My Perspective.

Life before the end.

It was a quiet afternoon, sitting in the garden with my nice cup of coffee. The calming sound of the warm wind was almost zen like, putting me in my zone. It honestly couldn't get any better than this. This was all interrupted by the sounds of heavy footsteps from the kitchen, the slide-open doors being pushed opened.

"Having a nice time?" Jake, my husband, questioned. Jake is a loving man, but he doesn't quite understand the meaning of quiet or zen. He's tall, smart, funny and (I must say) very handsome. We've been together for more than 5 years, feels like forever.

"Just marvellous, you should join."

"I would but, I have stuff to do."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?" He'd approach me before wrapping his arms around my body as he'd embrace me, his lips on my neck.

"Enough of that! Let me be zen, for once."

"Zen, yeah right. Love you."

"Love you more." He'd then enter the house, leaving the door open behind him. 

I'd continue sitting in my deck chair for a few hours, letting the warm and calm breeze caress my face. The birds tweeting and the smell of fresh cut grass would create shivers down my spine with relaxation. The vibration of my phone would distract me, tempting me to look at the message. Finally I gave up and looked at the notification.

Listen, babe, I want you to go downstairs into the basement and bring all the bottles of water you can find. Make sure you bring all the food in the basket and lock the door extra tight. I love you so much, be safe.

My heart stopped for a second. Shivers everyway. Fear taking over. What does he mean? Lock the door? What? I got the water bottles from the fridge and putting them in a plastic bag, along with all the snacks in the basket we had in the cabinet on top of the sink. My eyes were beginning to swell as shock was controlling my brain. Where's Jake? Will he be ok? Oh my god. What if he's dead? I ran downstairs to the basement and locked the door tight, turning on the ceiling light by the switch next to the door. I immediately messaged him back saying:

Babe, what the fuck is happening? Where are you? Are you safe? Please respond ASAP!!

I had no reply for 20 minutes straight, until the vibration of my phone created a quite awful sound as it was on the concrete floor. It was Jake calling me. I picked up the phone straight after the noise occurred.

"Jake!? Jake!? Where are you?"

"Babe, babe i'm fine. Just please, for the love of god, stay where you are and don't move!"

"What the fuck is happening, Jake?"

"There was several nuclear explosions around the world and soon it's happening here. So please just stay there and go down to my work shop, underneath the basement."

I couldn't control myself. I wasn't able to function. My whole body was shaking with complete fear and my legs were so weak I couldn't stay standing.

"J-jake. I want you here. Please come here."

"I can't." I could hear his crying over the phone, it made me feel more scared and fucking dreadful. "I love you so much, baby. Stay safe please."

"Baby please don't leave."

"I l...ove yo....u so mu....ch *fuzzing*" After that all I could hear was a fuzz, the signal has been lost. I screamed. I screamed so loud, my vocal chords could break. I didn't want to die. I knew it would happen. I cried so much. I prayed for the first time in my life, begging for my life to be spared. I knew my mum was watching me, telling me to grow the fuck up. I felt the ground shake, it getting more strong by the minute. I heard screaming from the neighbours. I crouched onto the cold, concrete floor as the light would flicker intensely. My heart was racing. My eyes were weeping. The shaking, I feel it getting stronger. I'm scared. I want Jake.  I closed my eyes, knowing that my life was coming to an end. I felt the ceiling crumbling and dust was falling onto my back. I felt the heat from the fire on the surface. The screams in my head getting louder. It was all a flash. Then, it all went...black.

That was when my life changed, forever.