[A/N: Thank you all for reading.
Both the hearts and ratings for the novel increased.
Many thanks to those who supported me with my requests.]
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In the morning, third-person POV.
His mood changed so quickly with this unwanted revelation that the warm atmosphere created by the curtains and the sun had now transformed into a gloomy-looking room, as if it were a dead man's resting place. The temperature seemed to have changed, decreased, against the laws of physics. Even the sounds seemed to increase due to the tense atmosphere that reigned in the room, as all that could be heard in the room were rapid breathing and a rapid heartbeat, in time with the speed of breathing, accompanied by a faint ticking sound, forming a symphony of percussion that only made the situation gloomier.
Alex wasn't just desperate; he was also very scared, and this caused his heart to beat violently, squeezing his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe, and creating a loop of feelings that only worsened as time passed. However, a different feeling was beginning to emerge within him. It seemed to be something like bravery, but it seemed to be fueled by anger rather than valor, while the feeling of fear was diminishing. Everything was giving birth to a feeling Alex had never felt before, or at least until now, something unknown to him. It was something like courage or daring, feelings that filled his mind with new perspectives, with possibilities that would lead him to survive and triumph over adversity.
"I can do this", Alex told himself in a serious voice, trying to convince himself that everything would be okay.
After taking a few breaths, Alex returned his attention to his notebook and, along with his pencil, prepared to spend half an hour fighting against blurry and disordered memories, wild assumptions, and instincts that were guiding him in what seemed like the right direction. After sorting through all the details, he could salvage from that bundle of random flashbacks, he rewrote them on a new sheet of paper, in the same order as the previous entries he'd jotted down about his dreams from the previous nights.
Looking at the fruit of his labor and convinced that this was the closest thing to his future modus operandi, he seemed to relax, relieving the stress and fear he'd felt not long ago. Neither feeling had disappeared, but now the courage he'd gained gave him new perspectives. Furthermore, as he flipped through his previous notes and thought about what he could prepare with the time he had left, he seemed to gain a little courage.
Returning to the sheet of paper he'd jotted about his last dream, he began to think about how the way he remembered his dreams had changed. Details that had always seemed to appear before were now absent, and some of the things he'd struggled to recall were now just vague feelings, or sensations of familiarity.
David, a coworker of his, seemed to be the leader, or perhaps just one of the leaders, of this group Alex visited in his last dream. However, from the little interaction he had had, he didn't seem to be that type of person. But when facing situations like an apocalypse, people tend to change, involuntarily or voluntarily. Some in a bad way, bringing out their worst selves, while in others, positive characteristics emerge that lead them to do or achieve things that previously seemed impossible.
In this case, Alex assumed, and deep down, wished David were that person, as it would give him someone, he could work with to face the dangers that lay ahead. It also gave him a sense of relief knowing they could survive and that he could possibly save many lives.
After finishing reading this last chapter of his dreams again, Alex once again entered a phase of dark feelings. He remembered the hopes he had of continuing with his dreams, and that these, at some point, clarified many of the doubts that had formed in his head. He wished more than anything: Knowing how it all began, what happened to the people he knew and their families, and if he faced any dangers, he wanted to prepare in advance to avoid them. However, with the bleak outlook left by the most recent dream, Alex could assume the dreams would end. He didn't know when, but it seemed like it would be soon. This was an undeniable fact, no matter how much Alex wished otherwise.
The wall caught his eye again, or rather, the clock that adorned it. While feeling a mix of emotions, his vision was drawn to a calendar next to the clock that showed the date it all began. Staring at the date, he had been declared a victor among the feelings that now overwhelmed him.
First-person POV, in bed.
"I'm going to make it", I said out loud as I stared at the calendar.
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[A/N: By the way, the perspective shift generally stays fixed from the last time it was set. For example, Alex's perspective will remain the same until I set it to the opposite.]
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I got up quickly and started my routine faster than usual, as if every second counted, and I wasn't about to waste any. I went to the kitchen and made something myself quickly. It didn't take long to prepare and eat everything; I seemed to feel satisfied more easily, possibly because of the anxiety that hadn't gone away. Then I sat down on the couch with the notebook where I'd written down my dreams and some of the plans I had prepared.
The first thing I did was review the list of preparation steps I'd made earlier. I also checked the rental sites and some contacts I'd saved yesterday to get everything in order and make sure I had everything ready to make the most of my day off.
"Hmm... I don't want to waste time working when I know an apocalypse is coming", I reflected as I assessed the limited time I had left. Part of me longed to cling to that sense of normalcy that work gave me, especially now that anxiety seemed to want to devour us. "I'll at least try to go this week. Next week will be impossible", I thought again, unable to shake the feeling of loss that overwhelmed me as I contemplated the hours, I would waste working in the coming days.
"I know what I'll do! I'll talk to Rick to see if I can work only a half shift", I told myself optimistically, finding a solution that balanced making the most of the time I had left and bringing some calm to my anxious life, which was preparing to face challenges with a little effort.
Convinced that this idea would help me with my new problems, I took my cell phone and searched for his number in my contacts, although I soon remembered that I had sent him a message the day before to inform him about the odometer number. I returned to his contact and started the call.
"I thought he wouldn't answer", I thought as I checked the time and watched the call connect. "Hello? . . . Rick?", I asked into the phone.
"Yeah, it's me, or were you expecting someone else to answer when you called my number?", he replied in an emotionless voice. Apparently, he was a little annoyed.
"No, of course I was calling you. Sorry for waking you up so early", I said, glancing at the clock on the wall that read almost 6:30 a.m.
"If you didn't want to bother me, you wouldn't have called", he murmured in the same tone. "What do you need?", Rick asked.
"Well, I have a problem at home; there are some gas leaks that need fixing, so I'll have to deal with that all next week. So, I'll only be able to work the morning shift", I explained, trying to convince him that my excuse was reasonable. "Do you think it's possible to change my schedule for next week?", I asked, sounding pleading. "Why don't you hire experts? They could take care of it while you work", he suggested, doubting my justification.
"I'm saving for something important, so I can't let that money slip away", I confided, trying to persuade him.
"You know you'll only be paid for the hours you work, right?", he inquired, not seeming entirely convinced by my excuses.
"Yes, I know, and I understand that will mean a lower paycheck at the end of the month. Don't worry", I confirmed with conviction.
"Okay", he agreed without much change in his tone of voice. "But next time you'll have to give more notice if you're going to change your schedule", Rick warned me.
"Understood. Thank you very much, Rick", I replied, delighted with the success of my plan.
"No problem. If you don't need anything else, I need to rest", he mentioned in a weary tone. It was a tone of voice I'd never heard before in his dealings with others; He always presented himself as an unbreakable wall, oblivious to problems or difficulties. "Apparently, he's human too", I reflected.
"That's all. Thank you very much for your help. Next time I won't bother you…", I said over the phone in a friendly tone, trying to soften his obvious discomfort, until, suddenly, he hung up. "It seems he was angry", I thought, as I saw the name on my cell phone screen: "Supervisor Rick".
Without giving much thought to the conversation and Rick's mood, I decided to review the preparation points again. I analyzed each one, considering what I could do today and what I would hold off on until I had money in the bank. However, one point caught my attention, one that was difficult to resolve.
"'NOTIFY,'" I muttered as I reviewed the steps I had written down. "I didn't include a procedure to alert everyone. I only considered the people close to me", I commented aloud.
I continued to examine the instructions, trying to find a way to warn as many people as possible without being called crazy. The ideas that floated through my mind seemed ineffective, especially since, in recent years, people have become increasingly skeptical and distrustful of what they see on television or the internet.
The only thing I could think of was to issue a statement on all my social media and digital platforms about the "confidential information" that governments are trying to hide, so that people can prepare and acquire what they need in the event of a potential catastrophe. Another option could be to hire online advertising agencies to create disaster ads, claiming they were part of a movie. This could create a similar effect to that achieved by the producers of 'The Blair Witch Project' but focused on the need to stock up on essential products. I was also considering sending anonymous alerts to authorities in several countries. "I'm convinced that governments and the global elite are already aware of what's going on. They're probably looking for ways to prolong their own lives", I expressed angrily, as I reflected on the greed and desire for power that dominate these types of people.
"Even if they don't believe me, I'll do it anyway", I stated determinedly. "If I can save a few people with these efforts, it will be a victory", I mused.
After spending a few minutes searching for online advertising companies, I managed to find and contact several. Some rejected my proposal outright, while others offered me quotes and also pointed out potential legal issues that could affect me. Notably, these companies clarified that, since they were only performing a job, they waived any criminal consequences.
"Hahaha... I'm not surprised by what some companies will do for money", I reflected as I considered the two sides of the business world. On the one hand, a trustworthy and principled company politely rejected me, concerned about the risks it could pose to its image and to the audience its advertising serves. On the other hand, there are those who don't hesitate to pursue any opportunity that generates profit, with no regard for the well-being of their audiences.
After confirming a few meetings with various advertising agencies for Monday of next week, I reviewed the preparation points. One of them particularly caught my attention, as it reflected exactly what I had been thinking: companies that do everything for financial gain, even making illegal deals and sales.
"I didn't want to get involved with these people", I told myself as I focused on point 5: "ALTERNATIVE METHODS".
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
First, I'd like to apologize for these two chapters. I know they're not very exciting, but I wanted to show Alex's state of mind.
Remember, he's just a normal person who can be absent-minded, unconscious, kind, hard-working, among many other things. However, it's difficult, at least for me, to capture the feelings Alex feels.
I know many people will say, "What's the point of knowing a character's emotional state?"
Well, I want to create a story that will remain in your memory, something truly important, and to achieve that, it must have this depth.
Read my other novel called Vinland Kingdom: Race Against Time.
You can find it on my profile.
P.S. Sorry again that the author's note is so long, haha.]