And Then There Was Peace

 

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper

-T.S. Eliot-

 

 

 

 

The morning of December 20^th 2012 was a rainy one in a small Mississippi community, and yet the local grocery store was busier than ever. It seemed that almost every resident was there, stocking up as if the world was ending. But wait, wasn’t it? The vast majority of those who were not in the store purchasing the necessities were at the center of town, in the tiny white church, run by Pastor Williams. On the front lawn a sign with adjustable letters bore the words The end is here. The Time of judgment has arrived. Will you make it to the gates of the promise land? For those who chose walk inside, they found a sort of organized chaos. Clergy passed throughout the congregation, anointing those who wished with holy water and spoke of the eternal hellfire and brimstone which would befall all those who refused to repent. They talked of God’s love and wrath, his undying mercy and vengeance, and promised admittance into heaven in exchange for faith, and, naturally, a small tithe or donation. Even in the face of Armageddon, the business never ends. But nonetheless, many people found solace in religion, in faith, in prayer, and in hope. Many were believers.

 

Halfway across the country, however, a man by the name of Dick Harrison, was not one of them. He sat outside on his front porch overlooking the California coast, talking to his wife and savoring the cool breeze floating inland.
“I don’t care what everyone else says, I think it’s bullshit.”
“Maybe,” Shelly replied.
“Maybe my a*s. It’s the truth. It’s a government scam, I tell ya. I don’t know how, but it’s got to do with the economy and the gas. Like, if they scare us into spending all our money stocking up on useless junk, it’ll start the wheels turning again. You know? Yeah,” he said, answering his own question. “Yeah. That’s what it is, I tell ya.”

“Maybe,” Shelly mumbled in a monotone voice. It had become her automatic response to just about everything Dick said lately. The only thing Shelly cared about was Friday, hoping it would hurry up and get here, so that he could stop raving about this conspiracy stuff, and allow bit of normalcy to return.
“Maybe, maybe, maybe,” Dick grunted, aggravated. “Is that all you know how to say?”
“Maybe.”

So maybe she was pushing her luck with him today, but she loved it when he became a bit testy. It reminded her of their early days. After all this time married, she still loved picking fights with him. Because when they made-up, it was always so passionate. And hott. Definitely hott.
“It will be great tomorrow too,” she thought, blushing a bit at her own thoughts.

Standing up before he could say anything else, Shelly walked into the kitchen and decided to start making their lunch.

“Oh, almost forgot,” she said aloud, fingers gripping the handle. She removed them to reach for the marker on the counter. She then proceeded to write Pick up dry cleaning tomorrow on the magnetic dry erase board stuck to the front of the fridge. Finished, she opened the door and pulled out some leftovers.

 

“Baby, you ready? We’re going to be late for the party,” David said, coming off a bit more impatient than he had wanted to.
“Okay okay, I’m finished,” Leah answered, walking out of the bedroom. For a few seconds, David couldn’t think, let alone speak. It surprised him that after 5 years, Leah still had such a profound effect on him.
“You..you look absolutely stunning.”
“Thanks babe,” she replied, kissing him on the cheek, “now lets get going. We wouldn’t want to be late now would we? Of course, this is an ’end of all existence’ party, so aren’t we all going to be ‘late’ in one fashion or another?”

She smiled and walked out the door. God, he loved that smile. It was the only thing that mattered to him. If the world did end, he’d die a happy man. What more could you want other than love? “Nothing,” he thought to himself, stealing a glance a the gorgeous creature ahead of him. They hailed a taxi and, in no time, were heading off down fifth avenue and towards a night full of promises of fun, laughter, friends, and happiness.

 

All over the globe, people sat around TV’s, clocks, computers and radios, listening to the countdown to midnight. For some, a calmness settled upon them; for some, fear. But for most, an anxious anticipation filled them, causing many to drink a bit too much or talk too loud, as if it would fill an impending void.

 

“It’s time,” one Harbinger said to another. “Deliverance is prepped for launch. Salvation is upon us. ”

“Indeed, it is.” he replied, speaking not only to him, but to the entire room. “Humanity has asked for this, brothers and sisters. We have defaced our only life source for the sake material possessions and comforts. We have treated her and each other with hatred in our eyes and selfishness in our hearts. But tonight, it ends. Tonight, all life will atone for its sins. Tonight, we will bring salvation!”

The room of about 25 applauded, and then, quick as lightning, a hush fell over them.

“30 seconds to launch. 15 seconds to launch.”

“10 seconds until launch.” another Harbinger announced.” 9...8...”

The countdown had begun.

“7...6...5...” people of the world chanted in unison.

“4...3...2...”

“1!” everyone drew in one final breath.

 

In an instant, the planet was encompassed by a glorious blinding light. It penetrated every crevice and corner, sparing nothing from the fatally gorgeous beams, making visible even the darkest of caverns. A single release of breath swept across the land, like the whole human race exhaling, then all ceased. The dry cleaning was never picked up, love was never made, fights were never mended, and everyone, in the cruelest sense of the word, was late.

 

Finally, all people, all life itself, was put to eternal sleep in the darkness and silence. And for the first time since her creation, the tired tired Earth found the true rest and peace she had so longed for.

 

Author's Note

Just couldn't get the T.S. Eliot quote out of my head. So I wrote this.

Reviews

[ShadowWolf]

Elliot and 2012....what a unique combination! A very good story but the formatting made reading a bit difficult. Good work!