This is my first installment of what I hope to be a monthly series. On the third Monday of the month I will post a piece of fiction. It might be scene from a larger work, or a short short. This is from a writing class exercise about the end of the world.
A First Last Game
On the day the world ended Lincoln was channel surfing, and frustrated that he couldn’t find anything good on TV. Not only did he have to face the end of existence, but the series finale of Jocks was never going to be aired. The networks had decided to air footage of the oncoming disaster, interview people about how they were using their last day, and marathons of Its a Wonderful Life. Sheesh. They were facing impending doom and he would go to his grave wondering if the Coalition was ever defeated?
Lincoln had already said his goodbyes. His family was stretched out across the country and he hadn’t tried to get back to his hometown before the highways were closed. Instead was an hours long call among parents and siblings. They had said what needed to be said, and if there was anything they forgot well hopefully they would all remember on the other side.
Lincoln flipped through the cable channels. A preacher was trying to convince the world if everyone had behaved better none of this would have happened. Another saying the destruction of the earth was a good thing and they would all meet God tomorrow. Th doorbell rang, and he was glad of the excuse to turn the TV off.
Dressed in a black sheath dress that matched her waist length hair was Evey. He had been trying to work up the nerve to ask his neighbor out for years and here she stood on his front steps holding a board game.
“Nothing else to do. You up for a game?” she said with a grin, raising the battered box.
She was right. What was the point of finishing the book or organizing his miniatures if it would all be dust midnight tonight?
He made popcorn and pulled out a pack of cider. When they pulled out the game it was clear it had seen better days. The board was scratched, and the pieces chipped. He chose the iron, and she chose the Scotty dog. Lincoln felt a pang for his little sister who always chose the same.
Evey flashed Lincoln an impish grin when she took boardwalk. He got back at her when he bought up all the railroads. The board filled with the names of places he would now never see filled him with sorrow.
“I’ve never been to New York,” Lincoln said.
“Now you never will,” Evey said with complete nonchalance. “Oh look, I just took Park Place.”
“I wonder what it’ll look like tomorrow.”
“Burned.”
“Why does death not faze you?”
She shrugged. “We tried to stop it. Everything we tried made it worse. We’ll be dead tomorrow, you and I. Why not enjoy the time without tying ourselves in knots over what we can’t change?”
“Enjoy the time. Of course,” he murmured, looking at her full mouth.
She rolled the dice and flashed him a smile.
They went through all the cider in one game. Lincoln regretted not pulling out the mead he had been saving. What was there to save for? Oh well. They had devoured all the popcorn and chocolate. They both giggled as their aim for rolling dice and math skills grew progressively worse as their last game on earth continued.
After the money was counted he leaned over and kissed Evey. What shocked him was when she kissed him back.
There were worse ways to face the end of the world.