Warning Signs

1st of March, 6089:

The first observation I take note of is the heat. The air flowing from the depths of the shallow cave holds the same power as the fire I burn for shelter at night. Though, where the heat is coming from is more of a concern to me than the sweat I can feel beading up on the back of my neck.

The water is blue, crystal clear and innocent. It holds ripples even though the pond contains no animal life other than its own. The plants at the bottom glow pink and the shells shimmer a pearly white, half buried in the brown sand.

My hands, already caked in dirt, push into the sand as I search with blind hope for whatever could give me answers. Closing my eyes I feel the wind shift quickly, causing my arrows in their quiver to release a gentle clink and my hair to switch directions. There is a soft echo of wind chimes somewhere in the distance, a warning.

I remove my hands and brush the sand off as frustration builds up quickly, there is nothing. Absolutely nothing. The pool glows menacingly and I watch the wind pick up more in the greenery. This wasn't here a year ago, the magic seems to be creeping back into this world and I'm not sure if I should be worried or not.

Shifting back on my knees I settle to take in the surroundings. The slow buzz of old machines seems to vibrate the room. I can never tell if they truly work or if it's only the echoes of memories from the past. Dark vines travel in twisted roads up the walls and around the technology, leaving only the original communications pad in the middle of the room exposed. This old room, that has been eaten away into a cave, once held the leftover civilization they referred to as the Watchers. Now there are only two of us left.

I turn my gaze to the mouth of the cave as dark wood creaks in the wind at the edge of the forest. Dark scraps of worn out metal scatter the ground and the trees shift to cover the sun, leaving the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. The bushes move to the right of the cave and I quickly stand in a defensive position. Not many things in these woods could hurt me, but with the paranoia of the pool and the warnings maybe I should be more cautious.

My breath releases quietly as I recognize the three clicks of a bumble fox and I lower my stance, “You can come out now Crew.” I say and crouch back down as my friend tumbles out. I watch the white fox circle me then sniff the pool, finally coming to sit in front of me. His blue accents shine the same color as the pool and his eyes pierce my soul, holding the color of hydrangeas.

“What do you think it is?” I ask, tilting my head towards the shallow pool, as I scratch behind his ear. He responds with another pattern of clicks and darts to the other side of the cave, sitting down on the dark stone platform and clicking again.

“The comms pad? Crew, you know as well as I do that we probably won't live to see it light up. Besides, the pool seems to be… consuming the mechanisms.” I say with a grimace as I run my fingers gently over top the water, watching the ripples reach Crew as he leans down excitedly. Pushing his nose just barely past the water line until he can blow bubbles at the tiny waves. I laugh and stand once more.

“Come on buddy, let's go back to camp, Mellow is waiting for us and you know she hates when we show up after dark.” I am met with another series of clicks and watch him shake the water droplets off his snout before he trots back out the entrance of the cave.

I take one more look at the pool and its slow connection to the only hope for civilization. I frown, take in the vines that crawl up the cave and around the machines left over and turn around, ready to head back to camp.

1st of June, 6089:

Nature is changing, or maybe evolving. The path I'm on has gained new roots of a new species of tree that has bright green trunks and dark brown leaves. In my opinion, the countryside is prettier than where the old cities reside, that's where things get darker as the trees connect through the skyscrapers which create a “second sky” as Mellow calls it. It's hard to see there and the place is overrun with hybrid creatures I would rather not disturb.

Crew trots ahead with a slight click with every other hop, but my amusement goes unnoticed. I'd like to think he believes he’s my protection but I know from past experiences that he isn't as brave as he projects. I watch him jump and I follow his lead as we both pass over a wing detached from an old space ship that failed to evacuate with the rest of civilization.

The wind picks up and I shiver despite the direct sunlight and heat. The woods seem tense, have they always been that way? I shake the cold away and extend my neck to face the sun. Squinting my eyes, the sun looks the same as it has always looked, the generations of lost time, however, has resulted in a front row seat to the up close viewing of both Jupiter and Saturn. They rotate fast in the sky and I lower my eyes, remembering all the times I feared they would crash into us as a little girl. That fear doesn't matter quite as much anymore.

Picking up speed to reach my destination, Crew suddenly stops dead in his tracks. I lower my body as quickly as he does and listen closely. The world may be free of humans, but danger is still around some corners. I hear leaves rustle, Crew’s ears flick from left to right and he huffs before continuing. I peer up and into the trees to see the first sighting of the mice.

For as long as I can remember, and for as long as Mellow can remember, our dying society has made the short trek to the mangle trees, these twisty trees are home to the mangle fruit or better known to me as mouse fruit. A sweet fruit resembling an orange with a blue center filled with a sour jelly to make my nose scrunch. When Mellow was a kid a new species of mice moved into these trees and now, in order to enjoy the delectable fruit, you have to be wary of the little warriors. They aren't violent. They just value ‘their’ fruit over what I would call logic. In one wrong move, you'll get a whole army of purple mice nibbling your behind.

Crew especially hates these creatures since he's had experience in the nibbling department.

The solution, I've found, is to gather the fruit that grows at the lowest part of the twisty trees. The mice will allow this with sharp supervision of course. Suffice to say it's both a funny and stressful job. Today seems like a calm stay, and I move to pick a few as quick and quietly as possible while ignoring the clicks Crew makes as he watches dozens of beady little eyes pop up from the tree limbs to observe.

I pick my last fruit, shoving them into my shallow bag made of plastic and the hair from a drudge bear, a long-haired species native to the west side of what was once San Francisco. Turning my back on the odd creatures, I chuckle at Crew’s blatant fear and click for him to follow me out of the tree grove.

I let the breeze drift over me once more as I steer my direction towards the cave holding my one and only task and ignore the warning goosebumps that I've become accustomed to, knowing this routine check will hold no change.

14th of August, 6089

I buried her early this morning with the sunrise. Other than the company, I've technically been the only Watcher for a while now. Mellow was old and said she was ready to leave knowing she had raised me right. I'm alone.

Making my monthly trip to the comms pad is difficult knowing I only ever did it 'cause Mellow said it was our duty, but I know as well as she did that it's become a hopeless venture.

Crew follows me closely as if he can sense my lazy sorrow. He sniffs the air every few minutes in case he needs to warn me of the unknown, but today has granted me silence. No warning signs, no wind, no growth, just peace. I am thankful.

It's the noise that's caused me to miss what is right there. The old temples on the east side of these woods are now almost covered in the very vines that erase history for sport. The statues have fallen, the old air has vanished. Our people told stories of the ancient Golden Gate Bridge collapsing and how the oceans have taken over like the old gods in fairy tales. Nature is taking over and fighting back. The truce we hold is dwindling as I am the last human on Earth. My hope is in its patience.

I wish I would have asked more questions of our past, I wish I knew the details of the Watchers' origins and the reason we were truly left behind. The knowledge had been passed down for years and yet it seems to have been forgotten with time.

When we reach the pool it doesn't look like it did last month. Regardless of its stillness, it looks alive. It looks like it's gained strength. The comms pad is now completely submerged in the shallow waters. I doubt it works.

Bending down I survey the status of the machinery and how the deeper blue encroaches on where the signal would be. The water stares back as I examine my face, the dirt that has been permanently etched in my pores is more obvious now than it has been in the past. I think of Mellow and my Father as ripples arise on the surface, objecting at the salty invaders that escape from my eyes. The pool isn't the only being that has changed.

21st of December, 6089:

I awake to a long, harsh series of clicking.

“Go away,” I say tiredly and get no difference in response. My bones creak as I rise with a stretch of my arms and a sudden high pitched whine makes me jump. I pause at the stray thought of something being wrong. I push out of the shelter and peek around the door. I've never seen a bumble fox this far out other than Crew, but it never hurts to be cautious.

Crew continues his panicked clicking as he shoves open the entrance faster than I have time to assess the situation and begins tugging at my shirt. Cold, sharp air hits my neck and I hiss at the intrusion. The clicking has somehow sped up and I have the quiet thought that Crew sounds awfully like a cicada with the harsh rhythm.

“Alright, alright. What's got your fur standing up?” I ask as I tug on my winter coat and pull out my bow with an arrow already nocked. I stumble out of the shelter space and start sprinting after the clicking animal, once he had seen me on my feet he had taken off.

I quickly caught up with him and observed the path that led us to whatever destination he was leading me. The dark is highlighted as the tree tops cover the planet lights and the fact that its night is more obvious than before. The trees shift as the wind picks up. We pass the mangle Trees and both Crew and I almost get knocked over by the large amount of mice making their way back up the trees. I make an effort to keep up with Crew and to not let the forest creature’s panic frighten me or slow me down.

Trees ache in the rough treatment as I hear the wind chimes stationed throughout Watcher territory chime loud and long with urgency. The leaves shift and bekon us forward as Crew picks up speed. I watch with increasing alarm as the racket owls circle around the trees and hurry to get back to their homes in blurs of silver and purple; They usually protect the woods at night.

We turn at the juncture, and I stop short causing Crew to spin around and resume his panic at the sight of my hesitance. This path only leads to the cave. The very cave that holds the communications pad. The wind shifts directions as quickly as the birds and the realization dawns on me. I hear the deep voice of the wind chimes once more.

I bypass Crew quickly and seeing that I understand now, he chooses to follow. I haven't visited in months and I regret it quickly; The cave entrance is completely covered by black and green vines tightening like a knot. I pull out my arrow and use the end to quickly make space for an entrance.

I hear it before I see it.

Beep

Beep

Beep

Its light illuminates the magical pool that has doubled- no tripled in size. Training runs through my head, I open the panel placed on the far wall and pull the computer out to answer the phone. They ask for confirmation of life forms and then will receive my coordinates to dispatch a crew of people to survey the land and determine if the Watchers’ diagnosis is correct. Then I won't be the only human on this planet.

Yet, I don't move. The signal continues to beep, it will until communication is reached. I take a step forward and the Crew clicks nervously. The next step makes the wind pick up and I can hear the wind chimes once more.

I slowly switch directions and begin to submerge in the pool, shocked by the temperature as I shuffle and wade to what once stood proud as the comms pad. My fingers tenderly cup the signal like my Father once did to wipe my tears, would he be proud of me now? Would Mellow?

Beep

Beep

Beep

I think of the old monuments turned to ash, I think of the pictures drawn depicting the end of humanity, I think of the peace and equality nature brings. I turn towards my friend and survey his stature. He wouldn't exist if humans had not left. The mangle trees and their furious protectors wouldn't provide fruit and entertainment if it weren't for the death of society.

The noise and light grows persistent and the water is up to my stomach when I’m sitting on my knees. The pool trembles and the cold has turned me numb. The vines move like snakes in the trick of the light and shadows. I wouldn't be here if humans had not left. My decision has been made.

Beep

Beep

Beep

I let my eyes settle on the device and feel a wave of calm wash over me. I repay that kindness. I stand, take another look around this room with no intention of moving closer to where the receiver sits. I so diligently devoted my life to this place and I think back to every Watcher that devoted their life too. No more. It's time for this place to rest. The signal gets louder as I retrieve my dropped items with a renewed sense of peace. I turn and walk out with Crew at my feet.