[Audio clicks on]

We're not dead. Surprisingly.

It's been almost twenty-four hours since we woke up and found ourselves in a world of empty quietness. The rumbling has stopped, and the silence is so loud my ears are ringing.

We shouldn't have disabled the alarm. If we hadn't, we would've woken up to the evacuation alert like everyone else did. But we did. And now we're alone, just me, Niki, and Gramps. The only people left in Initium.

Gramps says it possible there are others who missed it. Others who will be here with us to help us rebuild some sort of civilization, even if the submarines don't come back. I suppose it's possible, but the chances are unlikely. Niki knows it and so do I.

But Gramps insists. In fact, he's so insistent he opened up the shop today and is acting like everything is normal.

He told us to do the same, but Niki's shut himself in his room.

I came out here to the roof.

It's so...silent.

[Jordyn sighs deeply]

There are no cars, no trucks, no voices. No annoying neighbours blasting music way too loud or doing home renovations.

Nothing.

My voice feels too loud. It's like I'm speaking loudly in the library, or something. I feel like everyone can hear me.

Can they?

I don't know.

[There is a long silence]

I wonder where my friends are.

I wonder if they're safe. Are the submarines holding up? Did they find a new land, a new world, to start a new life on?

Is the new world safe? Is it different?

[Another pause]

If I screamed right now, how much would it echo?

[Jordyn sighs again]

I can't do this. I'm gonna go listen to music and read, or something. Maybe I'll watch a movie.

[End of audio]