Ocean Blue & You

heaven & earth

---One month later---

October passed quickly, and then it was November. Then late November. Time was passing too quickly for my liking, and I had become very homesick. San Francisco was fun. The beaches were wonderful and time spent with Jack was never wasted. But now I longed for my parents. For the familiar, cobbled streets of Littleton. For my soft warm bed, that always felt like Mum's washing powder, which comforted me. For Anna and Faith and our little chats. And most of all, for Mum and Dad. I felt so guilty about how I'd left them. I'd barely said goodbye. I was so caught up with Jack. I still loved him just as much, and I was always happy in his company, but back in Littleton all I had been doing was trying to get away from my parents so that I could see him. Now, I was really thinking about home.

Also, I had massively overreacted that day Jack told me about Beth. In the moment, I was shocked, scared and a little worried he still had feelings for her. But looking back on it now I realise how much of a drama queen I was. Of course he didn't have feelings for her, and it's not surprising he had a girlfriend before. I soaked up every moment I could with Jack still, but apart from my letter from Mum and Dad I hadn't heard anything about home. How everyone was doing and things that were going on.

So when the news came on that coming Sunday, Jack and I were not prepared for what we were about to see.

It told us the toxic gasses had not stopped. They had flooded extremely fast overseas to Africa. Wildlife and humans were dying, or migrating to another country far off to be safe. But the gas doesn't seem to be stopping. Pollution wasn't helping either. By entering the vast, urban cities of Africa, the gas had picked up more carbon dioxide from the smog and this has caused it to spread faster and further. It was now spreading over North Africa in places like Libya, Egypt and Morocco near Spain. Because the carbon dioxide and monoxide levels were so high, there was no sign of it stopping there. My heart started thumping inside my chest. My insides twisted and turned. I felt sweat come out on my face as well as goosebumps all over my skin in fear. This was it. Governments in Africa and all over the world were trying to find ways to prevent it, but it just wasn't happening. This is how the world will end. And though it isn't yet, it will most certainly spread over Europe (since it can travel overseas). Eventually, it will reach America and places like Australia and China. It's consuming the earth and killing everyone. In that moment, I had no clue what would happen next. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to think. Apart from the fact that my death may only be a few months away. My days were numbered. I, just like everybody else, was going to die.

*

I wasn't sure what to say to Jack. What to ask him. But he did the talking for me. We both had worked out that the gasses were going to spread to Europe soon. Jack was unsure of what to propose, but I knew I wanted to see my family. And Faith and Anna. Whatever was happening there I needed to know they were okay.

"What do we do?" I asked him soon after the news broadcast.

"I don't know," Jack muttered in disbelief and shock, "you have to see your parents. You have to know they're okay."

"Yeah, and yours too," I said.

"Don't worry about mine," said Jack bravely. "We're not at risk quite yet. I can check on them later."

"But I haven't heard any news from anyone. Not since the letter. And even that didn't give much information."

"Your need is much greater than mine. We must see your parents and family. You need to know that they're okay."

I hugged Jack gratefully, and he kissed me gently on the cheek, stroking my hair as we both processed everything going on and how we, two eighteen year-olds, were supposed to cope with the news of our untimely death.