Last Sunset - J. Morris (ebook reader with highlighter .TXT) 📗

By J. Morris

Kate answered the doorbell, and she and Steven stared at each other in
awkward silence. Their two-year seperation had rendered them almost
strangers.
“Come in,” she said after an uncomfortable pause. “Would you like a
coffee?”
“Sure,” he replied. “Black with one.”
“Did you think I wouldn’t remember that?” she said.
“I was just kidding,” he replied, and they exchanged nervous smiles.
“Come into the kitchen,” she said. “I’ve got it already brewed.”
Steven followed her to the kitchen, sat on a stool at the breakfast bar, and
watched on as Kate poured the coffee. She had aged in the 2 years since he
last saw her. At only twenty-seven, she’d developed a few premature grey
hairs which contrasted with her shoulder-length straight black hair. She had
some worry lines on her forehead and around her eyes, and she was
noticeably thinner than when he last saw her. He noticed her dress was
knee-length, whereas she always wore dresses and skirts much shorter, to
proudly show off her long shapely legs. Yet she was still an attractive
woman in his eyes, and she had a beauty and elegance that transcended
appearance.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” he said as she placed the cup on the bench in
front of him.
“You always were a bad liar, Steven.”
He grinned. He too had changed quite a bit in the space of two years. He’d
lost interest in training at the gym, and his once-toned body had reverted to
its previous unremarkable shape. A slight paunch replaced his ‘six-pack.’
He’d been shaving only once a week due to laziness and a lack of interest in
his appearance, but he made sure he shaved for the meeting with Kate.
The TV was on in the living room, and the news theme caught Kate’s
attention She moved closer.
“Is there any point in watching?” asked Steven.
“Yeah, well, who knows? Maybe the situation’s changed. Maybe they were
wrong with their calculations, and it’s not going to happen after all. There
must be a reason they’re still broadcasting the news.”
“I think the reason they’re still broadcasting is that TV journalists are
victims of their own egos. They live for ratings. They’ll broadcast until the
very end, just like the band on the Titanic kept playing while the ship went
down, only for different reasons.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “There may actually be a sliver of truth in that,” she
replied, “but you never know. We can’t give up hope yet.”
Steven rose from his stool, taking his coffee with him, and stood next to
Kate, where they both could see the TV. Melody Fyfe stood in the studio,
dressed in a short, tight black skirt and white, puffy-sleeved blouse. Her
mid-length starched-blonde hair and red stilettos completed the image.
Behind her was a large screen depicting a computerised image of a huge
rock at one end, and a tiny Sun at the other. The contrast in size was grossly
exaggerated.
“Thanks for joining us for this special edition of KGYO TV News. I’m
Melody Fyfe.” She turned to the side as a different camera picked her up
from another angle.
“As the giant cosmic wrecking ball, dubbed ‘Goliath,’ bears down on our
solar system, the world’s hopes are pinned on the survival ship, ‘Noahs
Ark,’ which was launched just over five weeks ago, in what has been an
historical joint project between the world’s superpowers: Russia, USA and
China, who, until now, have been embroiled in a cold war since 2023. Six
couples, three of the women already pregnant, have been chosen from the
three countries for the continuation of the human race, amid protests from
smaller nations that none of their own citizens were considered for
selection, which they claim will be tantamount to a gross act of genocide,
citing that the original Noahs Ark took a male and female of every species
and subspecies on board. China, USA and Russia have refused to comment.
KGYO TV was the first to report exclusively on Goliath back in March this
year. Goliath was first spotted by amateur stargazer, Ronald Whitely, who
raised the alarm.”
“It still doesn’t seem real, does it?” said Kate, without looking away from
the TV.
A young man with an acne-rich complexion appeared on the screen, being
interviewed by Melody. The date stamp on the screen indicated it was
recorded 3 months earlier, on March 7. Melody asked the usual inane
questions; ‘what went through your mind…is this the biggest discovery you
have made…what did your parents think when you told them? Will this
discovery change your life?’
“Nothing new,” said Steven. “The same old shit until the very end. In a
minute they’ll have the main story- cat rescued from tree by 10 firemen.
Meanwhile the house burns down around the corner, unreported.”
“Still so cynical, Steven,” said Kate.
Melody reappeared on screen in the studio. “That was Ronald Whitely back
in April, in a KGYO TV exclusive interview. So, what do we know about
this intergalactic intruder? What is it exactly? Where did it come from? We
know it’s the largest object, other than a star, we have so far seen in the
known universe. It is approximately five times the size of our Sun. It is of
an unknown but solid substance, and is travelling at 171,000 miles per
second; almost the speed of light, which is the fastest speed known to man.
It’s expected that Goliath will clip the side of Venus, which had earlier
raised hopes that its trajectory might be altered by the collision, and could
possibly miss our Sun altogether. That theory was quickly discounted, due
to the sheer speed and immense mass of Goliath. Today, June 22nd 2032 at
5:57 PM, Goliath will collide with our Sun. And sadly we know that, this
time, there is no David to slay this Goliath. KGYO TV will be here to the
end, keeping you informed of any new developments.”
She turned back to the original camera. “In other news, crime around the
country, around the world in fact, is rampant. An ever-diminishing police
force is unable to control the looting, rioting, and murders.”
Footage of riots and demonstrations filled the screen: overturned cars, rows
of houses burning, scores of looters running from electrical and department
stores, carrying large screen TV’s and household appliances. Fly-blown
corpses lay in the streets. Thieves raided liquor stores and loaded cars with
boxes of alcohol and cigarettes. Religious zealots chanted on street corners,
holding up placards: ‘Judgment day is here,’ ‘Time’s up, sinners,’ and
‘Behold God’s wrath.’
“Armed gangs rule the streets,” continued Melody. “Brazen attacks and
sexual assaults are widespread. Commentators surmise that borderline
rapists and murderers, previously reluctant to offend, are now seizing their
opportunities without fear of consequences. Domestic violence is out of
control. Government and community leaders are pleading for calm.
Ironically, this madness will only be ended by the coming of… not the
Lord…but the violent, merciless fist of the intergalactic destroyer named…
Goliath. This is Melody Fyfe, for KGYO News. Coming up after the break,
we have…”
Kate picked up the remote and switched off the TV. They stood in silence
for an extended few moments, still looking at the blank screen.
“My God!” said Kate. “How horrible. The human race sickens me
sometimes.”
Steven stood dumfounded.
“And what’s the point of sending a ship of survivors into space?” asked
Kate. “They have nowhere to go, do they?”
“I guess if they did nothing, that’s the end of humanity,” replied Steven. “If
they can get them out of harm’s way, there is always a chance, albeit a
miniscule one, but there is no chance they can get far enough away. It’s just
an exercise in futility. Of course, the whole Noahs Ark thing may just be a
hoax, political spin, so it looks like they’re doing something. I doubt if even
the efforts of three superpowers could build a survival ship in such a short
time.”
Kate upended her cup and finished her coffee, and then walked to the sink
and placed her cup in the sink bowl. She squirted some detergent and turned
on the tap.
“Help me wash the dishes?”
“Why bother?” he asked.
“Remember how we used to talk every night while we did the dishes?
Come and talk.”
Steven picked up the tea towel. Kate scrubbed a plate and handed it to
Steven. They worked in silence for a minute or so. Steven spoke first.
“I was surprised when I got your text,” he said. “I thought I was the last
person you’d want to see. I thought you’d be with your parents.”
“I’ve stayed with them for the last week or so,” she replied. “We’ve said our
goodbyes. I felt you and I should talk—make our peace while we still can.”
Steven nodded.
“So,” he said, “how have things been for you? Have you met anyone?”
“No, there’s been no one else. And you?”
“I haven’t been in the right headspace for another relationship,” replied
Steven.
There was a silence, eventually broken by Kate.
“There were so many times I wanted to call, you know?” she said. “So
many nights I sat, just staring at the telephone, trying to pluck up the
courage to pick it up and call you, to hear your voice, wishing the phone
would ring and it would be you.”
That revelation surprised Steven.
“Same here,” he replied. “We probably sat by the phone at exactly the same
time, both too afraid to act.”
Kate spun around from the sink, and threw the wet dishcloth into Steven’s
face. “Why didn’t you call?” she demanded, and burst into tears. “You
bastard! Why didn’t you pick up that phone and fucking call? I would have
answered it, Steven!”
Her outburst took Steven aback, and he wondered why the onus was
suddenly on him. He hung his head. “I’m sorry. I just—”
“Just what, Steven? Just what?”
Steven lifted his eyes to meet hers. “I just didn’t think you wanted to hear
from me again. I guess I was just too afraid you would hang up as soon as
you realised it was me. I was afraid to know that you still hated me.”
Kate looked at Steven through tear-filled eyes. It was her turn to lower her
head. “I would have answered it,” she repeated. “I never hated you, Steven.
I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I treated you pretty badly when we
broke up, didn’t I? I know that. I was in a bad place at the time but I never
hated you.” Then after a pause, “I never stopped loving you.”
“We were both in a bad place,” he replied. “I think we were both so trapped
in our own misery; both of us unable to see or feel the other’s pain and
blaming ourselves. How messed up is that?”
Kate nodded.
“Losing Abby like that,” he continued, “it destroyed me, you know? It just
messed me up.”
Kate nodded. “Yeah, me too. Do you believe I’ve left the nursery just the
same as it was? I haven’t been able to go in there since she—” Kate was
unable to finish the sentence.
“Can I see it?”
Kate studied Steven’s face. She nodded. “Sure. Let’s do it together.”
Steven followed her up the stairs and down the hall to the room with the
sticker of Dumbo the elephant on the door. Kate hesitated and, taking a
deep breath, turned the knob and swung the door open. Her legs trembled,
and she held Steven’s shirt for support. They stood frozen to the spot and
looked into the nursery, which sat untouched for 2 1/2 years. The unused
change table was covered in dust. The crib was full of cobwebs, as was the
mobile hanging over it. The small suspended elephants and bears patiently
looked down at the spot where a newborn girl would never lay her head.
They entered the room and looked around at the pale pink walls that they
had together painted and decorated, at the new baby furniture, the stroller in
the corner, and at the numerous toys. The room was now a shrine to a life
never lived. Steven picked up a framed photograph from a shelf on the wall.
His tear fell onto the black and white image of Kate’s ultrasound—as much
for the loss of their daughter as for their resultant failed marriage. He
stroked the image with his fingertip. Kate put her arm around Steven’s waist
and hugged him before he returned the photo to the shelf. They left the
room without a word, gently closing the door as if worried they might wake
the baby.
They returned downstairs where they heard a commotion outside. A family
gathered in the neighbours’ front yard, and they were crying and hugging
one another. One member, an elderly woman, knelt on the ground, weeping
and hysterical. With her hands