Last Holiday on Terra

11

I got dressed and grabbed my cats then placed one in my husband's arms. Feeling his fear, she struggled to free herself and to his credit, he hung on to her.

"We gotta get out of here! Come on," he yelled out and moved toward the door.

"And go where," I asked.

Three armed guards materialized and stood perfectly still awaiting orders.

My husband stared at the armed men as they in turn stared at him.

"Rowan," Cee said gently, "we have to evacuate and get you to safety."

"Well, get us to the ship then!"

He shook his head. "Just you."

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! THIS IS MY HUSBAND!" I could feel the sobs rising to the surface. "These are my animals! They are just as much my family as you are! God damn it Cee! HELP ME!"

He grabbed my arm a little too forcefully, freeing my cats. "He won't survive the trip Rowan!"

"I've survived it! How many times now?"

He took my hands in his. "You are equipped to," he said calmly. I could feel his frustration level rising by the second.

We heard a voice over his communication device. "Sir, the shield will fail in four minutes."

"Understood," he replied through gritted teeth.

"They are coming with me. Have Drogo standing by."

Again, the voice over the communicator spoke quietly: "Sir?"

"Six to beam up along with three felines and a canine," he growled.

While the proper coordinates were being downloaded into the ship's computer, I turned to my husband and looked into his eyes. "I don't know what this will do to you. And if you want to stay, I understand."

"What are you trying to tell me Julie?"

"If I go up there, I can't come back."

"Up? Up where?"

"There's a ship in orbit. It's my ship. I'm not from here. Well, my body is, but my soul isn't."

He turned his head to look at my extensive library on metaphysics and astronomy. "You're an alien?"

I nodded. "Sort of. But I gotta go. I can either die in the fire with you and return naturally or I can go up and live out my life up there..."

"Well, I can't just lose you Julia...I want to come with you..."

Finally the tears left my eyes and I embraced him as tightly as I could. I looked toward my brother. "Beam us up, Scotty..."

I felt the familiar tug and whoosh as we sped up through the beam of light.

And I felt my husband's body go limp and I screamed my lament.

The medics were standing by but Drogo was not to be seen. A medic scanned the device at the nape of my neck as another struggled to relieve me of my husband's body. "Don't hurt him," I begged through my tears.