Day 1: A Messiah? A Joke? Another Day.

I am Michael J. Cruz. A 3rd year Education student majoring in Social Studies. It was night time and today apartment never felt any colder. Or it could just be blood leaving my body. I have been victim to pranks and other practical jokes, but this is something I simply can't and never get over with.

The news reporters announced the final results of the presidential elections. The obviously incapable and absolutely corrupt candidate won by a landslide all because of his surname. Markus F. Fasces. What a phony name. Whether it was fair or not, we will never know. The reporters were as shocked as I am. We were all dumbfounded with what we saw. A landslide? What the hell? This can't be happening. I try to wrap my head around it and only the thoughts of authoritarianism and fascism came to mind. I switched the television off out of spite and head for my room. It will be difficult for me to fall asleep.

"Humanity is fucked," I whispered as drop to my bed.

After all that happened to us in the past- the economic crisis, hate crimes, and this fucking pandemic, people still turn to their fanaticism rather than critical thinking. They make me look like a world renowned genius with their mentality. Pseudo-historians who don't fact check for shit and make up their own narratives. I hope they get paid for looking like an idiot in the internet, then again, the fact that I am so upset means they have won. Is this the kind of reality we have now? Oh, God. My eyes swell with disappointment and frustration, what everyone fought for throughout history will be all dumped down to the drain. We will continue to crash while the rich continue to rise.

God!

I stare at the ceiling and ponder. I can't find anything positive to think... or to say... or to do. This just left me... shattered. What will I teach my students? That they don't need to strive hard, they just need a good surname? Money? Deceit? This is making it even more difficult to fall asleep. Don't I deserve a goddamn rest? I felt something went drip to my cheeks, before I knew it I was crying. All the efforts of the volunteers to campaign our candidate, all the relationships we cut off, all the attempts to change people's mind, are all for nothing. The future we wanted for the future generations are all for nothing! I grip my sheets in anger and grief. Is there anything we can do change things? With all my crying and frustrations my mind went blank and I slowly drifted to sleep.

My dreams were just a dark and blank space. Whatever muscle in my brain in charge of that didn't also feel like functioning. I woke up to my alarm the next day. I didn't get to change clothes or even clean myself. Nevertheless, I went online just incase a miracle happened.

"I guess not..." I whimpered after being welcomed by congratulatory messages to the so-called president elect.

I am still pissed. I scroll past those post. That's when it caught my eyes. Written in its exaggerated thumbnail "Alien caught on camera!!! A message for humanity?!" As much as I feel like this is just one of those edited videos made for clout or conspiracy, I felt compelled to watch it. It was a human-like figure but covered in noise like mosaics. It glimmered in bright hues of blue, purple, red, and yellow. It hovered over the crowd filming it.

"Humanity," it announced with its pitched voice, "your days are over."

Everyone in the video were in awe, as if an fazed with what was said.

"You only have 100 days left!" I continued.

In a flash it vanished, only for the crowd to look confused but unbothered. That's when the video ended. But it wasn't just one video. The next posts were news reports and articles of the same figure sighted in various countries. Same lines. Same scenario. The comment section speculated that it is just some edited video. Or maybe, some performative protests by an activist group. While it could just be one silly prank made by those tech-savvy vloggers, showing off their new invention. Funnily though, nihilistic teens, would comment that it's about time or finally. Either way, it wasn't seen as a threat. These days, being smart and thinking makes you one.

Even in the group chats and forums I am a part of, the figure was the talk. They seem to blame the incoming president since it only happened when he "won." Lol. We couldn't discuss any academics or requirements as everyone was too focused either on the results of the election or to the sudden appearance of the said figure.

"I bet it's one of his troll's work!" One of my block mates joked, "Probably make a fake news that he is the next Messiah that will save us all!"

"I think they'll blame it to the activists! Like what they usually do!" Another chimed in.

I chuckled at their jokes. Stretching every possible circumstance just to blame it to the current situation. How I wish it this was really a joke. The internet was quick though, there were already memes and parody of the video. Unsurprisingly, there were conspiracy videos claiming that this is some stunt by billionaires so they can push through with their space travel projects. There were even content that tries to explain how Nostradamus predicted this. I even managed to open one of the videos.

"Hear me out James!" the host said, holding onto the arms of his partner, laughing at him, "What if this is some Second Coming kind of bullshit?"

"What are you saying?" his partner replied, trying to talk through his laughs.

"You know! What if we really are done for! That's it! Kaput!"

They were just making a joke out of it afterwards. No seems to be bothered by it. Everyone seems too relaxed. It's not like things can get any worse! Even with the claims by officials to not take it seriously, a lingering feeling urges me to fear for it. A mental image of the figure remained in my head, bothering me for the rest of my days. It was haunting and eerie. I replay the video over and over, in various speeds and versions.

"Humanity," it began with the same pitched voice, "your days are over! You only have 100 days left!"

I wore my face mask and headed out. I needed some... air? to think and to breathe. Things are getting way to heavy and we're just in the half of 2022. But what if what it said was true? That we only have 100 days? Isn't that such a small number of days to prepare for the end of the world? Back in 2012 we had a full year to think we're all done for... and we're still here.

And we're still here...

Why does that phrase feel so disappointing? Did I really expect for a huge tidal wave or a gargantuan meteor to come and wipe us out back then?

I arrived at the park and sat down on the bench. This place used to be filled people running around and enjoying themselves. Now, everyone would rather stay at home. These days anything is a health hazard. Well, of course, there are those who don't believe in the virus... until they catch it themselves. Still, this park feels empty and feeling emptier. Despite being outside, I still chose to scroll through my phone. The very thing I was running away from, became my solitude. Ironically, I received a notification of posts I made for the previous years. All are Usually, I would bring my sketchbook here and try to mirror what I see, but these days, I couldn't get to hold up a pen. It's just not the same anymore. The burn out from the tons of requirements and lack of physical interaction, along with the existential dread the past 2 years hollowed me. And with what's going to happen, I already feel empty.

I feel guilty for mopping around and just complain. If my parents were here they'll remind me that I am still alive and kicking. I can still do more and the world will not end with this one thing... but what if the world will end? In 100 days? No! I need to focus on what's in front and not's what happened! At least that's what my father told me. And what's in front of me is a peaceful park. I look around if there is any one nearby as I slowly slid down my mask. I deeply breathe in the fresh air and look up to the bright... blue... purple? Sky? I squinted my eyes and there I saw it. Like a tiny dot. It was just directly above me. Like its appearance from the videos. It was covered in static noise. I rubbed my eyes in shock and squinted again... and it was gone. All I was staring at was the blue sky. I was dazed and confused.

Maybe it is just the stress, I thought, I should head back.

I wore my mask and again and headed out.

-

"Humanity, your days are over. You only have 100 days left."