The Oil Rig

It was two long years ago that the world ended, and that I was forced to hide in this dreadful bunker. Rising out of my bed, I began to shuffle over to the kitchen, the dreary almost burnt-out light bulbs illuminated my path. I bumbled over to the door to the storage room and opened it. Yup, still empty, the only thing left in it was a singular can of spam. I stared at the can for a second and picked it up inspecting it in my hand. A bit of dust and tiny dents here and there, but largely it was still in perfect condition. I walked back to the kitchen with it in hand and popped it open with a can opener.

I poured the meat out of the can onto my plate and using the last clean spoon in the cabinet I began to push the slop around. This would be my last meal in the bunker, this sorrowful excuse for meat, as I pushed it around, I couldn't help but let my mind wander.

Not long ago, I would wake up to the delightful scent of bacon and waffles. Where I would stagger to the kitchen and see my father standing in front of the stove with his graceful smile and carefree attitude. I couldn't help but miss him, staring at the blob in front of me, I quickly scooped it up before placing it in my mouth, and it was just as gross as it looked. As I chewed, I threw my dishes in the sink and began to take stock of my situation. I was out of food so I would have to leave this bunker, I entered my room and grabbed a big Duffle bag, and began to fill it up, 3 pairs of clothes, and one more heavy set just in case it got cold. I had no food so I couldn't bring any of that, but we still had some water left over, so I brought a half gallon jug. The bag was already heavy for me so I stuck my sleeping bag in as well and decided that would be enough. Shifting through my closet I threw on some jeans and a warm sweater as well as an old baseball cap. Looking around at this room, the place I've called home for the last 2 years, I begin to realize just how little I'll miss it, after all I've read every last one of my books more times than I can count. I became an expert in chess against myself, 300 wins and 300 losses. It really was boring being alone.

I exited my room and began to walk down the hallway, opening the door to my father's room a poof of dust greeted me, a welcome that caused me to cough heavily. I had not been in the room since he left, after all I never had a reason to. Walking in, I observed that the room is a complete mess, clothing thrown all over the place and a scent of mildew and mold assaulted my nose making me desire that I had no sense of smell, my natural instincts kicked in and I pinched my nose.

I looked around the dark room and I observed that his desk was covered in something. Peering through the darkness, I tried to figure out what it was. No luck, for it was too dark. I needed to light it up somehow. I reached for his desk lamp and pulled the switch, no luck, the bulb was dead. was too dark. I needed to light it up somehow.

I quickly began to think and remembered where I stored the spare bulbs, I ran into the storage room and began to rummage around. I opened box after box and found no bulbs. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the kitchen counter. What to do, what to do. It was then that I remembered something, I ran into my room and opened my dresser, and sitting right where I left it was 2 flashlights. I quickly grabbed one of the flashlights and I bolted back over to the desk aiming my new light source at the pile on the desk.

Illuminating the darkness revealed a cluster of papers spread around in a large mess, the papers were in a language I couldn't understand, staring at them I observed a lot of unique things, pictures, red highlighter everywhere, coordinates, radio frequencies, it was a lot to take in at once, but I scanned the pile for anything I could understand. That's when I saw a picture at the center of the pile. It was a picture of a platform held above the sea, staring at it I realized what it was. It was one of those old oil drilling platforms. Why was this at the center? I picked up the image and then turned it around on the back was a message.

"Dear Max, if you are reading this then I am probably dead, but I will try to explain what you see before you. As you know we moved to Norway because my job required us to be here and it is because of my job that I must leave you. This world is dangerous, but my past is more dangerous. But I can't just leave you to die alone so I spent some time trying to find a safe haven for both of us. It was during this search that I discovered that the American Government has set up a base on top of an old oil rig. I plan to go here and once I confirm it is safe return to pick you back up. But if you are reading this then my plan most likely failed and for that I am sorry. Remember that I will always love you, please survive. -Love Your Father"