The upbeat drums and the snapping of 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go' by Wham! rang in her ears, as the speakers in the warehouse blasted the voice of George Michael, as he sang the opening lyrics.

Marie groaned in her sleep, annoyed by the sound that dragged her back to the real world. She turned on her back, looking up at the sky.  Heaviness in her chest rose, as she studied the grey, cloudy sky with her green orbs.
The hole in the rooftop of the warehouse conveniently enabled her to look up at the sky, first thing in the morning. It almost seemed to be a hole in reality, as the rooftop's wood and metal frame suddenly broke away, revealing a patch of grey sky.

Sitting up, she made a grab for the remote she kept beside her, changing the song by pressing the green button.
The beat changed to that of Michael Jackson's 'Beat It', as she crawled up through the hole, and sat on the rooftop. There, an old rusted ladder laid against the wall, in the perfect position for her to slide down directly.
As she slid down smoothly to the ground, landing with no sound, she noticed the ladder was getting more creaky. She reminded herself then to look for a new one or make one if matters came to worse.

The music kept going, Jackson's high voice echoing from inside the warehouse.

She went around to the front of the warehouse, taking out some keys from her pocket.
The warehouse's doors were made of metal (thankfully), and were not yet rusty. The handles were bound together by chains and a lock, which Marie had painstakingly put there.
She inserted the key into the lock, turning it right until it clicked. Then, she pulled the chains off-with a lot of effort-and pushed the doors open. They creaked, scratching the concrete floor as she pushed them back.
Darkness engulfed the inside, leaving nothing visible to the naked eye except the shadowy outline of shelves.

"Good morning." Marie spoke huskily, her voice echoing throughout the warehouse.
There was a loud click, and the lights turned on one by one, starting from the ones closest to the entrance and moving further in.

The warehouse was wide and big, probably as big as a basketball court. Rows of shelves to the left and right were filled to the brim with supplies of every kind; canned food, emergency water, wires, nails, chips, motherboards, alloys, grenades, etc. Some of shelves had refrigerated boxes and compartments, to keep specific things at the right temperature. Anything she could need until she died was stored on the shelves in boxes and crates. Some boxes even had plushies and keepsakes from her childhood. Even some photos were laying around randomly, some were flipped down though, as if someone wanted to avoid the eyes of the people in them. 

"Good morning, Miss Anderson. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

Marie's companion's voice resonated through the speakers, as the cameras on the walls turned to look at her. The music was paused abruptly, as the main systems turned on.

"Yeah, I did. What about you, Vee?" Marie replied, as she walked inside, closing the doors behind her. Her boots clacked against the floor, as she took strides towards her working table.
The shelves at the sides were full, but in the middle there was a lot of unused space. There were even barrels stocked with wood, for emergencies. At the far end of the warehouse, there were tables arranged in an l-shape, with all sort of tinkering projects piled on top, along with two big computers and screens, projectors, and papers.

"I do not sleep, Miss Anderson. I just turn off my systems."

Marie sighed. "Geez, could you play along?"
She threw herself onto the rolling chair, sliding around a bit and then smashing the keyboard.
"Anything new? Anything I have to do today?"

"Well Miss Anderson, I do believe today is Berry Day and Friday Movie Night."
Marie's mother's voice echoed, as the A.I replicated it for Marie's comfort.
The A.I had been the last gift her father gave her; a companion to feel less lonely in these silent times.
It was named V.A.I.N.N, its acronym standing for 'Versatile Artificial Intelligence Neural Network'. Vee, for short. Incidentally, her father made Vee's voice based on her mother's, using an analysis of her mother's voice and tone as a basis for Vee's voice and speech system.
Marie thought it was a nice, painful detail.

"Shit, I forgot. I also think I should go look for a new ladder. The current one is getting creaky and too rusty, it could break down any second." Marie said exasperated, as she checked today's weather reports and atmosphere checks. Small projectors on the computer screens built a 3D image for her, showing the Earth's surface and current stats.
A hologram, specifically.

"Language, Marie." Her mother's voice came out in a scolding way, her tone dropping.

Marie paused, and gave a small smile, closing her eyes. "Sorry, Vee."
Her heart strings were pulled, as a part of her was protesting for not calling her Mom.

Her fingers danced across the keys, as she was checking the warehouse's and Vee's systems, ensuring that everything was in order and nothing was at risk of any kind. The temperature in the servers room was not too hot, so that was nice.
Behind her, there was the door for the servers room, below the metal stairs that led to a windowed room she used as kitchen and living room. In there, a stove, a microwave, and a fridge were lodged in the far right corner. In front of those there were a comfy grey couch and an old circular table, which were positioned in front of a big screen that sat nicely on the wall.
It was a nice room, and everyone wonders why she didn't put her bed in there. 
The answer is simple; it wasn't as cozy as her corner in the rooftop, nor did it have a view of the grey sky.

"It's alright, Miss Anderson. Will you be going out now, then?"

Marie grabbed a hair tie that was lying around on the tinkering table and tied up her hair.
"Yeah. I wanna get back before sunset."
Her hands fumbled with the keys in her pocket, as she pushed the rolling chair back and stood up. "Also, I told you to stop calling me Miss Anderson, Vee. Call me Marie."

The A.I seemed to pause for a moment, her silence giving way to a deeper one, as for a moment, there was no sound other than the wind and birds.

"I apologize, Marie. I was just following the protocol."

Marie sighed, as she grabbed gardening scissors and a rope from a shelf and stuffed them in the backpack beside the table. "If only Vee was more talkative." She murmured, as she strapped on the backpack over her chest.

"What about breakfast, Miss Marie?"

She paused by the door, wondering if she should heed Vee's advice and eat at least an apple. She settled for picking fruit from trees she came by. "I'll be fine, Vee. See you later!" She called out, as she closed the door behind her as she exited the warehouse.
She replaced the lock and chains, being careful to do it properly. After all, everything in there was precious, and without it, it was doubtful that she'd live.
Not like she'd have any motivation left if that happened.

Marie looked around the Graveyard, checking to see that there were no wild animals. After all, seeing mountain lions wasn't rare. When she was sure it was safe, she walked across the concrete to the wire fence and slid under the gap between the concrete and the fence.
This proved to be easy, as her body was slim and her breasts weren't exactly big.

She stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes. The white shirt had been dirtied to the point of looking almost yellow, but the black pants were still okay. They were a bit brownish, but it wasn't so bad. She had been wearing the same outfit for a month though, so it was actually surprising it wasn't much more dirty.
She looked back to check on the warehouse, and then started walking towards the park. Well, what used to be a park. It was more of a forest than anything now. She planned to collect some berries from the bushes growing there and a few apples from Mrs.Williams' front door. It wasn't like the old lady could say no.
She had died a long time ago. 

As Marie walked on the streets of her old city, she passed by more and more rundown buildings and left the safety of the warehouse and the Graveyard behind.
The Graveyard was what she called the private property where there were lots of abandoned containers and a few warehouses, including her own. It was the safest area, since no wild animals could get in there because of the tall fence surrounding it.

"First stop is the old Williams' house. I could do well with some apples." She said, making a right turn, heading into the neighborhood where she herself used to live.
There, the houses seemed to be out of place, as they were smallish and country-like, compared to the huge concrete buildings behind and around them. The streets were empty, though there was the occasional bike in the middle of it.
Leaves were swept up by the wind, as it blew soflty through the neighborhood. It was quiet, too quiet.
Marie started to hum a song then, one of her favorites.
Most of them had ornated porches and verandas, with rocking chairs and hammocks.
In one of the street corners there laid the old, pinkish house of Mrs. Williams.

It was a two floor house, with a backyard and a built-in chimney. The walls were painted in a pale pink, though it was chipping off in the edges and vines were growing all over them. The veranda's wind charm whistled and rang, as wind blew past the street.

Marie smiled at the sight with fondness, recalling a time when the rocking chair was not vacant and an old lady yelled at children on the street. "You know, I may have slightly despised her, but I kinda miss her..."

She made her way to the backyard's gate, on the left side of the house. The keys jingled as she inserted the rusty one in the keyhole, pushing the gate open.
"Excuse me..." She said instinctively.
She crossed the stone path into the small backyard, where there laid an old sofa, a pair of broken plastic chairs, and a discarded bycicle. In the far left corner there stood a big apple fruit tree, with fresh red apples hanging from its branches. Its leaves were a bright green, still lush with spring's colors.
"They look pretty tasty, I guess.."

It was certainly a nice thing to look at.
Marie stood on the sofa and reached up to the branches, grabbing the reddest apple she could see. It weighed her hand down, as she jumped down the sofa and went back out the gate, closing it once again.

She looked back only once at the empty house, a small frown appearing on her face. "See you later, Miss Williams."

She walked back up the street, exiting the old neighborhood.
The kids  wonder why she didn't visit her home if it was so close, but the adults know why she didn't; it was just too painful to remember.

She munched on the apple as she walked, the juice dripping from her mouth. Her footsteps were light and silent, as she headed back the way she came and to the park. It had once been a lively place, full of children and laughter, but now it was just a forest where wolves would hunt you if you were not careful.
She tossed the apple core aside, nearing the park entrance. It had once been a nice gate with a sign over it that read 'City Park', but that had long since turned to a rusty, broken down gate and a faded sign. Tall trees peeked over the gate, populating everything on the other side of it.
She could hear the call of the birds and the distant chatter and screeching of monkeys. She absently wondered if she should have brought a bat.

She sneaked in, the gate creaking quietly as she did. The forest projected shadows over her, looming. She headed to the right, counting the steps in a whisper as she walked them. The bushes were to her right, a bit deep in the forest. She'd like to avoid any encounters with animals, if possible.

Marie took great care in not stepping on twigs or dry leaves, her shoes making no sound as she slowly put her foot down with precise calculation.

She recalled having gone there once with her pregnant mother, before the Collapse. The park had still been a park then, with regularly cut bushes and trees that were not allowed to grow past a certain height; children had laughed in the playground in the center, watched over by their parents.
She had gone over the plans for the next months with her mother; how they'd receive the baby and help father with the project at the same time.

She found the berries quickly having memorized their location, growing on a luscious bush enveloped by the sweet smell of ripe blueberries. She quickly set her backpack on the ground and opened a small compartment in it, snapping off some berries from the bush and gently dropping them in. After she was sure she had picked enough, she strapped her backpack over her chest again and rose slowly, careful not to make any sound.

The forest was full of the sounds of nature, unlike the rest of the city, which was dead silent. She was slightly calmer there, more at peace with other creatures to make her company. She instinctively glanced around, looking for tracks.

There was one set of tracks only that stood out to her; blood trailed off into the brush, staining leaves on its path. It was not unusual to see, since mountain lions and wolves creeped around that place, but it seemed like this animal had not been devoured or dragged. It had been injured and crawled away to hide probably.

Marie pursed her lips. "Should I go look?" She whispered to the forest. No answer was given, except the gentle brush of the wind against her cheek. She knew there was the risk of finding a predator devouring its prey, one she couldn't fend off against with her hands. On the other hand, she was worried about a possibly wounded animal. What if it had broken its leg?

She tightened her heart's gates close, and turned back, stepping back the way she came with her backpack heavy. She felt guilt sour her mouth, but she didn't turn back. "I'll come back tomorrow to help, promise. I have nothing to defend myself with right now..."

She exited the park with a heavy heart, the gate creaking close behind her. She still had no new ladder but it was Friday Movie Night, so she could probably let it pass and sleep in the couch inside the warehouse. She promised to herself to come back out tomorrow and look for the wounded animal and a new ladder.

The walk back to the Graveyard was silent except for her humming the tune of a Michael Jackson song. The sky turned a muddy brown with a hint of purple in the horizon, as the sun began to set. She'd get home quickly or she would be in danger of getting eaten by wild animals.

She slipped under the wire fence after making sure nothing was close, first her backpack then herself. Back in the safety of the Graveyard she sighed, unlocking the doors and taking off the chains.

"Vee, I'm back!"

The warehouse's lights turned back on and the cameras stared at her, almost gently. Marie picked up the lock and chains, closing the doors from the inside the same way she did from the inside. She was going to have to spend the night in the couch, not wanting to risk the ladder breaking.

"Welcome back Marie. How did berry picking go?"

Marie set her backpack on the desk, pushing aside some papers. She showed the cameras the berries, smiling. "It went well, with no difficulties." She assured. Berry Day had been her mother's idea; something to enjoy and keep their mind busy while spending time together aside from work. Of course, her family was now dead and the only who'd enjoy the berries was her.

The A.I. paused for a second. Was that a sigh? "Good. Would you like to eat before we start watching the movie?"

Marie nodded, walking to the shelves and picking out a can of peaches and a yogurt from one of the cold boxes, grabbing a bowl from another shelf for the berries and a fork. She hadn't noticed the gaping hole in her stomach until she grabbed the can and she grimaced. Skipping breakfast had not been that good of an idea.

She climbed the stairs to the windowed room as she gulped down the yogurt loudly. The room was not that big, but it was enough. She set the berry bowl on the circular table, plopping down on the couch as she pulled open the can and stabbed through the peaches and berries, bringing both to her mouth.
"Hey Vee, what will we watch today?"

"Whatever you want Miss Marie. I've gathered a list of films I thought you'd like, would you like me to read it to you?"

Marie gulped down her peaches, voice muffled with her mouth full. "Sure."

"Item number one: Star Wars The Force Awakens. Item number two: Zootopia. Item number three: Fly To The Moon. Item number four: Interstellar. Item number five: Avengers..." The A.I's voice systematically listed all the options, turning on the screen and showing to Marie pictures and clips from the movies.

Marie stared at the screen as she ate, contemplating the options until she heard one she liked. "Can we watch The Dark Tower?"

The cameras in the room seemed to nod, as the image on the screen changed to that of the said movie. "Of course Marie." Her mother's voice replied and the movie started.

Marie stared raptly, only getting up once to get popcorn. She was a bit hesitant to, as there were not many packages left, but she reminded herself that the crops she had planted would be ready soon and they'd probably be fine. She commented on the costumes a couple of times and on the inconsistencies with the book, chatting with her A.I. companion.

When the movie ended she hurried to the small bathroom downstairs beside the server room, going back up to the room later and snuggling into the couch. It had been a usual day, nothing relevant except maybe the wounded animal. The sun had set and her body was starting to feel sluggish, her eyelids heavy. She had barely eaten enough for a day, but she couldn't bring herself to eat more than that, even though she knew Vee would worry.

"Miss Marie, you should do the report for today before you fall asleep and eat something."

Marie sighed tiredly. "Sure." She shrugged. There was a beep, as Vee started recording. "Log Day 4385: I need a new ladder for my bed spot, the current's one about to break downn. I went berry picking to the forest and found traces of blood from a wounded animal. It was Friday Movie Night and I watched The Dark Tower." She spoke robotically, bored, then paused, seeming to regret her next words as she closed her eyes. "Still no signs of other humans. Just me. The atmosphere is getting better thanks to the A. P. machines in the cities, animals seem to be healthier too; haven't found one sick in months. The sky is still grey, but it's getting better.  For anyone listening this, I just want to say that I'm doing everything I can. I hope someday someone's going to listen to this."

The recording stopped with another beep as Marie let out a shaky sigh, trying to not let the frustration get to her. All these years of working, just to have no one to share the results with, not even a pet. The atmopshere was getting better yes, and the crops she had tried to plant in another warehouse in the Graveyard were not dying yet, but reality was that results were slow. She had been able to stop using the respirator mask thanks to the A.P machines a year ago, and she didn't cough anymore, but there was still a failure in her eyes: there were still no signs of human life aside from her.

Marie sank in the couch, determined to sleep it all away. Her blanket was still in her sleeping spot, so she could only hope Vee would turn up the heat a bit in the foom.

"Would you like me to read you a book? Should I sing a lullaby for you?" Her mother's cooed gently through the speakers. The sun had long set and V.A.I.N.N. had toned down the lights in the warehouse. Marie could hear the distant howling of the wolves, but it didn't scare her; it lulled her to sleep.

Marie snuggled into the couch like a cat, rubbing her face against the armrest. "Yes mom..."

"Once upon a time, there was a little blonde girl called Goldilocks. She was a sweet little thing but she wasn't obedient. One day she wandered away from her house..."

Marie sighed in content, closing her eyes and falling asleep to her mother's voice. Silence fell on the world as she faded into her dreams, no one there to fill the empty gap she left behind.