14 February 2078 (42 days since the generator incident)

In the weeks following Arman's conversation with Dr. Nambu, rumors spread throughout the country that the moon was becoming increasingly unstable. As expected, panic ensued among citizens living near coastal areas, and many began evacuating inland. In response, the government dispatched teams to help relocate refugees, though it took time to convince them to move. Eventually, most moved willingly once the threat became clear: It wasn't just a rumor after all.

Government officials maintained official silence while conducting research into how best to stabilize things long-term. or, if necessary, destroy what little damage has occurred thus far.

Meanwhile, independent researchers continued their work. Some suggested that perhaps the OSA was simply mistaken and its calculations were flawed. Others believed that it possessed secret technology capable of stabilizing the moon. Still, others claimed that there hadn't been any problems so far because the Earth itself had become unstable, which caused tidal forces to increase geometrically every year. These theories proved popular in the media since they offered hope for salvation through technological advances rather than accepting God's judgment.

Still, others proposed that the cause of these changes was global warming, exacerbated by the excessive use of fossil fuels. This theory gained traction, especially during cold winters when temperatures plummeted worldwide. People felt that climate change was responsible. Of course, nobody ever considered the possibility of a real ice age occurring again. After all, it happened thousands of years ago. Surely Mother Nature couldn't possibly be getting ready to freeze over now...

Some people still held onto their faith and refused to accept the reality of the situation. Unfortunately, as more and more evidence accumulated against the OSA's claims, fewer and fewer remained. Even religious leaders lost credibility when they failed to provide answers or explanations. Many of those left behind soon turned to conspiracy theorists, claiming that the government and the OSA were deliberately hiding information from them.

Many abandoned religion entirely, choosing instead superstitious belief systems based upon fear, anger, hate, or anything else.

As the number of believers dwindled, the remaining few grew desperate. Those who didn't evacuate eventually starved to death in isolated villages where food supplies ran low. There were also outbreaks of violence between groups seeking shelter together, forcing officials to send troops into the affected regions.

Rioting broke out in several major cities around the globe. Angry mobs burned down buildings belonging to the ministry at various times. During one particularly large protest organized by angry protesters armed mostly with stones, despite all of this chaos, life went on. Businesses operated normally under the assumption that things wouldn't last much longer anyway.

The only thing missing right before what they call "Armageddon" arrived were horns blowing loud enough to drown out anything resembling optimism!

Arman found himself alone in his apartment. His mother had passed away several days earlier, and he'd recently learned that both his father and grandmother had died while rioters set fire to their homes.

I guess you can say goodbye to me too.

He sat quietly for hours, staring into space. When he looked outside, it seemed like the night had never ended. Clouds covered nearly half of the sky, but somehow light still managed to reach him. Every few minutes, thunder rumbled ominously somewhere nearby, followed by lightning flashes that lit up the dark landscape.

Through the window glass, he watched small black birds fly across the white expanse. They appeared to be heading somewhere, but Arman couldn't tell where they were going. Did they know something about what was happening? Were they trying to escape the impending disaster themselves? Or did they think the storm might bring an end to everything, wiping them clean along with everyone else?

He shook his head, unable to comprehend how some could remain optimistic when faced with such overwhelming odds. How could anyone continue believing in a god who allowed this kind of suffering? Why should he trust someone whose existence is based on blind faith and superstition?

But then, if I don't believe, who will?

***

Despite being forced underground, most people lived relatively normal lives. At first, they kept busy preparing for the worst-case scenario by stocking up on canned goods, bottled water, flashlights, batteries, candles, blankets, warm clothes, medicine, and other necessities. Then came the inevitable realization that nothing short of nuclear war or a massive meteor strike could destroy civilization. And even in the best case, humanity would have to rebuild itself from scratch. Most people gave up thinking about the future altogether.

They left work early every morning so as many workers as possible weren´t required during peak shifts (which happened almost daily). Many took time off after hearing news reports describing ongoing riots throughout the country. Millions fled inland rather than stay near shorelines exposed to tidal surges.

After losing his family, Arman decided to leave his job and join a group of volunteers helping displaced families. He wanted to do something meaningful before he joined them. For the past few days, he's been working in refugee camps, providing medical assistance whenever possible. Today, he volunteered to go out into the field and find survivors who needed urgent care. The hospitals have already overflowed with patients. If not for the help of dedicated doctors, nurses, and paramedics—many of whom worked without pay until their own loved ones were taken care of—more casualties would undoubtedly occur.

When Arman arrived at the site, he saw hundreds of tents erected among rows of trees. It wasn't hard to spot the injured because of their moaning and groaning. A couple dozen volunteer doctors, nurses, and paramedics attended to them. Some wore scrubs over street clothes; others dressed professionally. All were equally exhausted.

Arman helped carry the wounded into makeshift operating rooms located in shipping containers converted into temporary wards. One woman had her arm ripped open by debris from collapsing walls. Another man suffered multiple gashes on his arms and legs caused by broken glass. Two children were hit by falling tree branches, leaving deep cuts on their heads. Several women received serious injuries from fallen bricks. Others lost limbs.

At least five people died due to complications following surgery.

"We need more resources," said Dr. Piter de Vries, the leader of a team treating victims. "This isn't sustainable."

An emergency supply drop containing medical equipment and medication arrived shortly thereafter. With relief efforts ramped up, Arman finally felt like he was making progress. After seeing countless dead bodies lying in the streets, he couldn't imagine any of these patients surviving long-term. Even though modern medicine saves thousands of lives each year, it doesn't always prevent death once a person becomes seriously ill.

A young boy lay unconscious on the floor beside a bed, having undergone brain surgery. Doctors operated immediately after discovering he'd sustained severe skull fractures. Though they tried to save him, the child's condition worsened rapidly. As soon as Arman heard his screams fade into silence, tears began streaming down his face. He hadn't cried since his parent's death. But today he realized that despite all the pain and misery, life must go on.

It was difficult for him to accept, but he knew he wouldn't feel better unless he got back on track. So he focused instead on saving those who remained alive: washing bloodied wounds, administering antibiotics, and performing minor surgeries.

As he tended to one patient, another collapsed nearby and started bleeding profusely. Before he could rush to assist, two men lifted the victim onto a stretcher. An elderly woman sat next to the body, weeping uncontrollably while clutching a photograph of herself and her deceased husband. She looked frail enough that she probably shouldn't have gone through such traumatic experiences alone.

"I'm sorry, we're not able to give you anything more," an old doctor told her. "Your son will be buried here tomorrow. You can visit him anytime."

She nodded numbly, wiping away her tears. "Thank you, Doctor. Thank you for everything."

The same thing happened several times within minutes. People were dying faster now that supplies ran low, and the number of injured continued rising. No matter what anyone did to try to stem the tide, it seemed hopeless.

Suddenly, the ground trembled.

Everyone stopped working and looked around. They sensed something was wrong, although none of them could figure out exactly what. Suddenly, everyone screamed at once when they noticed a huge crack forming in the earth beneath their feet.

Fortunately, the earthquake occurred far offshore, where most people lived. Only a small section of the coast was affected. The damage wasn't nearly as bad. Actually, they only experienced a mild tremor. Nevertheless, people panicked and rushed outside. Many climbed onto rooftops or stood on top of cars.

Then, just as quickly, the shaking subsided.

"Why are earthquakes happening more often now?" someone asked.

Another quack followed almost immediately, this one even weaker than the first. When the second quake ended, the group gathered again, trying to make sense of things. "What does it mean? Are these signs from God?"

Several hours passed, during which Arman watched in horror as many more people died. Eventually, however, the situation stabilized somewhat. Most of the major injuries were treated successfully, so he moved on to less pressing matters.

Afterward, Arman found himself feeling depressed and overwhelmed. This was supposed to happen only in movies, he thought. Yet when reality struck, nobody expected it to be this bad.

Then suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. When he turned around, he saw a tall, handsome man wearing a black suit. His hair was dark brown and cut short, which made it easy to see how much effort went into maintaining its style. Although his eyes appeared to be blue or green, depending on the lighting, they changed color slightly with different shades of clothing. He had a strong jawline, perfect teeth, and piercing eyes that gave off an air of confidence and intelligence.

He introduced himself as Dr. Wellington Yueh, head researcher at a pharmaceutical company called Biozones Pharmaceuticals. "You seem very concerned about your fellow human beings."

"Yes, I am," Arman replied. He wiped his cheeks dry with a clean handkerchief. Then he noticed the other man holding a small plastic bottle filled with liquid.

Dr. Yueh smiled. "That's my special concoction. If you drink three ounces every hour, it should help restore your energy levels and make you feel better overall."

"What is it?"

The scientist removed the cap and shook out a pill into Arman's palm. The pills were round, white, and flat, like sugar cubes. They also smelled faintly sweet. "They contain a compound derived from natural plants grown on the island of Osono, where we conduct research. We call them 'Osonic Energy Bars.' It works wonders if you take it before you get tired. Unfortunately, we don't have nearly enough to distribute right now."

"But why do you even care? Aren't you worried about the future of your company?" asked Arman. "Shouldn't you focus on finding new treatments rather than trying to cure everyone?"

Yueh laughed. "Don't worry! There are plenty of drugs available. Our researchers have been working tirelessly ever since the first wave hit us."

When Arman looked skeptical, the scientist explained further. "All companies work toward their own goals and agendas. At Biozones Pharmaceuticals, our goal is to find ways to improve the health of humans across the world. That means creating medicines and supplements that benefit everybody."

After hearing him speak so passionately, Arman decided to trust him. So he swallowed all the pills the doctor had given him. Soon after, he felt energized and alert again. For some reason, though, he couldn't stop thinking about the dead bodies lying around everywhere. Even worse, he began worrying that those who survived would eventually forget how terrible life used to be. Maybe they wouldn't remember anything but the pain and suffering anymore.

***