The Last Human

Sam had been alone for a long time. He didn't know how long exactly, but he guessed it was at least a year since the outbreak. The outbreak that wiped out almost all of humanity, and turned the rest into mindless zombies. Sam was one of the lucky few who was immune to the virus, but he paid a high price for his survival. He lost his family, his friends, his home, his hope. He wandered the empty streets, scavenging for food and water, avoiding the undead, and looking for any signs of life.

He had a radio, but it only picked up static. He had a map, but it only showed places he had already been. He had a gun, but it only had a few bullets left. He had a backpack, but it only contained some canned food, a flashlight, a knife, and a picture of his wife and daughter. He had a name, but it only reminded him of who he used to be.

He was the last human, as far as he knew. And he was tired of living.

One day, he decided to end his misery. He found a tall building, and climbed to the roof. He looked at the horizon, and saw nothing but ruins. He looked at the sky, and saw nothing but clouds. He looked at his picture, and saw nothing but memories. He put the gun to his temple, and pulled the trigger.

But nothing happened. The gun was empty.

He cursed, and threw the gun away. He felt a surge of anger, and a flicker of hope. Maybe this was a sign. Maybe he wasn't meant to die. Maybe there was someone else out there, someone like him, someone who could help him, someone who could love him.

He decided to give himself one more chance. He picked up his backpack, and his radio. He turned on the radio, and scanned the frequencies. He heard nothing but static, as usual. But then, he heard something else. A faint voice, a human voice, a female voice.

"Hello? Is anyone there? Please, answer me. I'm alone. I'm scared. I need help. Please, please, please..."

Sam couldn't believe his ears. He grabbed the radio, and pressed the talk button.

"Hello? Hello? I'm here. I can hear you. Where are you? Who are you?"

He waited for a response, but there was only silence. He tried again, and again, and again. But there was no answer. He checked the frequency, and the battery. They were both fine. He wondered if he had imagined the voice, or if it was a prank, or a trap. He wondered if he should give up, or keep trying.

He decided to keep trying. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. He had a new goal, a new purpose, a new hope. He had a chance to find another human, another survivor, another friend. He had a chance to live.

He packed his backpack, and his radio. He looked at his map, and his compass. He looked at the horizon, and saw a faint light. He looked at his picture, and saw a smile. He put the picture in his pocket, and started walking.

He was the last human, as far as he knew. But he was not alone, as far as he hoped.

Sam walked for days, following the light. He didn't know what it was, or where it came from, but he hoped it would lead him to the voice. He hoped it would lead him to another human.

He encountered many zombies along the way, but he avoided them as much as he could. He didn't want to waste his knife, or his energy, on them. He knew they were not his enemies, they were his former fellow humans. He felt sorry for them, but he also feared them. He knew they could infect him, or kill him, if they got too close.

He also encountered many animals, some of them friendly, some of them hostile. He saw dogs, cats, birds, rats, squirrels, rabbits, deer, foxes, wolves, bears, and more. He wondered how they survived the outbreak, and if they were affected by the virus. He wondered if they could sense his presence, and his loneliness. He wondered if they could be his friends, or his food.

He tried to communicate with them, using his radio, his voice, his gestures, his expressions. But none of them responded, or understood. They either ignored him, or attacked him, or ran away from him. He realized they were not his allies, they were his competitors. He realized he was not part of their world, he was an intruder.

He was the last human, as far as he knew. But he was not welcome, as far as he saw.

He finally reached the source of the light. It was a large, metal tower, with a blinking red light on top. It was surrounded by a high fence, with a sign that read: "Military Research Facility. Authorized Personnel Only. Danger. Keep Out."

Sam felt a mix of emotions. He felt curiosity, and excitement, and hope. He wondered if this was where the voice came from, and if this was where the cure was hidden. He wondered if this was where he could find salvation, and companionship, and happiness.

But he also felt fear, and doubt, and despair. He wondered if this was where the virus originated, and if this was where the zombies were created. He wondered if this was where he could find danger, and betrayal, and death.

He decided to take the risk. He had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. He had a chance to find another human, another survivor, another friend. He had a chance to live.

He cut a hole in the fence, and sneaked inside. He saw a lot of buildings, and vehicles, and equipment. He saw a lot of signs, and symbols, and codes. He saw a lot of blood, and bones, and bodies. He saw a lot of horror, and chaos, and destruction.

He searched for the voice, using his radio, his ears, his eyes. He heard nothing but silence, as usual. But then, he heard something else. A loud siren, a warning message, a countdown.

"Attention. Attention. Self-destruct sequence activated. All personnel evacuate immediately. This facility will explode in 10... 9... 8..."

Sam panicked. He ran for his life, looking for an exit. He realized he had triggered a trap, or a security system, or a fail-safe. He realized he had made a mistake, or a discovery, or a sacrifice.

He was the last human, as far as he knew. But he was not safe, as far as he heard.

He found a door, and opened it. He saw a room, with a window, and a computer. He saw a woman, with a headset, and a gun. He saw the voice, the human voice, the female voice.

She saw him, and gasped. She pointed the gun at him, and shouted.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

Sam dropped his backpack, and his radio. He raised his hands, and smiled. He spoke the words, the human words, the friendly words.

"Hello. Hello. I'm here. I can hear you. I'm Sam. I'm a survivor. I'm a friend."

She lowered the gun, and cried. She dropped the headset, and the computer. She ran to him, and hugged him. She spoke the words, the human words, the grateful words.

"Hello. Hello. I'm here. I can hear you. I'm Anna. I'm a scientist. I'm a friend."

They held each other, and laughed. They felt a surge of relief, and joy, and hope. They felt a connection that went beyond words. They felt a love that went beyond logic.

They were the last humans, as far as they knew. But they were not alone, as far as they felt.

They kissed, and smiled. They looked at the window, and saw the light. They looked at the computer, and saw the countdown.

"3... 2... 1..."

They closed their eyes, and whispered.

"I love you, Sam. You are my survivor, forever and always."

"I love you, Anna. You are my scientist, forever and always."

Then, they stopped breathing.

They were the last humans, as far as they knew. But they were the first humans, as far as they dreamed.