The batteries will soon run out. I had enough
to last me through what I suppose has been
almost a year because I am a natural hoarder.
Difficult to tell, though, because it’s so fucking
cold. No seasons. They bloody did it. Went
off to I don’t know where and blew up the rest.
Used nukes. Terminal.

I hope someone will find this digicorder and
make it work, because whatever they’ve told you
is crap. They lied to all of us and they’ll lie to you.
Anyway, there were only a few of us who made it
because we’re five potholers and were down at about
4000 meters. We knew a few exits.
When we got up and out there was
only this.
Desert and rocks and a few new greens.
Don’t know how the plants do it.

Never mind, back to the facts. We had a few
supplies, some of which we’d stashed below.
We didn’t think we’d make it this long, but there
were others. One day they came over that hill
and we couldn’t believe our eyes. Burnt, ragged,
looked like a leper colony. And boy, were we glad.
There were two girls.
We’d worry about that later.
They carried stuff they’d found on the way.
Even had a big ham. Glowing in the dark?
So what. Can you imagine watching your health
after a whopper like that?

One of them started to build the temple. He was
somewhat ticked in the head. Probably from the blast.
He didn’t remember where he was when it happened.
He didn’t remember who he was. Perhaps
some religious nut. So, he started on that thing. What
would you have done? We helped. Spread out, found
bent metal—first melted, then hardened and misshapen.
We didn’t want to walk too far from the site and always
went in pairs. Had nothing else to do anyway.

And so it came about that we had a temple for
a god who had forsaken us.
It was useful when it rained.