In the End

Cathare had been chasing Clay around the hill for nearly twenty minutes now. Cathare had his hands clasped into the shape of a pistol and pointed it at Clay whilst making gun noises. His screams that he cried when he was "shot at" reflected the panic and excitement that shot through his small veins. Their mother watched on the sidelines. She lay on a picnic blanket and surrounding her were crunched up juice boxes and half-eaten sandwiches. Cathare laughed in triumph, but Clay kept running.

"Hey!" Cathare cried. "I got you! You have to fall now!"

"No you didn't!" Clay exclaimed back. Cathare began sprinting as far as his seven-year-old legs could carry him. He tackled him to the ground.

"Now I got you," Cathare had said while holding his brother's stubby hands to the grass. The blades poked at Clay's skin. His screams of excitement turned to cries of minor pain.

Their mother laughed as she pulled herself up. "You two," she said. "Are going to hurt yourselves one day if this keeps up." The twins grins at her, showing their dimples and half-missing teeth.

"That's what you always say to him," Clay replies with the slightest hint of annoyance, then he joins his brother in his grin, revealing the same dimples, but has one missing tooth in the front.

"I know, Sweetie. Moms do that a lot. Alright, it's time for you to go back home and get cleaned up." The twins groan. "Don't give me that look. I don't want to send you to bed without dessert tonight."

"Yes, Mommy," they mumble.

She smiles. "Good." She extends both hand out to the twins and they simultaneously take them. They walk down the hill together.

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"Dude," Clay said in awe. Cathare looks up from his book. "I found something that you're really gonna like."

"What is it?" Cathare asked as his curiosity built. He got up and moved towards Clay's bed that was enclosed in a navy blue comforter.

"It's an old rock song I found. Just listen." Clay shoved an earbud into Cathare hands. He put it in his ear. Immediately, Clay pushed the play button and the song began to play.

In the end, as we fade into the night

Who will tell the story of your life?...

Immediately, Cathare became mesmerized by the moving strings and the shreds of the lead guitar. He listened to the lyrics of the first verse and deciphered that the song was about a revolution. He bobbed his head. He ignored Clay's stares of excitement.

In the end, as we fade into the night

Who will tell the story of your life?

And who will remember your last goodbye?

'Cause it's the end and I'm not afraid, not afraid to die...

The twins mesmerized themselves in the song until the song completed. They both sat in silence, staring at each other. Their grins reflected one of a fangirl. Clay then broke the silence.

"Well," he said. "What do you think?" Clay knew how his brother would reply.

"Are you kidding?" Cathare responded without a beat's rest. "That was literally the best thing I've heard in my life!!" They talk about the song until they notice their mother standing in the doorway. "What is it?"

"S-Someone, needs to speak with you," she stammered. A tall man decorated in military ranks walked in.

"Hello," he said blankly. "I'm General James Carswell." They only stare at him. "As you know, at about your age, we begin to draft young men, like yourselves into the military and other areas in research to help America continue to be the best superpower in the world."

"I knew it," Clay muttered.

"Alright, General," Cathare said standing. "where are we going?"

"We have already preassigned you positions. Cathare, you will join our military. Clay, you will join NASA for further exploration of our galaxy."

"Count us in!" The twins exclaim. "We're ready."

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Clay had finished zipping up his bright orange suit and was ready for his first mission. He walked out into the bright Florida sunlight and saw his brother waiting by the boarding area.

"I thought you couldn't make it, Colonel," Clay said to him."

"Well," Cathare says. "I got special permission from Carswell, so I think I'm all good." They laugh. Clay sighs and begins to show panic.

"I'm a little scared to do this," he says. "I mean, what if I don't make it?"

"Listen. I've been in plenty of situations like this, but you've got to remember that in the end, you're not afraid to die." Clay smiles.

"That song has helped us so much for the past 5 years. I'm glad we got to share it with each other."

Cathare grins. "I'm going to miss you." He embraces Clay and he hugs back. He lets go of Cathare and boards the rocket. The rocket launches and Clay can see Cathare salute at him. He salutes back, knowing that he can't see him. He reaches outer space within several minutes.

"Sir," a woman from Mission Control says. "You've been successfully been sent into space. We're going to put you into hypersleep for a little while, alright?"

Clay replies, "I'll see you in a couple months."

"Will do, Sir." And as she says that, he immediately became unconscious.

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"Clay," the colonel shouts. Clay is woken up.

"Cathare?" He replies, shocked. "You missed me that bad, huh?"

"Clay, you're in seriously in trouble. Doctor Wiseman informed me that there's an asteroid that's headed your way."

Clay panics. "What do I do?"

"We've already aborted the mission," Wiseman says. "You're not expected to survive."

"How long do I have?"

"Several minutes. We've brought the colonel to say goodbye."

Cathare speaks. "Clay, I'm sorry. If I had known that this would happen I-"

"Stop. It doesn't matter, because in the end, I'm not afraid to die."

Static. Clay had disconnected. Cathare fell to his knees, crying.

"I'll remember your last goodbye."

Word count: 1000