Dies iræ, dies illa

Solvet sæclum, in favilla

We had fucked up, and we knew it. We shouldn't have been surprised when the end came, but when it comes in such a spectacular fashion... Who could have known it would be so literal? The Apocalypse was nigh, and the world was going up in flames.

It had started in the largest population centers. Massive columns of fire pouring down from the sky, slowly expanding and destroying everything in their path. It seemed John had gotten the rest of it wrong, though. There was no Anti-Christ, no seven headed beast, no angels or horsemen. Just a holy fire from above, curing the Earth of the infection known as humanity.

Nothing survived. Even the greatest cities were reduced to vast plains of ash. There was no safe place to run to, no hope for reprieve. Where does one go to escape the hand of God?

Confutatis maledictis,

Flammis acribus addictis

Voca me cum benedictis

The Apocalypse didn't happen quickly, in a single minute, hour, or day. It had been a week since the whole thing had started. At first it had been televised, Tweeted, and Intragrammed, at least in the places that hadn't been destroyed immediately. But when it had become clear all was lost, the reports and reposts had stopped. As one might expect, some people turned to peace, and some to chaos. It hardly mattered, the outcome would be the same either way.

Adam Reilly had resigned himself to his fate. His life had not been anything special. In fact, all things considered, he welcomed the end. The end of sadness and loss. The end of hurt and despair. The only problem was, the end was taking its sweet time getting to him. When he was finally able to see the wall of fire on the horizon he went out to sit on his front porch.

The street was long since deserted, and bathed in the strange glow of sunset in the West, and eternal damnation in the East. He sat and closed his eyes and waited. Waited as the glow on the other side of his eyelids intensified. Waited as the heat enveloped him. Waited for the end.

Lacrimosa dies illa,

Que resurget ex favilla

Judicandus homo reus

Huic ergo parce, Deus

When his eyes opened he was surprised. The first surprise being that he had eyes left to open. The second being that he was lying on his back looking up at trees. Trees that were rustling softly in the breeze, not burning to nothingness.

Blinking away the blurriness in his vision he sat up. Looking around he saw more trees, grassy fields, flowers, and streams. And a woman. She lay on the ground next to him, also awakening. He had never seen her before and when her eyes met his she seemed just as confused as he was.

It was then that God spoke to them. Not in a booming voice from the heavens. No, the words were imparted into their minds. They were simply given knowledge.

They were all that was left of the human race. They had been spared to start over. Rather than start fresh, humanity would be rebuilt by two people with knowledge. Knowledge of what had led to the Apocalypse, so that this time it might be avoided. There would be no Tree of Knowledge, no apple, and no snake. They would reboot Earth.

The fires had gone out weeks ago. This had been the only place untouched. They would not find any traces of the past, only ash, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Turning and looking again at the woman, he extended his hand.

"I'm Adam," he introduced himself.

"Eve." She smiled shyly.

Welcome to Earth

Population: 2