366. A haunted house, 6

(Rose)

We were tired now. Bleue and Mushio were struggling against the effects of alcohol as well.

But we needed to know.

Ana and Bleue did their best to translate the details of this unhappy revelation, or prophecy.

Of course Bleue will die someday, but he implied that it would be soon.

And we learnt a reality that had escaped us for all these years.

We already knew that humanity essentially went extinct very abruptly, when magic or T.I as we call it now, appeared suddenly and flooded the world.

Many wishes and nightmares were suddenly granted that day I can guess, amidst the elemental chaos. Most people died there, and many others rapidly after. It was a sudden collapse, and a few years later, here we are.

We never realised the full extent of the side effects and the aftermath.

Mushio revealed it to us in its grim simplicity.

Women were not able to give birth anymore.

They just died, bleeding, heart stopping, suffocating.

For one reason or another, since that sinister day, human could not reproduce anymore.

It never shocked us not to see any child born after that year, because we didn't meet many survivors to begin with.

But they had. In Europe and Orient, they had.

And he had seen that every pregnancy ended up in tragedy sooner or later, without exception.

Bleue didn't react. She acted as if her mind was somewhere else, thinking about something very far away from here. She was as shocked as I was.

The nature of things had changed. Some rules had moved.

And perhaps some of the metabolic cogs in human reproduction didn't work anymore. Pregnancy couldn't be completed any longer by humans.

Mushio revealed there to us a sad curse I could have thought being the trick of a daiûa, hadn't it come from his human mouth.

The human metabolism had a glitch now, something failed us. And reproduction just didn't reach its end as it should anymore.

Humanity was condemned.

Even if we could reproduce as usual, we were too few and too scarce anyway Mushio added, not that it helped.

There was this curse on top of it.

As if something godly really had wished for humanity to end rapidly...

T.I. had altered our bodies in more ways than one, of everyone, it wasn't new.

And beings-like-her could clone or replicate our bodies easily. I realise now they never seemed to reproduce the way animals used to.

Maybe they already knew the old fashion way to create humans or even animals would be suicide for the mothers now? Pregnancy doesn't just fail he's telling us, it also kills the mother, every time...

I couldn't understand.

And honestly, I didn't really want to just accept it.

I was feeling a mix of anger and sadness.

Because I was scared it might be true.

~

We all went to have some rest, though we had poor sleep.

Bleue sleeping against me and in my arms.

I felt worry.

I don't want to lose you my love...

I'm scared now.

I try to reassure myself, thinking we aren't human anymore. We're daiûas, with biology and organisms able to go a little beyond. And we have power, lots of power we can use at will.

There's no reason to fear that curse affecting female survivors as we're not ones of them. We came from a different world and have a different nature.

We should be able to escape this sad fate, or even to negate its effects with what we have. Shouldn't we?

Of course we will.

~

When sunlight returns, I'm not that worried about it.

We've survived many odd diseases. We'll be careful, and the healthy Bleue will be fine.

She believes so as well, and tells me she'll be okay, between two morning cuddles and kisses.

I know you can do astonishing things.

I trust you.

Still, this sad omen spoiled the mood and the meal, so we're all feeling a little gloomy now.

Knowing an invisible curse lingers and plagued the land and the species we came from, it doesn't raises happiness obviously.

Bleue has a brilliant thought about it.

Mushio only lived in areas with high ambient T.I like here it would seem.

Meaning if we headed back to western Europe, it could be a little safer.

Our friend thought about it and agreed. It could be a good idea when the time comes to head further west.

Also, another reassuring fact is that Bleue is taking her time.

From what she can see through her own tummy, the embryo is still little. Meaning the development is slower than what would be normal for humans.

It could mean anything, but I believe it is because Bleue's body is more adapted to the environment. The process is slower as it's how it should be now to work properly.

What normal humans couldn't adapt to so fast, I think we have.

Mushio apologised. As if it was a little his fault that the nature had become hostile to humans and women.

I gave him one of my odd smiles. A grin meaning that we will thrive.

~

I later joined Ana and the girl on the roof, sitting on the edge to look at the sea and sky. It's bright. It's a cold landscape too.

The veil of a curse has been seen.

I thought the noxiousness lingering over the cities was just the haunting of the deads. That it was just our ghosts. It was more than that. There was a shift in metabolic possibilities condemning us.

Humanity has been doomed. So much it's a little suffocating.

As if somewhere beyond this sky, a god had decided the time of humanity was over, that history lasted long enough.

That malevolent god called for a flood, invisible though, wiping it all from the Earth.

That was not enough to end humankind. Especially not this last kind with strong technologies able to reach the stars.

So the hand of this invisible god casted a curse to end it all forever.

As we watch the sea and sky, it feels sad thinking such a king could have been observing all of us all this time, wishing for our death and insuring it by breaking the possibility of motherhood...

I don't really believe such a malevolent god could exist. Though like the others, I do not know how and why the world has changed. I just see like everyone else that it has.

But should we believe in god, that's what happened, it's undisputable.

I feel sorry and sad for the survivors who believed in god. It must have a been a heart breaking and tremendous pain to survive what was obviously a call for the end of times and death to reach everyone.

And even worse, to then claim the lives of every mother to be, and child to be born...

Even the survivors believing god could have spared them because they were righteous, found themselves lost in front of the only logical judgement god really gave to all of us.

Your time is over. Now disappear into oblivion like the rest of you the other day.

I've felt free in this world.

But for many others, it's always been the feeling of trespassing in a place where they've been condemned not to exist anymore. An invisible spectre of death looming over their shoulder, whispering them that it was all pointless.

Because in time, there was no escaping death. And nothing of you will remain...

~

I held the young girl's shoulder as if to comfort her.

She has lived under the oppression of this truth longer than I have.

She says it's okay.

Her eyes have this surreal golden gleam.

I smile.

Being the last humans on Earth can feel like an oppressive destiny and heirloom. But I've lived well without thinking about it, without believing in the existence of such a petty god. I shall continue.

She will keep learning what she can, until she is the last human on Earth...

And then...

I can't see it. I'm not able to imagine it.

But I think, she will manage to smile.

~