The View

The TV was silent now. Gone were the days of nonstop rattling about “Virus X”. Very few people survived the “Final Pandemic”. Those of us who had survived the pandemic of 2020, and I was just 2 at the time, we were warned about just such a thing, but we were still excited when they started melting Antarctic ice. When the scientists got ill, several days later, they had no idea what happened. We never blamed them. We still stand behind their amazing research into our history. We didn’t know it was what wiped out the Dinosaurs all at once. But at least now we know.

I’m Alice, and I am a survivor of Virus X. I feel like I am in some kind of support group, but in a way, we are. We all live together now, us 30 and younger, who somehow survived, and not very many did. Anyone who went outdoors without a proper ventilation mask on would get it. And you couldn’t take it off. Even in the car, store, anywhere. Even for years after the people died, the virus remained stable in the air. I had to seal my doors and windows, and get specific filters for my air conditioner, when we had electricity. That’s how I found my safe place. Online.

It is amazing here, and I met the guy of my dreams here, Billy. He is my age, 29, and he is a hard worker, like me. He has a very compassionate side to him, as well, and can make me laugh so hard I am crying! We’ve been seeing each other privately for a few weeks now, and he asked me if I would meet him again tonight. It’s my birthday and I think he might give me a special gift he made!

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I am too excited already about tonight. A lot of the girls here have given me great gifts, a daisy chain crown to wear, a lovely new dress dyed blue with wildflowers and blueberries, made from the wild cotton growing near here, spun and then dyed, then woven, a lost art we re-learned. I also received a henna tattoo on my arms, so beautiful and intricate from my best friend, Samantha. And now it’s time to meet up.

We are walking and Billy says to me, “Sweetie, We know that we have to start repopulating this planet.” He’s guiding me somewhere but I don’t know where. It’s already very late. I nod my head in agreement, but I don’t understand.

We stop, and he sits down on a bench. I sit next to him. He puts his arm around me. It’s a nice night, and stars are everywhere. He has something else to say. “Alice, look at me.” I do. “Alice, I love you more than anything I have ever loved in my life. I want to start a great big family with you.” At this point, he turns around and pulls out a small box. He opens up the box. A small poof of dust, and a beautiful heart shaped locket is revealed inside.

“Yes, Billy, that’s exactly what I want too!” I tell Billy, in a bit too excited of a tone. Billy tells me that we are going to be the leading family for now. We’ll manage things for awhile and protect the future, and he has a great idea how to keep everything in check. I love Billy so much, I trust him and what he thinks is best for our future.

We sit on the bench and cuddle and talk about our future together in this new world where everyone lives together in harmony, and how we can rewrite history now, and include all of our archives and mistakes and how it would just take a couple of generations to get back to where we were technologically. We were still talking about our lives together as the sun came up, and together we witnessed the sun shining on the tops of the trees below, with the clouds so high and fluffy, it was so beautiful and I randomly opened the locket. As I do, I hear Billy screaming “NOOO!!” I look in the locket and see “Release Virus X”.