Live, Angelica

I hated Monday mornings. I hated mornings in general. The too-hot cup of coffee always burned my tongue, no matter how much I blew into it. Good thing that this was the last morning I would have to endure. I sighed as I turned the TV on from the kitchen, simply flipping the remote with my mind. I was born with telekinesis, or as my mom said, the ability to save the world. I had always wanted to be a superhero as a child, making the planet a better place for the people around me. But as I lived for the past twenty-seven years, I slowly realized that maybe the world wasn’t worth saving. Litter always flooded the sidewalk, and the ignorant everyday people stepped on the garbage as they pushed each other out of the way to get to work. Smiles were far too rare these days, with people only focusing on making money. As I surveyed the city from my apartment every day, I always felt a crushing sense of disappointment. These people were alive, but they weren’t living. They weren’t appreciating the pure essence of life; the bright rays of the sun dancing in the morning, the way the soft leaves rustled in the wind. The city was overflowing with life, but somehow, the people were lifeless. 

Today was the end of the world. The moon had finally been knocked out of orbit by a solar storm, and it would collide with the Earth tonight. I could stop this with my telekinesis ability, of course, but what was the point? The world wasn’t worth saving. Why would I save people who weren’t living? The TV rings with panicked voices as the news channels present a hasty goodbye and scramble to get home to their families. I shook my head. Now that the world was ending, these people were starting to live. Why couldn’t they appreciate their homes, their meals, or the everyday things in their lives until it was the last? The TV shut as I rubbed my temples. I guess I should enjoy my last day as well. 

Pulling on a soft hoodie and grabbing my keys, I headed to the grocery store to buy my favorite snacks. I was going to spend the day at home, I decided. There was nowhere else to go, anyway. The grocery store was empty as I headed inside, and I enjoyed the welcoming silence as I grabbed a bag of chips, candy, and some soda. I didn’t give a damn about what I ate today—no fancy last meal or what-so-ever. I just wanted to be comfortable until it was time. Taking my stuff to the register, I was surprised to see a short woman standing there with two young boys at her side.

“Please,” she was saying to the clerk. “It’s the last day. Just let me have these things so that my boys can eat. I can’t afford it.”

“Can’t do, ma’am,” he replied, looking bored as he stared at the monitor. “You’ve gotta pay. I don’t give a damn if it’s the last day or not.”

The woman closes her eyes and exhales. “Okay, then. Thank you anyway.”

I frown as I glance at her cart. There was a small carton of eggs, milk, flour, and a box of brownie mix. 

“You’re gonna bake with your kids?” I asked her. 

The woman turned, surprised. “Yes,” she replied. “They’ve always wanted to, but I could never afford the ingredients.”

“I’ll pay for you.”

The woman’s eyes widened, and she stared at me. “Really?”

“Yes. Go spend the last day with your kids.”

Tears well in her eyes, and she smiled at me. It had been so long since I saw genuine joy on someone’s face and something in my heart twitched as the boys jumped up and down. 

“Thank you!” They said. “Mommy! Let’s go! I want to bake!”

I quickly paid for the family and watched as they turned the corner, the boys skipping happily as their mom looked down at them lovingly. I paid for my stuff and walked out the door, inhaling the fresh scent of earth. Seeing the hope in the woman’s eyes had done something to me. For a glimmer of a second, I truly believed that the world was worth saving so that the woman could continue to bake with her kids, giving her something to look forward to every day. But I shook it off as I remembered the clerk’s dismissive attitude, realizing that most people weren't grateful for the little things in life. They still weren’t living. I sighed and began to leave until I felt a small hand on my shoulder. Turning around, my gaze crashed into beautiful brown eyes, and I let myself swim in the deep coca stare. Catching myself, I blinked as a short woman stood before me.

“I saw what you did back there,” she said, jerking a hand back to the store. “That was nice of you.”

“It’s what everybody would have done,” I replied with a shrug. “No big deal.”

She cocked her head, searching my face. “No, it’s not. Most people wouldn’t care.”

“I’m not most people.”

She smiled. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Everett.”

“I’m Angelica.” She smiled softly.

God, she was beautiful. Something about the curious glint in her eyes pulled me closer, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to talk to someone. 

“What are you doing for the last day?” I asked her. “Why are you out here?”

She shrugged. “I don’t want to spend today living my normal life. I want to fulfill my bucket list.”

I smiled. “What’s on your bucket list?”

She laughed, and I allowed myself to get lost in the bright sound. I hadn’t heard a genuine laugh in a long time. 

“A lot of things. That I probably can’t do in a day. Jeez, now I wish that I spent some time before today trying to finish these things. Now I can’t do them all.” She sighed, looking away. “Sorry about that. I may as well just tell you my life story now. What are you doing today?”

I gestured to the snacks in my hand. “Probably just staying home and watching movies.”

“What??” She stared at me, dumbfounded. “No! You’re not spending your last day like that. It’s your last chance to live!”

I froze, her words hitting me. “You want to live?”

“Of course I do. Now I regret not fully living earlier. I’ve always been so caught up in work, making money, you know, all of that. I guess today’s my last day to experience life.”

“I’ll come with you.” The words left my mouth before I could think. She stared at me. “You know, to fulfill your bucket list. I guess I should experience life too.”

She grinned, pulling out a small slip of paper from her pocket. I laughed as I realized that she had written the things down as a physical list. “Great. Well, we obviously can’t travel today, so all of the places I wanted to visit are not an option.” She bit her lip, looking sad as she crossed off most of the lines on her paper. 

“Where did you want to go?” I asked her. 

“Europe,” she replied dreamily. “I’ve always wanted to go to Italy. Too bad I’ll never be able to. I really should have taken my last Christmas break off to go.” She sighed, looking disappointed.

“What else is on your list?” I changed the topic, her sad smile twisting my heart.

“Besides traveling the word? Just two things. I want to go to the top of the World Trade Center.” She grinned. “I’ve always been afraid of heights, and I want to face that fear before I die.” 

I met her smile and found the corners of my lips tugging up as well. I had been to the skyscraper a thousand times before, but going with Angelica sounded like a new adventure. I liked this girl. Her bravery, the glint in her eyes as she talked about her passions, her determination to live. She was changing something in me. 

“What else is on your bucket list?” I asked, remembering that she said there were two things besides traveling on the paper.

“Um,” she began, looking a little embarrassed. “Falling in love.”

I stared at her, surprised. “You’ve never been in love?”

“No,” she said sheepishly. “Have you?”

I thought about the women I’ve dated and the things I felt while I was with them. 

“No,” I answered, surprising myself. “I haven’t either.”

She gave me a small smile, then tucked the list into her pocket. 

“So,” she said brightly. “Are we going to go to the World Trade Center, or sit here and wait for the world to end?”

I choked, and she laughed as we began moving towards the street to get a cab. Glancing at her smiling face, I couldn’t help but smile to myself. But the joy quickly faded as I realized that she had no idea I could prevent the end of the world but was choosing not to. That she was slowly making me feel that maybe the world was worth saving, only for people like her. 

The drive to the World Trade Center was relatively fast—there was almost no traffic, as many families decided to spend their last day at home. I was also tempted to return to my cozy apartment, but the excitement and nervousness emanating from Angelica made me want to stay with her. To live one last time with her. As the driver brought us past the eerily empty roads, Angelica and I talked about ourselves. Favorite color? Blue. Job? Author. Sports as a kid? Soccer. The more we conversed, the more I liked her. This girl was genuine, kind, and adventurous. She had always wanted to travel the world while working on a novel, and the sadness in her eyes once she realized that she would never do that hit me with a pang. The cab slowed to a stop by a small park near the skyscraper, and after Angelica got off, I handed 100 dollars to the driver.

“Take the day off,” I told him. “It’s the last day. Go stay with your family.”

He blessed me, still shocked, and drove away as I turned. I caught Angelica watching me from the corner of my eye, smiling softly. As we wandered through the park, my hand drifted towards hers, and I tentatively reached for her fingers. Watching her face as I laced her fingers through mine, I saw a blush spread through her cheeks. 

“Is this okay?” I asked gently. She nodded, looking shy.

A movement caught my eye, and I turned to see an old man wandering behind us, his eyes flickering to my face, then my hoodie pocket.

“Can I help you?” I asked, squeezing Angelica’s hand. 

“I…Yes. Can you spare a few dollars? I haven’t eaten anything all day,” he said, voice shaky. From the hungry look on his face and his shaggy clothes, it was obvious that he was homeless.

I wordlessly pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and handed it to him. He gaped at me, eyes trained on the money in my hand.

“You—you sure?” He asked, still stunned.

“Yes,” I said, placing the money in his hand. “It’s the last day. Go get something good to eat.”

“Thank you,” the man cried. “Thank you so much! I can buy a blanket, I can get food and water now…”

We watched as he walked towards town, a smile on my face as his joy echoed in the empty park around us. Angelica looked up at me and smiled. Hand in hand, we walked towards our final destination.

A thousand emotions passed in her face as we stared up at the skyscraper. It didn’t seem to end, touching the sky but continuing to grow upwards. 

“You ready to do this?” I asked her gently, glancing at her face. Our hands were still clasped together, and I felt her fingers grow cold as fear rose through her body. 

“Yes,” she whispered, still staring upwards. “It’s so high.”

Angelica remained silent as the elevator slowly brought us to the top. I wanted to say something to comfort her but didn’t know what. 

“It’s going to be okay,” I said simply. “It’s really pretty up there. I’m here, I won’t let anything happen.”

The elevator dinged as we reached the very top, and she let out a shaky sigh as the doors opened.

“I’ve always known I’d have to face my fears eventually,” she said shakily. “I just didn’t expect to have to do it on my last day alive.”

We stepped out of the elevator, onto the top of the World Trade Center. I closed my eyes as the wind caressed my cheek, swimming in the view of New York City. The buildings and apartments suddenly seemed so small, and I smiled at the beautiful place that I had called home for twenty-seven faithful years. I turn to see Angelica, her eyes squeezed shut as tremors racked her body.

“Angelica,” I whispered to her. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. Open your eyes and see the view.”

She nodded softly before slowly opening her eyes, widening them as she breathed in the fresh air and took in the phenomenal city around us. She was no longer shaking, every sign of fear replaced by astonishment and excitement. 

“It’s…beautiful,” she said, staring at the sunset as it tinted the buildings scattered across the city. I sat down, pulling her with me as we bathed the golden light. She looked so breathtaking like this, admiring the world around her as we finally took in every detail and drank in the life around us. As we finally lived. 

A movement in the sky caught my attention, and I snapped my head up towards the darkening sky. A sphere had appeared into view. My heart stopped. It was the moon. Angelica’s face fell as she, too, noticed the shadows. 

“Well, this is it.” She smiled sadly at me. “It’s funny that today was the first time I felt alive. And now it’s the last. Thank you for living with me, even if it was just for today.”

I swallowed as she hugged me tightly. “There’s one more thing,” I whispered.

She looked up at me, and I drowned in those pools of brown.

“I can save us,” I told her. “I have telekinesis. It’s enough to push the moon away for a few years.” 

Her eyes widened. “What?” She stared at me. “Why didn’t you do that before?”

I met her stare. “Because the world wasn’t worth saving. Because people here don’t know how to live.” I cupped her chin. “But today, when I was with you, I realized that people like you are worth saving. You deserve to live”

I stood up quietly, meeting her eyes as she did the same. 

“You’re amazing,” I told her. “You showed me that people can appreciate the life around them like you did today. You’re brave and strong, and you deserve to finish your bucket list. Travel—write a novel as you do, publish that novel, and always remember to live.” 

I turned towards the sky and let my power pour out. It flowed out of me steadily, racing towards the moon. Soon, only drops remained. But those few drops would save the world.

“Everett!” Angelica screamed as I buckled, fighting to stand as I fed my power into the sunset.

And I gave it up—all of it. I let my power flow through my trembling arms, each trickle making my eyelids grow heavy as I shuddered helplessly. 

“I love you,” I whispered as the last of my strength faded, the hum in my chest that had pulsed in me since the day I was born slowly flickering out. I felt empty. Sinking to my knees, I could barely hear Angelica’s scream as my head met the hard ground. There was a void inside me where my strength had always been. I felt depleted, desperate, and so damn weak. I told myself to get up; to stay strong, to fight until the end. But why did the end feel so close already? Death was merely a tendril away, coaxing my weakening heart to give in to the warm, welcome nothingness. 

A pair of cold hands gripped my face.

“Wake up,” a broken voice pleaded. “Please, Everett. Get up.”

I tried to open my mouth in a soothing reply, maybe a goodbye, but I couldn’t move. I felt so numb as I spent the last of my energy turning my head, looking up at the woman I realized I loved—the woman I gave up everything for. 

“Angelica,” I whispered, my world fading into a soft darkness. “Shh. It’s okay.”

She sobbed into my neck, tremors racking her body.

“No,” she cried. “Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me.”

“I love you,” I muttered.

Tears streamed down her beautiful face, so delicate in the ravaged landscape around us. 

“I love you too,” she cried.

“Live,” I told her softly. “Live now, Angelica. Live.”

I smiled as the world finally settled into a peaceful darkness, her sobs drowned out by the sounds of an eternal sunny morning. I died so she could live—I died so that they all could. I died so that the woman in the grocery store could continue to get home and bake with her hungry kids. So that the homeless man in the park could return to his shelter with hopes of a better tomorrow. I died so Angelica could travel the world, to fulfill her dreams, and a tear rolled down my cheek as I realized that I wouldn’t be there to live with her. But I would wait for her, in this peaceful nothingness, watching the city from the skies above until she was ready to join me.