2066 was the hottest average year in recorded history. It beat the previous holder, 2065, by three degrees. 2065 beat the previous holder, 2064, by two degrees. The extreme heat had many effects on the world and the global population, but none so destructive as the rapid melting of the polar ice caps. In 2066, the ice caps gave way and a global flood swept the Earth. Over the course of 15 days, 90% of the Earth's land was covered in water. The land that remains, the top of what were mountains and some places that were far from the original coasts, have all been claimed by ex-billionaires that were able to quickly build on the lands and hire security to make sure no one else can trespass. The rest of the world, like me, are Drifters. People of no nation, no flag, and no creed. We do what we can to survive on the open waters.

The ship I am on, nicknamed the Sassy Lobster, was recently docked at an abandoned oil rig that was roughly 50 miles off the shore of the State of Alabama, or at least that's what the map says. There were a few survivors there, remnants of the original crew, that traded with us and gave us shelter for a few days. I heard one of them talk of a place almost as if it was a myth. A city on the ocean; adrift like us. The Free City of Sisao. The crewmate told stories he heard that it was a place anyone could go and feel welcome, as long as they helped out. Buildings of scrapped ships and debris all welded and shaped together to form a glorious city. I asked him where such city is, and he responded he did not know, since it floats and all. He did say the last guy that came by said he last visited it when it was in the North Atlantic.

I was able to convince my captain that pursuing this Free City could be to our advantage. We could help them out and trade with them. She agreed and we set sail. That was three months ago and we still have yet found this fabled city. Some of the crew have started to openly question the captain's decision and fear of a mutiny is in the air. After a few more anxious nights we finally spot it.

The city is much larger than that oil rig crewman let on. This place was truly a feat of engineering and ingenuity. Towers of steel and wood float on makeshift ballasts. Rope and cable bridges connect individual buildings up in the air, while "canals" for boats act as streets.

We get permission to dock and make our way through the city. The stories do not do it justice. Small stores line cramped alleyways full of people. The smell of cooked fish fills the air. People yell out to try to get us to buy their goods or services. We come across a school where children are being taught basic survival skills like fishing, welding, and first aid. A nearby factory is full of masked craftsmen creating a plethora of parts and machines to run this city. I have to take a seat on a bench because the sensory overload is too much for me. I have spent years on the open sea. I have gotten too used to constantly seeing the blue horizon in front of me. I feel claustrophobia start to set in. I take a deep breath and calm myself. This place is too great to put me down. This place is the epitome of human survival, but also of human compassion. The Sisaoians have come together to make something beautiful. I am eager to get started to do my part.

Kenneth Halloran's alarm went off at 6:15 a.m. just like it did every Monday-Friday. Arms stretched out, he yawned and turned off the 80s pop song that he had set as his alarm. He shuffled over to his en suite bathroom, did his business, took a warm shower, and brushed his teeth. Returning to his bedroom, he put on a comfortable gray suit and black tie. He then proceeded downstairs to his 14-year old daughter already eating cereal and watching TikToks on her phone before the bus came for school.

"Finish up that algebra assignment, Maddy?", Kenneth asked as he started the coffee maker, and slid some bread in the toaster.

"Of course, Dad. It wasn't so hard after you found that example in my textbook. Thanks again for that" Maddy replied. Ken smiled, she was a good student and he was incredibly proud of the work she did in school.

Both ate their respective breakfasts and finished getting ready. Ken gave Maddy a quick hug before she headed off to catch the bus. "See you after school, Dad. Remember, I have soccer practice so I'll be home a little late. Veronica's mom said she can drop me off though" she said as she dashed out the door.

Kenneth got in his SUV and started on his way to work. He looked at his watch and noticed he was actually a little early than usual. On his way to his firm downtown, he mentally prepared for his day ahead; he had a meeting at 10:30 with his supervisor regarding a new project he was proposing. He was pretty nervous about it, but he burned the midnight oil the past few weeks to make sure it would be within the firm's budget; he also promised his coworker, Allen, that they would have lunch together. The two of them loved a sandwich shop near the office so they'd sometimes run down together and eat a quick lunch and just chat a bit. Ken was eager to rub in the fact that Allen's favorite basketball team was now out for the season. Lastly, Ken had some reports to write up and get to the office manager by the end of day Friday. So that would take a chunk of his afternoon.

Ken came up to a red light just a few blocks down from his parking garage. He realized he was so focused on today's schedule that he didn't notice no cars were coming. He bent forward, and saw that his traffic light was still red. Confused, he checked his mirrors and saw no traffic behind him either. "What the hell? I know I'm a tad early, but it's still 8:35 and I'm in the center of downtown."

"Correct, Kenneth", said a voice in his passenger seat. Kenneth screamed and saw an elderly man, in his mid-to-late 70s perhaps, dressed in a similar suit as himself. "Who the fuck are you and how did you get in my car?!" Kenneth exclaimed.

"Well I've had many names, Charon the Ferryman, the Grim Reaper, or simply just Death. I'm sorry, Ken, but you are dead as of 8:35 a.m. this morning. You didn't see it, but a semi-truck swerved into your lane as you stopped at this light, killing you on impact. This is your last memory as a living man." The strange man said quite solemnly.

Kenneth shook his head. He bent forward again, the light was still red. No other cars. His watch still read 8:35. This stranger is telling the truth. He really is dead.

"It is my duty to answer any 3 questions before I take you to the afterlife, so please ask whatever you wish." Death said, his face softening just a little. "Take your time, let it all process."

Kenneth sat there for several minutes in complete silence as he contemplated everything. Finally, he choked up his first question, "What will happen to Maddy, my daughter?"

Death conjured a magical image onto the front windscreen of the SUV. On it, Maddy appeared in class taking notes. She is taken to the administrative office where the principal and a police officer tell her the grim news. She weeps in the office for nearly 50 minutes. Kenneth wept alongside her seeing this. Kenneth's wife, Maddy's mother, passed away from cancer 7 years ago. She was now an orphan.

Death's magical illusion fast forwarded a few years. Shes living with Kenneth's grandparents a couple states over. They are poor, but care for Maddy. After her father's death and having to move to an entirely new state, Maddy becomes increasingly depressed and falls into a bad crowd. She gets knocked up at the age of 19 by some deadbeat and has to work two jobs to support her son. "I've seen enough", Ken said with zero inflection in his voice. Death swiped the images away. "Two more questions." He said.

Kenneth thought for awhile longer, "How does the firm look after my death?" He finally asked. Once again, Death creates a magical image onto the windshield. It showed the firm working as normal. Allen was still there, his supervisor was still there. Everyone was still there, doing the exact same thing. The image went to his now former office, there a young woman in her late 20s sat typing up a report. Her diploma and family photos lined her wall. Death spoke up, "Her name is Erica Stephens. After you passed, the firm posted your job and found her pretty quickly." Kenneth sat in dismay. "They just moved on? The firm didn't care about me at all?" He asked with tears in his eyes. "Not really" Death replied, "Oh, they did send a few flowers to your funeral."

Kenneth thought to himself how he was going to word his next question. After several more minutes of diliberation, he asked his final question. "If I didn't die, would I have been happy?" Death actually had to think on this one. Instead of showing him anything on the window like the previous two times, he turned to Kenneth and said, "No. Not really. If you never died you'd still be at that crap firm, you'd get a slight promotion in 5 years, Maddy would move out and go to college on the west coast. She would meet a nice guy and get married out there. At her wedding? Sure, you would be happy I suppose. It would also fill you with sadness with memories of her mother, and that she is all grown up. She would start a family, but you really wouldn't see them that often. Only on a few holidays. As you would get older, you'd have less and less energy to do things. Your pal Allen would retire and move to Florida. After that, you would have pretty much no one in your life. When the time came, Maddy would pay to have you in a decent retirement home until you naturally passed". Kenneth stared ahead blankly. His whole world seemingly collapsing in front of him. He didn't really matter in the world. He was just a cog in the wider machine. Now, he was a dead cog being swapped out and tossed in the scrap heap.

"It's time", Death said whilst grabbing Kenneth's hand. Kenneth was blinded by a brilliant white light. "I thought you were meant to be at peace when you died?" Kenneth thought as his conscious moved on. "Why can't I be at peace?"

I awake suddenly from cryosleep. I'm still groggy, but the blaring alarms and flashing amber lights help expedite my awakening. Green lights on the ship floor indicate the emergency path I need to take to the nearest escape pod. I hear distant explosions, and what sounds like parts of the ship breaking apart. I pick up the pace and get to the escape pod. The fire suppression system in this sector is trying to stop a huge fire three decks above me. I can feel the heat in the ship climb higher and higher. I get in the pod and seal the hatch. I check to see all the emergency equipment is still there; water and food rations, environmental suit, communications equipment, standard tool set, a pulse rifle and kinetic handgun, and ammunition for both. I strap in and initiate launch.

I am hurdled down to the planet below. The window across from me allows me to see the ship, the S.A.N Alighieri, tearing apart. "What the hell happened?" I say out loud. As the pod continues to fling through space, I remember our objective: to establish a base of operations on the planet of Ifreann.

"Hell on Earth is just a Tuesday on Ifreann", as the saying goes. Ifreann got quite the notoriety when the team of Irish explorers initially discovered it. A team of 24 trained pathfinders landed on the planet. Only 6 left it. Only 2 made it back to Earth. Those two survivors told of the horrors on the planet; poisonous flora, drastic weather patterns, and extremely dangerous fauna, all make Ifreann their home. And I'm hurdling straight towards it: alone.

I was contracted as an engineer for this mission. The Systems Alliance felt that Ifreann is worth the risk since initial scans from the atmosphere show large deposits of rare metals and fuel. The Alighieri was built for this mission explicitly, and now it is debris floating in space. It seems not even the ship is safe from this planet's reputation.

After a couple hours, I look out the window and finally see my unfortunate destination: Ifreann. From space, it looks absolutely beautiful. It has one large supercontinent, similar to old Pangea of Earth, which comprises about 45% of the surface. The other 55% is beautiful azure ocean. Ifreann has a higher temperature due to a thicker atmosphere, and significantly higher rainfall than Earth or other exoplanets we have recorded and colonized. This has lead to huge tropical rainforests that would put the Amazon to shame being the primary biome of Ifreann. Everywhere except near the poles are covered in lush hues of green that make the planet look like a jade marble from certain angles.

As the pod gets closer and enters the atmosphere, I buckle back in as turbulence starts. After a few minutes I hear the outside thrusters engage and then the parachute. The pod lands with a hefty thud that nearly causes me to black out. I gather my senses and look outside. The pod's internal navigation computer found an open clearing to land in. About 150 meters out I can see the dense foliage of the jungle. The computer calculates where to land based on my chances of survival. I don't want to know what it thinks my chances are.

I put on the environmental suit. It will help me retain and reprocess water I lose from sweat, which I will likely be doing a lot of in the sweltering heat of Ifreann's jungles. The suit also protects me physically from creature attacks, but from the reports I've read, they don't protect you for very long. I gather the rest of the equipment and sling the pulse rifle on my back. I open the hatch of the escape pod and immediately feel the humidity and heat of this place. Even in this clearing it is nearly unbearable, once you get into the jungle proper, I can't even imagine.

I find a good spot in this clearing, pretty central and higher up so I can see any creature that may be stalking me and trying to attack. I set up the communication equipment and power it with a battery. I input my credentials and start an emergency S.O.S signal and give my location. Hopefully some others made it out of the ship too and can maybe make their way to me, or a passing ship detects it and attempts to rescue me. As a little bit of hope fills me, the dread of my situation enters me again. I am on the most hostile planet recorded in human history, alone, with limited supplies, and just basic survival training. I sit down on the soft ground and contemplate it all, "I'm going to die here".

"Swallow your spit. You can't risk choking at this point", I say to myself as I clear my throat. I think back to the rules my mentor taught me. Clear my mind, breathe in and then exhale slowly, make sure to blink, open my senses to the world around me. Think of all scenarios this could play out, and deal with them accordingly.

"Hidden. You must remain hidden at all times. If you are spotted, you are a dead man", I recall him telling me. God that felt like years ago. I survey my surroundings; I'm roughly 750 meters North from my target, 50 meters high on an overlooking cliff face. Plenty of trees and shrubbery to hide me, the midday sun makes plenty of shadows. I know my plan and my exit strategy. It is time.

Guilt rings over me as I take the shot. As I pull the trigger of my sniper rifle, I think, "Well, here it goes. No going back now, huh? Was this the right thing to do? I sure hope so". The bullet soars over the landscape and finds it's mark. Right through the left eye. I save my celebration for later, I need to get the hell out of here, now.

If watching cartoons has taught me anything, it's that humans are the real monsters. I grew up watching lots of Scooby-Doo. And I do mean a lot. It was my favorite show as a child. I loved seeing the ol' gang work through the mystery, meeting wacky characters, and having all sorts of hijinks. I remember thinking as a kid, "It's boring that the monsters/villains are always just some creepy or greedy person". Looking back, I understand it more than ever.

Humans really are the monsters in our world. We are responsible for so many awful things. Everything from murder and rape, to inequalities in society. People at the top constantly try to screw over others just to line their already fat pockets. People will blatantly ignore the laws just to get what they want. People would rather see the world burn and other people suffer if it meant they benefited from it even slightly. As outlandish as some of the plots in Scooby-Doo were, they honestly were not far off from reality. Others humans are the main cause of strife and hardship amongst other humans.

Of all things, it was Scooby-Doo that taught me this concept. There are good people out in the world however. There are the Freds, Velmas, Daphnes, Shaggys, and Scoobys out there. People that look out for others, and do their best to highlight wrongdoings. That is the model I want to live by. I want my life to be full of times I actually help people. Whether it be a small assistance or a tremendous act of generosity. I couldn't live with myself if I knew I was actively hurting someone else, and potentially ruining their way of life. I choose to be a better person in society. All of that, I learned from watching a silly cartoon about a dog.

Jeff Holloway found himself doing what he did most evenings after work; playing video games. Jeff loved gaming ever since he was a young kid at the arcade; wasting away quarter after quarter. He spent hours playing everything from Super Mario Bros., to Call of Duty, to Age of Empires. Jeff could find joy in almost every game he played. On this particular evening, Jeff was playing Fallout 4, an RPG type game set in America after a nuclear apocalypse. Jeff has spent hours upon hours playing the games in the Fallout series. He greatly enjoyed the atmosphere of the world, the characters, and the combat systems. Though we would play other games quite frequently, he often got the urge to create a new character, and explore the wasteland once more in Fallout. After a productive night of killing mutated animals, trading with wasteland merchants, and scrapping spare parts from junk, Jeff decided to turn off his game console and head to bed. "Man, I wonder what it would be like to truly live in the nuclear wasteland. I bet I could do somewhat well." Jeff thought as he turned off his bedside lamp and closed his eyes.

After what felt like not much time, Jeff awoke to hissing and mechanical whirring. "What is going on?" Jeff said still rather groggy with sleep. Jeff's eyes opened to a bright light in his face. Once he adjusted, he realized he was in a large metal room. There were machines and laboratory equipment all over the place. Whiteboards filled with mathematic equations and programming language that he had no clue in deciphering. Jeff realized his bed had been replaced with a small pod, and he had various tubes and cables attached to him. He began to hyperventilate, "This is one hell of a dream!" Jeff exclaimed in-between breathes. "This is no dream, Mr. Holloway" said a voice nearby. Jeff panicked, and looked towards the voice. There stood a man in a long lab coat, he appeared to be in his 60s. His graying hair was disheveled and obviously unwashed for some time. "It's okay, Jeff. It's natural to freak out. Let it out of your system. Take some deep breaths. I'll explain everything once you calm down a bit " The man said, holding out a hand. Jeff got up and looked around. As he took in more of his environment, he realized something, this is all familiar. He was in Fallout. "I really need to stop gaming before bed like that" Jeff chuckled to himself. "It really messes with my brain". The man looked at him, "As I said, Jeff, this is no dream. This is real. If anything, your 'real life' was the dream". Jeff's eyes darted the room. He had an idea of where he was. "I'm in a Vault, aren't I?" Jeff asked. "You're correct. Very good, Mr. Holloway. This is Vault 589." The man said with a small smile. "If this is a Vault, then that means there were experiments here. Experiments done on people fleeing the nuclear holocaust." Jeff said somewhat timidly. "Correct again, Jeff. Here in Vault 589, we were tasked with trying to create individuals specifically suited to tackle the irradiated wastes above" the man said as he pointed upwards. "What better way to do so, than to have people experience it virtually!" Jeff stumbled back, "You're saying that me playing Fallout was all training to actually survive the wasteland?" Jeff said rather incredulously. "Correct yet again" the man smiled. "Vault 589 houses an advanced artificial intelligence that simulated your entire life for you to experience, up until this point of course. You didn't know it, but you were guided to play Fallout. Didn't you ever find it curious that you were always drawn to play the Fallout games? That was the A.I. telling you to get some practice in" the man said with a laugh. Jeff sat down, his head spinning. "This is absolutely insane. Who are you anyway?" Jeff asked. "I am Dr. Steven Holmes. Lead Researcher here in the vault. Well...only researcher nowadays. Unfortunately, everyone else passed away before they could see the project completed. I am glad I was still kicking to see our lives' work take fruition" the doctor said solemnly. "A lot of effort went into developing you, Jeff. I hope you realize that." Jeff stood there, still in a state of shock. "So I was designed from birth to be an expert survivor? This all seems like a lot of work". Dr. Holmes guided Jeff around the lab, "Our corporate leaders, Vault-tec, thought the experiment would be worthwhile in the end. They felt that creating a person and training them the way you were would be...beneficial for things in the long-term". After spending time collecting his thoughts, Jeff took a deep breath, "You know, I actually feel like this is right for me. In some weird way, I feel destined for this. Maybe that's your fancy computer doing its job well, but I feel ready." Dr. Holmes beamed with joy. "Oh, Jeff. I'm so glad to hear that. I know it is a lot to take in, but I'm thrilled to know that this project was a success. Upstairs you will find a plethora of supplies. Take whatever you want. I will remain here in the vault going over the data. Feel free to return at any time if you have any questions." Dr. Holmes said gesturing to an elevator. Jeff took in a breath and went upstairs. There, he found a large room filled with lockers, duffle bags, shelves, and dressers all filled with supplies he would need to begin his journey in the wasteland. He grabbed food, medicine, armor, weapons, and basic tools. After some time getting geared up and ready, he made his way to the entrance of the vault. Jeff activated the large gear-like door from a nearby panel and waited as the it opened. Full of excitement and anxiety, he was ready to take on this world. A world where he could do what he wanted. A near-literal blank slate for him to make a living for himself. As the the door finally creaked open fully, Jeff was blinded by the light of the sun as he made his first few steps out into the wastes.

"That should be fine for a little while" I sigh as I close my laptop. I look out the window of the cozy cafe I find myself in. The soft music, the aroma of fresh bread and coffee, and comforting decor always makes working in the evenings a bit more enjoyable. As I peer outside, I take in the world I see before me. The traffic is slow and quiet, and it feels like the entire planet is relaxing. The warmth of summer is in the air. Flowers that grew in the spring are now in wonderful bloom. Children play at a park across the road. Playing tag and climbing on the playground. I reminisce about those times long ago. I didn't need to worry about deadlines, or zoom meetings, or quarterly reports. The only stress I had was whose house we were going to play basketball at. "I hope they make the best of this time", I say to myself. "No more summer breaks at my age". I turn my attention to the street corner. I see four college kids waiting to cross. Looks like two young couples out on a double date. All dressed for the weather in shorts and t-shirts. I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy as I look down at my bland office attire. They head off towards the theatre. I check my watch, "Starting a movie at 8 p.m? That's a late night ahead of them!" I sit back and chuckle as I hear what I just said. "I really am getting old huh?" My mind wanders back to my time at their age, excited for the summer. Vacations, days at the pool, fun summer jobs. I snap back as an employee asks if I want a refill on my coffee. I say yes and thank her. I let out one more sigh as I boot up the laptop again. "Yup, no more summer breaks for me".