The End of Us

The emergency sirens howl throughout the city and I can feel it my chest. The rush pulses through my veins and my body is tense as I'm driving through the chaos of the city. The world is on fire and without warning humanity is facing it's immediate doom as an asteroid is about to hit and we say our last goodbyes. The sense of urgency and panic fuels the desert metropolis as well as my own intentions.

I remember this morning with my wife. Despite our differences, she stood there in our kitchen her beautiful brown eyes puffy from the tears of my mistake. I am such a fool to ever of acted like she wasn't good enough. She has been my soulmate for twenty years and somehow throughout our journey I had lost myself.

It was never her but my own selfishness that led to my affair. Even still she made our morning coffee stroking her long curly black hair in nervousness as she questioned, "How could you? Am I not good enough is that it?" Her voice trembled and I felt like such a jerk because truth is it wasn't her. I remained cold and distant out of guilt and fear, because I didn't have the answer for her at the time. I had not been there for her for over a year now emotionally and physically. My excuse was my job. It was the only sense of my happiness and accomplishment at the time but now that the world was coming to an end all I could think about is her.

She handed me this heart shaped locket that was the symbol of our young naive love when we first started dating. I clutched this cold silver locket, now driving high speed with purpose through the looting and gunshots that filled the streets. "Please God! I know this is it but let me get home to love of my life and be there for her one last time," I screamed these words and it wasn't a plead it was a demand as I swerved in and out through the crowded streets.

The looting, the rioting and I couldn't believe my eyes. Maybe humanity deserved it. Maybe I deserved this but I wasn't going to let the end of the world keep us apart. I love her and I need to say this one last time. I kiss the locket with every stroke of luck I received as I navigated my way home. "Almost there now. I'm going to be with her for the end. I don't care that this is it. If we go down we go down together," I said to myself.

The conviction and love brought tears to my eyes as I finally made it home. I pulled into the drive way honking and left the jeep running. What does it matter? The only thing that does is her. I rush to our door and pull it open with such force it collides with the wall leaving a dent in our entrance way. She jumps and faces me. Tears are in her eyes, hugging herself in the living room. Our T.V. is softly replaying our wedding video. I'm gasping for breath clutching the heart shape locket and she waits for me to say anything to break the silence.

I waste no time as I rush to her and kiss her with every ounce of love I can give. Her lips are soft and tender. I caress the tears from her cheek and she smiles saying, "I didn't think you would show." I reply, "Honey I love you with all my heart and soul. I'm such a fool for it to take the end of the world to say this." I hold her tightly gripping the silver locket I can feel it sharply pressing into my palm. She wipes away my tears and I smile and say, "I believe this is yours." I turn her around and she pulls her hair back as I clip the locket around her neck.

I kiss her shoulder tenderly and she makes her way to the record playing in the corner of the room. The soft melody of Ben E. King fills the home playing "Stand by Me." She asks, "Do you remember this?" I'm choking on my emotions and letting the tears pour from my eyes as I take her hand and we dance in the living room as I say, "How can I forget our first dance as husband and wife."

We sway to the beat. She's warm and weightless as I hold her close. I feel the panic subside and feel her beating heart up against mine as I sing to her, "If the sky we look upon should tumble and fall. All the mountains should crumble to the sea. I won't cry, I won't cry. No I won't shed a tear just as long as you stand by me." The sirens grow quiet and the earth shakes. I hold her close and kiss her one last time as we fade into oblivion.