It was that day. The day that would turn out to be the last — for many. And for the rest of us, it was the last of its kind.
For me too, it marked an ending. The final day in the rhythm of a life that had repeated itself so often. Wake up. Work alone in my room. Eat. Go to my part-time job at the store. Eat again. Sleep. Repeat.
Sometimes, I'd break the loop by visiting my aunt Shiori — my only remaining family — at her apartment for dinner. But that was rare.
Sunday, March 1, 2037. That was the day. At 10 a.m., I was already seated at my desk, deep in work. My shared apartment had become my reluctant home after finishing my master's degree in physics at MIT. I hadn't planned to stay, but here I was.
The door burst open. Jacob Tuffin, my best friend and roommate strode in with his usual swagger and, judging by the smell and his wide grin, likely a hangover. That was typical Jake — carefree, chaotic and in every way my opposite
He had dropped out of the same physics master's program just before completing it, then settled for a bachelor's degree and didn't even work in that field. That always struck me as… questionable?
"Yo, Kazu, dude", he drawled, slurring his words slightly. „It's Sunday! Can't you just chill for once and not work on your precious project, Mr. ‚I'm disciplined and cold'?"
I turned slightly, on the edge of annoyance. His delivery was routine by now — but he still managed to poke at me.
Yet, despite everything, he was my only real friend. And I was his. Why that was, I couldn't say. But I was glad for it.
"Oh Jake," I said, not trying to hide the sarcasm, „how about waking up without a hangover for once and doing something useful, something that makes just a little sense?"
He clutched his chest like I had stabbed him. "My god, you little imp. You always hit below the belt. You're impossible to beat! The god of dissing…"
I gave him a half-smile. "I've got a meeting with the professor at eleven. Need to return the microscope I borrowed from the university's lab. He wants to drink a coffee afterward, too, so I'm heading out."
Jake nodded, already half-tuned out. "Yeah, yeah… I've got… stuff to do too. See you tomorrow. Or tonight, if I manage to survive."
He slipped out of the door, and I got up, pulling on my gray coat and picking up the carefully packed microscope.
Outside, a crisp spring breeze met me. The sky was filled with light clouds, and the sun hung low, casting bright but not harsh light across the city.
The university was only a few hundred meters away and I began to walk.
The streets were quiet. Too quiet.
Empty.
Empty they were.
Empty.