Level 7

JUNE 21

The news is the same as yesterday’s: neutrals and Level 2 are dying fast.

The probable reason for these deaths is polluted air. The filters used on Level 2 and in the neutral countries are apparently not a good enough protection against radioactivity—at least, against the strong dose they have just received. Nobody knows for certain, and nobody is going up to make sure. But there seems no doubt that millions of people have escaped death by blast or burning only to die of poisoned air.

This means that the world population is quickly being reduced to those living in the deeper levels, the ones fitted with self-sufficient air-supply systems. The enemy must have shelters with this equipment too, but I suppose none of the allies and neutrals could afford it. If nothing happens to halt the present death-rate, the population will drop in a matter of days—perhaps hours—to a mere one and a third millions. Maybe a few thousands more or less for the enemy’s deep shelters may differ in capacity from ours.

Nothing has been heard from the neutrals since about 14.00 hours, when the last of their messages was received. It gave facts and figures, in some detail, about the mass deaths. It did not end in the pathetic way yesterday’s Level 2 broadcast did. But the dry report, trying to give the up-to-date figures of death—as if life would go on there tomorrow—was, in a way, even more pathetic. There were no accusations, no curses in their broadcast: just the latest news about the victims of radioactivity in that country.

It went off the air quite suddenly. There have been no more neutral broadcasts since. There will be no more.

Of all the people who used to live on this earth, only we and our enemy remain. To be more precise: only that handful on each side which is deep underground.