Chapter V. The Dead World

           Irememberthatweallsatgaspinginourchairs,withthatsweet,wetsouth-westernbreeze,freshfromthesea,flappingthemuslincurtainsandcoolingourflushedfaces.Iwonderhowlongwesat!Noneofusafterwardscouldagreeatallonthatpoint.Wewerebewildered,stunned,semi-conscious.Wehadallbracedourcouragefordeath,butthisfearfulandsuddennewfact—thatwemustcontinuetoliveafterwehadsurvivedtheracetowhichwebelonged—struckuswiththeshockofaphysicalblowandleftusprostrate.Thengraduallythesuspendedmechanismbegantomoveoncemore;theshuttlesofmemoryworked;ideasweavedthemselvestogetherinourminds.Wesaw,withvivid,mercilessclearness,therelationsbetweenthepast,thepresent,andthefuture—thelivesthatwehadledandtheliveswhichwewouldhavetolive.Oureyesturnedinsilenthorroruponthoseofourcompanionsandfoundthesameansweringlookintheirs.Insteadofthejoywhichmenmighthavebeenexpectedtofeelwhohadsonarrowlyescapedanimminentdeath,aterriblewaveofdarkestdepressionsubmergedus.Everythingonearththatwelovedhadbeenwashedawayintothegreat,infinite,unknownocean,andherewerewemarooneduponthisdesertislandofaworld,withoutcompanions,hopes,oraspirations.Afewyears’skulkinglikejackalsamongthegravesofthehumanraceandthenourbelatedandlonelyendwouldcome.

           "It’sdreadful,George,dreadful!"theladycriedinanagonyofsobs."Ifwehadonlypassedwiththeothers!Oh,whydidyousaveus?Ifeelasifitiswethataredeadandeveryoneelsealive.