An Alternate Ending

[Muestereate]

I was doing one of my countless treks back to the Community Center. I approached from a bit of a different angle and the flames from the signal fire danced very high across the front windows. They looked higher than the building and I was like OMG, the Community center is burning down with all those people in it despite all my work to save them. Could this be how it ends? Man's struggle to save man from the elements only for them to have the final say anyhow and snuff out the last of Great Bears life? How tragic, apropos, apocalyptic, such an evil yet appropriate turn. My efforts made no difference.

But it was just an illusion, fatigue, snow blindness or maybe the pessimistic hopelessness brought on, by the long dark.