The Last Resort - By Naivedhi Chauhan

Written By: Naivedhi Chauhan

Category: Sci Fi Short Story

Competition: Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the gripping short story "The Last Resort," Naivedhi Chauhan invites readers into a suspenseful sci-fi world where a solar storm threatens the very fabric of life on Earth. This submission, part of the esteemed Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, showcases Chauhan's ability to weave tension and intrigue into an apocalyptic narrative. As chaos unfolds, the story unravels the desperation and determination of humanity seeking refuge beyond the stars.

About the Work

"The Last Resort" is a thrilling exploration of survival amidst a catastrophic solar storm. Chauhan crafts a vivid narrative filled with urgency and emotion, as characters confront the collapse of Earth's atmosphere. The story's imagery transports readers into a chaotic world where silence and darkness reign, punctuated by moments of startling clarity. This tale speaks to the indomitable human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Last Resort

Original Submission by Naivedhi Chauhan

The Last Resort

I slowly woke up as the sun light hit my eyes and checked my phone only to see no messages from my friend Stella, which honestly was weird enough as she couldn’t live a second without telling me every single detail of her life. I got up anyway to make myself some coffee, but the machine just wouldn’t turn on. Soon I started taking in the unusual silence which in LA was extremely rare. No sound of my neighbour’s lawnmower, not the sounds of the cars honking, not to mention the electronics just wouldn’t work. I tried calling Stella a few times, but there wasn’t any signal, I figured out that the city just had a blackout. As I heard someone aggressively knocking on my door, I went to open it only to see Stella standing there looking like she had run a marathon, when suddenly she placed both her hands on my shoulders and aggressively shook me back and forth before yelling “ARE YOU NOT GOING TO PACK YOUR THINGS!?”. I calmly removed her hands from my shoulder before replying “Calm down! Why would I need to pack my things?” upon hearing that, she exclaimed “OH MY LORD! HAVE YOU NOT HEARD THERE IS A WHOLE SOLAR STORM HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! THE EARTH’S MAGNETOSPHERE IS TEARING APART!”. The second I heard her say that I froze before mumbling to myself “I thought it was just a blackout.”. “IT IS NOT JUST A BLACKOUT; IT IS A WHOLE ATMOSPHERIC COLLAPSE!” replied Stella before she grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. While she was helping me pack my bags I asked her “where even are we going?” Stella briefly glanced toward me before replying “There is a government launch facility, everyone’s going there, apparently they are evacuating everyone on spaceships calling it The Last Resort”. While trying to stuff half my wardrobe in my bag, I glanced out the window only to see chaos, people running everywhere, children crying and screaming, forests getting ignited, oceans receding and the sky turning deep orange. “HOW ARE WE GOING TO SURVIVE THAT!?” I exclaimed and in response Stella let out a shrilled scream and started tearing my vanity apart “WHAT are you doing?” I asked and “MAKING SURE I DON’T MELT UNDER THE SUN!” replied Stella while applying sunscreen like her life depended on it, which honestly it maybe did. I stared at her for a second before realizing this isn’t worth my time. I stood, taking her hand before fleeing with our bags. “Which way?” I asked and Stella replied “Vandenberg space force base”. I got in my car and I turned my keys and pressed hard on the gas, but the car didn’t even turn on, so here we are riding a bicycle in scorching heat. After what felt like a painful amount of time riding a bicycle in the air thick with salt and the smell of the ocean since the ocean was receding like crazy and practically boiling itself. As breathtaking as the fog looked under the green lightening from the storm, it was just as painful to experience. Stella asked me “have we reached yet?” practically gasping for air, I replied looking at a milestone “Nope, still at Washington Ave.” Stella groaned before groaning and whining “Ughh! It feels like my skin’s going to fall off! It’s too hot!” and after another round of a painful ride we finally reached the gates of the space base. Some serious looking men in uniforms took a search of our bags looking for possible weapons. After we were cleared another man told us to follow him. After what felt like an eternity of walking, we finally reached where we would be staying. As the teams were evacuating as many people as possible, we were staying in the base for a week at least which honestly felt like we had committed any crime and now we’re living in a prison because every day is the same with the same boring over boiled food. We had nothing to do except for staring at people preparing for the evacuation. As the days went on, the condition just got worse and worse, carbon dioxide filled the air more than oxygen due to the forest actually getting ignited and the sea waves just receding. The next day we were busy doing the usual things which is gossiping and pretending to pay attention to whatever the guy behind me was telling us, the only thing I heard was him talk about how we weren’t going to survive in space or whatsoever, until the speakers came to life as an annoyed and tired voice came through speaking “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, the evacuation begins in 20 minutes, kindly gather your things and head to the assigned spaceships which the guards at the boardings will tell. Repeating it again, gather your things and head to the assigned boarding gates.” As soon as we heard that Stella squealed “OH MY GOD! It’s finally happening!”. So, we headed to our rooms and started packing our things. “ROOMS 40 TO 80 HEAD TO BOARDING GATE 12!” yelled a guard and we headed there. After taking a long breath I looked towards Stella and we both nodded once before stepping inside the massive spaceship. It barely took time before we were in the space watching our Earth turning from the so-called blue marble to a glowing ember ball of fire. After a while of floating through the space, I was sitting with miller, an old friend who happened to be controlling the ships. As we three were talking the control panel’s screen flashed showing a text which read

“SITUATION: Earth module [SOL-3]

Decommissioned.

OBJECTIVE: Survival achieved against Class-X Solar Event.

RANK: S-Tier.” And I froze before reading the rest “TUTORIAL COMPLETE. THE GAME NOW BEGINS, GOOD LUCK PLAYERS!” and with that our so-called Sun which was destroying Earth moments ago turned off like a light bulb and complete darkness emerged. From the darkness, Miller’s voice came, “Well that escalated quickly.”

About the Competition

The Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar celebrates diverse voices and creative expressions from around the globe. This competition invites writers to delve into their imaginations, crafting compelling narratives and evocative poetry. While celebrating the art of storytelling, the event fosters a community of writers passionate about their craft, offering a platform to showcase their unique perspectives.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Naivedhi Chauhan for sharing "The Last Resort" with us in the Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Your narrative has captivated us with its vivid depiction of an apocalyptic journey and the resilience of the human spirit. We are grateful for your contribution to this year's competition.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.