They Know The End

Russell

I clicked past that pop-up. I didn't need the sympathy of a company. And even if it was, it usually wasn't true.

A blank profile appeared and I filled it up:

Basic Profile
Name: Russell Magbanua
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Pronouns: he/him
Nationality/Ethnicity: Filipino
Orientation: <skip>

Height: <skip>
Weight: <skip>
Allergies/Medical Conditions: <n/a>

Country: Philippines
Province/State: <skip>

Extra Details
Job: <n/a>
Interests: listening to the radio, picking little things
Favorites: <skip>

Decker Section
Who You Were in Life: A nobody no one should mess with.
Bucket List: <n/a>
Final Thoughts: I need a friend.

The system prompted a photo for the profile picture. I hovered the cursor over the skip button, but I decided that I will take one through the webcam.

I smiled thinly on the camera as it took my picture. The profile picture displayed on the screen. My face was barely visible from the blue LED light and the dim environment. I accepted the result anyway. It's not like I could surf through a public computer's photo album for a picture of me.

As I submitted the final profile, a system prompt appeared: Be well, Russell.

I returned it with a thin smile.

The site redirected me to the home screen, revealing a feed of single-sentence posts from different users. On the side were ads and links to other linked services like the Death-Cast official website, CountDowners, and the like.

The feed was a new feature implemented by Last Friend Inc.: Last Message. Deckers would leave their legacy in a single sentence and it would be displayed on Last Friend and other different social media platforms. I knew this because the Decker Radio Station mentioned it time and time again.

While waiting for messages to appear, I opened the link to the Death-Cast website. It had a black background, with the words Death-Cast in a old font. Below that was a field prompting me to type a name or scan a QR code.

I checked my bag for the envelope, but then I remembered that I left it back in the apartment I came from. I cursed to myself.

I took a deep breath and typed my name on the field. Now, the site said it was loading just as I heard a ping through the headphones.

I switched to the Last Friend tab and saw that someone messaged me.

-

Subject: condolences to u
Fred Ibanez. 21 years old. Male.
Cebu (31 miles away).
Decker? Yes.

-

Fred I. (2:22 a.m.) you too huh?

Russell M. (2:22 a.m.): yeah

Russell M. (2:22 a.m.): nothing i can do about it tho

Fred I. (2:23 a.m.): u seem like a nice guy

Fred I. (2:23 a.m.): how about we meet? we can meet halfway or sumthing

Russell M. (2:23 a.m.): where are u

Fred I. (2:23 a.m.): argao

Russell M. (2:23 a.m.): that's too far for me sorry

Fred I. (2:23 a.m.): aight.

Fred I. (2:23 a.m.): good luck to us both

Russell M. (2: 23 a.m.): yeah. u too

-

I received a couple of other messages from my inbox.

-

Subject: i can be ur friend <3
Mary Empress Ponce. 18 years old. Female.
Cebu (15 miles away)
Decker? No.

Subject: WAnT A BUDdY? I CAn HOoK yOU Up
Matteo Falamig. 17 years old. Male.
Cebu (21 miles away)
Decker? No.

Subject: san mig?
Rafael Custado. 18 years old. Male.
Cebu (3 miles away)
Decker? Yes.

-

I immediately delete Matteo's message, knowing that it was some bot that managed to enter Last Friend's servers.

I deleted Rafael's message too; I wasn't in the mood for drinking. If I were to die today, I would do it right.

With a sigh, I opened Mary's message.

-

Russell M. (2:26 a.m.): empress? nice name

Mary Empress P. (2:27 a.m.): thx too bad i hate the person who gave it to me

Russell M. (2:27 a.m.): oh bad parents?

Mary Empress P. (2:27 a.m.): say r u in a bar rn?

Mary Empress P. (2:27 a.m.): essentially yea

Russell M. (2:28 a.m.): computer shop

Mary Empress P. (2:28 a.m.): can't access the internet?

Mary Empress P. (2:28 a.m.): are u poor or smth

Russell M. (2:29 a.m.): yeah

Mary Empress P. (2:29 a.m.): ew wtf if my friends see my Last Friend dirty then they'll laugh at me

-

I felt anger swell in me. I typed furiously on the keyboard.

-

Russell M. (2:29 a.m.): well then u and ur friends are so pathetic

-

I switched to the Death-Cast page, which was prompting me about services after death.

I picked cremation over being buried. If I ever had a grave, all they'd do is shit on it.

Better if my life were dust carried away by the wind. Nobody wouldn't even know that I existed.