00.00.00
The sun had barely risen in the early morning sky
As I left my apartment to greet a silent city
I wore my black running shorts, and sweat-stained old tee; ready to fly
On the curb outside near my home, I stretched, worn-down shoes frayed and gritty;
My watch timer was set, I was ready to break my record four-mile run
At a breakneck pace I set off to the park; my warm-up was done
00.05.00
My legs felt limitless as I flew down the trail
Trees rushed past me as my breaths rose and fell
Euphoria overcame my senses as I sailed onwards, destined to prevail
Beating the time was the one thing on my mind, each second held me in a spell
Few people were out, walking dogs or just pacing
Just blurs in my vision, as I sped by, my heart was quickly racing
00.10.14
An oddly strong gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet
I quickly regained composure and sprinted onwards, my mind felt free
Through the breaks in the trees, I glimpsed a chaotic street
“Faster! Faster!” My thoughts shouted at me, as I quickened my pace with glee
I passed a whimpering dog, attached to an empty leash
I told myself, its owner was sitting nearby, taking a silent moment of peace
00.23.27
My legs began to burn as I pushed myself ahead
The flow of time struck my mind, and I quickened, aiming to beat my race
Nothing in the universe would stop me, save for being dead
I glanced at my time—minutes faster than my last attempt—a grin spread across my face
Another burst of wind brought an inordinate amount of dust to my nose; I sneezed
I stumbled a bit, but promptly got back to it, this victory would be seized
00.27.43
My breath hitched in excitement, I was going to beat my record with ease
Pace was still strong, legs moved along, when I heard a loud crash from the street
Horrified screams promptly followed, and then heart wrenching pleas
I could sense a tragic scene had occurred, the desperation made me white as a sheet
But I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run…
I could only run…
00.31.08
Shamed and disgraced—yet still—I continued onwards in my race
I ran as though the world was ablaze, and if there were people out
I’d be too ashamed to look them in the face
Then a sudden realization hit, why was no one else out and about
I sped up my pace to my limit as I rounded a corner to a normally full playground
What I saw nearly stopped me in my tracks, I nearly turned around…
00.32.01
It looked like ash, piles of ash covered the entire play area
A lone mother wept and pled as she frantically strode back and forth
She wailed loudly; my heart sank, breath stolen at such hysteria
I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run… I just ran on the trail due north
Silence… I glanced back to the playground; where the mother paced… ash
But I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run… On my mad dash
00.40.49
Every glance towards benches, parks, fields; devoid of anyone
Through the trees… Through the trees all I heard was chaos and despair
In the skies… In the skies I witnessed planes falling… what had been done
Frantic now, yet still I just ran as a breeze picked up and dust filled the air
I’m not certain where I was going now, but my mind could only think, RUN!!!
I’m not certain where all the people were, it seemed reality had come undone
00.51.52
Emptiness surrounded me as I ran onwards to nowhere
As suddenly as this anomaly, a man without a home appeared from the trees
Scared, but he just ran past me hectically, then looked back with a crazed stare
He yelled what sounded like nonsense, “Keep moving! Don’t stop… Don’t freeze!”
I sprinted away before I looked back and watched the man as he tripped
Oh God! Oh God!… Instantly he was gone, a pile of ash where his feet had slipped
00.52.00
Was this a nightmare? Was this a dream? An omen to slow my obsessive running
Every clearing–into roads I saw vehicles wrecked, a city vacant of life
Every bench had piles of ash, all along the trail… piles of ash; it felt mentally numbing
Confusion, panic, desperation… Yet still…I cut through the air like a knife
So much chaos, a city… A WORLD!!! Coming undone before me
But I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run… Away from the ashen debris
01.20.25
Out of the park, I ran through an empty, destruction-filled street
My timer went off nearly 5 minutes ago; I forgot to check it amidst this annihilation
A forgotten fixation, now meaningless as I ran through a world of defeat
Smoke, fire, ash. Obliteration–Everywhere–Smoke, fire, ash. Obliteration
Months obsessed about it, I had been so excited, I had shattered my record 4 minutes ago
But I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run… Tired; my momentum began to slow
04.57.03
My legs felt tired as I slowed down to a walk, aimlessly I went to no certain place
Stay moving, stay alive, don’t stop
After leaving the lifeless city, I was ready to end this deadly race
An hour ago, I found myself wandering an empty suburb, a dust filled backdrop
My body ached as I roamed aimlessly in this desolate space
In an instant I nearly fell, my foot snagged on my untied shoelace
05.01.32
My mind started to panic at the prospect of tripping
My lace had come undone with no way to tie it in a knot
I used my heel to carefully slide my shoe off and it started slipping
My other shoe followed and I found myself walking barefoot, the pavement was hot
A sigh of relief, for the moment, now walking with tattered socks
But the moment was too brief as I stepped on a sharp rock
07.46.46
My feet were blistered and bleeding as my endless trek went on
I was so tired, my water nearly gone, my stamina fueled only by the will to live
For the first time in hours, I saw someone walking in circles along a neatly mowed lawn
Ready to shout at them, when they just laid down, with nothing left to give
Instantly turned into dust, they just surrendered to death with a silent drop
I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
12.01.17
I wasn’t certain where I walked now, miles outside the city
Bloody footprints marked my aimless path
So much ash, how many others have given up? I had no time for pity
Tired, my feet were in agony; soles shredded. But I was driven by wrath
I wasn’t sad or scared anymore. I was seething!
My mouth was dry, every inhale-exhale raspy, I focused on steady breathing
15.22.59
Night finally came to quell the sun’s exhausting heat
The smell of smoke filled the air as behind me the city burned brightly
My body craved food, my chapped lips needed water, but I would not cede to defeat
I walked along slowly, my raw feet treaded the ground lightly
If the world was truly at its end, I would look death in the face and say, FUCK YOU!
I was dead set on continuing onwards, my grim finale would not ensue
20.45.02
Somewhere on a highway, mangled cars were strewn along the asphalt
Howls echoed nearby in the trees, my heart sank
Only people were cursed by this malady, so few left, would hungry animals assault?
Weariness had taken its toll; my mind was only drawing blanks
If I were to be attacked, I’d be easier to catch than a corpse
A sudden case of dizziness hit me as my vision warped
20.47.01
I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
23.59.30
Sudden bouts of nausea and delirium sporadically rent me
My steps faltered as I dry heaved while forcing my legs to keep on
Through my peripherals—human silhouettes—at least that’s what I thought I could see
Hallucinations that disappeared when I set my gaze to them, in an instant; gone
I kept hearing voices shouting from nowhere
My conscience playing tricks, for the lost lives I saw without care
24.06.01
A sleepless dawn began
The sun almost a mocking presence for this empty hell
I used to see beauty in the sunrise, now it just illuminates a world without man
An empty shell
I’m dead in hell
I’m dead in hell
28.12.28
My mouth lacked all moisture; my stomach growled in anger as I lacked food
Food…I could smell food, like a BBQ on an empty, desolate lawn
Eyes were heavy, legs like lead, feet mangled and chewed
I wasn’t even certain if I was awake, my mind increasingly grew withdrawn
More shadows; No nothing! More voices; No not real–NOT REAL!!!
Eyes so fucking heavy; No! Stay Awake! I would will myself to outlast this ordeal
32.48.17
“Beautiful dreamer wake unto meeeee…” I sang and I laughed; am I real?
“Starlight and death and… and nothing fooor meeee!” I didn’t have much left
Oh wow! A lucky penny, oh no! I can’t stop and pick it up… hahaha, I reeled
I’m losing my mind, la-la-la, losing my mind and bereft
Should I keep moving? Maybe I could crawl? What’s left for me?
NO! Snap out of it! I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
37.26.02
Pain, all I knew then was pain
Like acid dissolving me, pain and hunger and thirst eroded my mind
Eating away my body, I thought I had finally snapped, now fully insane
My timer! Did I beat my time? Surely, I wasn’t behind
Wait… Oh yeah that’s right, I’m alone and nothing fucking matters anymore
Dust… yea, dust matters right? I’ll ask the dust what matters, I’ll…
What’s the words I’m looking for? Oooh yeah, yeah, yeah; I got it; Implore
39.01.01
Time for sun, go down, go down, go to bed sleepyhead
Works over, time to go home and get in bed
Rest your head, sleepyhead, go to bed, go to bed
Go to bed, go to bed, go to bed
I’ll just lay down here on this road and rest my sleepy head
I’ll just sleep this all away, until I’m good and dead
39.01.23
NO! Snap out of it! I WILL NOT GIVE UP! STAY MOVING, STAY ALIVE, DON’T STOP!!!
43.57.16
I feared my mind; much like humanity; had turned to dust
Just blowing in a strong wind, strewn across vast distances, apart and lost
My hunger and thirst were too great to bear any longer, soon I would stop, I must
What reason did I have to live for anyways? Lives lost that I could’ve helped, the cost
THE COST!!! ARGH!!! My feet no longer hurt, now only numb
And I…I can’t anymore, I feared that it was my time to succumb… To be done
48.00.00
I looked like a zombie, pale, beaten, weak, just stumbling slowly on an aimless path
I hoped that my death would be as quick and painless as the others looked
I had no more drive, no more stamina that for the past countless hours was fueled by wrath
For the last time I closed my eyes, the ground felt like a hotel bed, paid for and booked
Sleep… Ahhhhh. How instantly it fell upon me, lost to this nightmare in unseeing bliss
I’m not certain exactly how much time from my hell had been eclipsed
00.00.01
I awoke to voices, whispering silently
Had I been reborn? My eyes opened to a bright world, and surrounding me were…People?
I rubbed my eyes and they ebbed back into this violent sea
I sighed, I’m alive and for the briefest moment I felt nearly gleeful
No voices, No people. I survived but somehow felt even more gloom
I tried to stand but my legs gave out, my situation now certain doom
00.30.07
Stuck on this road full of empty houses, dehydrated, starved…Dying
Dying… I’m… I’m going to die here, alone
I’d pray to God, but this land is godless—to say otherwise would be lying
No more running—no more walking—I laid down fully prone
My ears again played tricks on me as I heard echoing voices down the road
I ignored it, my story was over, not a triumphant ending, but a sad tale that was told
00.35.39
I heard voices getting nearer, footsteps followed
A voice shouted at me; it asked me if I needed help
Ahahaha—I tried to reply to no one; throat was too dry, my voice was hollowed
How cruelly my mind now played with me, as I heard a child whelp
Another voice yelled at me now, where are you from, how did you survive
I kept my eyes shut and softly croaked, a rageful drive to survive
I couldn’t stop, I had to run, I could only run…
