FICTION | DYSTOPIA | POST-APOCALYPTIC | #45 of 💯
A Nuclear Winter Tale
A dystopian short story
Day 1
The unthinkable happened. A nuke was dropped in Ukraine. The US and NATO pondered how to respond. They decided to destroy most of Russia’s military conventionally.
Day 2
However the Russian leader panicked and responded with nukes. The western anti-ballistic missiles shot down most, but not all. Baltimore and Philly were reduced to nuclear cinders. As were Hamburg, Gdańsk, Birmingham and Kyiv. Ukraine’s President died too.
Day 3
The West nuked Saint Petersberg, Novosibirsk and select military bases in response, roughly matching population numbers. Russia’s nukes kept coming though, from everywhere. The West hesitated to nuke Moscow, considering it too large and populous. Even if Putin et al died the army had their orders.
Day 4
The situation is completely out of control. Both Moscow and DC are gone, as are London, Berlin and Paris. Most Western leaders and key government officials are secure in secret nuclear shelters. Total nuclear annihilation seems inevitable. Radiation levels keep rising everywhere.
Day 5
Putin was considered dead but he made it out of Moscow at the last minute. Though most of Russian cities have turned into a radioactive wasteland he delivered an address to the remaining Russian forces -most in nuclear submarines- “to keep fighting until the very end!”
Day 9
The nukes stopped. Most of them are thought to have launched. I could not write for three days because we were on the move. We worried our nuclear shelter’s location was leaked and moved to the mountains. We have Geiger counters. The radiation keeps rising, even here.
Day 10
For the record, in case this cable is not delivered, I am the Greek ambassador to the United States. I’m lucky to be among the few allowed in the US President’s nuclear shelter. I don’t know if any of my embassy staff made it out of DC in time. I feel horrible about this, but I’m alive.
Day 11
We are now officially at a post-apocalyptic stage. By our estimates 90% of the global population is dead, so roughly 800 million remain alive. Of those most will die of cancer within a few years. The President’s medics shared the last iodine capsules today, per their words. We think they have many more stashed for Biden, his VP and select members of Congress.
Day 12
The food is running out. We need to procure food soon. The large American cities, including New York and LA, have been confirmed as targets. My hometown of Athens, Greece was somehow spared. There is no cellphone service but I borrowed an agent’s satellite phone to make contact with Athens. But soon our mobile power banks will run out.
Day 13
The power is now gone, as is most of the food. It’s unclear if the President is in charge. I think we are headless and make it up as we go along. I’ve asked what we’ll do next, where will we go, but no-one seems to know. Biden is as scared as the rest of us, though he tries not to show it. His cough worsened a lot today.
Day 14
Food rationing started. By ‘food’ I mean military dried packs and some cans. Earlier today the US Surgeon General got almost white when shown the latest Geiger readings. His eyes bulged out in a way that scared the crap out of me. They try to keep us calm but body language cannot be hidden. We are in deep trouble.
Day 16
I was unable to write yesterday. Biden is dead. “Health complications from radiation poisoning.” Pardon my language Athens but ‘the shit has officially hit the fan.’ We barely have any food and our “government” is breaking apart at the seams. VP Harris was hastily sworn in as new President but her fear was clear. If there was so much radiation high in the Appalachian Mountains was there any safe place left?
Day 18
A Secret Service agent beat me up yesterday to get my ration. The Secret Service’s head is also dead. Killed by his own men. They are the bosses now. They take by force our food and water. They stopped obeying President Harris’ orders. We are all starving and thirsty but they are the ones with the guns. This happened after our military left with the helicopter to try and look for food and a safe place to relocate.
Day 22
Half of our “government” is dead. Killed by the agents, from radiation or suicide. The rest of us will follow soon. I’m never going to see Athens again… The military team has not returned. They probably died too. All hope is lost indeed… I think this is my last cable.
Day 24
The military is back, with clean food and water! They found a safe place in Canada! They shot the agents on President Harris’ order. I thought I’d die. I have not eaten for many days, but it seems my time is not up yet. The survivors of our team boarded the helicopter and left for Canada. We did not take Biden’s body. Harris decided to not disturb his resting place.
Day 26
Safe, at last, in Nunavut. I just had lunch. It is cold but safe here. Traces of radiation, barely higher than normal. It seems I’ll survive after all. In whatever was left of our world. This is my last report Athens. I will make contact again after we set up shop.
Inspired by Bradan Writes Stories’ writing prompt. I challenge Sara Larca, Benighted, Kristen Haveman, Daniella Montage and Brian Lageose to write a dystopian story too.
Another way the world might end: