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"Get out of here while you still have the chance," the tall man exclaimed through his helmet. The astronaut-like spacesuit stood out in the earth setting, but what didn't at this point? He abruptly walked away, disconnected the frequency attuned to his helmet, and retrieved to a deteriorated bench positioned near an abandoned building.

40 minutes earlier 

"Alex, do you not see what I see?" The man cried out looking at the degraded, fallen apart city surrounding them. Animal carcasses laid strewn about, and smog invaded every particle of light in sight.  

"Don't you get it, Ronny," the other man replied, "This is what we did...we caused this!” Alex pointed at the initials on his spacesuit standing for the corporation they had worked at.  

"Oh really, Alex," Ronny questioned, "You really think this is all STW's fault. Like they were the reasons earth was dying in the first place? Earth was going to die anyway. What do you not understand? 

 Alex appeared dumbfounded before replying, "You and I both saw what happened. They rushed the process. For crying aloud, we work at a place called Saving the World, and we only helped make it worse. What we did was permanent, and now earth can no longer be inhabited." 

"What we did was try to restore the oceans, Alex, how were we to know that would worsen their state. It's better that we tried than to let them continue dying." Ronny kneeled down, taking in the disastrous scene around him. 

"Better that we tried? Ronny, we knew my invention was not ready. Acid rain falls in every part of the world now. Mass flooding, too. And let us talk about the air. What we did to the oceans caused every ounce of carbon dioxide stored in them to be released. Don't you realize you and I are talking to each other through two clumsy space uniforms for that very reason?"  

 Ronny stood there with his back turned, tuning up the vehicle they'd be using to get to the station; a trip that needed to be done soon before the weather took a turn for the worse. "Look, Alex, if I could change what happened two months ago, I would, but what we need to do is work together to get out of here. There are only a few thousand survivors and 95 percent of them have already left for Mars. Plus, there's no telling if we'll be able to bear another storm." 

Alex shuddered at the thought of enduring even one more night on earth. They had been forced to stay in an emergency underground settlement. The dryness mixed with the heat caused the most uncomfortable periods of sleep of his life. Besides, the earth was getting more unpredictable every day, as the toxic air from the carbon dioxide was a recent show of it. If they had not worked at an agency that required them to have spacesuits in case of an emergency like this, they would have been long gone. Instead, he replied, "I can't leave behind what my fingerprints are all over. I am one of the main reasons this happened. I should not have-” 

 "Alex," Ron said cutting him off, "We've had this conversation countless times. What you did, anyone would have done. Now please help me fix this motor, so we can drive to the base." 

Soon enough, the engine roared to life, and the car was ready to transport them. Though not a pretty sight-its gold coloring was decaying in the air- the car, shaped like that of a plane, would get them to their destination in only mere moments. 

 "Pack the backup oxygen tanks, in the back, Alex. They're on top of the car if you haven't seen them already. I’ll grab the computer's hard drive. I left it in the bunker." Ronny ran off, wanting to waste no more time. 

 The door slammed shut after Alex tossed in the oxygen tanks. He had no intentions of going with Ronny, though.  

 "Everything good, Alex?" Ronny said, returning with the hard drive. "Look man, I'm truly sorry about what we did but-" 

 "I'm not going with you, Ronny, and nothing will make me say otherwise. I appreciate all our time together and your help but that is it; it has reached its end. And if you so much as take another step towards me, I will eject my helmet, and you will watch the life leave my eyes.”  

 "C'mon, be reasonable. You don't-" 

"Get out of here while you still have the chance," the tall man exclaimed through his helmet. The astronaut-like spacesuit stood out in the earth setting, but what didn't at this point? He abruptly walked away, disconnected the frequency attuned to his helmet, and retrieved to a deteriorated bench positioned near an abandoned building.

Before he could try one last attempt to get Alex, the car radio crackled to life, "Calling all survivors to Cape Canaveral's launch center within the next 20 minutes. There will be no more launches after this. There will be no one left at the station. Repeat. Calling all survivors to Cape Canaveral's launch center within the next 20 minutes. There will be no more launches after this. There will be no one left at the station. Over."

 With a last glance at Alex, Ronny speeded towards the site, tears watering up his eyes as he thought a goodbye to his colleague and best friend.  

15 minutes later 

Alex still sat there, feeling torn. The rusty brown bench fit well with his dark mood.

“Why did I let them take my invention without putting up a fight? Why didn’t they listen to me when I told them it wasn’t ready? Why did I mention how successful it had been in smaller settings? Why did I have to be the one to turn it on for them...initiating the mess the world is in right now.” Alex wondered.

“Pow. Swoosh.” 

Alex looked up to see the last spacecraft leaving earth. The finality of all human civilization had left. A tear formed in his eyes, as he realized he'd never see his best friend again.

Glancing at his helmet screen, he saw that only 15 percent of his oxygen remained. He had not bothered to save a backup for himself, as he did not plan to use this time for anything other than reflecting on his actions and what led to this point.  

“I just wish that this all could be over. That everything could go back to normal.” Alex begged. He rested his head on the arm of the bench- the sign of a defeated man. 

Moments later 

A sudden wave of light flashed into his eyes, causing him to look up. 

“What a marvelous sight!” Alex exclaimed looking at the buildings to see them back to their previous state, unscathed and glowing in the sunlight. The ground no longer eroded, and the bench had even gained its coloration back. Alex’s wish had come true.  

“Guys come back. Earth is healthy once again. I knew it wasn’t the end!” Alex shouted excitedly to the sky. 

Alex tossed off his helmet-no longer of use- happy to see the world back to normal.  

And just like that, Earth’s human population was zero.