A New Year Disaster

December 30, 2029

‘What a fucking decade,’ I think to myself. I can’t believe I survived a couple global pandemics, extreme weather, mass shootings and war. Honestly, after I caught COVID in undergrad, I thought I was out for the count, but then I met her, my fiancée Elaine. Her beautiful tanned skin and loose light brown curls make my heart sing. It makes me wonder what she sees in my pasty white ass, but nevertheless she’s mine. We’ve hit a bit of a rough patch but hopefully she will come with me to my friend’s New Year’s party tomorrow.

December 31, 2029

I haven’t had any luck in getting Elaine to come to the party. She thinks it’s stupid to party in a bunker. I think it will be fun. And seriously, who gets to party in a bunker? Plus my buddy Brett said that his family never uses it since the big disaster hasn’t happened, and it’s expensive to upkeep so he thought it would be a fun idea. We won’t have to spend anything, just go. It is a fun idea right? I’m not ridiculous right? I mean Elaine wants to stay at home and cuddle. She said it would be tempting fate to go to this party after the decade we’ve had. I think she hates my friends though. They are all a bit immature and rag on me for getting married. But we’re all in our late 20s, isn’t it time to settle down? That’s what I’ve always thought. At least until my childhood friend Shawn asked, “Yo Jason. How do you know she’s committed bro?”

I pause. I brought Shawn to the party with me because he is someone I trust and would not influence me to make bad decisions. I reply sternly and defensively, “I know because we have established a level of trust in which I know she loves me and I love her. Not sure you understand that since you have a new flavor every week.”

Shawn gives me a look of shock and disgust. His green eyes lower and he shakes his head. “You’ve changed man,” he says as he continues to shake his head and walks away.

I follow after him. “I. I didn’t mean it like that bro,” I say as I continue to follow behind him. I attempt to grab his shoulder, but Shawn evades my touch. Shawn then grabs his coat to leave.

“I know you will find the girl for you dude,” I tell him as I make him look into my bluish gray eyes by touching his shoulder and making eye contact.

“Man, whatever,” Shawn replies as he returns a cold stare of pity. His 6 foot 3 inch frame and athletic build towers over me at 5 foot 10. Shawn covers his shiny black hair with a burgundy colored toboggan and puts on his long tan peacoat.

“Dude, where are you going?” I ask since I saw earlier in the night he was flirting with this gorgeous Latina. Shawn doesn’t answer and continues walking to the door. He stops at the threshold when he opens the door. Shawn turns back and looks at me while standing in the doorway. As he stood there, his jewelry shone in the light. Then, he calmly states, “I’m going to your house to see Elaine.”

I burst into laughter. “You’re shitting me right?”

He chuckles softly and says, “No. She wants to leave you. She actually asked me to come over and sleep with her, but I decided not to since we’ve been friends since childhood. But some friend you are.”

I ran up to Shawn and put my chest up to his. “Show me the text then!!!” I demand. We both workout regularly, but he definitely has 40 pounds on me due to his height and build. I continue to look him in the eye. I know at this point my eyes are doing some crazy stuff.

“Please tell me you’re lying or I’m gonna fuckin’ spaz!!” I scream causing the attention of the party to turn to us. We look back at them. Brett asks if we are okay, and Shawn tells them that we are good. I am currently acting strong, but until I get a definite answer from my so-called friend, I am unraveling on the inside. We have been friends for almost our whole lives and we never ran into a situation like this. My thoughts race. ‘Does he actually want my future wife? Would he sleep with her? He is more attractive than I am, so I--’

“I’m just bullshitting bro! Chill!” He laughs boisterously, cutting off my train of thought. “Damn Jason you were really scared, huh?” He says through his laughter. I forgot Shawn likes to joke and prank, sometimes at the expense of feelings.

I give him a blank stare. He continues chortling.

“You should see your face, man!” he says through his laughter.

“Bro!! Why would you joke like that? You know how I feel about Elaine,” I ask exasperatedly as I give him a playful shove.

Shawn shrugs. “I guess I wanted to see if it’s as real as you say. You good though?”

I nod my head yes reluctantly. “Okay man, well I’m out then. It’s 10:30 pm and I do have some place to be. And that’s up in some puss,” Shane tells me.

“A’ight dude. Be safe and enjoy,” I tell him as we shake hands upon his departure.

I turn to rejoin the party but the conversation that just happened continues to play in my head. Does Elaine want to leave? I text her “I love you,” with a bunch of different emojis to let her know I’m thinking about her, and then I mingle with the other partygoers as I wait for her reply.

“How long have you known Brett?” a feminine voice with a slight Southern accent asks. I turn my head to see this gorgeous blonde with an asymmetric bob haircut. I check my phone. Elaine’s reply comes in with an emoji. The emoji that’s blushing with the hearts around it, but she didn’t say, ‘I love you,” back. My brows furrow, then I remember I’m having a conversation.

“Since college,” I reply. I look into her beautiful hazel eyes and say, “I’m Jason.” As I extend my hand to her.

“Madeline,” she says as she grabs my hand to shake it. “I noticed you with your friend earlier, and I wanted to know if you were single.”

My heart starts pounding as I ponder what to say. She gives me an innocent look and I tell her the truth. “I’m engaged,” I say as I look down. “But we’ve hit a rocky point. I think we will be okay, but I’m not really sure.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Madeline tells me as she grabs my hand. “I’m sure she’s a very lucky girl. What’s her name?”

“Elaine,” I respond. Suddenly, we hear an alert from the TV. The New Year’s Eve show we were watching was interrupted by ABC World News.

“SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT,” the broadcaster states firmly but calmly. “A gigantic meteor has just entered the atmosphere and is rapidly making its way to the east coast of the United States.”

We all look at each other in disbelief and confusion. “What’s this?” the announcer continues. “Meteorologists and geologists have just informed ABC News that they are predicting the meteor fall somewhere between Ohio and West Virginia. We advise anyone awake in those areas to evacuate as quickly as you can.”

“What should we do?!” Madeline cried out. Sounds of screams, sighs, and whispers filled the room.

“I think we should say fuck it and just enjoy,” Brett says raising his voice above everyone else. “We are already in a safe place underground, and stressing about the situation now will only cause more stress. Let’s party!”

I call Elaine in an attempt to get her to come to Brett’s bunker for safety. I get no answer. I also call Shawn to let him know what was going on but I couldn’t get him either. Other people are calling their families, but to no avail. Finally, someone reaches a family member, but they live in Texas and couldn’t really tell us what they knew except for taking cover and that the impact of the meteor would be felt all over the continent. Cell phones in our general area aren’t working. Many people in the general vicinity likely will perish upon impact. We were told that if we are somewhere safe, to stay there for at least a week or two.

When everyone in the party heard this news, everyone grew cold. We were once again pouring drinks, but it was only to drown out our impending despair. I think of what might become of Elaine, and I can’t even call her to hear her sweet voice one last time. I should have fucking stayed home and cuddled. I completely chug my drink and pour a large glass of whiskey in hopes of numbing my thoughts. Others copied my behavior, and within 2 hours, everyone in the bunker was completely drunk.

January 13, 2030

It’s been about two weeks, and we’ve figured it’s finally time to go out and see the damage. When we leave the bunker and come above ground, we notice everything is decimated and see bodies and debris lying around indiscriminately. Though I’m hopeful, the pit in my stomach tells me that my sweet Elaine didn’t make it. I walk with Madeline until I get to where our home used to stand. I notice a picture on a metal door that was our refrigerator. That confirmed I was “home.”

As I rummage through the remains of our house, I finally see her body. Her partially naked body. Naked save a bra and the heart-shaped locket she told me her grandmother gave to Elaine a month before she died. My body goes numb. I move a little more debris and see Shawn’s body, underneath Elaine’s. I snatch the locket off of her cold, stiff neck. I open it ever so delicately. I see a photo of Elaine and Shawn from a trip to Cabo that Elaine told me was a girls’ trip.

“FUCK!!!!” I scream at the top of my lungs. Madeline furrows her brow to give me a look of concern.

“He wasn’t fucking lying,” I cry, scream, and fall to the ground simultaneously. Madeline rubs my back and comforts me as I try not to detach from my reality. I shake my head in disbelief not knowing how I will rebuild the pieces of my life.