Chapter 1
Where were you when the world came to an end? It’s that same droll, moronic question everyone asks. I suppose back in the ancient days, they old geezers asked each other where they were when man first walked on the moon, or more contemporary when “The Wall” fell. Or when the World Trade Center was bombed. But now? Those are questions of a past world. Now, the question’s about the end of the world. Where were you.

Where was I? I was at college. More to the point, i was in my apartment that I shared with three other students. We pitched in to get a great apartment off campus thirty floors above the street in Chicago. We were idiots. But i guess no one could blame us. It’s not as if we were expecting the end of the world. We lived off campus. We had booze. The chicks dug us.
Well, the chicks dug them. I was in my room, on my computer. I did that every night. And instead of studying, I was surfing the web for innocuous information to share with the world. You see, the world was ending, but the world at large didn’t know. But I did. And not just me. You know that group Anonymous? We tried to warn people, but it didn’t work. And then it happened. The biggest Outbreak couldn’t be contained. The University shut down all classes and people were leaving in droves. But not me. I was in my room. I had my fan on. I had my Instant Cup Ramen. And I had an IM open with my babycakes. Lalatinkiewinkie420. She and I were the spearhead of our favorite chat and bulletin board groups.
Yes, we were dating. Yes, she was probably a guy. I didn’t care. We were in love, damnit. But that was before the end of the world.
Where was I? I was hacking into the NSA to find out more about this “Cannibal Plague” that was tearing through the Third World and starting to break down the walls of the First World countries. I was a god to the forum crawlers. I fed them information. I sated them.
As the violence grew outside my world, I was in a bubble of safety. I knew more than anyone. I had all the information! Lalatinkiewinkie loved me for my knowledge. For my intelligence.

Then she was gone. They were all gone. Weeks after the University shut down, they were all gone. And just like that, I was alone on the internet. An unfathomable thing to even consider at the time. But I was, or near enough to it.
But that’s getting ahead of myself.

Where was I when the world ended? On the day civilization official came to a stand still? I was staring at my screen. Staring at that IM. And I realized Lalatinkiwwinkie420 had gone offline. Forever.

Chapter 1

Where were you when the world came to an end? It's that same droll, moronic question everyone asks. I suppose back in the ancient days, they old geezers asked each other where they were when man first walked on the moon, or more contemporary when "The Wall" fell. Or when the World Trade Center was bombed. But now? Those are questions of a past world. Now, the question's about the end of the world. Where were you.

Where was I? I was at college. More to the point, i was in my apartment that I shared with three other students. We pitched in to get a great apartment off campus thirty floors above the street in Chicago. We were idiots. But i guess no one could blame us. It's not as if we were expecting the end of the world. We lived off campus. We had booze. The chicks dug us.

Well, the chicks dug them. I was in my room, on my computer. I did that every night. And instead of studying, I was surfing the web for innocuous information to share with the world. You see, the world was ending, but the world at large didn't know. But I did. And not just me. You know that group Anonymous? We tried to warn people, but it didn't work. And then it happened. The biggest Outbreak couldn't be contained. The University shut down all classes and people were leaving in droves. But not me. I was in my room. I had my fan on. I had my Instant Cup Ramen. And I had an IM open with my babycakes. Lalatinkiewinkie420. She and I were the spearhead of our favorite chat and bulletin board groups.

Yes, we were dating. Yes, she was probably a guy. I didn't care. We were in love, damnit. But that was before the end of the world.

Where was I? I was hacking into the NSA to find out more about this "Cannibal Plague" that was tearing through the Third World and starting to break down the walls of the First World countries. I was a god to the forum crawlers. I fed them information. I sated them.

As the violence grew outside my world, I was in a bubble of safety. I knew more than anyone. I had all the information! Lalatinkiewinkie loved me for my knowledge. For my intelligence.

Then she was gone. They were all gone. Weeks after the University shut down, they were all gone. And just like that, I was alone on the internet. An unfathomable thing to even consider at the time. But I was, or near enough to it.

But that's getting ahead of myself.

Where was I when the world ended? On the day civilization official came to a sand still? I was staring at my screen. Staring at that IM. And I realized Lalatinkiwwinkie420 had gone offline. Forever.