Create a character who believes they are the last human on Earth, only to discover they're not alone, part 2

Read part 1 of this story here.

"Oh," said the man as he began to approach her. 

Fuck fight, freeze, and fawn, it was time for flight.

Ivy took off running to where she'd left her car. A faint memory of her mother telling her to never drive drunk spun through her head, but who could she hurt? This one other guy? Surely she wasn't drunk enough to avoid hitting simply one person.

"Hey, it's okay!" the man called after her, starting to run too.

Ivy didn't like that. He should just let her go. How could the only man alive in the now still be like all the men in the before?

Ivy picked up her pace.

So did the man.

And he was faster.

"I'm just looking for people!" shouted the man. He was close now. So close that she could see his features. He had black hair, mussed and clearly self-cut. His gray-green eyes shone a bit too brightly for it being nighttime. He was miraculously clean-shaven and wore clean, or at least clean-looking, clothes. If he had not been chasing her, Ivy would've said he gave off harmless vibes.

Ivy came to an abrupt halt, sticking out her leg. The man fell for it, literally. He tumbled over himself and landed on the asphalt hard, stunned. This gave Ivy time to get out her pocket knife that her girl scout leader had given her and pin him to the ground with it's small blade.

"Hey, you don't have to do this," the man sputtered.

Ivy wasn't sure what she had been planning on doing anyways, so she replied, "Do what?"

"I'm just--I've just been alone for so long. I only wanted to talk with you."

"So talk."

"I--uh--I--"

"Not great at talking are you?"

"Sorry--just--do you know what happened?"

Ivy felt icy. She wasn't sure why exactly. Surely this is what she was wondering too, but perhaps some deep part of her had hoped if she ever ran into someone else that they'd have answers.

"No," she said after a beat. "Is there anyone else with you?" she quickly followed up.

"No--I haven't seen anyone since...well since the thing."

"Eloquent."

The man just blinked at her, still frozen with fear of her meager knife.

"Where were you?" asked Ivy.

"What?"

"Where were you when it happened?" Ivy clarified.

"I worked as a parking attendant, valeting cars. I was valeting this really obnoxious guy's car down to the lowest level of the garage so he'd have to wait a long time to get it back when he was leaving and then I heard the screaming."

The same moment rushed back to Ivy and she gripped the knife tighter. "What have you been doing all this time?"

"All this time?"

"Yes, since the screaming."

"I tried looking for people. Tried using my phone, no one would pick up, but it would still ring. I tried posting online and no one would respond, but the posts did go through. I've just been moving along ever since, trying to find someone who knew what happened. But it looks like I only partially succeeded."

Ivy paused, considering. "Still driving that obnoxious guy's car?" she asked, withdrawing her knife somewhat.

"How...how did you know I took it?"

"I figured obnoxious guys often have nice cars."

The man huffed a smile, "They often do."

"I'm looking for people too. At least, I used to be," Ivy trailed off a bit. "If you drive your own car, we can stick together."

"I can do that," the man nodded.

"Good," Ivy replied, flicking the blade back into its slit. "A piece of advice, don't run after a woman at night." She extended a hand to help him get up.

"I swear, I never did that before. I'm a nice guy."

Ivy winced, "Don't say that either."

"Okay," the man nodded. "I'm Isaac by the way."

"Ivy."

"Let's hope we're not alone, Ivy."

(Prompt by ChatGPT)

"Maria Ramos Urban Interface 2" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region