In my universe, the world is ending, and it's clear to everyone that nothing that can be done to save it. Most people have escaped by taking a one-way portal to another world, but there are some people who are stuck waiting in their old homes until they die. What are these people likely to be doing during the last few days they have before the end?
I'm especially interested in the stragglers left behind in large cities. In my story, the protagonist is trying to be the last one to escape through the portal, and en route, he encounters people in cities that were populated and active until only a few days beforehand.
Here are some of the reasons people are staying behind:
- Some have given up hope for themselves and are effectively committing suicide.
- Some tried to tie up loose ends before fleeing, but accidentally spent too long doing so and now are out of time.
- Some were physically incapable of fleeing, such as being crippled or too elderly.
- Some decided that they loved their old homes too much to try to start a new life elsewhere.
This is a high-fantasy universe with a canon religion, so feel free to use magic in your answers.