I gaze upon the sky one last time before it all goes to shit, just staring at the fiery mass that is a rogue planet about to hit earth and destroy humanity or at least those left on earth. From where I stand, just looking at the round icy planet being set ablaze and watching as the ice melt as it enters the atmosphere, it was almost breathtaking, awe inspiring even, it was so huge you could see it from just about every continent. As it inches closer, you could see some of the planet's surface break off and become meteors eventually being included in humanity's and earth's demise. It's something I would've taken a picture of, maybe save a wallpaper of, but when the world's ending what's the point, right.
"Ian what's that" Sydney proclaims as she points toward the world ending planet.
For the first time in a minute, I completely aware of my surroundings, I quickly glance around to see that everybody in the community is outside completely dumbfounded by it all, some staring blankly, others holding their family members, some mumbling which I chalk up to praying to god, and other than that it was quiet. We already went through that phase a while ago. Everybody just seemed to be taking it in.
"Iaaaaaannnnnnn?" Sydney whines as I have yet to answer her question.
I just stare at her, she's so young you know, pure, innocent, and curious. I could only imagine how she would'v been grown up, but hey guess I'll never get to see that. After reminiscing for a bit I try my best to think of an answer for her but instead I just feel something welling up inside me.
"It's uh. Uh … big star that only appears once every 1 thousand years." I lied for her sake and mine as I'd probably break down if she burst into tears.
"Why're you crying, Ian", she meekly says.
I bring the biggest smile to my face, awkwardly wiping my tears away and rubbing my hand over my mouth and chin so as not to frown.
"Why. I'm just so happy" I pause to hold in my sadness, but I continue to try and appease her.
"That uh … we get to make wish"
Happily she cries, "Really!"
"Yeah really, really, but I have to hug you first" I respond just as playfully.
I hug her as tight as I could, eventually lifting her off the floor while spinning her, and untightening my grip as I let her off my chest. She laughs, bringing a genuine smile to face.
"So what's your wish, huh little girl"
"I'm not a little girl" she sassily remarks
"Oh real-" she cuts me off putting her hands over mouth.
With attitude she says, " I wished we could live together with mommy and daddy again"
She looks at me, and from her eyes I could just tell she wanted to know what my wish was.
So I tell her, "I wish I could see you grow old into a grandma"
I bury my face in her neck and tickle her, all whilst she's desperately trying to yell, "I'm not a grandma" or "stop"
After a few seconds I give and let her breath.
Then all of a sudden, "Boooom", it was like nothing I've ever heard, not a gun, not a bomb, and not thunder. It's touched down and it's only a matter of time before the roaring shockwaves annihilate everything in its path.
I look at my sister one last time and to distract her, I tell her, "Hey, if you want that wish to come true, you have to close your eyes real hard and wish while listening to someone you love's heartbeat"
She gestures for me to pick her up again, and without hesitation as soon as she's in my arms, she places her heart against my chest to listen to my heart. And I just break down, my legs fail me, leading to my knees on the ground desperately holding my sister. I feel her every individual strand of her sweater though my fingers, her warmth emanating from her body, and her cold hands wrapped around my neck. You know how they say you whole life flashes before you with bad or good memories, I guess it's true because I remember sitting in dad's lap with my hands on the wheel as he drove, my mom hugging me while I slept in their bed after a nightmare, being so scared to hold my sister after she was born, watching the news saying Earth has three years before it goes up in flames, the anarchy of year one, dad's neck hang by a rope, mom sick from overworking in the farm, the view of the land as the sun set, all right up to this moment. And like I never breathed before, I just inhale and let out a sigh of relief or acceptance almost. As the roaring shock waves which sound like a plane overhead a thunder at the same time, inch ever so closer, I close my eyes and hug my sister as tight as I could.
But there's nothing after a few moments, I just feel weightless, my sister isn't clinging to me any more, and it completely pitch black. I think to myself is this what death feels like. However, something very off the moment I hear it, "ba bump, ba bump, bu bump…"
It's my heartbeat, and I'm not just hearing it, I'm feeling it, as my chest moves up and down the sound and feeling consumes me for what seems like hours, and what haunts me both is I've realized I'm breathing.
Finally, after hours, days, months a deep voice emanates from around and inside my being, as it rings in my head, echoing in the chambers of my mind.
"THIS IS GAIA"