it. But, long story short, I need to find the “disruptive object" or the “artifact”, as I like to call it, and, well, destroy it. Then, technically, the world should just reset itself to the moment before the “artifact” has appeared in this project and messed up everything. The document has given me plenty of clues that have been all right so far, and I am on my last stretch, so I’m hoping I can find it soon, and with only 7 days left I am definitely cutting it close. Oh yeah, guess I forgot to mention, the “shutting down” process will be complete in 200 days after the initial event, so no time to waste. Wish me luck, I might be able to find the “artifact” today.

Journal entry: Day 194 since the disappearance

Hi! Ok, ok, so, I think I found it, I mean I hope this is it, it must be, right? I mean it was where the clues let me to it. I mean, I’m not crazy right? Or I might be. Let me explain why I’m so confused.

The clues led me to a hidden and strange waterfall and they said the “artifact” should be in a cavern under the waterfall. Because of the resetting system, everything in this world has changed including landscape and nature. So, the lake where the waterfall was is now pretty much a desert, and where the waterfall should’ve fallen from, is now just a small mountain. Halfway up this new mountain I found the cavern and immediately found the “artifact”. I mean it was pretty much shining, reflecting the light from the sun. But this is where I’m confused, the “artifact” is a heart-shaped locket. A necklace! Are you kidding me? The world got destroyed because a necklace appeared? I don’t know anymore, I’m probably losing it.

So you might be thinking: so what if it’s a necklace, just destroy it and save the world already! Don’t you think I tried that already!? I tried everything I could think of! I smashed immediately with a rock, nothing happened. Smashed it with a metal bat, dropped in all sorts of acids I had stored, I even dropped it in a river of lava. Yes, I do have a river of lava available, the planet is disintegrating so there are many places where the earth cracked and is now revealing the lava underneath. I dropped it in there, I saw it go into the lava, and then it just appeared back around my neck like nothing happened. I don’t get it! It’s clearly not a normal locket, but then how do I destroy it? The document said nothing about how I destroy it. It pretty much said find it and then destroy it to reset the project.

I don’t know what to do anymore, I want everyone back, I want my friends and my family back, I want my normal life back! I can’t do this anymore!

Journal entry: Day 195 since the disappearance

I think I found something! I’ve been playing around with it and managed to open it. Inside was a picture of, well, me. What the hell is happening here? What does that mean? How can there be a heart-shaped locket with a picture of me inside, hidden in a cave behind a waterfall, in the middle of nowhere? How? And why can’t I destroy it?

A couple of hours have passed now and I don’t know anymore what to do. I’ve tried everything to destroy it and nothing works. I read the document again and again looking for clues, but nothing. I’m running out of time. I have thought of one last option but before I try it I just wanted to make one last entry, in case anyone sees this. I think the “artifact” that messed up everything is not the necklace, I think it's me. Somehow my existence or something I did has messed up this “project”, or world, or whatever it is that we live in. I can’t imagine how. I’ve always been a good girl, followed all the rules, listened to my parents and tried to carve a good life for myself, but somehow, somewhere, I messed up and something happened. I know this sounds crazy, I don’t even know what to think about it, but this has to be it. I can’t see any other option. And in a way, this also answers the question I had from the beginning: why me? Why was I left here when everyone else disappeared? Maybe because I wasn’t even supposed to be here? I don’t know. But at this point, I am running out of time and this is the only option I see.

I am hoping that maybe when the “artifact” is destroyed everything will be reset, hopefully, to a moment before I became the thing that destroys the world, without even realizing it. So I am hoping I’ll be ok, but even if I’m not and I don’t come back at all, I’m fine with that too. I’d rather disappear if that would save the rest of the world. So, here goes nothing!

I’m going to jump in one of those lava rivers I mentioned before. From the science I remember it should be quick, so hopefully it won’t hurt much. Plus, is not like I have many other options. I put the necklace around my neck just in case it is still the “disruptive object”, or at least part of it somehow. Maybe both of us need to disappear at the same time. Anyway, I’m not taking any chances.

I’m hoping that this will fix everything and everyone will come back. If somehow anyone reads this and I wasn’t “reset”, please remember me. And please find out what happened, what I might’ve done. Maybe we don’t repeat the same mistake. Take care of yourselves.

End of entry.

“Oh Jonathan, you shouldn’t have! Thank you so much, I love it!” Andrea shouted to her husband who was just getting the car out of the garage.

“I shouldn’t have what? What are you talking about darling?” Jonathan responded.

“For this beautiful heart-shaped necklace.” she said running outside to show him how beautifully it was sitting on her collarbone.

“What is that?” he said seeing the beautiful necklace his wife was wearing. “Where did you get that from?”

“From you of course! Come on, no need to hide it anymore honey, I love it!” Andrea said while embracing her husband. “Happy Anniversary to you too!”

“Andrea darling, I’m serious, I didn’t get you any necklace, where did you find it?” he said, visibly concerned.

“It was on the counter, in the kitchen.” She said, fear starting to appear on her face too. “What do you mean you didn’t get it for me? How did it get in the house then?”

“No idea! Open it, maybe there is some information inside?”

Andrea opened it revealing a picture of a young, blond, blue-eyed and very handsome man.

“Who is that?” she asked her husband.

“I don’t know, never saw him before. How….”

That is when the emergency sirens started to blare ominously across the entire city.