03 - Final Preparations

General POV

The first light of dawn painted the sleepy farm in pastel hues as Art's worn boots crunched against the dew-laden grass. With a grunt, he began tidying the detached garage. Sifting through what would be useful to keep and what would need to be thrown away, Art's morning was in full swing. After having taken some time to clean the place, it was now onto the main task. With a sigh, he gazed at his old truck. Getting into the driver's seat, he turned the key, its engine sputtering and coughing a cloud of smoke into the crisp morning air.

"Hmm, definitely time for an upgrade." Art murmured to himself, his breath revealing a small amount of fog. Resolved, he trudged back inside the cosy farmhouse, the kitchen strewn with balls of crumpled paper and his laptop sitting idly by. Grabbing his laptop, Art settled at the weathered oak table, the screen flickering to life. He scrolled through listings of sturdy trucks, his brow furrowed in concentration. The sound of keys clicking echoed in the quiet room, mingling with the distant chirping of birds outside.

While searching, a new post drew Art's attention. His eyes were scanning for the important pieces of information as he read the post, a glint of excitement dancing in his gaze. "A '2018 Chevy Colorado, in good condition, 3 hour drive," he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips. The rustling of papers and the occasional hum of the refrigerator filled the room as Art plotted his next move. The promise of a reliable truck teased his thoughts, the anticipation humming beneath his skin. A new set of wheels meant another item checked off his list of preparations. The only thing left was to buy it.

Determined to get his hands on the truck today, Art stood up from the kitchen, got his keys, and set off for the drive. As he drove through the rural town, he couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity and comfort. Growing up in this town had led it to have a special place in his heart. The atmosphere was peaceful, and he could see the hardworking farmers tending to their fields as he drove by. 

Looking down, he noticed he wouldn't have enough gas for the drive, so Art pulled into the gas station on the outskirts of town. He got out of his car and was greeted by the warm smile of an elderly man, Mr. Stafford, who was working at the station.

"Hello there, Art. Need any help with that?" He asked, nodding towards the gas pump.

"Oh no, I've got it. Thanks, Mr. Stafford." Art replied, returning the smile.

As he started filling his tank, Art started to admire the picturesque scenery around him. The gas station was located on the outskirts of town, surrounded by vast fields of growing corn and wheat. The mountains in the far-off distance added to the natural beauty of the place. Art struck up a conversation with Mr. Stafford, curious to know how he thought this year's harvest would go. He knew that the old man owned a farm just a few miles away from the gas station that had been in his family for generations.

"It'll have its challenges, but we'll get through it. It would be nice if my land was as fertile as yours though." Mr. Stafford replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Oh no, I've just gotten lucky these last few harvests. Besides, I don't plant a large amount like you, so we can't really compare." Art replied with a strained smile.

"Well, I guess that's true. Maybe I should try small batches one of these days." Mr. Stafford said, with a pondering look.

Art finished filling his tank and bid the man farewell to get back to his journey. After a three-hour drive, Art finally reached the city. He was amazed by the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, something he rarely experienced back in his small town. He thought back to his past life and made the comparison to Tokyo, as the density of people was nearing the same. He wore a thoughtful expression as he began to think about how this wasn't even a main city, however he quickly shook off his thoughts as he had things to do. He quickly found the dealership and immediately made his way to the truck he had seen online. It was even better in person, and Art knew that he had to have it.

As he was finalising the paperwork with the salesman, Art couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt. He had spent a considerable amount of money on the truck, and he couldn't help but think about how he was using all his inheritance meant for his future. But he quickly pushed those thoughts aside, knowing that this truck would make his life much easier when the 'domes' arrived. And having a large amount of money in his account was meaningless when it held no value in the near future. 

With the paperwork done, Art got behind the wheel of his new truck and drove to a café for some much-needed lunch, leaving the old truck with the dealership. Having ordered his food, he was sitting at the café when he noticed a group of young men sitting at a table nearby. They were laughing and talking loudly, and Art couldn't help but feel envious. He had always been a bit of a loner, but he also didn't really have time to interact like other people his age. Seeing these young men enjoying each other's company made him realise that he had been missing out on that aspect of life.

Feeling a bit down, Art finished his lunch and went to his truck. As he started to drive, Art couldn't shake off the feeling of loneliness that had been creeping up on him. But with resolve, he assured himself that he had made the right decision to forgo these pleasantries for the betterment of his future. He had his farm, equipment, supplies, his truck, and now a newfound determination to make new connections and friendships in his small town when the time came.

Following the GPS system in the new truck, Art was heading to the business where he got solar panels from last time. Last night, Art did some research and found out that a larger number of solar panels could not only generate electricity for his farm but also generate extra electricity that would be sent into the grid. He was determined to buy more solar panels and a larger battery. After a quick drive, he arrived at the store.

As he entered the store, he was greeted by a friendly salesperson. Art introduced himself and explained the purpose of his visit. The salesperson, named Jake, listened carefully and then showed him the different types of solar panels and batteries available. Jake explained to him the advantages and disadvantages of each type and also helped him understand the installation process. Art was impressed by Jake's knowledge and asked him for his recommendation. Jake suggested a high-quality solar panel that would suit Art's farm's needs. He also offered a discount as a repeat customer. Art was pleased with the deal and decided to go ahead with the purchase.

Having purchased all the solar panels and battery devices they held on site, they were loaded into a large covered trailer. Art had bought quite a substantial amount of panels and batteries, he was even asked if it was for a commercial project. His idea was to store these for the future, so if some of his current panels got damaged, they could be replaced. 

Eventually arriving back at the farm, making sure to take less-used roads so as not to be seen by others in the middle of town, Art wasted no time getting to work. Art had done his research and carefully selected the most suitable location for the solar panels—an open field that received direct sunlight for most of the day. He spent countless hours digging trenches and laying the groundwork for the installation. It was hard work, but Art was determined to see it through. He also consulted the store, and they gave him contact information for people who were more experienced in construction.

Finally, after weeks of hard work, the solar panels were up and running. Art couldn't contain his excitement as he watched the first rays of sunlight hit the panels, converting them into energy that would power his farm. He felt a sense of pride and fulfilment, knowing that he was now living completely off the grid. But his journey was far from over. Art knew some people had to make lifestyle changes to reduce their energy usage so they would have enough power to last. Art, however, had no such problem with the number of panels and capacity of batteries he was using, as for the extra solar panels and batteries, they were stored away in a large shed still in their transport crates.

Art was now fully prepared. While waiting for the 'domes' to appear, Art was doing research to try and find out how much time was left until they would arrive. He spent countless hours reading books, articles, and scientific studies to pinpoint the moment that humanity would be unable to turn the dire situation around and hope would be lost. What he found was that rivers and lakes were becoming polluted, the air in cities was filled with smog, and wildlife was disappearing at an alarming rate.

As he dove deeper into his research, Art was shocked by the staggering statistics he came across. He learned that air pollution was responsible for over 14 million deaths worldwide each year and that plastic pollution had a devastating impact on marine life, so much so that fish were bred and not caught as wild fish had traces of plastic in their system. Art knew the situation would be quite bad however, he didn't know to what extent until he started heavy research. 

Through his dedication and determination, Art's efforts finally bore fruit as he estimated the time in which the 'domes' would appear. What he found shook him. The time wasn't months out like he had guessed, it was sometime within this week. With that lingering thought, he settled into bed and decided to wait for it to come.

Art was no stranger to natural disasters. Growing up in a small town nestled on the outskirts of North Carolina, he witnessed his fair share of tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, lightning strikes, snow, and ice storms. But nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to experience.

Art woke up to a slight tremor, as had been happening all night, then heard the sound of his alarm clock ring, so he got dressed and headed out towards his fields. As he walked down the path, he noticed that the sky was an unusual shade of grey and that there was a feeling in the air. Art knew what this feeling was, as he felt the same every time he practiced his magic. It was a small ambient amount, but it was slowly growing. At this point, Art knew that it would be today. Art started by gathering his farm animals and putting them into his farming space. He wanted to make sure that when the 'domes' come, it doesn't spook his animals, causing them to run away. Art knew that he would need them, as they would be a valuable resource in the coming future.

As the day went on, the sky grew darker, and the ground slowly started to tremble. As Art stood in his kitchen, gazing through the window to his property, he was about to put away the dishes he had just cleaned. Then the ground beneath him began to violently shake. The shelves in the kitchen started to rattle, and plates and cups fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Feeling the house shake this much was worrying for Art, as he had renovated the house three years ago to be earthquake-proof. Art ran towards the back door and outside onto the grass as he watched what seemed to be the world shake.

After 10 minutes, the quake finally began to settle, and Art saw a light pulse in the shape of a circle. It spread outward until it stopped and disappeared. Art knew that the 'domes' were finally here.

Alternate POV

It was just an ordinary day for Raymond, a young man in his mid-twenties. He woke up to the sound of his alarm clock, got dressed, and headed to work at the local pharmacy. As he walked down the street, he noticed that the sky was an unusual shade of grey and that there was a strange, almost electrical feeling in the air. But he shrugged it off, assuming it was just a passing storm.

As he entered the pharmacy, his co-worker Maria greeted him with a concerned look on her face. "Did you feel that?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Feel what?" Raymond replied, puzzled.

"The ground shook. It felt like an earthquake," Maria explained.

Raymond had never experienced an earthquake before, but he had read about them in books and seen them in movies. He dismissed Maria's concerns as an overactive imagination and went about his day, filling prescriptions and restocking shelves.

But as the day went on, Raymond couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. The sky grew darker, and the ground continued to tremble. Customers were coming in and out—some panicked, some oblivious—but Raymond couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

Just as he was about to close up for some lunch, the ground beneath them began to violently shake. The shelves in the pharmacy started to rattle, and bottles of medicine fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Customers screamed and ran for the exit, and Raymond and Maria quickly followed suit.

Outside, chaos ensued. The streets were filled with people running in all directions, and buildings were creaking and shaking all around them. Raymond grabbed Maria's hand, and they ran towards an open field, hoping to find some safety there. But as they made their way through the streets, the ground continued to shake and crack beneath their feet.

As they reached the field, Raymond and Maria looked back at their town, it was unbelievable. The earthquake intensified, and the ground seemed to shake with a wild intensity. Raymond and Maria were thrown to the ground as a giant shake took them off their feet. They crawled back up and looked over, only to be met with a terrifying sight. Some older buildings were collapsing around the town, and animals seemed to run amok.

As the quake began to settle, they noticed something remarkable. The sky was painted in beautiful shades of red, purple, and orange. And before they could take in the scenery of the sky, a white light pulsed outward in a circular motion before settling in the distance and disappearing. Raymond stood, staring at the sky, until the sounds of shouting and crying shook him from his stilled motion. Looking around, he could see many were injured, so he ran over and began to help.