text: Earth 2156. “W-Who are you?” said the lady, whose sudden appearance had frightened me seconds prior. In my surprise, I had unconsciously jolted backwards while suppressing the urge to scream as loud as my lungs allowed me to. She seemed more terrified than shocked, almost petrified by an indescribable horror that laid before her eyes. Past the initial shock, I racked my brain to formulate some words but my voice couldn’t come out. It just wouldn’t. The woman finally broke the tension with her query. I uttered that I was an Earthling, to which her expression shifted from fear to bewilderment. “A what?” was her response. I reiterated my answer and added that I came from sector 4-Q. At that, she looked a little bit relieved. “So you are a Quartz ? What are you doing here? Why aren’t you with them ?” I nodded and fumbled to explain that I had left the Central Den in hope that the neighboring area could provide me with the supplies I lacked. I paused, not knowing how to respond to her last question. She seemed to process the information. I wondered if my response satisfied her. It did. “I’m a hu- I mean an Emerald from 2-E. You can call me Viridian. Nice to make your acquaintance...uhmm....” “It’s Q-9856” Again, she appeared confused. “Is that your name?” she asked dubiously. I nervously confirmed that it was indeed my codename; I was a little taken aback by her reaction. Had she never heard a codename before and why did she have a name like that, without any numbers? Why was she in this sector anyway? It’s not like hers was next door. “Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that I’m not familiar with the culture of lower Clusters... .” I could only guess that my annoyed expression had betrayed me. That was to be expected from someone who had been spoiled their entire life. Who were we kidding? I simply shrugged and asked her what had brought her here. “I was in charge of an exchange program between the Sapphires and the Emeralds . Then, I took a liking to this place and decided to settle here as a liaison agent between the two Clusters .” Frankly, I expected her to tell me the reason why she was still here on Earth but we must have felt the same way; unprepared to answer that. Still, it partly explained what she was doing in sector 3-S. “Are you...alone? Is there anyone else with you?” I could tell that she was looking for an affirmative answer but I could only provide her with a negative one. She appeared disappointed but she wasn’t the only one. I initially had hope of finding other Earthlings like me. I desperately tried to contact those who had remained with a transmitter I had found but I quickly gave up. Within the first six months of their departure, I realized that I was the only one walking the Earth. The only Earthling to be precise. It was to be expected. I had been foolish to believe that anyone else would want to stay behind on a dying planet. Foolish enough to think that life would be better after they left. Still, the Clustering no longer existed....because there was no one else to Cluster. I felt miserable, lonely and pitiful. But I was free. And there she was, standing before me. I could barely contain my relief. It was simply surreal. “Why didn’t you go?” The sentence had slipped from my mind to my lips so naturally that I instantly brought my hands to my mouth. Before I could formulate any kind of apology, Viridian stopped me. “I always thought that I would die on this planet, that I would never see the end of the Red Coral project and that.....mankind would eventually perish.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I could barely believe it when the Diamonds announced its completion. Deep down, I knew I wouldn’t be happy there, that I wouldn’t find what I wanted there, that I.....” “.....wouldn’t have a place there?” As soon as I said that, I felt a wave of embarrassment take over me. “I-I didn’t want to interrupt you.” She stared at me before giggling. “I guess you are right. Deep down, I knew my place was here. Others called me eccentric and even suicidal...but I see I’m not alone in my unorthodoxy.” I smiled at her comment. “I was also alienated for not following the prophesied ideologies too. But being the stubborn Quartz that I am, I stayed true to my conviction. I just couldn’t stand the Clustering anymore.” I had so much questions but I later found out that the Emerald did too. Viridian declared that I should stay with her since we were most likely the last two remaining “humans” -to say it in her terms- on Earth. She showed me around the facility once ruled by Sapphires and helped me get settled in one of the hundreds of unoccupied rooms. Our encounter had been quite serendipitous; I had left the Den after depleting most of the meagre supplies they had provided me with. It took me almost two months to cross the border between the two Clusters . The arid environment and the scorching sun proved to be major obstacles for someone so unaccustomed to being outside for long periods of time. Being on the surface, I realized that the few historical and astronomical classes I was allowed to attend had accurately portrayed the damage cosmic rays had done to Earth. I was immensely thankful for the protective gear that had been gifted to me as a parting present. The land was barren of any signs of life; only dry land expanding on all sides. There were a few eroded antennas sticking up from the ground though. The wind was practically nonexistent and the rain.... Well, the red rain seemed, unsurprisingly, odd to me since I had never seen rain before. So did the normal one, actually. But I would only collect the latter; the water I had had all my life had never been red, you see. A few days after I entered sector 3-S, I came across the underground facility of Viridian. My remaining sustenance was getting dangerously low and I was beginning to fear that my end might come sooner than I had anticipated. Finding it had been a stroke of luck, but meeting Viridian was a miracle. After a week, I became familiar with the intricate underground structure which could only be compared to a maze. Despite the obvious degradation due to lack of proper maintenance, the lavish and elegance attributed to Sapphires inexplicably emanated from the hidden infrastructure; the walls were adorned with beautiful detailed carvings of the Earthlings and their tragic history. An overly glorified one, if I might add. Viridian was eager to know more about my culture and this eagerness went both ways. I was also curious about the strange terms she would use nonchalantly during our conversations but I didn’t want to appear too ignorant. It would hurt my pride. “What do you mean by that? You were not allowed outside during the Clustering ?” Her tone clearly suggested indignation and frustration. “Well, yes. Lower Clusters such as Quartzes and Amethysts were not permitted to be outside. Only the upper ones like yourself could. We were kept alive as labor for the other Clusters due to our commonness so there was no need to educate us beyond a certain level.” I tried to keep my tone as steady as I could but saying those words woke the rage of being so unfairly treated by the upper Clusters . “This is beyond disgusting!” exclaimed Viridian, “How could we have been so blind! Q-9856, I promise you I had no idea this was how the lower ones were treated. Why would they do such a thing?” I couldn’t have cared less about the truthfulness of her words or so I told myself.... But seeing her so sincerely sorry for my fate made me realize that, perhaps, I did care. I thought to myself on how lucky I was not to be alone on a dying planet with an unsympathetic Earthling. I told her that even if she knew, it wouldn’t have changed anything since; she couldn’t blame herself for something beyond her. “It’s only the past now for me. That’s why I chose to be here and not on the Red Planet . I simply hope that those I knew are faring better there. That’s all.” Viridian reluctantly agreed but I could still see the pity in her eyes. The Sapphires had left quite the food and water supply; Viridian estimated that these would last for roughly for two years if we were careful. It was more than enough. Earth wouldn’t be around by then. It was a dying planet after all. From time to time, I would subtly enquire Viridian about her weird vocabulary; she explained that “human” was simply another word for Earthling . One that was used long ago, well before the Clustering and the “Fifth World War”. I didn’t ask what the latter meant because, you know, my pride.... She also briefly stated one time that “mankind” meant the two of us. I could only suppose that that was what “humans” called themselves as a whole. The others had opted to be known as Red Corals . They didn’t matter anyway. One morning, Viridian came to me bouncing around saying she had a bright idea. “Since the Clustering has been abolished, don’t you think that you should have a new name?” I looked at her surprised; I had never considered my name odd since all Quartzes had similar ones albeit the different numbers. However, she seemed in such a happy mood that I just couldn’t refuse her. I gave in and told her she could chose whichever she found that would fit me. She proudly announced that she had one already ready and I realized she had given the matter some serious thought. “Cyan it is!!” she exclaimed. “It’s pretty. But what does it mean? And how does it fit me, Viridian?” “It was a tradition in my Cluster to be named after colors so I don’t really know if it has any meaning to it, just like mine. I only know some that have been passed from generations to generations. And for why it fits you, well, it’s simple and sounds elegant! I get the feeling that it will suit you!!” I laughed at her comparison. “Nobody has ever called me simple or elegant but I’ll accept the compliment gladly. Thank you for this beautiful name.” “You are welcomed, Cyan” she replied and proceeded to wink at me. I mimicked her and we both ended up laughing. Those little moments made us forget our impending deaths, if only temporarily; the deafening countdown echoing all around would cease for an instant. We were happy; nothing more, nothing less. Viridian and I would sometime discuss the fate of those who had abandoned Earth; did they find the promised liberty and rapture that had been prophesied on the Red Planet , if those we knew were still being oppressed and if we had forsaken our place there. We knew it was pointless to torture ourselves that way but we just couldn’t shake away those doubts. Those same doubts that would pester me at nights, during my journey, as I would laid under a sky illuminated by billions of lights. The gaseous beings scattered in space had been an endless source of fascination for me, given that I led the life of a mole due to the Clustering. A glance at their majestic sight was enough for me to question my insignificant existence. I had shared those feelings with Viridian but she showed no such admiration for the galaxy; sure, the night sky and stars were splendid...but they were just lights. With time, I came to the realization that this lovely Emerald had many sides to her; her optimistic, joyful, eccentric and pragmatic sides made her who she was. She had turned her back to all the privileges that the Clustering offered her and, quite possibly, her life. But she smiled and laughed. She cherished what her choice to stay had given her. I found myself envious of her for that. We lived, laughed and cried together; each day passing by brought us closer to the inevitable doom. We never left the facility and when the time had come, we hugged each other as the Earth was torn in billions of pieces. Yet, my doubts never left me. Had I been born an Emerald or even an Amber , would my perspective on things have been different? If I had not been born a lowly Quartz , would I have been on Mars with them ? Would I? Would I have been happier?