Summary: inspired by Ariana Grande's One Last Time music video.
"Earth will pass catastrophically through the tail of the comet Eurydice in one week. Gather family and lovers close, one...last...time."
I rip my eyes open, immediately blinding myself by a sudden bright flash from the window. Following the light is another loud crash that had caused me to wake from my slumber in the first place. A slumber I was barely able to achieve after a week of restless nights. But no time to reflect on that. I throw the covers off and run to the windowsill, pushing the curtain to one side.
There down in the city streets is utter pandemonium. Cars are randomly stalled around the road, alarms blaring, some even set on fire. People run around screaming, wailing weapons, dragging luggage and children behind them. Smoldering smoke is seen from all the other surrounding buildings.
Looking up, the sky looks like it's on fire. A deep orange red color with burning purple and blue cover the sky. Huge jet streams litter up above. I blink wildly. I know I drank a copious amount of vodka over the course of a week but this can't be an alcoholic induced hallucination.
Then suddenly another loud whirlwind sound comes closer. I whip my head to the right as a huge meteorite collides with the tall antenna a top a nearby roof, blowing it to ruble and derby below. The crashing noise has myself and the other's outside crouching and diving for protection.
"What the fuck is going on?" I exhale, shakily making my jello legs walk to the television on the other side of my flat. I bang a couple times on the tv box until a blurry image appears. A live stream of the outside chaos plays. A lone feminine voice speaks as the scene unfolds.
"Earth is on a collision course with the comet's tail. . . . Prepare for catastrophe."
That's all I hear before the tv completely blanks out. My building begins to shake under my feet. Reaching for the wall to stable myself my mind races. Is the world about to come an end. Is there a shelter I need to get to? Are my family and friends okay? Is she okay?
"Camila." I breathe out.
The shaking stops. I take the opportunity to grab my boots. After lacing them up I run right out of the door, down the several flight of stairs, and out of the front entrance and into the street.
I'm hit with the strong smell of smoke. I cough a bit, pushing through the crowded streets. Sirens fill my ears in all directions. A man tries to grab me to pull me in the opposite direction. I'm heading to the west, not the east.
"Let me go!" I jerk my arm away.
He looks at me with pure fatherly concern. "You don't want to go that way mija!"
I don't have to argue or ask why. Turning on my heel, I dash off toward the corner store on 8th street. The crowd and chaos gets worse as I near the store. More people means less damage. Right? It gives me hope that this area hasn't been hit yet.
And just i think i'm in the clear another meteor crashes right to my left. Everyone, including myself, duck into a nearby building. The ground rumbles and the crowd of people huddle close. Personal space long forgotten in the haste moment for safety and comfort.
Once the dust clears, I squeeze my way out of the wall of people. Some protest for me to stay but I keep running. Running and running until the convenient store finally comes into view.
My heart pounds just as hard as my feet do on the cracked asphalt as I make in through the busted down door. The windows are broken and the store in ransacked. All that's left are wrappers, empty bottles and glass. This was her shift at the store. She has to be here. The light toward the back door flickers. I take it as a sign and push through the now lopsided swinging door.
