Wednesday, April 10, 2014

It is 5 in the morning and I cannot sleep, even without drinking any Red Bulls. I have decided to start a new diary since I messed up the previous one by trying to write everything in it. Auntie Sarah gave me a new notebook for my birthday, which is perfect because I can start a new entry whenever I want. This might come in handy if I survive the weekend, if anyone does.

I seem to be rambling on. As I read what I have written, I think it is all crap. After taking a sip of Red Bull, I feel better and less confused about what I am writing. However, I feel numb as if the past four hours have been an out-of-body experience. I know that every move that I make between now and Friday could mean the difference between living and dying. For some unknown reason, I feel that the rock is not going to kill me, but I cannot explain why. I feel that it is my destiny to survive and document how I did it.

I am still rambling and decide to eat a Snickers bar, followed by a chaser of Red Bull, which is not the best combination. I take a deep breath and try to focus my thoughts.

Before moving any further, I must explain why I am writing this diary.

****

12:14 am. I finished my shift a little late due to the incompetence of the newbie, Toby. Jen was working with me tonight, and she looked absolutely stunning as always. She's the only person who can make a Drakes uniform look hot. I'm pretty sure she caught me checking her out, but she smiled, or at least I think she did. It could have been her 'what are you staring at, freak?' look, but I'm choosing to interpret it as a smile.

When I got home, I couldn't sleep, so I decided to play FIFA14. I was in the middle of playing against ProGunner95, an American kid I've been playing online with for years. I was winning four games to one when he abruptly dropped out of the fifth game. He sent me a private invite to a chat a few minutes later to tell me the news that would change everything for everyone.

He had taken a call from his brother who worked at the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program, and they had discovered an asteroid heading towards Earth. Yes, Earth. They weren't sure of the asteroid's size, but it was significant. I've known ProGunner95 for years, and he's not someone who would make up something like that. Still, I didn't believe him; asteroids were the stuff of bad sci-fi movies or dinosaurs, not real life.

I tried to brush it off, but he was adamant that he wasn't joking. He had convinced me that he believed it, and that was enough to make me start believing it too. Maybe his brother was messing with him? "No way," he replied, "My brother's got me phoning half of North America after I stop talking to you. This is his job. There's no way he'd make it up. Besides, he's a straight-up nerd, it's just not in his make-up."

Now, I officially start thinking this is, well, at the very least, plausible. Aside from everything else, there was something in the tone of his voice that was pretty convincing - like there was genuine panic and more than a dose of pissed-off-edness at me for not believing him. He also used a few technical expressions that seemed beyond a 16 year old from New Mexico called Deacon (no wonder he prefers ProGunner).

That was pretty much the extent of our conversation. He was off to contact all his relatives, then buy supplies – a shipload of supplies. He reckoned I should do the same.

But of course, there was a parting grenade or three before he left.

Boom#1 - There were just over three days to impact. Three days!

Boom#2 - The NEAT program is supposed to pick up things like this up well in advance. Apparently, it’s not unusual for asteroids to get this close to Earth before they are detected, but it is very unusual for one of this size. They’re embarrassed as hell and are still investigating theories as to why. They would normally expect at least several weeks heads-up, sometimes months. Not that it would make much difference – his bro reckons we’re pretty much screwed... there’s not enough time for any Bruce Willis Armageddon heroics.

Boom#3 - He wasn’t sure when the public would find out but it wouldn’t be long. Maybe not so much of a boom just yet... but that little nugget will explode soon enough.

If it’s true all hell’s gonna break loose.

****

It was around 1:30am and ProGunner95 had just gone offline. I found myself sitting in the FIFA game lobby, my headset on and completely stunned. I sat there for what felt like an eternity, but it was probably only 15 minutes or so, letting the information sink in.

The news hit me hard. Three days. We only had three days left. My plans to attend the Crows match on Sunday were now irrelevant. I had tickets, but what was the point? It was just a game. The reality of the situation had now set in.

I couldn't help but think about the NEAT program and how embarrassed they must feel. But this was more than just embarrassment; it was an epic screw-up. I thought of the Japanese tradition of jumping on their own swords in situations like this; it seemed like a better alternative. If it was true, we were truly screwed.

My thoughts then turned to my parents who were off on one of their nature trips in Tassie. They wouldn't be contactable even if they were in range, as they purposely left their phones behind. It was frustrating and made me angry. They could have at least brought their phones to check if the world was coming to an end.

Then a realization hit me. If this information was true, then I was one of the first people to find out. It was pure luck. But it also meant I had a chance to survive, just like anyone else. It was a strange gift, but one I was willing to take. And in Australia, I was one of the first to know.

****

2:15 am: I hit the web, starting with all the major news sites. Nothing was mentioned about the predicted catastrophe. I then checked Facebook and Twitter, but still no news. The NEAT website also provided no information, not even in their latest news section. It was frustrating to see that something as important as an unavoidable global disaster was disregarded compared to January's open day. However, the outdated and insignificant information on the website made me wonder if the prediction may indeed be true.

Further research showed that NEAT had an Australian branch in Parkes. I wondered if the information had spread to the families and friends of those at the Australian branch and if they, in turn, had spread the word. Time was ticking, and every moment lost was a tactical loss. However, I had no concrete evidence of the prediction's validity.

I then started to search for information on large asteroid strikes. Numerous websites provided information on massive impacts throughout history and illustrated the terrible consequences for Earth's inhabitants. One site had a CGI video depicting the devastating effects of a colossal asteroid, accompanied by somber Pink Floyd music. The video showed the complete incineration of everything, turning the Earth into a fiery ball of death. Although the predicted asteroid was reportedly ten times smaller, the prospect was still overwhelming, and I needed to focus on what I could control.

I realized that food was the top priority, and since most stores opened between 6-9 am, I had only a limited window to act. The world might already know of the impending disaster, so I had to act fast; it was time for a servo run.

****

4:30am: I have just unloaded my car after my first trip to gather supplies. It's truly astonishing what remains open during these early hours of the morning, though admittedly the types of people roaming around are somewhat questionable, especially in the city. It's only Wednesday and yet the sheer amount of oddballs out and about is baffling.

Though I found it amusing, I was ultimately put off by the variety of characters and necessary avoidance of eye contact. This amusement was quickly overshadowed by exorbitant prices I was charged – likely a sort of "desperate druggie premium" on every item with a long shelf-life. I shudder at the thought of these prices on a regular basis; my wallet simply could not sustain such an expense every day.

Ultimately, I spent a grand total of $600 and ended up with a vast collection of bland, canned sustenance. The receipts, of course, were retained, but in truth, I don't anticipate receiving a refund if this transpires to be an elaborate joke or sick hoax. One thing is for certain – I am sending the bill to ProGunner95.

****

5:30am: After finally loading the supplies into the cellar, I couldn't help but use army speak, referring to them as "supplies". I felt like a try-hard and it had only been five minutes. Exhaustion was beginning to set in for the first time tonight, but I knew I couldn't sleep. The (proper) shops would be open soon and I wanted to check the morning news.

I scoured every news source I could find but came up empty-handed. It was strange. However, I did stumble upon a few posts on news-sharing websites about "asteroid rumours". It gave me a bit of peace knowing I wasn't the only one hearing about it. Furthermore, I found a Facebook group called "I'm Gonna Survive Asteroid 2014DM3". Finally, this thing had a name. I joined the group and shared the link to the rumour, updating my status as well. I had felt hesitant to share anything before, but now that the group was out there, it felt safer to do so. The hashtag #2014DM3 was now trending on Twitter, it was clear that I wasn't the only one getting caught up in the hype.

I knew I needed to check out the shops soon, but if this asteroid was real, I would need to start making some calls. With a few minutes to kill before my 6am run, I decided to check out some survival websites. I was amazed by what I found. There were people who seemingly spent all their time thinking about disaster situations; it was impressive, really. I even picked up some useful tips and tricks that hadn't even crossed my mind previously.

****

8:30am: I have just completed another two runs. I made my way to the Cash & Carry store for some bulk purchases, and I managed to acquire three times as much as I did during my previous run to the service station, all while spending less money. However, I do have to admit that I sort of missed the derelicts.

I proceeded to dump all of my purchases in the front lounge before setting off to the local Coles store, which opens at 7am. I arrived around 7:30am, and this time, I made a serious effort by utilizing my father's 4WD. The increase in storage capacity essentially doubled my capacity, allowing me to fill three carts with supplies.

I made a conscious effort to stock up on anything that was both nutritious and had a shelf life of over a year. With 18 months worth of savings, I managed to acquire enough groceries to last at least 12 months. Not bad for a morning's work.

It was during this trip that I began to draw some attention, particularly from the staff. The third cart drew strange looks from everyone around me, and I couldn't help but think how odd it was that these people went along with their lives blissfully unaware of the impending danger. Part of me felt guilty for knowing what was going to happen while they continued on with their normal routines, but what could I do? Should I tell them to buy more supplies? To do something interesting with their remaining days?

The checkout clerk, a bitter and older full-timer, eventually called me out. She had seen me come through with two carts prior and was now suffering from carpal tunnel. "What, is the end of the world coming or something?" she asked.

I didn't feel like lying and didn't have the time to go into greater detail, so I replied, "Yeah, actually. There's an asteroid coming and we've only got three days to live."

Her expression transformed in confusion, astonishment, and disbelief. It took a few moments, but eventually, she laughed and said, "Well, you won't be needing all that food then."

Feeling a bit pressured, I punched in the total on the register, swiped my card and entered my pin, all while saying, "Stress makes me hungry," before leaving.

I've been meticulously monitoring the morning shows as I unloaded the goods from the delivery truck. Finally, my ears perked up when I caught a mention of the asteroid at around 8:45 am. The hosts had just finished their usual routine of meaningless entertainment updates when Karl's voice boomed through the radio.

“One out of left field here, a rumor’s been circulating the internet about an asteroid that is supposedly on a collision course with Earth. And I thought 2012 was supposed to be the end of the world,” he laughed cheekily, earning little support from his co-host. However, while they may not have been taking it seriously, I certainly was.

I was so engrossed that I failed to realize what had happened until it was too late. The carton of spaghetti in tomato sauce cans that I was holding slipped from my grasp, crashing onto my foot. My pain was quickly forgotten, however, as Karl continued speaking.

“Now, I’m sure this is a hoax, but it must be said that there is a groundswell of chatter across many social networking and news sites. We have been trying to get some official word, but it appears that no one is commenting. Lisa?” he prompted, handing over to his co-host.

“It is unusual, isn’t it?” Lisa responded sincerely. “More worryingly, the Prime Minister has called a last-minute press conference for 10am AEST this morning with no indication of the topic.”

Karl followed up, stating, “It’s a similar story in the US, with the President due to speak shortly before the Prime Minister.”

As they went about their regular business, it was plain to see that both hosts were rattled. Something big was definitely happening.

That was the first time my heart sank. Not just the expression, but literally sank. It was like a sudden realization of the scale of the situation had suddenly hit me. This was very real. I had to sit down and let the feeling wash over me for a minute.

Then, my mind quickly turned to my mission. Within seconds, a wave of adrenaline equalized the craziness inside me, and I was ready to take action. It was time to start calling people.

****

9:30 AM: The situation seems pretty bleak. Johnno, Jamie, Macca and Hardo were all sound asleep when I tried to reach them. I was able to get in touch with Boof, but he thought I was just joking around until I convinced him to turn on the TV and watch a news update. Apparently, there's a countdown for the upcoming presidential press conference. The others will eventually find out about it, but it could take a few more hours before they even wake up. Despite the lack of urgency on their part, I can't help but feel concerned about what's going to happen next.

****

President's Speech - 9.40am:

The exhaustion was evident on my face as I watched the President deliver his speech. Hundreds of journalists had gathered for the press conference, all well-aware that this was a situation of paramount importance. As the President strode out to the podium, the flashes of the many cameras went into overdrive.

Despite my fatigue, I knew that this speech was going to be replayed relentlessly on television over the next few days. While the President spoke, his words fell into each other and my mind struggled to grasp all the details, but I caught the basics.

The asteroid 2014DM3 was headed straight towards the earth, a piece of news that sent a shiver down my spine. But the name itself left much to be desired. It was almost anticlimactic, without the epic ring that should accompany such a momentous occasion. I thought it should at least have been given a proper name, like the ones used for cyclones. Maybe it could have been named based on the date of impact, like in reference to the 9/11 tragedy. Silly, I know, as this could be the end of everything, but I had hoped it would have been caused by something with a cooler name.

The asteroid was huge - approximately 4-5km in diameter, making it a significant threat with the potential to wipe out humanity, like the dinosaurs before us. We had only 65 hours and 11 minutes until the asteroid hit Earth, landing just after 2am on a Saturday morning.

As I listened to the President, I realised the various countries with space capabilities had plans to either destroy or divert the course of the rock. It sounded promising, but in all honesty, the details the President provided made it seem like they had been caught with their pants down. There seemed to be very little they could do except reassure people by giving off the impression that they were at least trying. NASA, The European Space Agency, Russia, Japan and China were all having a go at intercepting the asteroid - but I was not holding my breath for any last minute miracles from them.

****

3pm: The news has changed everything. Sleep was my original plan, but now I have to make sure I have enough supplies. I assume that everyone will be trying to get their hands on food, and once that's covered, they'll move on to survival gear. If Adelaide misses the initial impact and blast, then the potential for power loss, communication failure, and even an ice age is possible. Therefore, self-sufficiency is the key to survival.

I've spent the last few hours going to camping stores and hire stores, getting all sorts of things such as a portable power generator, a radio transmitter and receiver, knives, cold weather clothing, and three can openers. I even got 30 water cooler bottles and some resealable lids to cover my bases in case of a fresh water access issue.

I'm feeling pretty good about my purchases, even though I maxed out my credit card. Thankfully, I have access to Dad's emergency card, and I'm pretty sure this situation counts as an emergency.

All TV stations are covering the asteroid 24/7, but I couldn't focus on it while trying to set up my radio and generator. I know sleep should be a priority, but I can't bear the thought of wasting any time. Eight hours of sleep seems like an extravagant luxury when I only have 60 hours left. Before going to bed, I printed out some interesting information I found online so I wouldn't feel like I was wasting any time.