The Well-Populated Apocalypse

Then the opposite obtained
For a little while at least—

You know that favorite scene
Of apocalyptic tales,

Where the protagonist wakes
To find out no one remains

Except the protagonist,
Lone person left in the world?

This protagonist woke up
In a jam-packed waiting room,

In a crowded building, in
A roaring city, crammed night,

No one appearing sickly,
Everyone looking well-fed.

That this was the real
Ending of the world occurred

To approximately no one
Until the dwindling took hold,

And by then it was too late.
Everyone? Let’s meet our fate!