Power Hungry

Haru sat in the rubble of the supermarket that had once stood there, taking pictures of his childhood friend, Hana. The supermarket’s food was still fresh, but you could smell the putrid smell from the polluted stream next to them. The building had only been destroyed yesterday, by another meteor storm. The world was slowly falling apart.The end of the world was predicted to come before Haru would even finish high school.

“That was a really good pic, Hana,” Haru said as he snapped a picture of her levitating rocks around her. Hana had a special power. She could levitate things with her mind. Haru had known about this power since they were little.

“You say that about every picture, Haru,” Hana said as she moved her long brown hair out of her face.

“I wouldn’t say it if it weren't true.” Haru wished she could be more than just a friend to Hana. He was no match though. He was no hunk, he was frail and nerdy. Hana was like a supermodel.

“Haru, are you still hungry?” Hana said as she grabbed some more apples from a store shelf.

“No, I ate too much,” Haru said as he rubbed his bloated belly. Hana took off running.

“Hana, wait! Where are you going!?!” Haru got up off his knees and ran after her. Hana sat in front of the polluted stream. She took her shoes and socks off, and lowered her feet into the cool, smelly water.

“Hana, what are you doing?” Haru looked at her like she was crazy.

“Come join me,” she said, as she patted the ground next to her. Haru removed his footwear, and sat next to Hana, splashing his feet in the water. Hana laid her head on Haru’s shoulder.

“I wish I could stay here forever,” Hana said, closing her eyes.

“Why can't you?” Haru asked. Hana lifted her head from Haru’s shoulder

“I might be leaving soon,” Hana replied. Haru’s heart dropped.

“What? Why?”

“Someone found out about my power, and now they want me to use it to prolong Earth’s survival,” Hannah replied. Haru looked into the mucky stream water.

“Is it set in stone?” Haru asked.

“No,” she answered.

“You should go. For the good of the people.” The words were hard for Haru to say, but he knew it was the right thing to say. He didn’t want to see her go, but there was nothing he could do.

           Hana stood up. “Thank you, Haru. I needed to hear that from you. I have to head home. ‘Bye,” Hannah said as she walked away.

The next day, Haru returned to the stream. Hana and Haru spent a lot of time there despite the smell. Haru waited for Hana’s arrival, but she never showed. It wasn’t until Haru’s walk home that he found out where she had been. He walked past a newsstand where he saw Hana on the front cover. She wore some kind of contraption around her arms. The caption read:

“THE NEW SAVIOR”. It talked about Hana using her power to force the asteroid away from the earth. Haru knew she would be leaving to do this, but he didn’t think it would be so soon. The picture was mediocre.  He could have done a better picture.

Days passed, and Haru would visit the stream every day. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Haru had built his own photography studio by the polluted stream that was now a freshwater stream. Hana was well known by everyone as ‘Savior’. Hana had become “that girl he once knew” to Haru.

Haru sat in his office with the T.V. turned on to the news that broadcast every meteor that Hana saved them from. Haru’s head popped up when he heard the name of his own city. He ran out the door and looked to the sky. It was the biggest meteor he had ever seen. It took up most of the sky.

Was Hana prepared for this one? Haru thought to himself.

That night, Haru went to the site where Hana would be performing. Haru saw Hana. She looked nervous. She put her arms up the same way she did when Haru took that picture of her, so many years ago. Haru wanted to comfort her, but knew that she wouldn't remember him. He was merely a boy she once knew. Haru watched intently examining her form. She was trembling. She wasn't able to move the meteor away. She really wasn't prepared. The meteor came closer and closer. People started to panic and run from the site. Of course it was useless. It would destroy the whole world. Hana had done well. She prolonged Earth's survival for an extra 17 years. The meteor came rushing down faster, until it finally hit, and the human race died.

The End… Of everything