Lastly

“Hey, good morning.”

I greeted him. Norman looks up at me timidly and I can’t help but smile as I lean forward and kiss his forehead. I lead him outside our room and into the dining room. It’s a shame that he can’t use the stairs anymore, but I’m glad that he still stayed by my side.

I cook him breakfast. Vegetables, bacon and eggs were served in front of him. Norman looks up and opens his eyes for the first time this morning, taking a really good look at me. “Kalley, is that you?” he asks in a fragile voice.

“Yeah,” I smile as I give myself a generous serving and a piece of serving for him.

“You haven’t changed at all, Kalley,” he croaks.

“Yeah,” I nod, as I pour him tea.

“Are you doing well?” he asks.

No.

I didn’t really want to tell him the truth so I just nonchalantly replied, “Yeah.”

“What about Thomas?” he reaches towards a plate of his breakfast.

I pause, considering how I should answer.

 

I haven’t told him yet. Perhaps he will hate me, perhaps he will agree with me. He already knows that I’ve lost my humanity, and I’m glad that he accepts me for that. The only question is... if he will accept my mission?

I look back at Thomas who held me tight, protecting me from malevolent winds that tried to tear me apart.

I decided. I’m going to tell him…

“Thomas… I�"”

 

I snap out of my daydream and smile. “He’s doing fine. In fact, his treatment was a success.”

“The kids?”

We didn’t get to have children… “They’re at their own families now, remember?”

“Oh…” Norman was silent for a moment before continuing. “Then what about that mission that you’ve always been going on and on about?”

“What?” I ask. He can’t possibly remember, can he? It’s the first time that he actually asked me a question related to that event.

“You know, you having to save the world and such.”

 

Thomas is dead.

I cried onto Norman’s embrace as I confessed everything.

I am the harbinger of the End. At my hands are the fate of the world.

 

I smiled. “That was a long time ago, it’s already finished.”

Norman gives me a smile. “I’m glad that you gave that nonsense up.”

 

“Kal, Kal,” Norman shakes back and forth as we both hugged each other. “It’s okay… It’s okay. We can find a way to end this without ending the world.”

I hugged him tighter. Relieved at this small spot in the world that kept me afloat amidst this chaos.

 

“It’s… not… real to begin with,” I say, trying to keep the pain away from my voice as I lowered my head, casting on a dark expression. 

We were silent before a moment until Norman decides to break the silence.

Norman gives me another smile. “Kalley, I feel weak.”

I take Norman’s hand. It’s finally time. I can’t help but think with grim sadness.

I can feel that he’s aged. Unlike me.

“I’m here, Norman.”

 

“Norman?” I called out, crawling out of the rubble.

The Apocalypse had finished. And I had chosen not to act. I stare momentarily at the sky as light pierced through the heavy ceiling of clouds, showering over scattered bodies�"some dead, some alive.

Unlike everyone around me, I was unscathed. Quickly bending down on the ground, I dug the rubble away, to reveal Norman’s beaten up�"but not entirely mangled�"body. With a final ounce of strength, I dug him out of his imprisonment.

“I’m here,” he coughs out a laugh before falling unconscious.

 

Norman closes his eyes to rest and I also close my eyes to mourn. He was still warm, but I know he will become cold and stiff after a few hours.

I say a silent prayer, standing up and picking up his body. Inhuman strength helping me carry his already lightweight body.

 

"It’s not much… but, welcome home!"

Norman takes off his hands over my eyes and as I open them I see a makeshift cottage. It was awkwardly built but looks cozy enough.

I take his hands and lead him happily towards our humble abode.

It had already been 10 years since the End and my immortality had become obvious to him. If he was bothered by it, he didn’t show it.

We lived happily. Unable to have children, but still happy.

 

I carry Norman out of our home and into a luscious green world. Flowers of many different names bloomed and if you look closer you might see an animal or two.

No more signs of an advanced civilization aside from a few buildings that withstood the storm.

Down the hill I went.

 

Sweat pouring down from our bodies as the remaining survivors buried the bodies who have remained to exist.

 

Branches and fallen leaves crunching as I walked over them.

 

The first few months were hard. Many of us resorted to cannibalism. Norman hid me to prevent them of noticing my strange ability. I knew he was hungry, but he didn’t dare harm me.

 

A huge tree encompasses a garden of memorials.

 

Soon it was only us left behind. We struggled at first, but we were able to manage. We took care of animals that managed to survive and gardened to sustain our nutrients.

 

There was already an empty grave, and gently, I placed him down inside it. Throughout the day, I buried his body.

By the time I finished it was sundown and I was alone.

They say twilight is the time when fantasy and reality merges. I believed it to be true. I glanced at vague silhouettes that watched me from a distance.

Closing my eyes, I whisper...

Norman, I’m glad that I lived together with you.

Had I chosen to end it all, maybe it would have ended differently.

80 years since we met.

62 years since we were left in this world.

52 years since you built our home.

25 years since you started to forget.

Many years that I thought that I might lose you any day.

You are my light and the consequence of my choice is our shadow.

[50 years later]

 

“Norman?” I glance up at the door, quickly scrambling through the mess to open it.

There was no one there.

Saddened, I return to my room, climbing the chair and placing the rope on my neck. Even if I know it was futile.

 

Hey, at least I tried, didn’t I?