Tired of waiting for more attention, the cat stretched, walked across the now still form and onto the table where it sniffed the machine the man had been using.
Upon jumping to the ground its paw depressed a lever causing the devise to click, whir, and click again.
The instrument began speaking.
"I suppose it was bound to happen some day – insidiously – silently - decisively.
“For the record, my name is Malachi, Doctor Antonio Malachi, not that it will mean anything to anyone because I’m one of the few humans still alive, which isn’t much of a consolation.
“In an effort to find some serenity before I die, I’ve driven out to the lake country where I’m lying on a chaise lounge at an elaborate lodge that has an in-ground swimming pool. Maybe that’s the owner disintegrating in it. I made certain I put the chair upwind.
“This is probably his cat - a real friendly fellow. He likes his chin scratched, don’t you? Yes, you do. Feels good, eh? I wonder if he knows how lucky he is.
“I’m glad their medicine cabinet had some asthmatic inhalers, as they will help my breathing during the little time I have left.”
Harsh coughs are followed by a puffer’s hiss.
“That’s better. You know, it is too bad people didn’t appreciate" - cough, cough – "didn’t appreciate the earth’s fragile beauty before they trashed it. But money was always the priority. Now, it’s too late - too late - everything is too late, even for hindsight.
“My, it’s peaceful here. Now, just look at that! Sitting in a huge pine tree down by the shore are two vultures. What an epitaph! Well, you won’t have to wait much longer, you black bastards!”
A puffer hisses.
“Yeah, not much longer now; I’m coughing up blood and all the lesions are leaking. It’s the last stage. Somehow the disease causes human blood vessels to disintegrate.
“So while there is still time, I will describe what happened, if not for posterity, then for my own peace of mind.
“Although many theories were advanced as to why the disease only affected humans, no plausible answer was ever developed. Rumours blamed everything from gene splicing to corrupt cloning experiments to a new more potent variant of the AIDS virus.
“During the initial scramble to develop counter measures, the strain’s extreme virulence killed the investigators faster than they could isolate it.
“Martial law was declared, but it was totally ineffective mainly because there were no marshals and absolutely no law.
“Time ran out" - cough – "time simply ran out.
“The infection spread easily in the great urban centres. The stench of corpses pervaded every thing.
“Within months world governments collapsed. Civilization deteriorated from simple looting to complete chaos. Suicide became the norm.
“Climatic factors influenced the infection rate. Tropical countries fared the worst. In the Far East, islands became huge piles of putrefaction.
“The initial multitude of crematoriums ceased to function due to the lack of operators. It certainly was not from lack of 'clients'.”
A wry sarcastic laugh is heard followed by more coughing.
“Ouch! It hurts to laugh.
“No humans alive in the cities; just thousands of well fed dogs, cats, raccoons, foxes and millions of extremely fat rats.
“Flies cover everything and hover over head in huge swirling black clouds.
“People escaping the cities carried the plague with them. To prevent outside contact, villages became armed fortresses. But the flies found them. It resulted in walled ghost towns.
“Some people hoarded food, barricaded themselves in mountain caves, and killed anyone who approached. But the flies found them.
“There may be individuals scattered around the Arctic and Antarctic regions, but they won’t last long. The flies will find them. The flies find everyone.
“I wonder what is happening inside nuclear submarines.
“Once the human race is eradicated, the earth will slowly return to the paradise it once was. Forests and fish stocks will regenerate easily. Pollution in the rivers and lakes will gradually disappear. Desertification will reverse. The skies have already begun to clear. Repairing the oil spills and mining sludge-ponds will take longer, but it will happen. It will happen.
“I wish I could be around to witness the glorious transformation as the earth reverts to its original grandeur without man’s interference.
“It's ironic to think that the one thing the earth did not need was humans.
“What if we had heeded the signs?
“What if we had not been so greedy?
“What if we…what if we got…we got what we…deserved?”
A fit of coughing and a long sigh is followed by the sound of large wings flapping.
The machine falls silent.
Bio
An honours graduate of Laurentian University with post graduate studies in Special Education, Mr. Ducker spent many years, as a Principal and Primary Specialist, teaching
Kindergarten in Ontario.
His memoir book - Don't Wake the Teacher was published in October 2004. His book of poetry - Observations of Heart and Mind - was launched on Feb. 24/07.
He travels to Cuba with the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance to do poetry workshops with the Universities English Departments, the libraries, and the Union of Writers and Arts of Cuba.
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