The year is 1921, and the world just ended

The world ended on a Wednesday night in the middle of Summer, month of June, and year of our lord nineteen hundred and twenty one. <br><br>Who knew what caused it? The radio stations were dead, the newspaper men were few and far between, and the only sources of news were the rumblings of neighborhood gossip. A newspaperman for the *Chicago Tribune* had been saying that the world was going to end for weeks. Yes, the world was going to end on Wednesday! Don't forget it, don't forget the world is ending! The newspapermen were rather annoying, and for that, people got annoyed. <br><br>But Wednesday came. Wednesday left. And then the world ended. <br><br>But how? Why? What in the world had caused it? People were too busy trying to find shelter and food to bother with the details. People were too busy running from the snow to find out what caused it. <br><br>Yes. The snow. Mid-June. It was snowing like it hadn't snowed in years. Was this the end? Was this the End Times? <br><br>People were confused, and people were angry. They were angry at the newspaper men for not telling them the truth. They were angry at the government for scaring them. They were angry at the snow for falling. They were angry at the world for ending. <br><br>I am Amelia. Age 19. My father is dead, my mother is remarried, and my brother is away. What do I do now? I do what any sane person would do. I get on a train, and I ride it to New York. Yes. New York. I had to go somewhere, anywhere, and New York was as good as any other place. I could go there, get a job, start a new life. <br><br>So I did. With what little money I had, I bought a ticket and I rode the rails for three days. Three long, hard days. But I made it. I arrived in New York City on a Sunday morning. It was raining. What a funny month this had been. For three weeks, it had been warm. For the last three days, it had been snowing. Now, it was raining. <br><br>The streets were empty. It felt almost as if the city itself had died. I walked to the nearest hotel and I walked in. I looked at the owner, a little old man. He looked at me, with his scraggly beard and red beady eyes. <br><br>"What do you want?" He said, simply. <br><br>"A room." I replied. <br><br>"Why?" He asked. <br><br>"I need somewhere to stay." I said. <br><br>"You'll be leaving soon," He said. <br><br>"I don't know," I said. <br><br>"Where are you from?" He asked. <br><br>"Chicago." I replied. <br><br>"Oh, Midwestern." He said. A pause. "I'll give you a room, but you have to pay me. You know what's going on, you know we need the money." <br><br>"Yes." I said. "I know. I'll give you twenty dollars." He nodded. <br><br>Twenty dollars was more than he should have gotten. But I would be here for a while. I had nowhere else to go. This was my only choice. So I gave him twenty dollars. <br><br>He gave me the key to the room. I climbed up the stairs and I sat down on the bed. I had nowhere to go. No where to run. I had to go back down and find a job. But where could I go? The snow had ruined everything. All the businesses were destroyed. There was nothing left. <br><br>But I had to go. I stood up, brushed off my dress, and I left. I went to the local general store. The owner was an old lady, I had seen her when I came through here. I walked in, and she looked up. <br><br>"I am looking for a job," I said. "I am strong, I can do anything. Is there anything you need me to do?" <br><br>"Oh honey," She said. "You are in the wrong place. There is nothing for you to do. But I can help you. There is a man, he is a farmer, he lives on the outskirts of the city. He will take you in. I am sure of it. He is very kind, and I know he will give you shelter. You do not need to worry. But you have to be careful on the way. There are a lot of bad men out there, and the snow... well you can't see. Just be careful. Please, I do not want anything to happen to you." <br><br>"Thank you ma'am," I said. "I will be safe. Do not worry."<br><br>"Yes, I will worry," She said. "But that is okay. I care for you. I will care for you. You are a nice girl. I do not want you to die." <br><br>"I will not die," I said. "I will be fine. Thank you again ma'am."<br><br>"You're welcome." She said. <br><br>I walked out. It was still raining. I looked up at the buildings. Everything was dead. The world had truly ended. The city was dead. There was nothing left. I walked to the outskirts. The old lady had given me the man's name. He was John Smith. I asked around, and people told me where he was. <br><br>I walked. It was about five miles, and I had to go through thick forest. I was so very tired. But I walked. I walked until I could see the house. <br><br>It was a big house, and there was a barn attached to the side. There was a man. He was sitting on the steps. He was smoking a pipe. Yes, the world had ended. But he was still smoking a pipe. I walked up to him. <br><br>"Hello," He said. "My name is John." <br><br>"Oh, hello!" I said. "I'm Amelia, I was told you were here." <br><br>"Ah. The old lady told you to come. I thought I would be hearing from you. How is she?" <br><br>"She is fine." I said. "I think so, anyway." <br><br>"Oh. Okay. Well I guess you're here because you need a place to stay. You are correct. You can stay with me." <br><br>"Oh thank you!" I said. "Thank you so much!" <br><br>"It's fine. I don't mind. I do need help though. And you are strong, so you can help me out." <br><br>"Yes! I will help you out." I said. "But how?"<br><br>"Well," He said. "It is snowing, and raining, and everything is dead. I have a garden. It is not dead, because I worked to keep it alive. But I need to sell it. I need to sell it, because if I don't, I will be broke. But I can't sell it. Because it is snowing and raining, and I can't go outside. And because of that, I cannot go to the city. I need you to sell my produce. You have to go into the city, and you have to sell it. You have to tell them this is good produce, and they have to buy it. Can you do that?" <br><br>"Yes! I can do that," I said. <br><br>"Good. I'm glad. You can start tomorrow. For now, you have to go to the room in the barn. That is where you will sleep. Just go." <br><br>I nodded. I walked to the barn, and I walked in. There was a little bed in the corner, and there was a small table next to it. There was a lantern on the table. I lit it, and I sat down on the bed. <br><br>I had a place to stay, and I had a place to work. So even though the world had ended, I could stay alive. <br><br>But how? I would have to see.