Fissured Fate

How does it feel to lose everything? Have believes shatter? Unbelievably 

terrible. Not sure when was the last time I smelled the smoke of firing 

bullets, but it had to be after that night when it all suddenly stopped. The 

night when I lost everything, when I lost Julia. My mentor, my wife. She 

was the only angel I ever saw in my life. How many voices did I hear saying I went completely crazy? Maybe it 

wouldn’t turn me so soulless if her murderer hadn’t been the person

whom I held hands since childhood as my dearest friend, Susan. She was 

right there smiling over my wife’s dead body.

Ever since then my life halted to a void of only hatred and guilt. Guilt 

for not being her saviour, and hatred for that woman I once knew as a 

friend. Julia said she wanted buy a house in Mars, just as her late parents 

did after their retirement. She HATED living in Jupiter, within the busy 

and crowded cities. Living in Mars with me was her only dream. If only I 

had even an ounce of courage to end my life by own hands, living without her was so unbearable. My regular routine became nothing morethan of a stray dog around the bar and sometimes reluctantly back to that hollow house once known home. I just return to collect some sweet memories every occasionally, nothing more. 

That day wasn’t any exceptional. Month of blue moon it was in Jupiter, 

Julia once said the air of bliss hovers this month, where did it disappear? I 

was sculling down more whiskey shots at the nearest saloon of skinny 

and frustrated drudges, old chaps. Their relaxation remained within those crooked walls only because the saloon’s occasionally presentation of charming talents. Talents of white long legs and spicy curves that can make old geezers remember youth. That night was another one of those. My attention revolved around drinks for all until the piano began to play. Cheers filled the air. For the pianist, not the music. I only spot noises for the first few tunes but the magic happened when the crowd settled their throats and the music came clear to my ears. That music wasn’t something I ever forgot, ever since I met JULIA. I stood up quickly, with shaking feet trying best not to trip I walked over for a clearer view of the pianist. Over the corner stage, behind the black piano illuminated by yellow spotlight – an angel. Long wavy golden hair, red plump lips, fine greenish-blue eyes. Her gentle fingers pressing the keys to rhythm the music she played only for him. It was my JULIA. 

My breath froze for a second as if I was living a dream, yet I ran over 

carelessly and cried her name, finally tripping over her feet. Her hands 

forward to my shoulders as she helped me pick up myself. Yes! She 

recognized me. “Rick, my love. I was waiting for you” 

Fate alters. Maybe she returned for me, maybe she was never dead, 

maybe it was my love, which brought her back. Yes! It had to be that. 

Her gorgeous face was right before my eyes, it had me stop thinking,

but why did her bleeding body kept flashing to my eyes? There was

yelling from the crowd that entered my senses. I could’ve kissed her, I 

wanted to but it was obstructed. By gunshots. Not one, many at once was piercing through the windows. Julia 

grabbed my arm immediately and lead us both out through the back 

door. Whiskey’s magic fled like a wet cat, whereas we both had made 

it outside to back parking space. We kept running straight towards a 

ship. Her hand gave different warmth, yet again flashed her freezing 

lifeless body before me. We mounted her ship and she took off as fast 

as possible so no bullets could catch us, bullets fired by SPACE POLICE. We flew away from the entire ruckus into the quiet space where it could be just her and me. Still so gorgeous, I held her hand tight, absolute that nothing could part us ever again. However, I had questions, several questions I wanted to ask right away but her look 

sharply narrowed into flying cautiously as if in a pursuit. 

“Julia, what’s going on?” I asked. I never saw such a vigilant look on 

her. She slowed her ship and turned towards me for a bit. My worry 

was obvious. She leaned forward, held my face gently with her both 

hands, and set her eyes into mine. How gorgeous.

“Rick, my only desire is to live with you like old times, but for that we 

need to get away from who are chasing us or else they will part us 

away once again.” She said, fretfully.

 No! Not ever again could I let us part again, not ever could I afford to fail again. I smiled and nod as soon her say came true. Three police ships emerged at our tail. How rigid could they be, only to part us away? She flew it as fast as she could. Her face was tensed, we only wanted to be together, why was it so hard? 

The chase became eventually shorter as the police ships had been BUILD to win over any pursuit by speed. Moreover, when speed lacked a bit, their firearms made the catch. Our ship was hit, several times. In result, we were slowly loosing stability. It obviously became a lot harder for Julia to handle. I took the piloting. I placed down myrusted skills into the chase and drove the ship to its full potential. I caught and won many more pursuits than those following bastards could ever do. She held my hand tightly, satisfied and happy. The last time I felt this touch, it was too late. However, after I finally received her back, after my wish finally was granted, an uneasiness and perturbed mind remained, somehow. I pulled us way far from the futile chase using old tricks of experience, into a quieter space. We were safe now, finally together again. She quickly wrapped her arms around me as if a star hugs her lost shine and so did I, how much did that scent, her warmth. Nothing else mattered. I held to her cheeks gently, asking where to go next. How 

futile the question was, I already knew the answer to that.

She replied, “Back to Jupiter.” 

I got to taste her soft lips again, I received her presence again but only for a limited time again. Police couldn’t stop with just a defeat; they sent even a larger troop to chase our limits. I kept piloting. As swift and as fast as I could but there was no point because against me had appeared an old comrade from my own former department, Brad. He was on our tail now, leading the massive troops. As if anything else would even matter, I kept on the chase. 

The last time I saw him was days after the funeral, he used to appear 

at my doorsteps just to check my condition. Somehow, I knew he was 

also the one who called me mad. 

Still yelling my name through the local communicator, warning me to 

stop the madness in a much more addled tone, as if he was more confused than enraged from my actions. I was protecting my Julia, nothing else. I kept on riding, and riding until I finally saw through no more. He emerged in front of me ready with a wall of armed ships.

When realized, we were inside a round wall of police ships.

“There's no more escaping Rick” Brad said.

 Julia gripped into me from 

fear. I looked at her frightened face as she clung to my arm tighter. 

My eyes dropped. All I ever wanted was to live with my Julia but at 

last, fate exceeds everything. Brad engaged arms ready to fire at us. 

“What the hell do you think you are doing Rick?”

“Protecting her.”

“Protecting? The woman who killed your WIFE?”

Everything went cold for the moment, like that horrifying night had 

returned. “Stop your bullshit, Brad. There is no way I would ever 

believe such nonsense.” Uttering such bullshit at such a critical 

moment, it felt like a sword through my heart. The more I looked at 

her, the more my heart would contradict to its own. She WAS my

Julia. Then why? Why did she say she wanted to go back to Jupiter 

where she hated there? Why was the courageous and rigid woman I 

loved showing her fear so much? 

“If only what you said would’ve been any true,” he replied. He ordered every ship to fire at his command immediately. 

She slowly let go of me. 

“Tell me, Julia. Where do you want to go after all this? Tell me once 

more,” I asked as tears rolled down. 

She grinned, looking front at the 

armed weapons instead. 

“who are you?” I cried out. 

 She slowly pressed the button to open our pilot shuttle behind me. She pulled me closer and kissed my lips for the last time. 

“I am your Julia, Rick. And you are mine, you always were, since our childhood,” she said before pushing me out from the ship. 

I saw her in shock while an oxygen mask covered my face; I saw her smiling until the last seconds before hellfire pierced down the ship. Somehow, I couldn’t hear the explosion, nor could I see anything else other than her last smile when every memory with her altered, face altered but not the pain. 

People still talk how former officer Rick was helping the fugitive named Julia escape, in spite the fact of her being the killer of his wife Susan. When fate fissures, it leaves unbearable scars, which can alter anything of the lives who had suffered. Claim it madness, or misbehaviour of memory, mending the fissured always claims the highest hope, no matter what.