We should have known better...

“We should have known better.” She thought as she allowed herself a few moments of rest. “We should have known that one day our arrogance and stupidity would lead to this.”

She pushed herself off the rock she had been leaning on and started back down the road. She kicked some rocks as she walked. Angry at what the world had become.

Once beautiful and lush the land was now barren and desolate. It had happened so fast. Like the earth decided to eat itself overnight. They called it the Fever. It struck quickly, did enough damage to change everything, then broke like it had never happened in the first place. The core temperature had increased so much that oceans died along with the plant life. Water became harder and harder to find which led to more and more conflicts. Billions perished and the modern era of Wifi and technology ended. She moaned to herself as she remembered all the things she used to take for granted. None of that existed anymore. Infrastructures had crumbled and cities were abandoned. Six months. That was it. It still amazed her that it had taken so little time. Granted, those six months had been hell just trying to survive but now it seemed like such a small amount of time for things to change so drastically. No more governments or industry. It was like being thrust straight back into the middle ages.

There were still people here but enough had died that it had irrevocably impacted the world. Everything changed. Continents were no longer separated by vast oceans therefore the remaining people were forced to move on and naturally gravitated towards the last known water sources. No one could explain why they even existed anymore and because they were the last those desperate for this life saving resource had fought hard to be near it. This had led to more conflict and even more deaths. Eventually a new government had been chosen. Born out of necessity by those eager to stop the bloodshed these chosen leaders had brought some semblance of normalcy back. The remaining people settled and started to rebuild. Ideas were shared and materials combined to create the new communities. Large structures that essentially acted as huge terrariums were built and, it had taken a long time, but eventually the ground became fertile again and they were now able to grow basic crops.

3 years had passed since the Fever. She was part of a group of people tasked with venturing out and looking for supplies or signs of life beyond the remaining settlements. Those in charge were hopeful that maybe the land was starting to heal itself but she wasn’t convinced. It hadn’t rained in years and, although she struggled to remember her grade school science lessons that taught about water cycles, she was smart enough to deduce that it probably didn't rain because there wasn’t enough water left in the world. She had no idea why not all the water had dried up but she was grateful it didn’t, or at least hadn’t, at this point.

She had been walking for days and knew she would have to turn around soon. She had almost reached the halfway point of her supplies and was getting frustrated that she hadn’t seen anything to give her hope. Desolation was all she saw. Barren fields, abandoned buildings that were crumbling in the sun and deteriorating roads as far as the eye could see.

Sighing she adjusted her pack and continued to walk. Out of the corner of her eye a light danced. She glanced over and noticed the sun was glinting off a small object just off the road. Curious she bent over and brushed it off thinking it was a rock of some sort. She gasped as a delicate heart shaped locket was revealed. It was about the size of a quarter with a piece of twine threaded through it. She assumed that the chain had been broken and this was the next best thing. To her it signified that someone hadn’t wanted to lose the precious gift. The rim was encrusted in tiny diamonds and she marveled that she had even seen it lying there. She rubbed it on her shirt to clean away more of the dust and sand and noticed an inscription on the back.

“With love, Mom”

She sat down on the road and felt a lone tear sliding down her face. She opened the locket and found faded photos of a woman with brown hair, blue eyes and a gentle smile. The young girl had pigtails tied with pink bows and a huge grin. She was missing her two front teeth but the smile matched the woman’s and she knew it was a mother and her daughter.

The last few years hit her hard and fast. Her tears fell freely as she mourned the loss of the world she knew and the mother and daughter who had probably perished. She wept for herself, for the others and for her future. She sat there, her head in her hands as she let the despair she felt flow through her.

She finally stood, shaking her head as if to break herself out of her depression. She knew there was nothing out there to be found and she was tired of trying.

“We should have known better.” She grumbled to herself as she gripped the locket tightly, turned around and began the journey home.