Hyperion

Chapter one

As I vault over fallen cars, I glance back and see that my pursuer is catching up. Cursing, I slide between scattered pieces of metal, sprint towards a sizeable piece of rubble, intending to use it to vault over a still burning bus and-

I phase through it. I swear quietly as I pause the simulation and march over to the now exposed control box. The damn thing is on the fritz again. The closest thing we have to seeing the surface is a god awful device that almost always breaks down when it's used. Still, it's handy. And that won't stop me.

I'm sorry, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Amber. Amber Matthews. 17 years ago, in 2021, the sun sent out a flare big enough to fry all of the satellites in orbit around our planet. It didn't stop there though. Oh no, that was just the beginning. Because while people were staring at their broken electronics, wondering why they weren't working, the flare continued on its path towards the Earth. And it unleashed an incredible amount of gamma radiation upon its inhabitants. Around 1000 people managed to make it to the bunker we're in now. We're not sure if there are any other survivors, but from what the others have told me, it doesn't seem very likely.

The Mayans weren't wrong about the world ending. They just got the dates mixed up.