Last Moments - Cari Arthur (book club recommendations .txt) 📗

She also saw a picture of her brother and the baby that was born before her family left Earth. There were letters from their friends and families, and many different candles. There was a sign that said Never Forgotten. Michaela started grabbing pictures of her family. She pulled out the letters and started to read them. Cassidy did the same. Both girls sat on the lawn in front of the memorial. They shared their letters and pictures. So much had happened, but their families never stopped looking for them. They would not be forgotten. With this realization Cassidy felt a wave a peace pass through her. Even though she would never see them again, she knew her family would never stop thinking about her. They loved her and from each of the words on their letters she felt that love. They took their treasure into the condo as if they were the most breakable items in the world.
“I always knew they would never give up. I knew they were still looking for us. I bet they looked for us right up till the last minute. He was wrong. He lost. He could never take their love from us. Never,” said Cassidy as she sat by Michaela eating the dinner they prepared from their earlier shopping spree.
“I don’t want to waste one more minute thinking or talking about him. He is not worth it. We only have a little time Cassidy. I don’t want to spend it remembering him or that place. I want to cherish this, these letters and pictures and I want to run down the beach.” Michaela had gotten her strength back. She was starting to get back to the person she was before they were taken. Even though the horrible things that happened were still lurking in her head, she was determined not to let it rule her. Maybe if she had more time to give into the crazy she would, but she didn’t have time. She was going to forget about all the horror and live in the moment. With a look of determination in her eye she stepped off the back porch and onto the vacant beach. Cassidy joined her and together the screamed like wild women and ran into the ocean. It was getting dark but they didn’t care. Cassidy in her prom dress and Michaela in her designer jeans splashed in the sea water. They laughed and jumped with the waves.
“I feel completely free. There is no one else on this beach. It is just us. We can say what we want, do what we want. I appreciate this. Even if it is our last moments on earth, I feel so free.” With that said Michaela took off all her clothes and ran naked down the beach. Cassidy stared at her in wonder; she had never been as comfortable as Michaela with her body. But she only hesitated for a moment before she joined her. Cassidy took off her saturated prom dress and ran with Michaela down the beach.
“We are streaking. Haha, I never thought I would ever say that,” said Cassidy.
“Can you feel it? Can you feel the wind and the sea touch every part of you? It is amazing. Being this free is amazing,” Michaela said as she fell into the sand.
The two girls lie in the sand together as the waves drifted in over them. There was nothing sexual about this experience. It was more like a release of society’s restraints. It was a moment where they could be who they wanted and do what they wanted. It was their last courageous action on earth. It was something they would never have done if circumstances were different and it felt wonderful.
That night when they were back in the condo and dressed, they laughed about what they did.
“Imagine if the world were playing a joke on us and there were candid cameras all along the beach just then taping us. That would suck,” joked Cassidy. As if their situation wasn’t worse than anything she could imagine.
“That wouldn’t be a funny joke Cassidy. I would kill someone if that were the case,” said Michaela. Michaela seemed lost in thought and it was a while before she said “It’s almost morning. All the prisoners will be released soon. Cassidy what do you think is going to happen?”
“Hopefully they will not bother us. Hopefully they, like us, will try to spend the last of their lives in peace. But just in case let’s lock all the doors and windows. We can gather anything that could be used as a weapon. The jail is pretty far from us, so I don’t think we will have any problems.”Cassidy looked like she was working up the nerve to say something more. “Michaela back at the cottage where we found clothes and food. I found something. Something we could use. If you want.”
“What, what did you find,” inquired Michaela.
Cassidy walked over to the kitchen and opened a drawer. She pulled out the pill box she had found and showed Michaela.
“We could take these. They make you go to sleep and then you… you know,” said Cassidy
“I don’t know. Maybe we could take them a little before the asteroid hits. I don’t want to feel it. I don’t want to feel any more pain. Let’s wait until the last possible moment, and then we can take them.”
“Okay, I’ll put them back in the drawer for now,” agreed Cassidy. They might be taking them sooner than that especially, if the convicts headed this way. Cassidy didn’t want to imagine what these sex deprived men might do if them if they were discovered.


Bigger is not Always Better
Cassidy had woken up first the next morning. She turned on the television to see if there was anyone there with news. It was fuzz, no signal. Maybe later.
Cassidy stepped outside. The breeze from the sea was chilly so she wrapped a blanket around her. She looked down at the beach. So far no one was in sight and she hoped no one would ever come.
“People of Earth” the TV shouted from inside causing Cassidy to go back in the Condo. Michaela was now awake and watching the television. “The Asteroid is on course and will be hitting Earth tomorrow evening. Scientists have estimated that the time of impact will likely be 6pm. As you know the jail doors have opened as they were programmed to do. Prisoners all around the world are free. There is no means for any of you to follow us. All transportation devises, other than cars, have been destroyed. Spend these last moments wisely. If you are an innocent left behind due to terminal illness, age, or if you have volunteered to stay behind remember that The Mercy Foundation left a supply of blue pills at every major grocery store. You can take these pills to make the end come quickly. There is no shame in this action. You will not suffer. Remember our prayers are with you. Good luck.” The TV went back to fuzz.
“Good luck, he says. Good luck. He might as well have said happy death. The nerve,” said Michaela with obvious frustration with the recent news. Did she expect it would be different today?
Cassidy and Michaela prepared for the worst. They locked down the condo and watched out the sliding glass windows. They saw the waves and the sky. They saw seagulls flying. Poor birds probably did not even know what was going to happen. It was an awful way to spend the last moments of your life.
“Let’s do it now,” Cassidy suggested. “Let’s take the pills now. Before… before they come. Why spend these last moments waiting in the shadows. Let’s leave now and not suffer anymore.”
“Okay,” replied Michaela.
Cassidy went to the kitchen to retrieve the pill box and some water. She then sat down next to Michaela ready to do what they had decided to do.
“Should we say something before we do this,” Michaela asked.
“Yes, let’s pray. Pray to God that we are forgiven and that there is a place in heaven for us,” Cassidy and Michaela bowed their heads. They remained like that for a few moments. Each girl lost in her own prayer.
“What would you have done differently,” asked Michaela.
“I would have said yes more often. I would have stopped being afraid to live my life long enough to live my life. I would have loved my family and friends harder. I would have been nicer to my mom. I would have danced in the rain… what would you have done?”
“Well, I… I would have married Bryan. He asked me you know. I said ‘no’ because I thought I was too young. I wanted more adventure. I didn’t want to be tied down to him with bunches of babies. I… should have said ‘yes’ though. I loved him so much and didn’t realize it until after. He ended up marrying someone else and was happy. But when I saw him and her together and enjoying life I thought that could have been me. But it is too late for regrets. Let’s get it over with,” said Michaela in a sad tone.
As the girls divvied up the pills and began to bring them towards their mouths the fuzzy television became clear with another transmission from their beloved newscaster.
The newscaster that had been relaying all previous information came onto the screen. But he was just staring at the camera. He didn’t say anything at first. He just lowered his head. When he lifted up his head to address his audience he said, “There had been a sudden change in the events that were predicted to take place. Out of nowhere, a smaller asteroid shot out of space and hit the larger asteroid. This was undetected by our brightest scientist and astronomists. The smaller asteroid hit the larger one with such force that it has broken the larger asteroid into pieces. We are amazed by this event. The majority of the asteroid will miss Earth. I repeat the large part of the asteroid will miss Earth. You are saved. Small particles will impact Earth but the destruction will be on a much smaller scale than recently predicted. As you may be wondering, we are not returning to Earth. It is just a matter of time before an event like this will take place. We will be establishing some form of communication through the satellite systems, but our president has informed us that building the new world is his first priority. We wish you all the best.”
Cassidy and Michaela dropped the pills they were about to take and just stared at each other. Did that really happen? Did he really say they were saved?
“What are we going to do,” asked Michaela in a daze. Just then they heard what sounded like gunshots going off in the streets. Cassidy stood up and walked to peek out the window. The convicts were there. Cassidy could see men of all shapes and sizes in different prison uniforms making their way down the beach and streets. Some of them were hotwiring cars, some were fighting with each other and all of them looked as if they would kill for no reason. Cassidy looked back at Michaela who hadn’t left her place on the floor. They were torn between excitement and fear. Excitement for the asteroid missing Earth and fear for what the world would become.
“Michaela, we have come this far and we are not going down without a fight. Somehow we will find a way to survive this new world and we will find a way to Aurora. We will never give up again,” replied