The stretched maw of a vast, shallow crater reached out towards the horizon, filled with melted slag and the broken remains of downtown Seattle. From Elliott Bay to Lake Washington, only rubble remained. The once-proud Bell district lay silent, snuffed out like a candle in a hurricane. Pike Place had been swallowed by the ocean, its once-bustling market now a watery tomb for the countless souls who had once called it home. In the hazy distance, the iconic Space Needle lay twisted and broken; its shattered remains a haunting reminder of the life that had once thrived here.

Nate sat on a slight rise inside the forbidden zone, near where the 5 connected to Highway 90. There used to be a small park here before it was flattened by nuclear fire. The city was now still and silent, the only sound of wind across the rubble. The rescue teams that had once valiantly searched for survivors were now nowhere to be seen, replaced by sinister search crews donning black attire, scouring the ruins for any traces of evidence. Police cars and unmarked black sedans prowled the empty streets, searching for looters and criminals.

Tears no longer contained streamed down Nate's face in a torrent as he thought of the remnants of his former life buried beneath the rubble. The ashes of his childhood home and the remains of his family lay scattered in the melted mess. His body shook with grief as their open-air tomb was desecrated by the government he once served.

His father brought the family up to Seattle all those years ago in search of better work and opportunities. They had settled into a cramped apartment in a neighborhood that the management company had touted as "colorful" but which everyone called the ghetto. Despite the paper-thin walls and the water that tasted suspiciously like lead, Nate had never once complained. For it was in this run-down complex that he had first met her.

Kelsey was more than just Nate's neighbor; she was the shining star illuminating his world. From the moment they had met in second grade, they had been inseparable, bound together by a friendship that had grown stronger with each passing year. Together, they had weathered the storms of childhood and navigated the complexities of school and life. They had spent their summers playing outside and their winters lost in the pages of comics, the world around them melting away in the face of their shared imagination.

As they grew older, their bond remained unbreakable, a steadfast friendship that endured even the tumultuous teenage years. Nate was always there for Kelsey. He was her compatriot and confidant who had listened patiently while she complained about the boys that had come and gone from her life. Yet despite his deep and abiding love for her, Nate never found the courage to reveal his true feelings. Kelsey was like a princess, with a heart-stopping smile and a beauty that Nate knew he could never live up to. The jocks and pretty boys that flocked to her side pushed him away and left Nate to watch from afar. His heart aching with a longing that he dared not express.

School had never been Nate's forte, and as the years passed, he realized he was destined for a different path. So, after graduating from high school, he decided to join the Marines. His father encouraged him, seeing the military as a way for Nate to toughen up and overcome his anxieties. And though the training had been grueling, Nate had emerged stronger, more resilient, and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

During one of his visits home on leave, Nate saw Kelsey again and felt his heart skip a beat. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, with curves that stirred his senses and hair as dark as the night sky that cascaded down her caramel skin. Nate knew he had to tell her how he felt and let her know that his feelings for her had never wavered. Although it had taken him several tries to finally find the words to do it. But to Nate's astonishment, his first and only love shared his feelings and had been waiting for him to finally make his move. With only six months left on his term, they had decided to make it official, to start dating in earnest once Nate returned home for good.

Nate wept earnestly, his body wracked with sobs as the sharp ocean breeze washed over him. He was alone now, the only survivor of a family that had been so close, so full of life and love. And as he mourned their loss, he felt his grief pressing down on him, crushing him intensely. His heart ached for Kelsey and the future they could have had together. He thought of the first date they could have gone on, the first kiss they could have shared, the wedding that would never happen, and the children he would never hold. It had been taken from him instantly, destroyed by a dirty bomb. Nate looked up through tear-filled eyes to catch another glimpse of the city. A blurry black blob danced in the air off to the east. A drone.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The broken asphalt crunched under Nate's combat boots as he pulled himself to his feet. Training took over, and he buried, sealed, and capped his feelings with practiced ease. But even as he fought to keep his emotions in check, he knew he would always carry Kelsey's memory with him, a testament to the enduring power of love in even the darkest times. And these were, undoubtedly, the darkest of times.

Everything had changed since the Blip. Sure, it had saved humanity - or so they said - but Nate couldn't help but feel that humanity wasn't worth saving anymore. Nuclear annihilation had been adverted, and the radiation was wiped away. Even gunpowder and explosives were rendered into inert materials, reducing Nate's role as a Marine to a footnote in this new world.

As far as Nate knew, the events leading up to The System started 6 months ago. His first memory of that time was a jarring world of chaos and confusion. He stumbled from his bunk in Camp Pendleton in a foggy haze, unsure of what was happening. Shuffling feet and muffled whispers filled the air, and he felt a foreboding sense of dread deep within his bones. Marines were already discussing the event. Seattle, the city he once called home, was no more. Nate's stomach churned, and he struggled to maintain his composure. The whiskey he had the night before certainly didn't help, but the news of the destruction made him spill its contents.

The following days passed in a blur as his unit was on high alert, and Nate absorbed every bit of information he could find. The talking heads on the news devoured the tragedy with an almost euphoric zeal while the scientists they paraded around struggled to understand what had happened. According to them, the explosion had registered somewhere in the range of 30 to 50 megatons, but no one knew for sure. No traces of the weapon were ever found, and military leaders and strategists were called in to give their opinions. As the days passed and the world tried to make sense of what had happened, Nate felt a deep sense of unease settle over him.

Two weeks had passed since the devastation in Seattle, and things were only worsening. The President's latest speech had promised retaliation for the attack when two cities in China erupted in nuclear fire. Zhangzhou, Xi'an, and over ten million people disappeared overnight. While the cities were rich in history, they were not military targets. That, perhaps, was the only reason the war was adverted. The conversation between global superpowers was never revealed. But, the President of the USA spoke a few hours later and condemned the attack. He also promised significant support to help China rebuild.

Days passed with no sign of the culprit or group to take credit, and Nate's unit remained on high alert, set to leave port at any moment. His personal grief and stress were put on hold as he and his fellow soldiers prepared for impending action. As tensions between China and the USA continued, accusations of false flag attacks were thrown from both sides. Then, St. Petersburg was obliterated by a nuclear blast. With Russia uncertain who was behind the attack, they retaliated against everyone, launching a barrage of missiles from their frozen fields. In response, every capable country followed suit. Nate suddenly felt the destroyer launch from the port as the seconds counted to the end. Then the world Blipped, and a choice was given.

> Greetings! The Innomatte Protectorate would like to offer your species a chance to avoid self-inflicted extinction.

> Because free agency is a key ideal of the Innomatte Protectorate. Please read the terms and conditions before continuing.

Nate couldn't breathe. He couldn't even blink. The world around him faded into darkness. Even emotions became muted and fell away. All that remained was the text scrolling across his vision. After the initial greeting came a text box with a scroll bar at the side. The "Agree" and "Decline" buttons at the bottom were grayed out. With nothing else to do, Nate read.

> The Innomatte Protectorate, hereby referred to as IP, agrees to remove the threat of immediate destruction of your species, hereby referred to as beneficiaries, are encountering. This action would be conducted under the IP Board of Sovern Intelligences rules section C(3 - 47), the explicit authority granted under Governing Laws section 24.

>

> The beneficiaries are defined as….

"This is," Nate talked in his head, "This is... boring."

Wondering how much he had to slog through, Nate started mentally scrolling through legal jargon seemingly designed to atrophy neurons. Minutes later, he was still scrolling.

"How long is this?" Nate muttered in his thought space when he noticed the little scroll bar at the side dropped down a notch. A tiny, almost unnoticeable gap appeared between the scroll bar and the top of the frame. A pixel's worth, if there was any context Nate could relate to it.

"Damn it," Nate muttered. Then he did what anyone installing a new app did. He grabbed that scroll bar and forced it to the bottom. Finally, the "Agree" and "Decline" buttons colored in.

Nate chose Decline.

> Good news! The results are in, and 87% of sapients within your macrocosm have agreed to the Terms and Conditions! The IP will now neutralize the existing threat to your continued survival. More updates will come as The System is implemented.

>

> At the end of this Blip, we will return you to your regularly scheduled existence.