May The World End Like This

2: Tuesday

Joshua heard about it a week before.

His friends from his university last year started reviving their old and forgotten group chats. Ang sabi nila ay “Katapusan na ng mundo! Gawin na natin ang mga gusto nating gawin! ”

Of course, he ignored it. Of course, the world isn't ending. It was just about to begin for him. He's young and a newly graduated student—and so the world shouldn't end now. Not now.

But when they invited him out on a trip, who was he to say no? He was already stressed out anyway.

They said the end would be within this week already. They have no idea when exactly, but Joshua's friends think and convince themselves that it will all happen on Friday. The last day of the week. It makes sense, somewhat, since Friday is the last day that you are even required to work. And there is no work on Saturdays and Sundays.

“Sinabi niyo na ba sa mga pamilya niyo, 'yong tungkol sa mga bomba?” Tanong ni Gian, isa sa mga kaibigan ni Joshua.

“Oo naman,” tugon ni Aaron.

“Oo, pati sa iba kong kakilala,” sabi naman ni Gerald. “Nagpanic nga sila at hindi nila alam ang gagawin, eh.”

Napakamot ng ulo si Joshua, “Hindi pa. Hindi naman ata totoo 'yan.”

Gian poured at his own shotglass, “Dude, legit 'to. Close friend ng pinsan ko ang source. At 'yong source, eh, nagtatrabaho mismo sa gobyerno! ”

As his friends drink themselves to alcohol and shared conversations about this feared doomsday, Joshua can't help but be skeptical. He watched the three of them get wasted; they claimed, “Ito na ang mga huling sandali natin para magsaya!”. He is not so fond of the thought.

Nagsimula ring magplano ang mga kaibigan niya. Kinabukasan, balak nilang sumakay ng rides pambata at maligo nang naka-brief lang sa dagat sa kinagabihan. Sa Miyerkules ay balak nilang mag-bar hopping hanggang sa mapagod at bumigay ang katawan nila. Sa Huwebes ay balak nilang ayain sa kasal ang babaeng matitipuhan nila sa araw na iyon at magpakasal agad sa araw ding iyon. At sa Biyernes, sa Biyernes ay uuwi na sila sa piling ng kani-kanilang pamilya at hihintayin na roon ang wakas.

Joshua doubts the plan will be followed. Their plan today is to set up a camp in the woods where there are no electronics or technologies—walang mga signal ang phones nila. But look at them; they are drunk and wasted. Nakahiga na sila sa damuhan at nagtatawanan. It's not even 9 p.m. yet.

“Madaya ka talaga, Joshua—dapat... dapat umi—minom ka rin!” Angal nila na may pagsinok.

Naiiling namang natawa si Joshua, “Alam niyo namang hindi ako sanay na uminom.”

Humiga rin siya sa damuhan. The stars are brighter here. There are no buildings and no streetlights to snatch away the spotlight.

“You know what? Alam kong panget pakinggan pero, I'm glad the world is ending,” said Gian, his voice soft and low. “Wala pa akong nahahanap na matinong trabaho, and to be honest, I had never seen myself living in the future."

The atmosphere between the four of them changed.

“Hindi ka nag-iisa, Gian,” wika naman ni Aaron at tinapik ang katabi niya. “Wala na akong ibang kaibigan kundi kayo—I mean, obvious naman. Kayo lang ang lagi kausap ko sa messages.”

“Ako naman, hindi sa masaya rin ako, pero... sawang-sawa na ako sa pag-iinsulto ng mga kamag-anak ko sa akin,” gigil na paglalahad naman ni Gerald. “Buti na lamang at wakas na ng mundo. Kahit mawala ako kasama nila, basta mawala na rin sila!”

Nagpatuloy sila sa pag-uusap.

“Nabanggit mo ang future, Gian. Kung iisipin mong mabuti, wala na ang future hanggang sa matapos ang linggong 'to,” komento ni Aaron. “Wala nang next week. Or next month. Or next year."

Napahinga nang malalim si Gian, “Wala nang next birthday.”

“Wala na.”

Sa pakikinig ni Joshua ay hindi niya napansin ang pagdaloy ng luha mula sa kaniyang mga mata. Mabilis niya itong pinunasan.

Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas ay nanahimik na ang mga kaibigan ni Joshua, kaya't nagsalita na rin siya. Admitting the things he wants to admit before the end.

“I was thinking of killing myself by Friday,” pag-amin niya, napapikit. “Gagawin ko pa rin naman. Regardless, kung totoo ba 'yong doomsday na sinasabi niyo o hindi. I just... the thing is... the world will end for me by Friday. And knowing na, if ever totoo man na sa Friday ay wakas na, masaya akong sabay-sabay tayong mawawala.”

After seconds of waiting for their reaction, Joshua took it upon himself to check on each of them, only to find out they were already asleep. Napahinga siya nang maluwag.

Matutulog na rin sana siya nang mapabaling muli ang kaniyang mga mata sa kalangitan. There are these little balls of light ascending into the sky. Those can't be shooting stars; shooting stars goes down, not up.

Maybe it's a fireworks display. Inisip namang maigi ni Joshua kung mayroon bang event sa city nila, at wala naman siyang maalala.

Kinutuban lamang siya nang magbago ang direksyon ng fireworks at tila pabulusok na pababa—sa direksyon nila.

And upon realizing what was happening, more bombs began to redirect their direction towards the earth. The screams from the nearest compound can be heard.

Joshua refuses to believe, even with the very evidence directed towards them. No, he still refuses to believe as he felt the heat before the impact, the world is supposed to end by Frida—!