Entry into Calluna's "Tell me a story" - [A Thermal Apocalypse](https://steemit.com/contest/@calluna/tell-a-story-to-me-and-win-5-sbd-writing-contest-6-thermal-apocalypse-and-winners-of-5)
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'The sky is dark with plumes of volcanic ash.  The sun hasn’t been seen for months - Earths’ surface resembles one massive volcanic disaster zone; and it is. The lack of sun has caused temperature to plummet, and it is about to plunged earth into its next ice age. It could’ve happened sooner if the insulating effect of the ash cloud wasn’t acting like a greenhouse and trapping the heat from the volcanic eruptions.  Slowly but surely, the cold is winning as each day heat seeps away through gaps in the dark mantle.'

‘Over the entire surface of the earth, humans and creature alike may be surviving in small isolated pockets – and each day the disaster which came to a head three month ago, may be claiming more victims. Humans with an intellectual advantage is the most prone to adapt, but the lack of ready resources is nullifying the advantage.  For the human species it is a race against time; and it’s less than a fifty-fifty chance at this stage. Our only hope at this stage lies in creating self-sustaining colonies cut off from earths’ now, toxic atmosphere. Ahead in the survival race, are bacteria, viruses and fungi partial to temperature extremes and to the cocktail of chemicals now freely available in the atmosphere, followed by insects and subterranean creatures; led by cockroaches. We have an epidemic them feasting on remains and rotting flesh and beasts and humans alike. The air we breathe is now a wash with toxins such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and nuclear waste.  We have a limited time to defend against this threat – that’s if the effects aren’t already irreversible.’     

‘My name is Gerhard Snyder, and I survived the disaster which ended life as we knew it; for how long I do not know. I’m not an expert but I can relate the matters as I saw it unfold. It all started five years ago when world renowned geologist Prof.  Von Waldheim made an announcement concerning mysterious sink hole which were occurring all over the world, including some identified on the ocean floor. “The earth is shrinking,” he announced after years of extensive research. To the question, why? - He responded, “The molten core of the earth is running out of fuel which causes it to burn cooler, for this reason it is shrinking. A cooler body in general tends to shrink.” As time progressed, the planet continued to shrink, and more sink holes where reported worldwide, at an ever accelerating rate. The earth’s crust literally began caving in on its core; the core using its own crust as a fuel – the planet was cannibalising itself!’ 

‘About 1 year back the airs’ ambient temperature began dropping which was the misdirection for the first paradox. The cooling of the earth core had a direct influence on air temperature. As the phenomenon went viral due to international media attention and government warnings, the vast majority of earth’s inhabitants invested heavily in protection against the first wave, falling temperatures. Yes, the temperatures fell dramatically all around the globe, but the worst was yet to come. They should’ve been weary of the second, third and fourth waves as some of my prepper buddies and I were, thus we’ve managed to hang on. I now live in a well stocked bunker on one of the remaining solid pieces of land left on the plant; a 50 thousand square kilometre solid granite vein which we identified in our research. All land outside of this vein and others like it is likely to be freshly formed. I live in one of 30 concrete underground bunkers established by our 500 hundred strong community.  Our biggest threat comes from survivors outside our community wanting our resources.  We’ve killed many over the past few weeks; a necessary evil. There are no more governments, and there are no more laws.’ 

The *second wave* of the phenomenon occurred 3 month ago as the as continents and mainlands separated at geological faults, and started sinking. The increased pressure on earthen molten forced ten thousands of tons of liquid molten rock to spew out along these faults; mega-volcanic and tsunami activity played out simultaneously worldwide; swallowing massive unsustainable land masses. These were accompanied by the highest degree earthquakes. Catastrophic infrastructure failure and loss of habitat had wiped out half of earth’s population. Cold was replaced by searing heat from volcanic activity. People well equipt for the cold were frying alive... 

The nightmarish hell, was only beginning when the *third wave* kicked in; nuclear facilities and weapon installations were laid bare by natures’ fury. Out of control facilities were ripped apart by seismic activity, spewing toxic radiation into the atmosphere. Atom bombs detonate randomly, and the planet braces for more.  I don’t know for sure, but only small communities of preppers’ could’ve have survived on stable pockets of land such as ours; and of course those being in the right place at the right time. Outside of a community such as ours they are the walking dead. The world was burning...
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![image.png](https://ipfs.busy.org/ipfs/Qme5vbLG2PQcCbhYLTUcRghtceQCbsPjxcf5NCSaNVgxHJ)
[Pixabay](https://goo.gl/images/py3aKQ)
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We brace ourselves for the final test of our endurance and survival capability.  Will mother earth ever recover from the nuclear winter which is befalling us? Will we produce enough generations to witness that day?  While our portion of landmass is relatively stable; the construction of multiple inter-leading domes to shield our community and bunkers from earth toxic atmosphere, has been hampered by frequent earthquakes and aftershocks, sometimes measuring up to 5 on the Richter scale.  Here on our modern day ark of granite - we soldier on; our lives depend on it and the survival of us the human species...

Personal Log - *2075, September 25* 

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<center>Wishing You - Love, Light and Peace
@whitelite</center>

<center>APOCALYPSE – EARTH BURNING, 
Rights Reserved @whitelite<center>
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<center> [![Asapers.gif](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdzaG3zsv9BSTLoKTCG19FEtCM9QkzR1xbHsgYQhQnRFi/Asapers.gif)](https://discord.gg/gKSBN5b) </center>