Falling Out of Love, Out of the Sky
Asteroids fall and skyscrapers collapse as the world ends.
Three months earlier:
Anita and John accidentally met on a public bus. They both worked downtown and took the bus to save money.
Anita had to sit next to John since most of the seats were taken. She quickly introduced herself to be nice.
“Hi, I’m Anita. Nice to meet you.” She jutted her hand out for a handshake.
“John.” He did not reciprocate the handshake.
They parted ways as the bus stopped.
The next day, the bus was full again and Anita had to sit next to John once more.
“Here we are again in the same situation as yesterday,” Anita said.
“Yes,” John replied.
“So, what are you up to tonight?” Anita tried to start a conversation.
“Dinner.”
“Sure, I’d love to. What time?”
“No, I meant–”
Anita smiled the widest she could and then made puppy dog eyes. She frowned and looked up a little.
“I can’t say no to that face.” John handed Anita his business card.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll see you this Friday. I’ll text you the restaurant’s address.”
The bus stopped and they got off. They walked into their apartment buildings. The buildings were across from each other.
They texted on and off over the next few days until their date.
Anita took a taxi to the restaurant. She looked up and saw a streetlight flicker. She walked into the restaurant.
“Do you have a reservation?” the hostess asked.
“Yes, I’m waiting for my date, John Mars.”
“He’s already been seated. I’ll show you to his table.”
The lights flicker from faulty wiring as they walk to his table.
“Here you are,” the hostess said as she set another menu on the table.
“Anita, how are you?”
“I’m fine, sorry I’m late. It took me a while to hail a cab and there was traffic.”
“I didn’t mind waiting. I already ordered. I didn’t order for you, since I didn’t know what you wanted.”
“Thank you.”
The waiter returned. “So, what will the young lady have?”
“I’ll have the caesar salad.”
“Good choice. I’ll put that in and your food will be out shortly.” The waiter walked away.
Anita looked around the restaurant as she waited for her food. She witnessed a man dressed in all red enter the restaurant. She furrowed her brow in confusion.
“What’s wrong?” John asked Anita.
“I just saw the weirdest thing. A man dressed in all red just walked in. Why is he in all red?”
“Maybe he’s got a hot date and wanted to look good.” John smiled.
Anita laughed. “Maybe. You can start eating if you want, you don’t have to wait for me.”
“But I want to and besides, I want to get to know you better.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. What do you want to know?”
“Do you have any siblings? What’s your job? How are old you?”
“Yes, I have a brother and a sister. I’m a secretary. And I’m twenty-three. How about you?”
“I’m an only child. I’m a real estate agent. Let me know if you’re looking to buy or sell and I’m twenty-four.”
Anita’s food arrived.
They ate and split the bill.
A week later, Anita and John accidentally met at the gym. Anita ran on the treadmill and John stretched on a mat in front of her.
She stopped the machine and pulled out her earbuds. “Hey, John. What are you doing here?”
“I work out here every Tuesday. What are you doing here?”
“Working out.” She tried to make a muscle but failed, she accidentally restarted the machine and bumped her head on the floor.
John ran over to help her. “Are you okay?”
While unconscious for a few minutes, Anita saw a vision, of the world coming to an end. Asteroids were falling from the sky and everyone was screaming.
John shook Anita out of her daze and repeated. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I think.”
“Let’s get you to a hospital. You’re bleeding! Somebody call 9–1–1!” John shouted as he held Anita. He rushed her out the door.
The ambulance immediately showed up and she was rushed to the nearest hospital. John followed the ambulance in his car.
John arrived at the hospital minutes later and Anita was already in the emergency room. He asked the ER secretary where Anita was. She was in room eight.
He followed the signs to her room and found it. “Anita?!”
Anita was in a coma.
The doctor stopped John in his tracks.“I’m sorry, sir, but this patient needs rest. You’ll have to
come back tomorrow, for visiting hours.”
“But I’m her boyfriend, I need to see her!” John raised his voice.
“Sir, you need to keep your voice down. This is a hospital and patients need peace and quiet to rest.” The doctor pushed John out of the ER.
John waited in the hospital lobby until visiting hours began again.
Anita woke up the next day. “What happened? Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital. You hit your head,” the nurse replied.
“I did? I don’t remember anything.”
“The doctor will be in soon to explain everything soon. In the meantime, do you want me to turn on the TV while you wait?” the nurse responded.
“Sure,” Anita said.
The nurse turned on the TV in the room.
A newswoman on the TV that was attached to the wall announced, “Three weeks from now an asteroid will pass by the earth, so be on the lookout for it.”
“Anita?” John asked as he entered the room.
“Um, who are you?”
“John, your boyfriend. You don’t remember me? We met on a bus a few weeks ago.”
“No, sorry. I don’t remember you. Please leave, you’re making me uncomfortable.”
John walked out of the room and out of the hospital. He waited for her. He thought about visiting her the next day but knew she didn’t want to see a stranger.
Three weeks later, Anita took a cab back to her apartment building. Once she arrived, clouds began to form overhead.
“Looks like a storm’s coming in,” Anita said to herself.
John looked out his window after he heard a loud boom outside. He saw Anita walking into her building across the street. He tried to call out to her, but she couldn’t hear him.
He rushed downstairs to catch up to her, but he wasn’t fast enough. The door had already automatically locked behind her.
He waited for someone who lived there to unlock the door, but the streets were empty. He still waited with hope. John zipped up his coat as the temperature began to drop. He rubbed his hands together to stay warm.
Anita turned on the television as she became habitualized to watching it at the hospital.
“We’re counting down to the asteroid’s arrival. Hug your loved ones and be ready, for the end of the world!” the newswoman announced.
Anita’s eyes widened and she tried to call her mother, but the lines were busy. She parted the curtains and peeked outside. She saw a man (John) run into his apartment building.
Anita sat in her easy chair as the asteroid fell through the earth’s atmosphere.
“Three. Two. One!”
The asteroids plummeted to the ground and destroyed everything in sight.
John’s building and Anita’s building collapsed.
Anita opened her eyes as the dust and rubble cleared. “John?!” All her memories of him and their relationship came flooding back.
She didn’t hear a response back and called out his name again. She texted him a quick, “I love you!”, in hope that he would reply. But an asteroid fell on her before she could see his response. She didn’t survive the impact.
John breathed in the smoke from the fires and passed out. He died.
Maybe the world wasn’t ready for love. Or maybe Anita and John weren’t ready for love. We’ll never know.
