End of the Earth

I rushed around, gathering all my stuff up. My dad sat in the other room watching TV, acting like it was just another night. For them though, it really was. After my bag was packed, I stepped into the shower, hoping that might calm my rushing mind. It didn’t. “When is that boss going to give you a night off?” My father grunts annoyed, and as my eyes meet his, I feel the tears well up in them. “Sweetheart, come here.” He rushes towards me, pulling me into a hug. “If this job is too stressful, then you need to leave it. You know what, screw them. Stay home tonight and let them deal without you. I will help you start looking for a new job tomorrow.” I nodded into his chest, wishing that I could agree to this. Wishing it was all that simple. “I got to go, but I love you.” I wrapped my arms around him, doing my best to hold back my tears. “You are the best father in the world. I know things weren’t easy at times and I know you did your best despite it all. Thank you.” “I love you too.” He kissed my forehead, just like he used to when I was little. “And I will always be here for you. It will get better. All this is only temporary. You will find somewhere that you will enjoy.” “I have to go.” Sniffing, I pulled out of his arms. I wish I could stay there a little longer. “Tomorrow I will put in my two-week notice and leave.” I faked a smile at him, wishing I could freeze this moment. “Okay honey.” He kissed my forehead again. “Try to have a good night. When you get home, I will make your favorite and we can talk more.” I nodded back, turning and leaving him for the last time. "I would love that." I said over my shoulder, the pain growing in my chest, already seeing him working hard in the kitchen in my mind. Getting in my car, I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself down. My stuff was thrown in the back seat, just an old duffel with a few items in it. I pulled out and headed in the direction of my boyfriend's house. The time there was only a few minutes, but it seemed to take forever. He was waiting outside for me. He was at the side of my car the moment I put it in park, and as I got out he pulled me into his arms. “I was starting to worry you wouldn’t come.” “Are you sure it is going to happen?” I felt the tears as they started flowing again. “The news said that it won’t happen again for another thousand years.” “Why do you think all the rich took that ‘space cruise’ and are lightyears away right now.” He buried his face in my hair, breathing in my scent. “I wish I was wrong, I really do.” Almost on cue another popping sound from the sun sent a shock wave, causing the equivalent of a mini earthquake. “There has to be another way, I can’t leave you.” I pulled him as close to me as my body would allow, and held desperately tight onto him. “It's the only way I have found.” “Then it should be you going, not me.” Another pop, and another rumble. “No! I would not be able to live knowing you are dead. Knowing that I could have saved you but rather save my own a*s. I would be nothing more than a coward.” “You would be alive.” I breathed in his scent, doing my best to take in this moment, from the sound of his voice to the way his body felt. “You would have a future.” “Without you, I might as well be dead.” His body shook as he said this, emotions heavy with every word. The earth shook again, almost knocking us both over. “I feel the same though.” I caught myself against my car. “They are getting more and more frequent, and closer together. We have to do this or all my work will have been in vain.” He opens up the back door to my car, pulling my bag out and handing it to me. “What if I held onto you really tightly? Maybe it will save both of us.” “It wouldn’t work. It's either one of us, or neither.” He grabbed my hand, leading me onto the porch where it was all set up. “I should rephrase that. It's either you.” He put a strange necklace on me as he said this. “Or no one.” “I will find a way to come back for you.” He placed his hands on my cheeks, meeting my eyes as I said this. “Forget about me. Forget about this broken world. Live on and make a better future for us.” The marks on the floor started glowing, and the pendant on my necklace started vibrating as a loud explosion was heard outside. I turned and faced the source of that sound as time seemed to slow. A giant wall of fire seemed to be absorbing the sky as the sun imploded on itself. My boyfriend made me look at him again, kissing my lips passionately. I was vaguely aware of the burning sensation, but was doing my best to just focus on everything about him. That was when I felt a cold sensation start from my back and spread to my front. A force pushed me backwards and out of my lover's embrace. His arms almost seemed to bend back in an unnatural way, and his eyes locked with mine as pain started to contort his face. Not once did his eyes leave mine as he mouthed out 'I love you' and I watched in horror as his figure was consumed in flames as I was absorbed into a cold darkness.