On the evening of August 12th, 2045, the whole city was bustling with excitement at the chance to witness the major total solar eclipse. There were individuals outside with their specialized contacts ready; people live streaming it on their rings; and others like my family and I, watching the event on the news from home on our holographic display.
My sister Sammy screeched with excitement, bouncing around and jumping for joy. She was eager to be witnessing the city plunge into total darkness for about 3 to 6 minutes, the longest an eclipse has ever lasted.
The anticipation was building as there were timers and alerts chiming with countdowns as if it were new years. The sun and moon were getting closer to one another just as more people poured into the crowds to watch. When it seemed as though the moon was about to overpass and cover the sun as everybody expected, the unanticipated occurred. That's When the Sun And Moon Collied. The world went still for a moment as if it were frozen. The exclaims of confusion and the exchange of looks prevailed; all devices hurriedly switched to an emergency broadcasting system. A reporter from NASA appeared on the screen.
"All inhabitants of earth, what we will be experiencing now is nothing short of The End. According to researchers here at NASA, what has just occurred was a most unforeseeable reality. The Sun and Moon have just collied and this means devastation for all." The reporter paused.
My mom clutched her shirt where her heart was, in disbelief; while my Dad stood up with Samantha on his hip, holding her close.
I sat up watching intently, fear building up in my chest.
"What does this mean?!" My dad yelled at the hologram, sounding out of breath, as if the reporter could hear him.
"Try to seek some kind of shelter as the events that follow will be catastrophic. An unimaginable amount of radiation will be cascading down on earth along with debris from the moon's disintegration. With that, climate change will be cataclysmic, tides will recede and there will be numerous tsunami's leading to extreme flooding, while other areas will experience disastrous waves of heat. Technology will no longer work and all forms of communication will soon be down. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do in this time. Hold your loved ones close, say your goodbyes, and may god bless us all." The broadcast had ended.
I felt sick. This couldn't be real, I thought to myself. No way.
My dad put Sammy down on the couch and pulled my mom away to talk.
"Rosie, what's going on?" Sammy looked up at me innocently, whilst clutching her favorite bear.
I didn't know if I should tell her. She was only four she wouldn't understand, but even so, it would scare her. I mean what was I supposed to tell her anyway? That we are going to die?
"It's nothing for you to worry about. How about we play? Would you like that?"
"Yes!!"
I grabbed her hand and walked over to the scattered toys. She wanted to play with the blocks.
I realized that we were now close enough that I could hear my parents conversation.
"This can't be happening, what are we going to do?!" My mom said with her hands on her head.
They were speaking in hushed tones.
"I-I don't know, but I don't think we should stay here." My dad followed up.
"But there's radiation outside! Where are we going to go? It's not safe out there!" My mother retorted.
"Well we can't just stay here! I don't hear you coming up with any ideas. I say we pack up what we can and get the hell out of here."
"And go where Micheal?!"
"I don't know, Silvia, God." He rested his index finger and thumb on his eyebrows. "Will you just work with me here? For once? Can you do that?"
"Fine, but if something happens to the children, Mike, I swear, I will never forgive you."
Mom walked over to us, kneeling down, a smile now plastered on her face. She lifts Samantha from the ground.
"Rosalie, please gather all of your important items meet us in the garage. And make sure to pack a thick blanket."
I ran to my room and pulled out my suitcase that we once used to travel to Florida. I packed several pairs of clothes and a couple of shoes. I threw my holographic ring inside and some snacks I had stashed away. Although I knew the ring probably wouldn't work any longer, I still didn't want to leave it, just in case.
I grabbed a few blankets and stored them inside the suitcase, leaving one out to wrap around myself as some type of protection against the radiation. I dragged the suitcase downstairs and put some other foods I thought could last us a while inside. Afterward, I zipped the suitcase and brought it to the garage.
Mom and dad were dressed in thick layers. When I walked in, they were loading the trunk while Sammy sat in the backseat of the car with a blanket around her. Dad gestured for my suitcase and I gave it to him. He threw it in the trunk along with their bags and slammed it shut. He and mom continued to line the car with what appeared to be the lead shielding and radiation-resistent films my dad had bought a while back.
"And you said I was crazy for buying these. I just didn't want the girls getting sunburnt, they're very pale."
"I never thought we'd have to use them. Now we have to make sure that they don't actually get burnt."
I quickly jumped in the car before they wrapped the back doors. They wrapped everything considerably except for the front parts of the car, so that we still had a way out and that they could still see the road. Everything else was covered. The back doors, the back windows, the sunroof, everything.
My parents entered the car, dad clicking the garage button to open the garage door. He slowly pulled forward into the parking pad. The world was chaos.
He clicked the button again to close the garage door.
We were off.