It Has Begun

Fourteen-year old Heart stormed into the manor estate. Without noticing his basketball falling from his arms. He rushed to the giant living room where his grandfather lay in a hospital bed connected to tubes, wires and machines. The only thing that made him look remotely desirable was the heirloom, heart-shaped locket that hung from his wrinkled neck. His grandmother, already noticing Heart’s frustration, held her hand up as to stop her grandson in his tracks. Heart’s sprint turned into slow, paced steps until he met his grandmother and sat near her on the loveseat.

“I came as soon as I heard the groaning” Heart whispered.

“He is alright, just usual nerve pain. That’s all” Grandma replied.

“That’s what you said last time. It’s time we send him to a doctor.” Heart said,raising his voice. Grandma places her hand on her grandson’s cheek.

“Doctors do not heal” Grandma replied, returning her head to face her sick husband. Once the machine indicated a normal heart rate, she rose from the loveseat and walked into the kitchen, with Heart close on her heels.

“You keep saying that Grams, but we aren’t healing him either” Heart mentioned.

“Yes, Heart, we are not. I am” Grandma said cheeringly.

No matter the situation, the old lady remained chipper. She opened a thick red book that lay beside the giant pot that had smoke spewing out of the tiny pot hole. She laid the book faced open before turning to the cabinets and grabbing several different-colored seasonings.

“You have tried every remedy out there, and there has been no sign of progress.” Heart spat.

“No, not from what the eye can see.” his Grandma countered, waving her finger while stirring a white powdery mixture into the pot.

“You know what? I’m done. I’m going to take a shower. Are you going to make your bedtime?” Heart rolled his eyes before stomping away.

“Nope, I am quite busy making dinner.” Grandma says.

“Doesn’t smell like anything I have had before.” Heart said.

“You need something new every now and then,”’ the lady said. Heart didn’t bother waiting for his grandmother to finish talking before heading to his room to retrieve the novel to read to his grandfather.

The ripened woman grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and a ladle. She uncovered the pot and waited for the steam to air out before dipping the ladle inside the pot and dumping the soup into the bowl. She grabbed two oven mitts and placed a large tablespoon inside the bowl. Slowly making her way to the loveseat, she sat in the same spot Heart found her. She continued to blow on the spoon filled with brown liquid.

“Probably made it a little too hot this time.” she chuckled.

She led the spoon to her husband's mouth. She then sat the bowl down near the table that rested near his bed top, pulled his chin down before pouring the mix into his mouth and checked to see if his Adam's apple twitch to indicate the soup was ingested. After a few seconds, she repeated the same cycle, blowing each portion before feeding the love of her life. After ten spoonfuls, Heart’s grandmother heard the creak of the steps letting her know that her grandson returned. She quickly closed her husband’s mouth, grabbed the bowl in an attempt to rush to the kitchen, but it was too late.

“What are you doing?” Heart yelled. He grabbed the bowl but to his grandmother’s resistance.

“He isn’t supposed to be eating carousel ingredients! Are you tryin to kill him?” he says still fighting back and forth over the bowl, Heart surprised at her strength

“I am trying to save him.” Grandma yelled in her frail but mighty voice

The anger and resilience got the best of both of them. The bowl slipped out their grasp, and the hot soup splashed against every part of their loved ones skin and crashed the machine. Sparks flew. Heart laid a hand over his grandmother and diverted her to the kitchen, away from the catastrophe. They kept their heads ducked behind the island until the sparks ceased, and the silence was broken by a heart rate flatline.

***

Melissa, Rodney and Jackson all stood with their chins hanging low from their face as if waiting for someone to place the right words into their mouths after hearing about the electrocution of Dr. Heart’s grandfather.

“While I was begging my grandmother not to kill him, fate knew that I was going to do it all along.” 50-year old Heart said, standing behind a desk looking into space. Musso eventually gathered his thoughts to inquire more about Heart’s trauma.

“So where is your grandmother now?” Musso interjects, stuttering over his words, still recovering from shock.

“Just turned 100, she leaves it all to the brown soup. The firefighters didn’t know what to say once they tested it out. Said it was so strong it could heal the world. It was the electrocution that killed him. She tried to warn me, and I was just too stubborn.” Heart sighed.

“Well it’s probably for the best.” Rodeny shrugged, finally recovering from his shock and converting back to his nonchalant, arrogant self.

“Seriously Rodney, could you be any more of an asshole?” Musso spat

“His grandmother is still living, right? So she has seen the beginning and end of doomsday’s era. We all know where she’s going, let’s just be glad Heart’s grandfather did not have to see the end of days, that’s one more life that can rest in peace.” Rodney said.

“God, could you be any more insensitive?” Musso yelled.

“No pun intended, I hope, because that’s the question the whole world has been asking for the last 10 years.” Rodney replied.

“Don’t listen to him Dr. Heart, doomsday twisted everyone’s head.” Musso says, walking up to Heart’s desk.

“I know Musso. I know.” Heart said calmly.

“He’s right, you know?” Melissa finally chimed in, her eyes still staring into space.

“Melissa, you have been quiet for a while, which is unlike you. I hope I didn’t scare you too much” Heart said.

“I’m fine, I was just thinking. Rodney does have a point. Every statistic and news channel has said that the doomsday era most negatively affects the oldest survivors who were alive when it first started. Rates of depression, suicide and crimes have risen in the demographic of senior citizens. Your grandfather’s passing was a blessing in disguise. One could only imagine his state of mind in an era like this” Melissa states. Everybody went quiet, each person contemplating Melissa’s points.

“Well, I think that’s enough class for today. Since this is a sociology study, I assumed my graduate students wouldn’t mind me sharing my experience as it does relate to our topic of family dynamics. I’m calling it enough for today. Have your proposals in by Friday morning.” Heart waved off and exited the classroom.

“Yea, if we make it to see Friday.” Rodney whispers as he rolls his eyes. Musso overheard and gave Rodney an intimidating look.

“Nice going guys, you hurt his feelings” Musso spats.

“Hey, we are under obligation to share our opinions in class” Rodney shrugs.

“Oh forget him, Rodney. Musso and Heart are both optimists, they are not going to agree with any negativity, even if it’s the truth” Melissa says as she grabs her Chanel tote bag from the arm of her chair.

“Optimist or not, it’s silly to think people can heal the world,,” Rodney replied.

All three graduate students walked through the hallway and out of the front door of community college. Immediately they were hit and bum rushed by a group of women and men who aimed their guns at the trio. The crooked encounter was typical, so they all casually dug into their pockets and put what little cash they had in the robber’s hands. The crooks walked off immediately following a stroll across the street and entered the bodega.

“Life as we know it” Rodney chuckled as he shook his head and made a left down the sidewalk, with Melissa grabbing hold of his hand to catch him alongside.

“I can’t remember a time when I could just walk the streets in peace.” Musso said .

“Face it Musso, it’s time to stop acting like you’re the only one affected. The war impacted everyone, but, unlike you, we deal with it.” Melissa said.

Musso stops walking which causes Rodney and Melissa to turn around after noticing a pair of footsteps going silent.

“You know I think I left something back in the classroom, I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Musso said, turning around defeated.

“Aww great, we made him mad again.” Rodney said sarcastically.

“Oh lighten up Musso. Now is not a good time to walk alone Mr. Optimist. Bomb squad’s going to circle the block soon.” Melissa hollered. Musso ignored the couple and continued the path from which they came. Rodney and Melissa took a few more seconds before shaking their heads and restarting their route home.

Walking into what appeared to be an empty building, Musso hurried to the classroom where Dr.Heart’s class was held. Usually, the excuse to return to the classroom was a fluke to get Melissa and Rodney off his back, however, this time it was out of pure motivation. Musso grew exhausted from the governments’ politics that persuaded the public to conform to the post-war chaos. Since he was eleven, he envisioned a society that didn’t erupt in flames, and now with his sociology degree and Dr. Heart choosing him out of three students to work on the independent “doomsday” study, he was more than passionate to abolish the dystopia. He stomped into the classroom towards the back where the computers, holding their research, were sitting. Amid his fury, he stopped in his tracks. The open window allowed the evening sun rays to beam through the room, creating a spark in the corner against some material that was too far for Musso to recognize. He followed the angle and his eyes stumbled upon a silver chain with a heart-shaped locket. He grabbed the pendant, immediately recognizing it as the one Dr. Heart wears around his neck everyday. Considering it valuable he decided to place it in his pocket before the custodial team got to it, leaving it lost forever. As his hand slowly went from his face to the side of his pants, the pendant slipped from between his fingers, jumping scared from the sound of his name.

“Jesus! Damn Rodney you ever try texting someone instead of yelling their name” Musso said, turning around flustered to face the bully.

“I don’t want your phone number honey, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to yell your name. Melissa got worried, and she told me to come get you. She’s waiting outside so, pull your panties up and let’s get the hell out of here.” Rodney said.

“No. I came to do more research.” Musso.

“Aww man, give it up! Admit the only reason we are doing this damn grant is to look like we did something useful in community college” Rodney shouts.

“Not to me” Musso. Rodney closes his eyes and breathes in frustration.

“Well, if not for me, then do it for yourself. The building closes in two hours, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like being hit with bombs tonight” Rodney said.

After giving a stern look to Rodney, Musso stomped off leaving the locket behind just in time to catch Rodney’s eye. Rodney yells to Musso that he left something but to no avail. Growing impatient, he shrugs and places the locket in his hands and catches up with Musso to exit the building.

An hour later, Dr. Heart wanders in the room with a desperate and panicked look, appearing to be looking for something. A bomb goes off outside. Instantaneously, the sociologists shoots his head up and says:

“It has begun.”