'Til the End of Time

It had been a year since Darren had talked to her, and it had taken him that long to get over her. But when the endtimes came, he didn’t want to leave with any regrets. He regretted too much already that could not be fixed, so if this could be fixed, he had to do it. It seemed the whole world was getting their final ducks in a final row, so shouldn’t he, too? At midnight, the world would combust in a burst of…what exactly? Would it be an instantaneous explosion, fire and smoke, a chemical reaction, blinding lights holding you captive by their rare beauty as they took the world down once and for all? Whatever it was, it would be, and that would be the end.

So, he texted her, the new-age version of running to the airport gate. He wanted to hold her close again. To give her a goodbye. To love her one final time.

She came. She walked in and stared at him for a moment through the dark of his room, faint green light from some novelty lamp on his desk as the only illumination for their final meeting. The color of the beautiful planet that spun on that would soon cease to exist. The color of the eyes of the girl he longed for who would soon cease to exist. The most beautiful setting for the most terrible ending, but at least they would be together. He texted her the simple words ‘come over’. And she did.

Their relationship was one of many ups and downs. She didn’t want to settle down; truly, he didn’t either. Not without her. But Darren eventually had to accept that they just weren’t meant to be. He was fine with that, he decided. But no matter how impending a break-up is, it is still painful. It took her a year to think about him without getting an ache in her chest. But it came back when she read his message, mid-panic attack. She didn’t want the world to end, not with so many things left unfinished. Not with him on her mind but not by her side. So, she went.

They laid side by side, facing one another and looking into each others’ eyes, no lies or fear behind them. He didn’t need to be afraid of forever because they would say goodbye at the end of the night. And she didn’t need to fear the end because he would be there with her, guiding her gently in.

He slowly raised his hand to cup her cheek. Hardly any words were spoken. They didn’t need them. Rain poured outside and lightning lit up the dark world. When it would flash, they would get a glimpse of each others’ faces and hold each other that much tighter. Soon, clothes were shed and they were closer to each other than they had ever been. They made love to each other as the sky fell down. Just one last time because they could, because they wouldn’t ever get the chance to again.

After, they basked in each other, limbs tangled. He kissed her softly on the mouth, finding himself almost relieved that the world was going to be gone in the morning because if it wasn’t he would fall in love with her all over again. He knew he would. The way she was playing with his fingers with one hand and his hair with the other told him that it would be impossible not to. And he knew how it would all play out, how they would fall in love then fall apart.

Meanwhile, she thought the same. Every kiss to her lips felt like a promise, which scared her until she realized there were no promises in an ending world. She could just enjoy this now. Soak up his skin and his smile and eyes and his everything and not have to feel the pain of when this ended because she would end alongside it. She didn’t have to make herself unlove him and unkiss his lips in her mind. It was the perfect crime. They were both at peace. They whispered their goodbyes to each other and stayed pressed tightly to each other as they fell asleep.

So Darren knew he was fucked when he woke up the next morning to the sun streaming in through his window and notifications on his phone from every app broadcasting how wrong scientists had been about the end. It didn’t come. The world outside was still in bloom, birds chirping and people breathing. So, what did he do with the sleeping girl next to him whom he wanted to love but couldn’t?