35221: Is anyone out there…?

            The words showed plainly enough on the otherwise blank terminal screen.  Elizabeth Black stared at those words for twenty straight minutes, but there was no reply.  Would it really end this way?  Would she die here, alone, locked up in a tiny room?  Who could say?  But the fear of it swelled in her chest as she continued to hope for a response.

***

            The day had started like any other normal day in New York City in the year 2112. Elizabeth had woken up, and then decided to hit the snooze button.  Fifteen minutes later, she realized that she had to get up so she drug herself to the bathroom, fixed her hair, did her make-up, had a quick cup of coffee and rushed to work because she became late 

Elizabeth’s parents had landed her a good government job in a high-security facility.  It wasn’t that Elizabeth hadn’t worked hard to get it, but having parents in high positions did help.  However, Elizabeth knew that her parents had helped her get this job because they feared something catastrophic and wanted their “baby” to work somewhere safe.

            Her job was not particularly interesting and she had never really wanted it.  Elizabeth disliked technology and found it a bother, but she worked well with it.  Still, she couldn’t complain.  The pay was good, so she had plenty of money for hobbies and shopping and whatever else she really wanted. 

Elizabeth had rushed into her office, barely having time to say hello to her co-workers.  She had made it in time, but just barely.  Her heart was still pounding from the adrenaline as she sat down to work.  She settled into her office and everything seemed right in the world…  Then it happened.

            A thunderous BOOM shook the building. Even in the basement level where she worked she could feel it. Many people rushed out into the street, or at least into the hallways before the building began to lock down.  Elizabeth was busy trying to recover from the shock.  Her nerves were not particularly strong.  She looked at the door and rushed over, trying to open it.  It was locked.  There was no way out and even if there was… what lay outside might be even more terrible.  The electricity flickered.  What had happened?  She rushed to her terminal and began to search for some kind of news on what had just occurred.  Her eyes widened at what she saw: “NUCLEAR WAR” in big bold print at the top of the screen.  How had this happened?  There had been no warning no inkling or sign of an attack…  The screen went blank.   Quickly, Elizabeth tried the telephone, but it was no good.  All of the lines were dead.  She tried to contact her family and friends through her terminal, which seemed to be the only thing that was semi-functional.  It was all in vain.