[ WP ] As it turns out , the desolation is not worldwide , you 've just been living on an `` Apocalypse Reserve '' your whole life .

When he first told me it was n't real, I laughed, assuming he was joking. But then he put his hand on my shoulder and said, `` There's something I think you ought to see.'' 
 
 I followed him across the broken highway, which was barren, of course. We walked to the sand dunes. The water was still bright and ripe with radiation. There was a boat floating in it. He led me to the dock to get on. 
 
 `` Boats are n't strong enough to withstand the radiation,'' I said in disbelief. 
 
 `` Your boats are n't. This one came from reality,'' he replied. He led me to the cabin, where I watched him take the wheel, and steadily drive further and further from the coast. 
 
 `` So your reality is the only real one?'' I said suddenly. `` This has been my home for all 22 years of my life. I do n't think you can be the one to define reality.'' 
 
 `` Claire, the world is n't as small as you think. You've been living on an island that's only two miles long,'' he replied. 
 
 `` And how long is your world?'' I asked angrily. 
 
 `` Over 24,000 miles,'' he said. 
 
 We finally reached a wall. It was enormous. It had a large door with flashing lights on either side. The door opened, and the boat floated inside. We stepped outside the boat. 
 
 `` This is the real world,'' he said, looking at me. 
 
 I immediately looked up and saw the sun. It was brighter than I ever thought it would be. There was n't any smog to cover it. 
 
 `` Where was the sun in my world?'' I asked quietly. 
 
 `` We could n't simulate one, so we painted the top of the dome grey and told you it was radiation clouds,'' he replied. 
 
 He led me to the top of a hill. We stood at the top and looked over it. The world continued for miles, and you could n't even see the ocean. We turned around and I saw my home. It was a giant, ugly dome with a radioactive moat surrounding it. There was a wall around the moat. 
 
 `` We set up a viewing tower for customers to watch from the side. They could see you, but you could n't see them,'' he explained. 
 
 `` Why?'' 
 
 `` To raise awareness, to profit.'' 
 
 `` But why did you want to profit from keeping 150 people locked inside a dome?'' 
 
 `` Claire,'' he said. `` people were starting to get genuinely concerned that the apocalypse would happen since we could potentially someday be on the brink of WWIII. Our job was to show that humans can thrive in radiation. Of course, we turned it into an exhibit after it gained popularity.'' 
 
 `` My daughter died from radiation poisoning,'' I stated, tears welling in my eyes. 
 
 `` I remember. We put it on our website. It generated more revenue that we'd ever seen before,'' he explained. 
 
 I was in pure shock. `` You profited from my daughter's death!'' I shouted, tears pouring down my face. 
 
 `` We did, but that was because the world loved it. You became the nation's favorite girl. They pitied you, and did everything they could to see you. You were the star of the Apocalyptic Reserve,'' he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. 
 
 I shook his arm off. `` Do n't touch me! Why did you even show me what the world looks like?'' 
 
 He looked deep into my eyes. `` Do you really think I thought you were happy there?'' 
 
 `` No, nobody was.'' 
 
 `` You considered suicide.'' 
 
 `` Multiple times.'' 
 
 `` That's just it. You pulled at the nation's heartstrings, Claire. Do n't you think they'll want to speak to the one who went through 22 years of a torturous simulation?'' he said, grinning. 
 
 I stared at him without speaking. Finally, I whispered, `` You just want me for an interview to generate revenue.'' 
 
 `` Bingo, sweetheart. Let's head to the Reserve Gates. They're expecting you,'' he said, walking down the hill. 
 
 The rage was unexplainable. It burned like the radioactive acid rain on a Sunday evening. It tore through me like the way the death of my daughter tore out my will to live. It pained me more than caring for all my poisoned, dying friends. I could not go with him. I could not be a money-maker for the corrupt individuals. I could not. 
 
 My rage quickly turned into action as I charged down the hill after him, but I quickly stopped. 
 
 He turned around. `` Everything alright, Claire?'' he asked. 
 
 `` Yes,'' I lied sweetly. I reached into my back pocket where I kept my pocketknife that I used to hunt for my mutated animal dinners. I looked at it with pride and hesitation. I looked at him. He was still walking. I held the knife at my side and followed. 
 
 `` You should n't be scared of these people. Most of them, you've seen before. Well, not directly. They've seen you. There's millions of them. This will be televised. They mostly have questions about you giving birth since you had no epidural,'' he explained. 
 
 `` They watched me give birth?'' I asked, horrified. 
 
 `` Oh yes. We had a camera in your house, so it was n't just the midwife in there,'' he laughed. 
 
 I clenched the knife tightly. I looked at him once more, and plunged the knife into his unsuspecting neck. 
 
 He screamed as much as he could before he collapsed. I took the knife out and stabbed his heart, again and again. 
 
 `` One for my friends, dead and alive.'' I plunged the knife in again and pulled it out. `` One for my daughter.'' In the knife went, and came back out. `` One for my society.'' I shoved it through his eyes. I took a deep breath. 
 
 The knife was stained red, along with my hands and clothes. There was warm blood on my face. I stood up and looked back at him. He was mutilated and hardly recognizable. Like the system he worked for. As I walked in the opposite direction of the dome, towards the city, I felt something new inside of me. It was n't guilt. It was more, confidence. Yes, confidence. I could take on the world now. 24,000 miles did n't scare me. I'd live my life to a higher purpose, not to generate cash flow. 
 
 I took one last glance over my shoulder, smiled, and disappeared into the depths of the city.
