Behind The Last Window

Behind The Last Window

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. Every day, she would stand in front of it and stare out at the empty streets and abandoned buildings. It had been years since anyone had ventured beyond the gates of the compound, and she couldn't help but wonder what lay beyond.

Her name was Ava, and she was one of the last survivors of a global pandemic that had wiped out most of humanity. She had been just a child when the outbreak occurred, and she had no memory of life before the quarantine. All she knew was the concrete walls and the strict rules of the compound, where she and the other survivors were kept safe from the virus that still raged outside.

The man who ruled the compound was a ruthless dictator, and he controlled every aspect of the survivors' lives. They were given just enough food and water to survive, and they were required to work long hours in the factories that produced the supplies that were needed to maintain the compound. They were not allowed to leave, and anyone who attempted to do so was punished severely.

Ava had always been curious about the world beyond the compound, and she often asked the other survivors about their memories of the time before the pandemic. But no one seemed to know much, and the few scraps of information she was able to gather only served to fuel her curiosity.

One day, Ava decided that she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stand being cooped up in the compound any longer, and she couldn't bear the thought of living out the rest of her life in ignorance. So, she made a plan.

She waited until the night shift was on duty, and then she slipped out of her bunk and made her way to the gate. She knew that the guards were vigilant, but she had been studying their routines for weeks, and she was confident that she could slip past them undetected.

She made it to the gate without incident, and she was just about to open it when she heard a voice behind her."Where do you think you're going?"

Ava turned to see one of the guards standing behind her, a rifle trained on her chest.

"I-I was just going for a walk," Ava stammered, trying to think of an excuse.

"You know the rules," the guard said sternly. "No one is allowed to leave the compound."

"Please, I just want to see what's out there," Ava begged. "I can't take living in this place anymore."

The guard hesitated, and for a moment, Ava thought he might let her go. But then he shook his head and grabbed her arm.

"Come on," he said gruffly. "You're going to see the leader."

Ava was dragged before the leader, who listened to her plea with a cold, hard gaze.

"You want to see what's out there, do you?" he said finally. "Very well. I'll show you."

He led her to a window in his room, similar to the one in her own, and gestured for her to look out. Ava gasped at what she saw.

Beyond the gates of the compound was a wasteland, filled with debris and the remains of the once-great cities that had been destroyed by the pandemic. There was no sign of life, and Ava realized with a sinking feeling that she was truly the last survivor.

"This is what you wanted to see," the leader said, his voice dripping with contempt. "This is the world that you wanted to leave behind. And now that you've seen it, do you still want to go out there?"Ava shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She had never felt so small and helpless.

"I thought not," the leader said, a smug smile on his face. "You see, Ava, this compound is the only safe place left in the world. And as long as you follow my rules, you will be protected. But if you try to leave again, you will be punished. Do you understand?"

Ava nodded, too terrified to speak.

"Good," the leader said. "Now go back to your bunk, and don't let me catch you trying to leave again."

Ava did as she was told, and for the rest of her life, she never tried to leave the compound again. She lived out her days in ignorance, never knowing what had happened to the outside world or what her life could have been like if she had been brave enough to venture beyond the gates. And as the years passed, she came to understand that the leader was right: the compound was the only safe place left, and the outside world was a cruel and unforgiving place.

But even as she grew old and weak, a small part of her still longed to see what lay beyond the last window, and to know the truth about the world that had been lost.