Locket in his Pocket

It was dark. Been dark now since the event for an unknown amount of days. So long now that seeing things in the haze of the earth's debris clouding the atmosphere was becoming almost natural. How he survived he was not sure. He had been traveling through the Amazon on a wildlife expedition when the asteroid hit. His team had not even known it was on approach until it was beyond the moons orbit and slamming straight at the planet. From the last reports they were able to receive the asteroid was 12km. It had the equivalent of 369 kilotons of TNT explosives of kinetic energy. Basically 33 A-bombs. The atmospheric vaporization or air burst was not as significant of a burn off as hoped. Definitely not enough to reduce the massive rock from annihilating half the globe and plunging the rest into darkness. The consequential earthquakes and tsunamis devastated coastlines and ripped through the fault areas causing global plate shifts.

The team had found a semi open cavern that provided structural shelter from the heatwave blast of impact. The density of the forest had provided a bit of refuge from the aftermath shockwaves initially. However, quickly the tables had turned as the ground started giving way and everyone felt the sliding and grinding of the plates shifting at fault lines. The core of the earth combined with the force of the asteroid sent lava level heat billowing out any end it could release from. Only he had escaped the intensity of the scolding cave rocks. He had always stayed well hydrated but at this moment he realized everything was now gone. He searched his pockets. In his right pocket was his gruber. He had had this multi knife for 7 years when these caves were first detected in 2012. It was his AAS degree graduation gift from his mother. Here he was on the precipice of his career his field work for his thesis. Working on his Masters in Archeology. A chance to chart un documented areas of the Amazon. But now nothing mattered.

He felt around and in his left pocket felt the hard pressure of something tiny something hard. He did not remember putting anything in his left pocket but there was surely something there. Reaching in he felt the coldness of metal. The texture of a chain. Retrieving the item, he examined it further. It was a heart shaped locket attached to the finest of chain link chains. How could this of all things be in his pocket? Especially at this moment, at the end of the world as he knew it. At closer inspection he noticed the heart was not just a solid heart. It had great ornate details hand etched into the metal. Metal of which was precious gold. What a curious object he thought. What he needed right now was water. He shoved the necklace with the knife back into his pocket.

Two things he knew for certain the methane spilling up from the depths of earth and the lack of sunlight to oxygenate the atmosphere was going to spell long term trouble. That of which he was not prepared for yet. Determined he scanned his immediate area. The trees laid down as if to bow the sky. The sky still swirling from the catastrophic blow looked like ash mixed with water. He was not aware the time of day or even what day that it was for certain. All his survival training was his best bet at staying alive. He woke laying on the hot dirt and no signs of anyone else. Was he the only one left? Did others perhaps survive?

As he started to head towards the direction, he assumed the river had been, another after quake struck. He grabbed the tree nearest to him clinging on for life. There was nothing he could do against the violent shaking underneath. Clutching at the branches and bark he felt as though he was in a fun house gravity spinner causing more than just his stomach to lurch but also his mind to cascade with reality. Tipping he felt as though the South American tectonic plate was rising up on the East side. His center of gravity rocked by the plate shift. He was somehow vertical yet still horizontal.

Once the last trimmer had ended. He climbed the tree that he had clung to. It was as he suspected the sea level was no longer there. In fact, the entire expanse of what he could see was all foreign. Any geological landmarks were no longer distinguishable and the haze from fires and lava were all that glowed against the blackout lined shadows of what had been the Amazon rainforest. How will he find water now? He summoned his strength and heading forward.

As he walked deeper into the darkness the thought of the locket came to mind. Where did he obtain this trinket? He stopped and paused a moment. Perhaps to catch his breath or maybe more a moment to take in what all had transpired over the last weeks of the planet. How could he be here? Why had this happened? Stretching down he noticed the ground had been wet where he was standing. Was this the once river bed he was looking for? He sank to the ground. Most of his energy zapped by the humid heat that there was no escape from. He sat. Still. And listened. No birds chirping or small animals scurrying about. It was silent beyond a few murmurs of rock against rock grinding and the bubble sound of what began to smell sulfuric. Defeated he reached into his pocket. He pulled out the locket. Where did he see this last? How could it have ended up in his pocket?

Then like a shock wave to his heart. The energy around him picked up his spirit and slammed it into his senses as if all the world had collided with him. It was hers...

He remembered now. As the solace of the pain crept in, he felt the tears build up in his eyes. And as his tear dropped he whispered her name,

“Maria... ”

He had met her when he first arrived here in the Amazon. She was the daughter of the chief of a local tribe hired to help the archeological expedition navigate the cave sites. She had extended education at the University of San Marcos in Lima. Brilliant mind and radiant smile. Hair as wild as flames. The first night in their village the way she danced around the fire was magical. Enough magic that he stared for what must have been mins to what seemed like eternity. Entranced by the glow of the light on her skin and the way she swayed to the village drums. He quickly had convinced the team lead to include her on the adventure just so he could continue to watch her move. It was in her naïve innocence that she flowed with the wind. Yet a profound deep substance of her soul that walked on the earth. Feet on the ground and her head in the clouds. She taught him things that he did not understand of the native plants and animals they would come across. In evenings he had always made it a point to make sure she was comfortable and most times she would assure,

“The grass my pillow and the stars my blanket I am wrapped in infinite majesty of mother earth. My comfort is singularly unimportant, for I am just fine.”

He would always chuckle knowing in her proclamations of wisdom that there was more she left unsaid then she would say.

It was the day before the event had happened, he had casually asked about her necklace since it was the only personal procession from her village, she had brought with her besides survival gear. He noticed in the quite breaks the teams would take that she would touch the locket, as if to think of something in particular. It must have had a very special meaning to her and as a way to speak more to her he pressed her for details. She claimed it was her grandmothers and that it was given to her when her grandmother passed away. Not truly interested in the necklace but more intrigued to hear her talk, he asked to know more. She told him that on the day her grandmother died that she handed the necklace to her and said that all her dreams she could hold inside of it. That whenever she felt unsure or lost that a look inside would remind her of everything she needed to know in life.

A tree branch snapped. Jerking him back into the present moment.

He was compelled to open the locket out of an intense desire to know what Maria had ever dreamed. As he ran his nail along the edge to find the clasp, He first smelled the lava and then saw a fountain erupt a few yards away. Now more than ever he wanted to see Maria dance one more time. She must have snuck it into his pocket back in the cave back before she fell off the crevasse that opened inside. As he opened the locket, he realized it was empty. It contained nothing. Maria really had no dreams; nothing to achieve? While in an emotional tangent he grasps and pressed the sides and tried to find perhaps a hidden compartment. There was not one. He discarded the locket on the ground beside him. What had Maria meant? How was she so sure about the world or her place in it? Feeling alone in the universe he noticed a glimmer from inside the funny heart shaped locket. Picking it up again and squinting in the dim light, he noticed, himself. The locket held a secret mirror.

As he looked up from the locket another gurgling explosion from the lava fountain spewed a chunk this time. The earth on his face felt like the baptismal of his flesh. Mother Earth would take him home.