For four years, I’ve been shaping this story—a tale born from my experiences living aboard my sailboat in the Port of Gothenburg. It was there, amidst the gentle rocking of the boat, that I encountered the remnants of a world most have forgotten. The discarded pieces of society, the late-night walks through dimly lit streets, and the quiet conversations with those lingering in the shadows—all these moments have become part of this narrative. What I saw, what I felt, and what others threw away from the apparatus of society shaped both my understanding of survival and this story. Chris...
This is the world of 33035 Days, where the protagonist, Indy, struggles to hold onto his humanity as the remnants of a once-bustling Gothenburg crumble around him. It’s a story of isolation, survival, and the moral cost of staying alive when the world falls apart. Much like the discarded pieces of society I saw on the streets, Indy finds himself sifting through the ruins, searching for something worth saving.
33035 Days opens with a grim, dystopian world where survival is no longer a choice but a necessity. In a city once bustling with life, the protagonist recounts thirty long years of watching society collapse. Gothenburg, a city now overrun by chaos, rats, and death, serves as the haunting backdrop of this post-apocalyptic tale. The streets that once held vibrant energy are now filled with the rotting remains of humanity, consumed by the collapse of governments, pandemics, and a decayed moral order.
At the center of this crumbling reality is a survivor, a man who has lost everything but clings to life with fierce determination. The city, a place where power structures have failed, has transformed into a battleground of survival, ruled by gangs and clans who impose brutal laws and savage justice. The protagonist's reflections on this desolate world are deeply introspective, blending regret, isolation, and the haunting memories of the choices he made along the way.
His escape to the sea—his floating fortress—symbolizes more than just physical survival; it represents his detachment from a world gone mad. Sailing through the waters surrounding the crumbling city, he navigates both the literal and emotional storms that have battered his existence. It is here, aboard his boat, that he reflects on the savagery that has become a new norm. He remembers the people he has killed and the blood that stains his hands—acts that, while driven by survival, have stripped him of his humanity.
But it wasn’t always this way. He had seen the fall of civilization coming and had prepared, embracing self-reliance and isolation before the collapse. Yet, this isolation is a double-edged sword. While it keeps him alive, it also plunges him into a loneliness that threatens to consume him. The sea becomes both his salvation and his prison.
The collapse of Gothenburg is more than just a setting; it becomes a character in itself, a living testament to the fragility of the systems we rely on. The protagonist describes how swiftly the infrastructure crumbled—electricity vanishing, hospitals closing, and even the government surrendering to the chaos. The imagery of rats feeding on the dead bodies, and the rise of a new, ruthless society based on violence, barter, and exploitation paints a vivid picture of a world turned upside down.
Despite the bleakness, the narrative is deeply human. The protagonist wrestles with his own moral compass—what is right in a world where survival has become the ultimate goal? His memories of killing men, and the emotional weight of taking a woman’s life, cling to him, refusing to be forgotten. These moments are brutally honest, stripping away any illusions of heroism and confronting the reader with the ugly truths of survival.
Yet, amidst the chaos and death, the protagonist finds moments of reflection. He contemplates the true nature of survival, questioning the price of staying alive in such a brutal world. His journey becomes one not just of survival, but of trying to retain a shred of humanity in a world that no longer values it.
The destruction of Gothenburg, the rise of the gangs and clans, and the protagonist’s decision to abandon the city and sail alone create a powerful narrative of loss, isolation, and resilience. The story is not just about surviving a post-apocalyptic world, but about the toll that survival takes on the soul. How far can one go to survive before losing what makes them human?
The protagonist’s encounters with other survivors highlight this theme. The dangerous market of "North", where people barter for drugs, food, and even human flesh, is a stark contrast to his isolated existence on the boat. The lawlessness, the gangs that kill each other over territory, and the public executions in the once-bustling Nordstan mall paint a brutal picture of life after the collapse. The protagonist watches from the safety of his boat, both physically and emotionally detached from the horrors on land, yet he cannot escape the moral decay that creeps into his own heart.
33035 Days is not just a story of one man’s survival; it’s a meditation on what it means to live in a world where humanity itself is dying. The protagonist’s isolation mirrors the isolation of the world—people cut off from each other, from civilization, and from their own moral centers. The slow erosion of his humanity, his reflections on the people he has killed, and his struggle to remember what life was like before the collapse are central to the emotional depth of the story.
As the protagonist sails further from the city, the narrative hints at larger themes of human resilience, guilt, and the search for redemption. His journey is one that many readers will relate to—not in the literal sense of surviving a post-apocalyptic world, but in the emotional sense of grappling with isolation, guilt, and the desire to find meaning in a world that often seems devoid of it.
The first chapter of 33035 Days sets up a gripping and introspective journey of survival in a broken world. The city of Gothenburg, once full of life, now serves as a haunting metaphor for the collapse of society and the fragility of humanity. The protagonist’s struggle to survive while holding onto his last shreds of morality will resonate deeply with readers, who are drawn into this dark and thought-provoking world. With vivid imagery, emotional depth, and powerful reflections on the nature of survival, 33035 Days promises to be a deeply engaging and unforgettable read.
By Chris...
Indy is a complex character shaped by years of isolation and survival, but beneath his rugged exterior, there's a depth of introspection and emotion. He’s someone who has endured both physical and emotional battles, making him resilient and self-reliant. His weathered face and steely gaze reflect a man who has seen too much and lost too much, yet he continues to fight—not just against the world, but against the darkness within himself.
Indy is haunted by the choices he's made, the lives he's taken, and the loneliness that has accompanied his journey. There’s a quiet sadness about him, born from the weight of survival in a world where connections have eroded, yet he still holds onto fragments of humanity. He is reflective, often questioning the price of survival, grappling with the moral compromises that come with staying alive in a world where every day is a struggle.
Despite his hardened nature, Indy has a strong sense of purpose. He doesn’t allow despair to consume him, and that drive is what keeps him moving forward, whether it's sailing through desolate waters or scavenging the ruins of a fallen city. His ability to adapt is key to his survival, and while he may seem detached, there’s a flicker of hope in him that refuses to die.
At his core, Indy represents strength through vulnerability. He is not a hero in the traditional sense, but rather a man who, despite the horrors he’s faced, still carries a desire to find meaning in a broken world. He navigates his own inner turmoil as much as the crumbling world around him, making him deeply human and relatable, especially to those who have also faced isolation or adversity.
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