The Last Night

It was the last night of the world as we knew it. The sky was a deep shade of red, the air thick with smoke and ash. Everyone knew what was coming, but nobody could do anything to stop it.

I stood on the rooftop of my apartment building, watching as the chaos unfolded below. People ran through the streets, screaming and crying, trying to find shelter from the impending disaster. But there was nowhere to go, no place to hide.

I felt a sense of hopelessness wash over me. All my life, I had been taught to believe in the power of humanity, in our ability to overcome any obstacle. But now, faced with the end of everything, it was clear that we were powerless against the forces of nature.

As I stood there, lost in thought, a voice interrupted my reverie.

"Hey, what are you doing up here?"

I turned to see my neighbor, John, standing behind me. He was a grizzled old man, with deep wrinkles etched into his face and a ragged beard that reached down to his chest.

"Just thinking," I said, not really sure what else to say.

John nodded and looked out at the city below. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it? Shame it's the last one."

I couldn't bring myself to respond. The reality of the situation was too overwhelming.

John sighed and turned back to me. "Listen, I know this isn't how any of us wanted things to end. But we've got to make the most of what we've got left. You know what I mean?"

I nodded, but I didn't really understand.

John put a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, let's go down to the street. Maybe we can help someone."

I followed him down the stairs and out into the chaos of the city. It was even worse than I had imagined. Buildings were collapsing, fires were raging out of control, and people were dying in the streets.

John grabbed a piece of wood from a nearby pile of rubble and started prying open the door to a nearby apartment building. "Come on, let's see if anyone's inside."

I hesitated for a moment, then followed him inside. The stairwell was dark and filled with smoke, but we made our way up to the top floor, calling out for anyone who might be there.

As we reached the top floor, we heard a faint cry coming from one of the apartments. John kicked open the door and we rushed inside.

There, huddled in the corner, was a family - a mother, a father, and two young children. They looked up at us with tear-streaked faces, fear etched into their features.

John went to work, helping the family out of the apartment and down the stairs to safety. I followed behind, feeling helpless and useless.

As we emerged onto the street, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat. In the distance, through the haze of smoke and ash, I could see a faint glimmer of light.

"Look," I said, pointing. "There's something over there. Maybe it's a way out."

John looked in the direction I was pointing, then nodded. "Let's go."

We ran through the streets, dodging falling debris and jumping over cracks in the pavement. The light grew brighter as we got closer, until finally we emerged onto a wide open field.

There, in the center of the field, was a shimmering portal of some kind. It pulsed with an otherworldly energy, beckoning us forward.

John grabbed my arm. "Come on, let's go. This might be our only chance."

We stepped through the portal, and everything went black.

When I opened my eyes,