Moments Before the End...

THE END IS OFFICIALLY NEAR… SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE CHAOS BEGINS!

This is the last message that Natalie saw on a poster near her supermarket around the corner from her. Before then, the world was at peace, she was going off to work, kissing her aunt and uncle goodbye before taking the next train to make it on time before her shift at 3 p.m. Now, she’s in a world filled with species who seem to take over everything while human beings are their puppets….

Natalie woke up from a storm….. A simple storm, so she thought. But when she was walking to work, a light shunned through the whole city and that’s all she remembered before waking up in a cubicle with alien-like species telling her what she should and shouldn’t do. When the world was normal, it was the year of 2021. Now, according to the calendar, it is the year 2053. She doesn’t know if her aunt and uncle are alive because she cannot go anywhere since the aliens made people slaves, but she misses them dearly. Natalie wishes for this to be a nightmare, wishes to wake up from this every day, but it seems as though it never ends.

May 2021, The day before the end of the world….

“I’m going to be coming home late…. The supervisor has asked me to put in more time and I cannot make any more excuses or I’ll be put out of a job” Natalie said.

Her aunt shaking her head as she sits by the kitchen table with a crossword puzzle in her hand.

“Look hun, I understand you have to work, but you promised me we would be able to spend some time together and go shopping before this storm tomorrow.”

Walking in with a newspaper in his hand, Natalie’s uncle chimed in on the conversation, “Sweetie, she has work to get done. Once the storm is over and done you guys can have the most amazing day of shopping.”

“This isn’t just a storm… This is supposed to be un-worldly, and Lord knows when we’ll be able to go outside again or do anything normal such as grocery shopping.”

Natalie’s uncle comes toward her aunt and gives her a kiss on the cheek, “Don’t worry my love, everything will be okay. This whole thing will blow over and it’ll be like nothing had ever happened.”

It amazed Natalie how through every difficult situation, her uncle would always remain calm. When Natalie was only six-years old, she sprained her ankle from falling off her bike. After coming back home from the hospital in a cast her uncle says, “Don’t be sad. This will all go away in no time…. It’s just a sprain, I had a couple of those back in my day!” Natalie and her uncle giggled together.

Ever since then, she always admired how her uncle can be so comforting even though the situations were bad.

“I must be going. I love you guys, see you when I come back from work.” Natalie said.

“Okay be careful… Oh! Before you leave, I have something to show you.”

“What is it?”

Her aunt digs in her pocket and shows her this beautiful heart-shaped locket.

“When I went to the jewelry store a couple of days ago, I found this lovely locket. I know your birthday isn’t until a couple of weeks from now, but I thought it would look beautiful with the outfit you’re wearing today.

Natalie holds the necklace in her hand. The silver shined through the sunlight that was beaming from the kitchen window as if it’s just been cleaned.

“I love it!” Natalie throws on the necklace around her neck and kisses her aunt.

“Thank you so much. I will always cherish it.”

“You’re welcome hun. Stay safe and make sure you come right back home when you are finished work.”

“I will.”

Natalie was out the house and notice a storm of clouds, but these weren’t any typical storm filled clouds. Natalie observed different colors coming from them as if it was a rainbow. She thought it was weird, but nevertheless, she continued to walk to the bus stop. As she was going towards the bus stop, she observed big letters displayed on a piece of paper from the supermarket stating that the end was near… Those were the last moments…. The last moments of normalcy… The last moments where she hugged and embraced her loved ones… All that was left was the heart-shaped locket that her aunt gave to her….. This was the only peace that made her get up everyday and live in this nightmare. Natalie hopes that one day soon, she’ll be freed enough to find out if her aunt and uncle are still alive.

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