The Day The World Ended

As I struggled to clammer into the crawl space under the stairs, I couldn’t help but to smile to myself. Listening to my daughter, counting away down the hallway, I had all those childhood feelings we tend to forget about come rushing back. The fluttering excitement in my stomach, the thrill of if I was going to be found, everything just seemed so pure in the world again. I heard my oldest child trip over something and go crashing around the kitchen, followed by a soft and sweet “Ssshhhhhhh!!! You no want sissy find you!” from the youngest. Always his brothers shadow, I giggled to myself imagining the scene. “Ready or not! Here I come!!” my daughter shrieked gleefully, as her little feet shuffled towards her clumsy brothers sounds in the kitchen. Ah just as I suspected, my sons inherited clumsiness made the perfect distraction for dad to sneak towards the base! I slowly crept out of my hiding spot, cautiously checking for signs of “she-who-was-it”. I got about halfway out when I heard, “So, old man, thought ya could just get to base with no problemo aye?” whispered from above me. I looked up and saw the grinning face of my oldest! “But... you were just…” I whispered out-loud to myself, legitimately wondering how he had made it from the kitchen to the top of the stairs so quietly a ninja would be taken by surprise. With his smile widening, he held up the kitten’s collar letting it swing back and forth on his finger. “Oooohhhh you’re good,” I whispered approvingly. Now I realized what he was up to. He had told his little brother that Sergeant Stinky Butts McGruff (trust me I know) was playing too and that they should hide together. “C’mon, let’s go before…” I eased out alittle farther, “AH hah aaaahhh, daddio.” He interrupted. I looked up again, this time the little turd had one of those TNT party poppers in his hand. “You wouldn’t,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “Oh dad…. you gravely underestimate me.” He smiled so big he looked like that cat from Alice in wonderland. With a sharp pull, POP, followed by confetti. My daughter jumped and twisted around, “AHA!!!” she yelled as she came running back up the hallway. I scrambled to get upright. Gravity, apparently in cahoots with my traitorous son, had different plans. Straight back towards the floor I went, followed shortly by my daughter pouncing on my back. “GOTCHA!” she squealed in joy. “AAAHHHHHH NNNNOOOOOOO I was betrayed! Well, I know who not to trust with my car keys. I reached up and tickled my oldest sons’ belly in revenge. He laughed his surrender just as their mom rang the doorbell. We all frowned and started our wrapping up routine. I walked my kids to the door, as we opened it, my ex-wife immediately held up that trademark index finger to show she was on the phone. I hugged and kissed my kid’s goodbye and watched as they walked to their mom’s car. I hated this, one hour a week and every other weekend, that wasn’t enough. As they drove off, I slowly closed the door as if maybe they forgot something and were coming back. As the door clicked shut, I leaned my forehead against it. I was about to turn to go clean up, when I heard this earth-shattering sound that sounded like…. “OH GOD PLEASE NO!!!” I swung the door back open to see my wife’s car being pushed sideways by a truck trying its best to stop them both. I took off out the door, knees weak yet somehow still carrying me forward. By the time I reached the car, people had already crowded it to try and help whoever was in there. “MOVE PLEASE THOSE ARE MY KIDS I HAVE TO-“A older man met me before I got to the car, grabbing me and keeping me from moving any closer. “Son, look at me now! You don’t want to go up there…” He said with tears rolling down face, “Trust me, son, you don’t want to see inside that car….”. I fell into the man, not being able to stand on my own anymore. A biker stepped beside him and the two of them dragged me over to the side away from the scene. The biker, grabbing my hand and leaning his head down, began to pray. I didn’t know why there was nothing left to pray for. They were all gone….