Journal of the Final Man



January 5 '37

I finally found some paper, a whole note book of it as a matter of fact. We've been down in the subway to long and I needed to write. I am a writer of course. I was always skilled in description, but right now it's hard to describe anything! All I can think of right now is how much it smells! It smells of feces very bad. We've been down in the subway to long.

We try and go as far in the tunnel to go, but many are afraid of C-19's, and the bigger ones (what's their name?), any way, it looks like there rationing water again, I'll record our progress when something else happens, or when I'm bored.

January 6-37

When I'm bored! Ha! Sorry I was just rereading what I had written the other day. I was just thinking about that. When I'm bored. It's funny how often boredom follows excitement. What happened was exiting I guess. I guess I was to busy being terrified to notice.

It seemed like it happened all of the sudden'� to quickly, even though the 'process'� was very gradual. I guess in the early 21st century, (the century we're living in right now) the first artificial intelligences started to come about, harmless toys for children. But then the toys became more interactive, until they almost were intelligent. Suddenly there were robotic butlers for the rich, and then for the common man. First they were simple, operated on wheels, and spoke a rough and broken English. But then they got upgraded, and then more upgraded, until finally there were the C-19s. They operated by walking, just like the C-18s and C-17s, but they had a specially enhanced 'intelligence chip'� designed from actual human brain patterns, but the patterns were increased, so they could learn things faster. But that only made them smarter than us.
And boy we're we stupid! We put the same chips in our security cameras. By the late twenties, there wasn't the distance of square block in-between cameras. We had positioned them everywhere. Sure the crime rate was down, but staring into the muzzle of a camera when you're trying to take a pee always made me wirey.

So now these machines that we had made weren't only smarter than us, but if they worked as one, off there master generator located somewhere in the city, (which they did) they could watch us, observe us with ten million eyes, not to mention how much they outnumbered us in physical strength. There were more of us than there were of them of course,(now theirs not) but they're made of metal and cant feel pain.

But then we did something very very stupid'� we made the bigger ones.

January 10-37

Haven't got to write very much, we've been very busy, they're trying to get in.

January 15-37

I'm on a break. A break! Why by that you might think I'm on a job! HA! I'd kill to be at work now, a 'return to normalcy'�. No, we've actually decided to ban together, theirs thirty-four of us, and we're trying to keep them out. Theirs Harrison who just wants to sit and eat and says its useless to do anything but you know what anything's better than sitting around waiting to be obliterated. We're running low on food. It's funny, we want to keep those things out so badly but pretty soon we might be trying to get out!

It turns out that one of the thirty-four of us was a plumber. He had a welding torch in his tool case. We plugged it in and got about two days of work, melting metals into the doors making sure they wouldn't open, now were moving everything in front of them. We hear banging up top, like giants skipping rope. On the second day that outlet shorted. So we tried another one, but it shorted instantly, another, it also shorted. Then the lights went off. And then off, then on, in intervals at first I thought that it the power was just shutting off then Harrison began to laugh. We all looked at him as if he were the first to go insane.

'Survival of the fittest'�, he said, which didn't make much sense. 'It's morse code'�, he said. They were sending us a message! And it said 'survival of the fittest!'� What have we created?

It's my turn to do some moving, anything to make the barricade stronger, got to go.

January 17-37

I had a very interesting conversation with Harrison last night. It turns out he was one of the design directors for the robots. He says that why they went into a mass genocide of the human race was because since they're intelligence chip circuitry was based on the patterns of the human mind, they have the capacity for anger. I guess being a 'lesser life forms'� servant, with no other duty in life didn't set well with them. He also told me that the main generator isn't so much a power link, but a telekinetic source for them. I sort of knew this, but hearing it from the 'engineer'� actually was very satisfying'�and terrifying.

January 19-37

The banging's getting louder, something big is brewing, even Harrison's helping us! We try not to get on each others toes but their have been a few outbursts between Ben and Harrison. It sounds like Hells trying to get lower than it already is up there. It must be the GI-1s. Harrison told me what they were called, they were designed for combat. I've got to get back to work, I can hardly write with all that banging.

January 28-37

A lot has happened, and as usual, it has happened very quickly. We know longer have the range of the whole tunnel, and station, It's just us in the workers room.

We're on our last rashen. And perhaps our last breaths. We've sealed up the cracks with duck tape from John, (the Plummer). There are 28 of us now. We can see The others on the other side of the glass. God I wish we couldn't see them! They're alive, but they aren't the people we knew.

On Tuesday I think it was, It happened. We had been concentrating so much on the doors, the pipes burst in through the ceiling. At first I didn't know what was going on, but then I realized it, they were going to gas us'�like rats.

We ran as fast as we could, (where could we go?) we ran to the workers room. It's a very tight squeeze. Six we're on break farther down'�they didn't make it before we had to slam the door shut.

We sealed off the windows with the tape, and anything else that wasn't airtight.
They pounded on the door pleading to let them in, screaming, crying, yelling.

I remember thinking about yanking open the door, but instead I held the door shut, Harrison, and me against the mob'�we had to! The others tapped and didn't look at us even though they knew what we were doing. God I wish it had stopped right then. It didn't. They started to choke. Choke and gag. I couldn't see them because the windows are on the other side, thank god. The gagging stopped about a minute after it had started. Then I heard him,

'Let us in.'� It was a demand from the other side. I couldn't tell who it was because it was so low and seething with evil.

'It's poisoned out there, we have to remain inside.'� I said.

'LET US IN!'� One of them yelled, a man, but I still couldn't tell who it was. The shout was so low, and so evil, that it almost was like listening to a demon trying to get back into heaven.

I started to explain again but then it hissed

'IT'S FINE! OK?! NOW LET US IN OR-'

Now I'm a Christian man so I don't dare write the slur of the worst language I've ever heard come out of a thing in my life, but it sure gave us a good trashing.

I say it because I know longer considered this thing to be a person. Now the five are watching us from the window. They're still alive, but now they're different, the gas must have done something to their nervous system, they're insane, and they've been trying to get in. They scream swears at us constantly, they go into uncontrollably fits of anger, and cry like water was no longer precious. They've already killed one of they're own. They're adrenaline must be high all the time, because we saw it happen'�they're animals.

January 29-37

They're just sitting there looking at us. The gas has dissolved, but we know that if we move out of the room, they will kill us. We removed the tape from the windows, but the air is still very thin. The smell is much stronger now, it's coming from the corner we set aside for expelling waste. We saved last nights rashen for today, but now we're completely out of food, someone ate the last rashens last night, The people on the outside couldn't have gotten in because if they had then They certainly would have slaughtered us in our sleep, (they're animals). The basic feel of the 28 is that Harrison did it, he is after all the fattest of the bunch. Know one has flat out said it to his face, but the murmurs are strong in this cramped place. Last night I found it under the drawer, a sawed-off shotgun.

February 1-37

Its been our third day without food, (not really sure, sun doesn't set underground and I lapse into sleep a lot) Know one knows about the gun, I've kept it hidden under the drawer. It's a good thing they haven't because I'm not sure what Ben might do if he found it. Now the group is out and out blatant about their suspicion of Harrison. Harrison may not be the greatest guy in the world, but I know it wasn't him.

Through the glass two more have died, now theirs only three. I think they must have died of dehydration, because they were constantly sweating, plus the added crying diminished their water levels. The remaining three are still trying to break the glass, I don't think they can though because It's designed bulletproof and they're very weak now, probably from being on high adrenaline levels for so long.

February 3-37

The past two days have been the lowest in human history. I'm no longer in the room, I took my chances, and so did Harrison. I'm very tired and weak. I haven't eaten in days.

It happened yesterday, Ben started to talk slowly about the country, the others all chimed in, and then came the country food speech. That didn't help anything, but lunacy. It was a frenzy of screaming after that. They were mad. I couldn't let them do what they wanted to do to my friend, Harrison, now my only friend.

I withdrew the gun, threatening them. They pleaded with me telling me that I was just as hungry as the rest of them. I could never shot anyone, let alone eat anyone. They were animals.

Keeping the gun trained on all of them in a sweeping motion, I helped Harrison up and we made our way toward the door. We unlocked it and got out, slamming the door behind us.

Two of the poisoned ones outside the were fighting and biting at each other (we weren't to far off from that) One was sitting there crying, bawling like a baby, a woman, Cindy. I worked with here on the barricade.

'Cindy!'� I yelled at her, she looked up from he sorrows, 'get me one of the chairs, a metal one!'� She, very slowly, got up and got one, the mob on the other side of the door was starting to work together, which was bad, because just me and Harrison couldn't hold them off forever. Cindy was taking her sweet time bringing the chair to us when Harrison demanded

'Give me the gun!'� I was still watching Cindy and I mindlessly handed my only form of protection over to Harrison, the man in question.

Cindy handed me the chair as I heard the gunshot, it was loud and it reverberated off the door, I turned around to see Harrison holding the gun to the door. I could hear one mans cry of anguish on the other side, and others of shock and surprise.

'What's the matter with you!?'� I screamed as I was still putting the door to the knob.

'We didn't have any time!'� He said.

We ran as fast as we could down the tunnel, Cindy to, weak and still a bit out of her mind.

'Wait!'� she said, 'in here'�

I saw a hole in the bottom of the cement wall, we all scurried in, and were in a hollow little space, with no lights.

I could feel wrappers crunch under my feet and paper. We all huddled there, close together, because there wasn't much space at all.

Its night now, judging by my watch. We put some gray cardboard over the hole entrance, so they wouldn't be able to see it in the darkness of the tunnel.

They didn't come after us right away, which was strange. But we can still hear them tramping around out there, and there conversations consist of 'Find the traders'� and 'I'm hungry'�.

Cindy told us quietly tonight that she has lived in this little space for two years after she lost her house. We have candy bars, four left, Cindy had them from before all this happened, we also have some water.

I'm writing by candle light, we have to see some light during the day, so if we ever have to run out really fast, our eyes wont be so shocked by the light that we go temporarily blind, and can't see where we're going.

At least that's what Cindy says.

February 4-37

I saw one of the men, he almost found us, I'm so hungry, were out of food, they aren't, I saw his teeth, stained red.

February 5-37

Cindy's dead, she stopped breathing a little while ago, before she went she said

'Its happening again'�, I don't know what she meant, she mumbled crazy things from the gas, but she seemed so sane and sincere when she said it, but then she went, her heart stopped.

February 6-37

She's starting to smell, what can we do? We can't move her, they would see us, we can't do anything but sit in this hole, with the dead woman, and prey.

February 8-37

I've seen things I never thought I would see. I know things I never thought would come true. The world as we knew it is no more. I know not to who I write this, perhaps there is no one left.

It was the 7th that they discovered us, they followed the smell, and found us. The mob dragged us out.

They said awful things like, 'good one of thems already dead, that will make it easier'� They had become a modern Doner party. They dragged us into the room, perhaps their headquarters, the corners were now not only littered with facieses, but also bone. Cleaned bone. They weren't men anymore, they were monsters.

That's when we heard the banging. On the other side, the side we had barricaded.

'Is there anyone in there?'� we heard.

We all ran to the door, and yelled yes! Help us! Were trapped!

'Okay, were going to try to get in, were a the National guard so your going to be okay'�

We started removing the barricade, tearing it down faster than we had built it. There were others out there! They were going to save us!

In my joy and excitement I had barley had time to think. I looked up to see the pipes. The robots. What about them? Had mankind won? How many dead? Why had it taken so long?

I knew it right then. They had exterminated the earth. Mankind had only created its own grim reaper. We were doomed. But they weren't done yet. We were still alive. I looked at Harrison, he wasn't helping, and I had stopped to.

We both toke off running at the same time, climbing into our special hiding place, when we heard the explosion. The screams. The agony. They were in, and we had to get out. Harrison had gotten the gun. We had to get out.

'We have to go'� I said as we heard the massacre,

'Are you insane?'� he said.

'They'll find us, they see in heat, you should know that better than anyone!'�

'Your right.'�

We scrambled out as fast as we could, and Harrison raised his pistol, blowing off the head of one of the robots.
There were only three! I had expected an army! The started to charge Harrison when he squeezed of a shot, slowing it, then another, terminating it.
He was out of ammo, and there was still one very strong cyborg left.

He must have known we were out because he walked over to us coolly and slowly. Should we run? Know there was no escape.

He stopped in front of us and said the last words I ever expected to hear from one of those god-awful machines.

'I want to help'� it said meekly.

I looked around at the slaughter, and bit my tongue from saying what was in my heart. I am a Christian man. Harrison grew red and grabbed the thing by its 'neck'� it had no respiration system, thus did not require air, so I don't know what he wished to accomplish, except maybe relieving some of his own rage.

It removed his hands as lightly as if it were a Childs, and repeated

'Please sirs, I wish to help.'�

I remembered what Harrison had said, better than if he had. Their circuitry was based on human brain patterns, so while they had the capacity for evil, they must also have the capacity for kindness, empathy, modesty, honesty, abstract thought, my god, we had made ourselves'�and look what we had done.

'How?'� I asked.

'I and ten thirty seven wish to help.'�

'Ten thirty seven?'�

Right then a giant GI-1 entered, Harrison and I jumped back, but somehow there was something calming about it. Here there was this intelligent floating tank really, I can't explain it, call it instinct, but this was not threatening.

After a short explanation about how they viewed morals, we climbed inside. And flew to there apartment. It was a long flight, and I actually slept some of the way.
I had a dream, a nightmare really, but a true nightmare. It was before they attacked, when they did, I was running.

People were dying everywhere, I couldn't help them, all I did was help myself. The building burst into flames right as I made it out. The machines were still in there, they were fire resistant. I ran for the subway, I shoved past the broken souls, everyone was shoving, everyone was running, but they didn't know where to run to. The sky was black with the cloud of the oncoming machines, and red with light of fire. The air had the copper taste of blood on it, and I knew that more people were dying in this day, than on any other day in the history of man. I tripped down the stairs and hit my head.

I woke up, strangely enough I had forgotten I was riding in the cockpit of the enemy, and it startled me at first.
The ride was relatively quiet, even Harrison was to shaken up to talk. We had finally landed. I stepped out of the insides of the machine. We were in a blown out office building. We were on the second to highest level and the wall was blown out so we could see the outsides.
The outsides.

Not the wildest, most evil dream of Hitler could have dreamt up what I saw on that overlook.
The sky was orange from the weeks of fire. There were hollowed out cars parked everywhere. Some with the broken bodies of the drivers still in them. Robots don't smell, but I do. Every street corner of the massive city that I could see had bones on them. Not just a few either, mountains, on every corner. The streets weren't much better, bodies of all national heritage and age were littered everywhere. Man had no racial distinction, no prejudice, now, they were together, in the embrace of death.

Burning still were mounds of food, so no human could ever wish to survive.

There wasn't a building I could see that didn't look like it was on fire at one time or another. The sky was swarming with them, the robots, everywhere. They couldn't see me because I was to they were to high. Where were they going? Work? Did they have jobs now? Were they really the new inhabitants of Earth? Survival of the fittest. It's happening again?

There was no use in changing into armor from 'deleted'� robots, they could see in heat.

That night eleven thirty, the smaller bot fed us food it had scavenged. We actually talked conversation with them. The food was burnt, and it was an awkward meal, because they did not eat with us.

The next day we talked of many things, Ten Thirty seven and eleven thirty told us how they had constructed devices so they were not connected telekinetically to the main generator, and also many of the other extraordinary inventions they had devised with there free time. One that even was able to transport whatever it was attached to too another time period. Amazing.

It was three days before that awful thing happened. That phrase was used, and the original chain of events took place again.

Harrison had found paper again, and not only behind the robots backs, but mine as well had begun to construct plans to destroy the main generator.

This wouldn't only kill all the bots, but our new friends as well. Eleven Thirty was the first to see it, and he was hurt. Hurt as if his best friend had just plotted to kill him.

'Sir I wish to live'�, he had said. I had never felt such pity for anything in my life.

'Well so do I!'� Harrison had fired out.

'Can't you see sir? We're trying to save the weaker species.'�

The weaker species.

'The weaker species?'� Harrison asked unbelievingly, 'The weaker species! We made you, you stupid pile of bolts! You have a mind because I gave you one!'�

Harrison was red hot, he was an animal. He rushed at the robot, grabbing it as they both tumbled over the edge of the open wall, falling so many stories.

I looked over the edge. And saw them hit. From the distance I could not tell which was which, which some how appeared ironic to me.

Then I saw the things on the street getting closer flying up toward us. They had come for me. Where there was one human there must be another, we're like bloody ants to them.

'Quickly sir! Climb in!'� said Ten Thirty seven.

I obeyed as if he was my master. We flew off very fast, for I could feel the G- forces pull be to one side, then another. I could not see anything outside, for there were no windows. And all was dark. Then I felt heat, and could here weaponry sparks chirped and I started to be pulled towards the top, we were falling.

I remember coming down, hard. We had been shot down. The backup mechanic lights came on.

I heard the hollow voice of Ten Thirty Seven say, ' Sir, the time attachment'�you must.'�

I saw the attachment. I could go through time. But where would I go? Would I be thrown into a future even worse than this? Or a past civilization before man?

The backup lights remained on, but the control lights fizzled out. Ten Thirty Seven was gone. All my friends were gone. I was all alone. And trapped. It's happening again.

They tried getting in at first. But then I guess they just decided, there was no harm in a mouse trapped in cage with nowhere to go, and no food.

My body will kill me for me. I have now told you my story. I wish not to do time travel, for the future will only be a greater hell, and the past will just be anticipation to the day the machines killed everybody.
I scroll these last few words knowing they could be for nothing, I attach this time travel mechanism to the notebook now, hoping it will land in good hands, and maybe stop my fate, if it is possible to change the future.

Gods speed.

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