The Thing in the Sky {COMPLETED SHORT STORY}

GEORGE: THE END OF THE WORLD

Sitting outside in front of Big Back Burgers, I take another bite of my Biggie Back TTLC sandwich.  The juice of the tomato drips down my chin. I grab a napkin and wipe my mouth.

I watch people on their phones, barley looking where they’re going, walk past me in a hurry.  There sure are a lot of people out here at night, I think to myself.

It’s not unusual though, hundreds of people and tourists come here for the food and the beautiful night skies.  I see a family of four sitting across from me, all of them glued to their devices. “What has our world come to?” I mumble under my breath. 

I see one of the kids squash an innocent, small bug crawling past him. I shake my head in disappointment. One day, we humans shall pay for what we’ve done to this world.

I’m about to take another bite of my sandwich, when I see something in the sky out of the corner of my eye. I look up and see what I’ve feared my entire life: An asteroid.  The end of the world as we know it. I almost fall out of my chair trying to get up. I stroke my beard while I think.

A rather short man with glasses rushes through the door and stands next to me. I notice he looks excited. How can someone be so excited about the end of humanity?  I think to myself. 

I yell in horror as I notice how huge the asteroid really is.  “I knew it,” I shout out. I can’t help but brag about how right I was, “The end of the world has come!” I climb on one of the tables and yell out, “I warned you people that the day would be here soon!  We humans shall pay for all of the evil we’ve done!” I purposely glare at the young boy sitting at the table. 

As I look back up at the sky, it’s only then that I wish I was wrong. 

The man with glasses looks at me. “It’s not the end of the world you goof ball.  Clearly it’s a UFO.”

Goof ball? Goof ball? I’m trying to save this guys life and he’s calling me a goof ball?   I straighten up and look at the man in surprise, “Can’t you see four-eyes?  Are you blind? Look up at the sky! It’s an asteroid headed straight for us!” 

I shake my head as the man rolls his eyes and looks at the sky. The man looks as if he realized something and rushes back in Big Back Burgers. I shrug and look back at the asteroid. I notice everyone else around me is just standing there, watching it as it continues to get closer and closer; as we continue to get closer and closer to our death. 

I notice a young woman, standing a few feet away from me, closing her eyes tightly.  At least she understands it’s the end, I think to myself.  I walk over and tap her on the shoulder.  She turns to me, waiting for me to say something.  “So, you believe it’s the end of the world too, huh?” 

The woman shakes her head. “Of course not! It’s not the end, it’s just a simple shooting star. Now let me make my wish before it goes away. They always say if you wish hard enough, it’ll come true.  Of course, you have to believe hard enough too.”

I’m about to protest, when the man with glasses rushes out of the restaurant, with a notebook in his hand. A notebook, really? I see him write a couple of things, and then get a worried look on his face.  I notice the asteroid is way too close for comfort.

I shove the man out of the way, and we both fall to the ground. 

The man looks at me and shoves me off him. “What’s your problem? Can’t you see I’m doing something?” He starts to stand up. 

“Get down! It’s an asteroid…” My voice trails off as I look and see that the asteroid is gone. I raise an eyebrow as I stand to my feet. “It’s…it’s gone.”  I frown because my theory was wrong, but quickly smile, for this means humanity has another day.