Denver Dies

In the year 2023, the once-vibrant City of Denver found itself on the brink of an unimaginable transformation. The skyline that had once gleamed with towering skyscrapers now lay cloaked in a haze of smoke and despair. The city's struggle had reached a turning point, one that would forever alter its fate.

The signs of impending doom had been building for years. The cost of living had surged to unprecedented heights, pushing citizens to their limits. Skyrocketing rent, exorbitant medical bills, and a dwindling job market had slowly eroded the once-thriving community spirit. As the divide between the haves and the have-nots grew, so did the resentment and frustration that simmered beneath the surface.

Then came the fires. An unrelenting wave of wildfires swept through the surrounding forests, encroaching upon the city limits with a ferocity that defied containment. The sky turned a perpetual shade of orange, casting an eerie glow over the urban landscape. Ash rained down like somber confetti, settling upon the streets and buildings as a grim reminder of nature's wrath.

Disease followed closely in the wake of the fires. The smoke-filled air became a breeding ground for respiratory illnesses, leaving the city's already vulnerable population gasping for breath. Hospitals were overwhelmed, their resources stretched thin as they grappled with a seemingly ceaseless influx of patients. The sick and the healthy alike found themselves trapped in a nightmare, struggling to navigate a world that seemed to be unraveling at its seams.

Amidst this chaos, death seemed to lurk around every corner. The homeless, already marginalized and forgotten, were hit the hardest. With shelters overcrowded and resources scarce, they faced a dire choice between the dangers of the streets and the risks of the shelters. The heart-wrenching stories of lives lost to the elements and to illness spread like wildfire, fueling a collective sense of grief and despair.

The once-proud city's leadership found themselves at a crossroads. The financial strain of battling fires, providing medical care, and maintaining a semblance of order had become unsustainable. As the exodus of citizens fleeing the crumbling metropolis accelerated, the decision was made to divert what resources remained to the homeless population.

It was a decision born out of necessity, a last-ditch effort to salvage some semblance of humanity from the wreckage. The city surrendered to the homeless, offering them shelter in the abandoned remains of upscale condos and office complexes. The grand edifices that had once housed the elite were repurposed as makeshift havens for those who had been cast aside by a world that had lost its way.

And so, in 2023, the City of Denver became a testament to the fragility of civilization. The towering symbols of prosperity now stood as stark reminders of the price of hubris. As the homeless population moved into their newfound abodes, the lines that once divided the city began to blur. Former strangers became neighbors, united by the shared experience of survival and loss.

While the city had surrendered to the homeless, it was also a surrender to the forces of nature and the consequences of societal neglect. The apocalypse that had gripped Denver was not one of cataclysmic events from beyond, but rather the unraveling of a society that had lost sight of its values. As the city embraced its new reality, it was a bittersweet reminder that from the ashes of destruction, the seeds of compassion and resilience could still take root.