The Edge of No Tomorrow

4 | Mahogany

The bus that takes me to Cates' house is like a glass half empty. The seating area near the front is unoccupied, and I slink into it with relative ease.

In the murky reflection, my black hair looks like ink. It's matted near the back. My eyes bore into me; dull, and bottle-green.

I get off the bus a few minutes later, at the corner of Carnation avenue. From there, I walk past mansions that loom over me. Each residence is more extravagant than the last; the straight-edged walls fitted with slanted windows facing the sun. The husk of an artificial river trails alongside me. It used to make a sound like the rushing of a current, but without power, the chrome display underneath it has become visible.

Cates' house is squeezed between those surrounding it. The hood of his car is dented.

I approach the gate, pressing my finger to the doorbell. It emits a buzz that echoes through me.

"Hi," I say into the speaker. It hangs in the air before I continue, "Um, it's Nina. Hawthorne?"

"You came?" Cates' muted voice asks.

I am not sure what to say to that, so I don't respond. The gate unlocks, allowing me to enter.

A few stray pebbles crunch under my shoes as I cut across the driveway. Cates opens the front door and ushers me into the entryway. A chandelier hangs over my head, although no light emits from it.

The walls are white, and it smells faintly of fresh paint. In the living room, there sits Kayden on a reclining chair, facing an antique stereo. It's playing a tinny song that I don't recognize. In the vast space, with the ceiling far above my head, the sound reverberates and consumes itself whole.

"Hey," he greets.

I nod weakly, placing myself at the edge of the couch. Cates takes a seat next to Kayden, kicking his socked feet onto the ottoman and grabbing an open can of alcohol.

"I didn't think you'd still be here," Kayden continues, looking at me sidelong.

"Oh, yeah." I pretend not to notice both of them staring at me. My mouth is dry. "I didn't think you'd be here, either."

Kayden's eyes trace the walls. His fingers tap to the beat of the song. "Do you think after the satellite crashes, that'll be the end of it?"

I blink at him. Cates sips his beer, swishing the contents around. The song on the stereo resets, starting from the beginning. It must be the only track that will play.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"He means he thinks it's the end of the world," says Cates, incredulous.

Kayden shrugs, leaning further into his chair. "Eventually, it will be."

"Like, in a couple million years... maybe the sun explodes. Or maybe it doesn't." Cates drinks the rest of his beer and tosses the can aside, and I get the sense this isn't the first time they've had this discussion.

"Do you want something to drink, Nina? Some wine?" Kayden says, gesturing to my empty hands.

I shake my head. "I'm good. Really. I try not to drink. It makes me woozy." This lie is easier than explaining that I can't drink while taking anti-depressants. Ryan would point out that I can't drive, either—I have to be considered less of a risk to be allowed to operate an automatic vehicle, in case of an emergency.