The Neo-American Pantheon

There is Beauty in Nature and Loyalty

Dahlia hated getting up for class, perhaps even more than most college kids. She much enjoyed sleep, and not much the world outside of it. When she was asleep she could dream, and that is much more interesting than the waking world as many can likely a test. The matter of waking was further complicated by the polar shift looming over the heads of everyone on Earth. One which was over do, and had disastrous implications for everyone who called Earth home. Life, however, goes on, and college does not wait for anyone or anything, not even the end of the world.

Dahlia went through her morning routine like normal, brushing her teeth, putting clothes on, and slinging her backpack on before going to class. Which of course started promptly at 3 in the afternoon, to facilitate her habit of sleeping. As she walked to her class, she looked around. The trees were bearing orange leaves, a trademark for fall, and many of the people that she saw seemed to be going home rather quickly some running, not leaving for classes. It was usually a better idea to have earlier classes, you had better choices, and had more of your day to yourself. Then again, it seemed that Dahlia could not be bothered by any of these things, and as she walked to her creative writing class was quite content with her choice.

It was when she got to class that she noticed that her phone wasn't working, something was off. When she entered the large lecture hall and saw only one student in the room, she had wanted to check to see the time and see if she was early for once. When she looked at her phone, she only saw a few flickers of life of white screen before it turned off. She whispered out a curse and looked at the analog clock on the wall that seemed to have stopped.

The lecture hall was large, its floors carpeted and clean. It had benches that then descended to a podium where the professor, if they were present, would stand to speak, behind which was the analog clock, stuck at 2:30. The clock, in turn, was surrounded by large glass windows, giving the room natural lighting. Looking back on it, Dahlia had not heard her alarm, which depended on her phone when she awoke. However, the noise in the dorm next to her had informed her that she had awoken on time. The exchange student, from somewhere in Asia, called her family at the same time every day, 1:30 sharp. If she heard her talking that had to have meant she was on time, or at least early.

Sighing, she went to approach one of the other students in the class whom she had worked with before. The girl was twiddling her thumbs nervously and looking at her phone, which seemed to be off. She was strikingly beautiful, the kind of beauty that people spent millions to achieve and yet not reach. She was thin, yet still had ample chest, and tall and yet not too tall, and even in loose clothing, it was evident that her waist was small. She had thick black hair, naturally curled in the way that many paid stylists for, and seemed to flow behind her even when she sat. She looked like a painting come to life, perfect in every sense of the objective human view of beauty. There was not a blemish or spot to be seen in her perfect pale oval face.

"Hey, sorry to bother you Nora, but do you know where everyone is, or the time?" Dahlia asked the girl as she approached her from the other end of the room. The girl's emerald eyes looked back at her and welled with tears.

"Don't you know, the world is going to end." She murmured, it would have been a croak if not for the musical and enchanting tone her voice always carried.

"Excuse me?" Dahlia asked when she finally reached her. Dahlia was apparently confused, her amber eyes creased with worry. The world wasn't due to implode until sometime in next years winter.

"The. World. Is. Ending." Nora said, tears now falling cascading down her face, as she said each sharp word Dahlia swore she felt the ground around her respond in shakes, as if in agreement with her.