The Last Day on Earth

“It’s really not fair,” said Steve, bringing Lucy out of the trance that the waves had put her into.

“No kidding.”

“This’ll probably come out totally sappy, but I finally meet a great girl who I could possibly see myself with for the rest of my life… and it turns out the rest of my life might not be very long at all.”

“Really? Do you mean that?”

“Yes. I mean it. I…I think I love you, Lucy Black.”

Lucy smiled up at him, tears suddenly prickling her eyes. “I think I love you too, Steve Martinelli.” Of course, it took the possible annihilation of the planet for him to finally say ‘I love you’.

Saying goodbye to Steve was hard, but not as hard as she would have thought. Harder was Jess. After a stop-and-start goodbye with Steve that started in her bedroom and ended on the footpath, filled with kisses and promises to keep in contact, and a half-hearted suggestion for him to come up to the farm for a few days, she’d sent him on his way. She blinked back tears as she set off in the opposite direction towards Jess’ home.

Jess opened the door after Lucy had knocked four times. Her hair was still standing straight up.

“Come in, come in,” Jess ushered her into the lounge room. Jess’ belongings were scattered everywhere. Her cat, Mergatroid, was sniffing cautiously at a coat slung over the couch.

“I don’t know what to take!”

Lucy shrugged. “What do you think you’ll need?”

“I don’t know! That’s the problem. If the world ends in March, am I really going to need a coat?”

“Probably not.”

“But say we survive it, then it will get cold, and I’ll need a coat.”

“Then take the coat.”

“You’re really not much help.”

Lucy shrugged again. “I’m as clueless as you, Jess.”

“Mitch told me he liked me.”

“What? Finally! When?” Lucy exclaimed.

“When you went downstairs to call Steve.”

“What did you say?”

“That his timing was terrible.”

Lucy laughed. “I suppose it is.”

“I told him if we survived this thing, maybe we could go on a date.”

“Good, something to live for! Steve told me he loved me.”

“Why does it take the end of the world for guys to admit their feelings?”

Lucy spent the next half hour helping Jess pack. She decided to take the coat after all “You never know,” was her reasoning. They packed up her little Hyundai Excel until it was almost exploding.

“Got everything?”

“I think so.” Jess frowned at the car. “Too bad if I haven’t, I don’t think much else will fit in there.”

“True that.”

They both stood in silence for a few minutes, looking at the overflowing car.

“Well… I guess this is it, eh?”

Lucy bit her lip. “I suppose it is.”

Jess hugged Lucy hard.

“Good luck, wench.”

“You too, trollop.” They both laughed.

“Luce, you need to let go.”

“I don’t want to.”

She finally did though.

“Hopefully we’ll wake up in a few mornings and find out that they’ve diverted it or whatever, and we can resume life as usual,” Jess said.

“Yeah. They’ll have to think of something. Surely.”

“But in the meantime, you take care and be careful.”

“You too.”

“Keep in touch.”

“Thanks for being such a good friend, Jess.”

“Oh come on, don’t get sappy on me, Black.” Jess punched Lucy on the arm and started crying. “Damn it, now you’ve made me cry.”

“Sorry,” Lucy half-laughed as she wiped her own tears away.

“I’m gonna go now before I start crying buckets.”

“Drive safe. Let me know when you get home.”

“Likewise.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Present…

Lucy savoured every moment of the ride home, but it was over too quickly. Time has a funny habit of speeding up when we least want it to. She tried to take everything in and to notice it all, the piercing blue sky, the rustling of the gum trees, the warbling of the magpies, the scurrying of the little sunbathing skinks as they fled the horses oncoming hooves, Lightning’s warmth and deep even breathes. She even took notice of the slight wind lifting the hair off her neck, the persistent fly that seemed fascinated with her nose, the sound of Lightning’s hooves on the road. The damn fly!

Too soon for her liking, Lightning turned into the driveway. The dogs came racing up to meet horse and rider, barking excitedly. Lucy nudged Lightning into a trot and approached the house. She looked at it, almost with a stranger’s eyes. The house was rambling and welcoming. It was part of the landscape, like it had been there forever and would be there forever more, surviving drought, bush fires, floods and inheritance. Not massive asteroids though.

Lucy unsaddled Lightning and lingered over his last brushing. He seemed to enjoy it; although he enjoyed the apples she gave him when she put him back in the paddock more. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the nose, before heading back inside.

“Mum! Dad! I’m back,” she called out as soon as she opened the back door.

“In the study, sweetheart,” Liz replied. “How was Tim?” Liz asked as Lucy walked into the small, sunny room.

“Okay. Considering. I invited him to come here for it.”

Liz smacked her forehead. “Of course, I should have suggested it. Did he come back with you?” she asked, looking behind Lucy.

“No, he’s not coming.”