19 June 2050, 1205. Singapore. One week before the end of the world.
Hot and humid weather as per usual.
It was frustrating. I still recalled back when I was still a young girl, I dreamt of a country where the neighbourhoods were enclosed with a huge dome where everything was air-conditioned inside. But it was a feasible dream of a far-flung future. Definitely not in this era.
My name is Yoon Eunari (한은아리), a Korean girl whose previous successors of the Yoon lineage have been staying in the tropical city of Singapore for the past few generations. According to family history, my most recent ancestors migrated over to this place to escape from the second Korean War, with the help of some connections. Currently, we were staying at Bishan, a neighbourhood near the eastern side of the Little Red Dot.
"War is never good. Neither side wins, and is simply a meaningless battle built upon the worse qualities of humans." That's what my grandma always said when one of us brought up the topic of the war, and I believed her words wholeheartedly. It was true. I could never refute her wise words.
But I still didn't understand why my grandma chose Singapore, among all the other countries in the world. The environment and the sights were pleasant and nice, yes, but most of the time it was scorching hot.
First step outside, and the heat stabs the scalp. With the next step you would wish you never left the house.
"That's because…" Grandma would stare into blank space out of the window sheepishly when I asked why. Nowadays, I couldn't be bothered anymore as I was now an adult, aged 28 years old and still single. Might as well be grateful for what I have at the moment.
But my parents? I hardly remember them. I could only vaguely recall a blurry image 26 years ago of two figures watching over me that I presumed to be my parents. Grandma told me that they, including my grandfather, simply died in the war. Was I supposed to feel something about their deaths? I guess it is reasonable for me to not feel sad for it, since I hardly knew them.
As for my job, I was in my office working for a tech company that I did not have a sliver of interest in working for, but I was just doing it for the money.
"Hey, Eunari, can you help me with this?"
It was the voice of my junior colleague, Arong.
I stood up from my seat, straining my neck and eyes to see what was on his computer. I found out the error.
"Here, you are supposed to do it like this." I muttered, my fingers intuitively flying over his keyboard. His eyes widened with understanding.
"Oh, I get it. Thanks."
Boring work, but at least it was something that I was good at.
"No problem." Yet I still smiled. What was so joyful about this?
"Eunari-ya, do you like to help others?" Grandma asked that one time.
Maybe that's the reason. Maybe I just like to help other people. Maybe it was not just about the money.
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25 June 2050, 2015 DST (8:15 am in SG). Singapore. One day before the end of the world.
I rolled out of bed groggily, staring at my messy, unkempt black hair in the mirror as morning light streamed through the window.
Have I ever thought about quitting my job? Of course. But being a senior to my colleagues gives me a certain joy in my heart – it was something precious to me, seeing them learn and understand.
Grandma talked to me every day before work. I was inclined to listen to whatever she had to say, even if it was something completely random.
"Eunari-ya, I believe that whatever interest that you might have, it is a gift from God."
I sat with her on the couch for a moment in silence. I responded.
"Why do you think so?"
First of all, I wasn't a religious person whatsoever. But it was natural for one to think that God exists, as for some, it can bring them comfort knowing that there is a supreme power out there protecting them. Especially since Grandma had gone through the traumatic experience of war that not many people can relate to.
"There must be a reason for Him to create everything. You, me and the universe. We all have a purpose in life."
She added. "You are a strong woman, Eunari-ya. Believe in yourself and the remaining good in this world."
A strong woman and the remaining good…
"Grandma, do you think people are born evil?" I sounded almost like a child asking that question, but every moment could be my last time with her. I had to cherish it.
Grandma paused for a while before muttering aloud.
"No. I believe that evil is created and nurtured by the unfairness of the world."
Her response caught me off-guard. I mean, I believed otherwise, seeing the atrocities that the world had to offer. I believed that evil was a natural force that was already born into human hearts, but knowing that Grandma was hardly ever wrong, I sat there pondering in silence.
How long has it been since we discussed about such a complicated question?
But I guess it was in the genes. We loved asking these kinds of questions – it kept our minds sharp, according to her.
"Never forget what is good and what is evil in this world, Eunari-ya."
Grandma broke the long-stretched silence.
"Try not to become like one of those people who mixes the two of them up."
I understood what she meant.
Some people in this world may feel that lying, murdering, and destroying are the 'good' in this world, but only those who stick true to their beliefs would be able to properly differentiate the two.
I rubbed the collar of my shirt between my thumb and index finger, silently vowing to keep my beliefs. It is the only thing that makes us truly human.
"Thanks, Grandma."
I bowed towards her before stepping out of the house.
For some strange reason, I felt like I needed to hear that, and not because it's from Grandma.
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26 June 2050, 0650 DST (6:50 pm in SG). Singapore. Ten minutes before the end of the world.
I was bored.
It was after work and felt that I should work out my muscles for a bit.
Wearing a raven-black track suit, I stepped out to jog along the pathway of the nearby Bishan Active SG Park. The sky was about to be enveloped in darkness, with the light from nearby lampposts and the setting sun fighting against it as they illuminated the stone pavement. Not that I was scared of the dark, but I preferred it to be a bit brighter, as I could accidentally trip along the gutters or over some cracks in the ground.
I could feel my body heating up with each step. Sweat building along my forehead. Breathing becoming quicker. I didn't always get the chance to do this, but might as well do something I did not always do in life while I still had it.
It wasn't really me to go out an exercise on my own. After all, I hated exercising, but I once heard that jogging in the evening could help to alleviate stress and anxiety from my colleagues. Seemed to be working though, as my mind only focused on the jog rather than on the work I had to go through for the rest of the day.
Pausing to catch my breath as I sat down beneath a huge tent-like structure, I recalled the conversation I had with Arong a while ago.
"Want to have dinner together?" His voice echoed through my head. "It's on me."
Judging by his blatant, awkward expression, I knew immediately what he was trying to do. I declined his offer, saying I had somewhere else to go, when that was a lie. I did feel a tinge of guilt for lying.
Never forget what is good and what is evil in this world, Eunari-ya.
To others, lying is probably something insignificant. I mean, we lie all the time for the sake of convenience. But lying is still evil, no matter what anyone says. Tomorrow, I will apologise to him.
I smiled bitterly, staring towards the beautiful splash of sunset red and indigo seemingly painted on the canvas of the darkening sky. Joggers like me ran past my view, and I imagined Grandma next to her bed, staring out of the window and drinking a warm cup of tea. Life was peaceful in its own way. One must stay still and observe to realise that.
I took a deep breath. Maybe I should save up money to bring Grandma on a vacation.
That was when I noticed a faint lone star in the night sky near the horizon, glowing with brilliance. But it left me perplexed.
It wasn't possible for there to be any visible stars in the sky, because of Singapore's city lights…
Being curious, I stood on my feet, stepping out of the shelter to stare at the star. Strangely, it grew brighter, parting the darkness bit by bit. Winds whipped up, blowing my hair in all directions. Trees swayed as leaves fell like raindrops.
Was it a bomb? It was too bright to be one… but what was it?
My instincts told me to run.
Hesitantly, I continued to stand there as the winds picked up in speed. That was when a huge gale slammed onto my back, knocking me off my feet and causing me to grip onto the nearby lamppost. The trees bent to the side, trying their best to anchor to the ground.
I hugged the pole, hoping it would end soon, but the winds increased in intensity and the ground started to shake. Desperate, I tried to run back to the direction of home, only to be tossed and thrown to the floor like a helpless toy.
An earthquake? But due to Singapore's geographical location, earthquakes were impossible, at least not of this scale.
A huge crack formed along the ground near where I was standing, clearing my doubts. I stumbled back.
Grandma… I hope she is safe.
I prayed to whatever God out there that they could protect Grandma, because I felt that I wouldn't make it back alive.
I winced with tears. I could actually die here.
A glittering sharp object flew towards my direction, slicing my calves as I wrapped myself in my arms' embrace in an attempt to protect my vital organs. I took a sneak peak and realised that the windows of the houses nearby all shattered, leaving a trail of glass shards that twirled in the air.
I felt like slapping myself.
What's with this mindset? Am I truly going to die a humiliating death from flying glass?
With my back facing the houses, I ran out of the park, occasionally stumbling but swiftly getting back up on my feet.
Adrenaline filled my veins. I'm not going to die today. No matter what happens, I'm going to survive.
You are a strong woman, Eunari-ya.
I wiped my soaked eyes, convincing myself it was just from the sweat. A glimmer of hope that held on to the thought that Grandma might still be alive pushed me forward.
Please, please, please!
I ran straight into a junction where all the cars halted on the street, with people frantically waving and shouting on the sidewalks whilst holding onto the closest object they can grab. Another strong wind current blew my way, narrowly missing me and knocking the cars into a wall. Upon seeing that, I felt my heart skip.
If I was hit by that, I could have died.
I recollected my thoughts. Okay, I'm now out of the park now. Where do I go from here? Home is still a long stretch away, and I won't be able to survive from this weather.
I looked up, and the star shone ever so brightly in the sky, almost matching the intensity of the Earth's own sun. The light from its illumination splashed a shimmering gold hue everywhere, basking the surroundings with a tide of unusual warmth and intensity.
As I looked around, I noticed a couple with a baby that huddled closely in their embrace. shielding him from the debris and wind that blew at their direction. A lone, torn off piece of a wall flew straight at them.
A single thought appeared in my head, ignoring my survival instincts.
I've got to help them.
I must.
Try not to become like one of those people who mixes the two of them up.
This body of mine seeks safety, but it is nothing more than a selfish notion.
To carry out Grandma's will, I must, in spite of all this chaos, be the one to at least attempt to save a life.
I will follow her words, at the cost of my life.
Without further hesitation, I lunged between the piece of the wall and the couple, pushing the wall away with all my might as I anchored my feet to the ground.
That was when I was immediately thrown off my feet by a brick slab, tearing my joints and ligaments that held my legs to my torso.
What… just happened?
What came next after the shock was something else.
The pain – it was unbearable, indescribable, and merciless.
It felt as if what remained of my body was burning in the fires of hell. It latched on to the fibres of my innards, sinking its devilish fangs into whatever was left like a ravenous wolf.
Pain, pain and more pain.
I barely felt my chin land on something soft and wet, with my vision clouding in bloody, crimson red.
Screams could be heard everywhere, echoing my own hell.
Yet I could not scream, simply because I don't have the energy to do so.
Blood splattered across the street, and I wasn't sure whether the blood belonged to me or the people.
It was truly a grotesque scene, as if it came straight out of a horror movie.
Maybe it was just a bad dream.
Despite the gnawing and shock-filled sensation, I used my remaining energy to lift my head, trying to use my arms to crawl back to a nearby shelter.
Common sense told me that it was futile, useless and a waste of my time.
I mean, I was going to die anyway.
I took a quick glance at my lower body, and sure enough, the legs were no longer connected to the body. In the place where my legs were supposed to be was a lump of stretched, disfigured mass together with the exposed bones of my waist.
At that moment, I felt my consciousness was fading away as a light-headed sensation took over, with death looming over the horizon.
Is this what it feels like to die?
Is this what you call a humiliating death?
But in the end, it was unavoidable.
My future, and everybody else's future, just didn't exist.
There was no chance given for me to save a life, but at least I'm grateful for the chances that I was given.
Reluctantly, I gave way, succumbing to the cold embrace of futility. The world darkened as it collapsed around me, throwing me into a pit of nothingness.
Maybe, just maybe…
Someone is hearing my thoughts right now.
My final, most futile thought echoed in my mind.
May God please protect Grandma.
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26 June 2050, 0700. Singapore. 0 seconds before the end of the world.
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26 June 2050, 0700. Singapore. 1 second after the end of the world.
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26 June 2050, 0700. Singapore. 2 seconds after the end of the world.
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26 June 2050, 0700. Singapore. 3 seconds after the end of the world.
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26 June 2050, 0700. Singapore. 4 seconds after the end of the world.
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Ding!
[Congratulations! You have been chosen to become a 'Survivor' by the Pillar. Do you accept? Y/N]
[Option accepted. You have now become a 'Survivor'!]
[Your body has completely healed due to the effects of the Pillar's 'system'.]
[Removing excretory products and waste materials from body's biological system…]
[Process complete.]
[Now teleporting to the lobby…]