The grass was always greener on this side.

Submitted into Contest #98 in response to: Write a story involving a character who cannot return home.... view prompt

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Fiction Science Fiction Coming of Age

The warm breeze brushes the tall California Grass and a flock of seagulls gracefully fly by, guided by the sudden change of weather. The last solar eclipse made the seagulls hesitate about starting their migration south at the beginning of fall. They pretty much predicted the absence of food by calling the others in their flock with their screeching chilling calling while challenging the others for territory. Their heads lowering crouched up and down, like yelling at someone-their ‘mewing’ was not as often as before. Maybe the neighbours cat is around, they’re telling the others a threat is around lurking in between the bushes. I noticed in the distance, some other flocks of what I thought were more seagulls, were not. 

I started to feel uncomfortable but decided to block it. I took a deep breath. Fall season was at their beginning, changing in the tree leaves, and many birds started to migrate south. Of course, to  warmer weather, to where there is food in abundance.

I could see in the distance, as dawn started to show up, a shooting star. This shooting star makes its calling for attention to be considered this time. Like a angel crossing the sky, her gold long hair left a trail of gold dust behind. I could see the rainbow left behind, a long tail that started to disappear in stages as it flew by the moon. They both looked so close, I thought they were to kiss. 

I shook my head - this is so stupid I thought. This is impossible. In deed, there are impossible to crash into one another. They looked so close. They slowly got close to each other from I could see. I stared at the sky thinking, if the comet hits the moon, the moon will suffer. Hailey will disappear leaving a a cloud of dust. 

I ran to my room to grab the telescope to admire this incredible event. I set it up and aimed it to the moon. Maybe I will be lucky enough and catch them, red handed. This could be the last I see from  Haley. I’m hoping to see her again. In twenty five years she will comeback with more souvenirs from her trips around the galaxy.

Trips to the moon were still a promise for the future. Maybe in 15 years. I’ll be around proven the current pandemic is still under control. 

Something was telling me something was not right. I always worry. I worry about anything, everything. Maybe my head is playing tricks on me. Again. Lola started to bark. She was looking at the sky. What is it Lola?I asked my German Shepard. 

The seagulls were heard at a distance. The ground started to shake, a faint almost vibration. Earthquakes are not common here. Maybe the train nearby. A snow slide. 

It’s dead silent all of the sudden. Lola stopped looking at the sky. 

She kinda rested her head on top of her paws. Her tail wiggled a bit. A shy wiggle. Later that day, Lola refused to leave my side. She looked at me with those deep brown eyes, wondering about tomorrow’s agenda.  Tomorrow’s another day where we go for long walks across the valet, checking the surroundings and exchanging friendly words. We would share some cookies and coffee. For Lola was running and barking chasing the Spanish crested chickens. A juicy bone will close the day, given by one of the farmers that provide us with meat and hay for wintering the wild strawberry crops we grow every summer. Yummy 

Sweet Wild Strawberry jam, ice cream, pie and cider are the favourites in our cabin. Everyone is welcome. 

Our neighbours 5 houses down the trail, had a couple of horses fall sick. One died. Grandma Rose passed away not knowing fall was about to end. The smell of wild turkey stew that invaded the path that ran along the river could not be smelled anymore. The river did not have the bright wild salmon that used to swim against the torrent to find its mate seal their love and waving goodbye. No more looking back. That’s the end for him. A pretty dark day with a happy satisfying end. Doomsday for him not the species. 

The pandemic it’s taking it’s toll on this village. Someone’s just getting busier. Yep very busy.

Authorities are trying their hardest to close borders, air and ground. Sea and airports. A big dark shadow of uncertainty invaded the land that once hold the best of all entertainment. No more cinema, no more Drive tru cinema. No more train rides, no more country road trips. No more wild salmon. 

I just turned 15 when I caught Hailey and the moon having an affair. 10 years after I hear on the news that a retired astronomer that was just studying the trajectory of Hailey, found another another comet getting dangerously close to the path of planet earth.  About the size of a cruise ship, 4 times bigger than Hailey can cause lots of damages. It near crashed on of the satellites sent by NASA to study life on other planets. 

It’s dusty tail caused the malfunctioning of a couple of satellites, one ended loosing control, falling once entering the stratosphere, burning and crashing in the North Sea. This one is bigger. It’s name, Comet Wild2. This ‘massive’ size comet is roughly 5 km in diameter and riddled with depressions, craters and cliffs. These may have been formed by jets of gas exploding out from beneath the surface. Creepy and dangerous indeed.        941 words

My mind wondered around this massive mass of rock and gas. A bomb running crazy in the galaxy. And beyond. This massive mass was about to kill anything on its way, disrespecting everything blocking its way. Scary.

This could be the doomsday thought on everyone’s mind. What it it hit us? Where do we go? There’s no where to run, Nowhere to hide. Misery, hate, killings , anyone’s twisted mind comes to reality. It must be impressive just to imagine what could’ve happened when this suspicious massive mass full of energy and dust is about to hit us. On the other hand, this pandemic virus killing people. Which whim to die with? If I am lucky enough and scape from the direct hit of this new mass of rock and gas, I will die already contagious of the new virus that lurks amongst the people that live on this village. 

My thoughts are with those that will not ever see this about to happen, the doomsday is over our heads. My heart begins to pump up the juice of life faster and faster, and my head starts to hurt. Am I getting sick? I forgot the symptoms related to the pandemic. Asymptomatic or not, gotta be careful when going out.  It need to protect my self.

The nights are getting longer. Maybe is winter season. It’s sunny and snowing at the same time. I can see the weaker sun rays not spreading the warm they used to. The birds were not singing anymore, everything was slowly about to die. 

I’m scared now. My thoughts go back to the time Hailey was with me, when I busted them flirting. I’m not ready to die. No sir. No Hope. I slowly submerged into Lala land. A happy feeling embraces my heart. I imagine myself running in a field of sunflowers, all looking towards the rising summer sun. My beloved ‘shadow’ running besides me and my neighbours waving at mr from over the hill. I can see their bright smiles welcoming me with open arms.

The sun up the sky was once again smiling at me, almost winking his eye like saying ‘just follow my lead’.

I stupidly follow him, his call for eternal happiness, and my beloved dogs snd neighbours to follow after me. 

All of the sudden I feel a rumbling sound. Everyone rinds like scared rats. Nobody knows anybody.

Hell, this is unreal. Every thing starts to vibrate and shake. The sun is gone. No note left. The sun left in a hurry. No time to write a goodbye note. Hailey was nowhere to be found. Did she get lost? Nobody knew her whereabouts, maybe somewhere at the other end of the galaxy.

I see the bright sun riding in the horizon, but this time it has a demonic face I have never ever seen before. Now this is scaring me. I can see rage in his eyes, so wide open that I can see mi reflection and scout on his pupil. He laughed so hard that it echoes all over the galaxy. I’m looking for Hailey, perhaps she can mitigate his wrath. Again, she is nowhere to be found. Total chaos now. No difference between day snd night. No difference between hot snd cold. No more feelings to be shown anymore. I can sense something is about to happen, but uncertainty about what will happen next,

The silence is killing me, everything seems to be suspended in time. A slow motion of things, feelings, I fell like drugged, floating in the air.

A warm feeling invaded me, it invaded my heart, I feel like I’m in peace. I’m in peace with myself. No more hot humid days and nights, no more long fields of sunflowers to run across. 

All of the sudden I find myself, my dogs, my neighbours, my town looking up towards the high dark sky.

I think about all the things I did, all the things I could not do, all this I could have done, all the places I could have gone to, like Hailey, and see how the many Hailey’s and moons were to flirt on every one’s back. Of course they got busted again. Somebody got so angry that in an act of anger, the sun threw a fist of anger. This anger turned into a huge ball of fire.

This ball of fire, that everyone saw coming, was a announcement of the last day of life on this planet. No Hope of saving ourselves, no hope of happy future lives. 

We are all fucked. No more ‘time out’. We are running out of options.

I see the ball of fire coming towards me with open arms, almost diabolic-opened eyes and a big sarcastic smile. I thought of Hailey, I thought of my pets. 

My memory was playing tricks on me.  I saw my mom calling me with open arms, as nd behind them all my friends, neighbours loves ones.

Behind then I saw Hailey. A warm feeling on happiness embraced me.

I took a deep inhale that filled my lungs but a sharp pain stopped me from reaching Hailey’s hand.

The hot environment around me stopped me. A cold feeling invaded my body. Nothing was following my commands nor my thoughts. 

I felt for a moment my body left the ground.

My soul left my body.

I could see Hailey at the end of the tunnel, where the light was super bright. I ran towards her, leaving everything behind.

I felt at peace with me.

I could freely travel with Hailey, to the eternizándole beyond.

June 17, 2021 00:57

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