The Last Happiness

The world has stopped spinning and life is dying, but Ophelia and Jay will find their happiness.

Ophelia sat at the edge of the cliff, watching the comets illuminate the sky with a myriad of brilliant blues, reds and whites. They passed by burning confidently and brightly, blessing her and the lands with a glimpse of its divine beauty whilst hiding away the gentle radiance of the stars.

A stifling summer breeze whisked away the dried petals of cosmos and dahlia off the edge, and Ophelia reached towards them absentmindedly. They fluttered down in little dances to the currents.

Below, a little stream of water meandered through the walls, leaving the terrain with a luscious and vibrant green of lemongrass, weeping willows and water lilies peeking out from below the surface. The plains, the water, the world, was dyed a deep red, as if the sun wept tears of blood that spread over the horizon.

She kicked her feet against the edge, causing some of the ferrous earth layers of the overhang to crumble and fall into the water with a gentle splash.

A sad peace and acceptance emanated from the world, as if to say goodbye to the sun, see you next time.

But there was no next time for Ophelia, or any other living creature on earth.

She raised her hands to the sky as if to pray, to plead, to beg for life to prevail!

For the Earth to spin just one more day.

“This was the last place I expected to find you, Ophelia.” A deep timbre called out over the rush of the wind picking up.

Her black hair whipped around to fly with the stronger winds.

“Jay,” She paused, “Even if this cliff took the life of my father, it was still one of the most beautiful places we ever had the pleasure of visiting. It’s just sad that this place won’t be here anymore, with all the water evaporating and wildlife dying.”

Jay brushed his black hair back and tore off his jacket, wiping away some of the sweat that formed on his forehead with it.

“It’s getting hotter and hotter. Everyone rich enough has started moving underground, but who knows how long that’s going to last.”

His feet dangled on the edge alongside hers, reaching further down the cliff.

“What’s the point, when everyone’s going to die anyway? It’s not like it won’t happen if they can’t see it.” Ophelia muttered bitterly. “We’re all going to die scared and sad, and that’s that. It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid to want to live another day, Ophelia. To want more.” He gently tilted her head towards his own with a feathered touch.

Ophelia met his eyes and sighed.

“Why are you here anyway? I thought your family would have gone underground by now.”

“I didn’t want to leave you. My family may love life, but I love you more than I love living,” Jay took Ophelia’s hand and interlocked their fingers.

“A life without you isn’t worth living, no matter the price. I would sacrifice humanity a million times over if it meant I could see you for another day,” Ophelia cupped his cheek, “I mean it.”

A comfortable silence swept over them, leaving them to bask sweetly in the heat against each other.

Suddenly, Jay burst out laughing. Ophelia turned to him with confusion.

“Remember that time when you hated me? That the day you’d marry me would be the day the world stopped spinning? Well the Earth has stopped spinning. Does that mean you get to marry me now?” Jay laughed cheekily.

Ophelia burst out laughing, “Why do you still remember that? Out of all the things we’ve fought over, you remember that?” She wheezed hard to the point she started coughing hard.

Ophelia folded her arms, “There’s no priest, no bouquet, no silly paper to sign to show we’re married,” She sighed, “It wouldn’t feel the same.”

“What do you mean it wouldn’t feel the same? Come, stand with me!”

Jay pulled her to her feet, before bolting off into the dying forests behind them. Confusedly, he poked his head into a few bushes still clinging onto life and around the piles of dead, dry leaves to find some incredibly dry tulips and dahlia. He tied them together to make a pitiful bouquet, the dead petals falling from it like little showers of rain, every time it shook. Out of a few dry strands of grass, he twisted and intertwined them together to make-

To make 2 rings.

He was serious.

Ophelia could cry.

“Tada! Bouquet and rings. Can’t do much about the priest, but we can swear our vows to the sun and the comets above us, and your father below us.” Gingerly, he placed the bouquet in Ophelia’s hands and grinned.

“Thank you. That’s all Dad ever wanted to see.” Ophelia wept.

Gently, Jay wiped her tears from her cheeks as if he was drying a delicate crystal, “Now try to stop crying, there’s not much water left on the surface here, we can’t replenish that for you. You have the insect net in your bag right?”

Without warning, Jay ruffled through the rucksack behind Ophelia, yanking out the white netting and placing it on top of her gently to mimic a pure white veil.

Though it was nothing fancy, Ophelia looked divine with the light of the comets and the sun illuminating her white summer dress that fluttered prettily around her, as if she was airborne.

As if she was the goddess looking down on a crumbling world, the only salvation to those who were left.

Jay was entranced.

He grasped her left hand, kneeled down and kissed it.

“I make my vow to the dead and the living, to your Father and the life still remaining in this world that I will promise to cherish you and love you. You are my cool spring in a stifling desert, the air I breathe and my goddess in a world of disbelievers. I will be your lover, your protector and healer in this dying world,” He declared solemnly.

Carefully, he slid the ring onto her finger.

Ophelia cupped his cheek once more and gripped his left hand as he rose.

“I make my vow to the dead and the living, to my Father both buried here and ascended to the heavens above, and the life still remaining in this world that I promise to care and love you. You were my shield in a world set out to hurt me, my wings to catch me from my fall, and my pillow into which I shed my tears. I will be your lover, your strength and your joy in this decaying world, and for the time we have left, I promise my entire being to you,”

She slid his matching ring onto his finger.

Jay was stock still, with a sweet smile on his face as he stared into her eyes. Tears flowed down his face.

Ophelia took one look at his awestruck face and coughed lightly, “I declare us husband and wife. Kiss the bride, you stupid, lovable idiot.”

He remained where he was.

Ophelia sighed, before jumping onto her tiptoes and pressing her face to his. The makeshift veil slipped to the floor and pooled around her feet.

Her lips met sweetly with his, and she closed her eyes to savour the moment of peace and elation she had left

Jay finally responded, his lips pressing gently against hers.

Their hearts burst with delight, as Ophelia gripped his hands tightly.

“Forget what I said earlier. I absolutely needed this,” Ophelia whispered, mesmerised by how the light shone on them, as if God himself was blessing their union, before poking him in the ribs.

“Who’s crying now silly?” She kissed his tears away and hugged him tightly.

“See? I have good ideas sometimes.” Jay chuckled with a flushed face and a goofy grin., “Come on! Let’s go down and make a little shack and I’ll try and cook something for our honeymoon with whatever’s left - I still have a bit of water I stole from Ethan,” He yanked her back into the forest, eager to spend time with his new wife in this world.

From within, a feeling Ophelia hadn’t felt in a long time sprang forth.

Hope.

Hope that even if the world was burning, if the whole world had abandoned her, she would find her happy ending.

They would find joy in a world that was ending, and that was enough for them. 

Author's Note

I am planning to make a story out of it later, but I just wanted to try writing something like this

Reviews

[emmajoygreen]

The world needs that kind of love, the want and need of innocence sans cynicism. Don't go with all that
' why not see reality .. grow up, why don't you .. get real..' If reality is abuse and humiliation, rape and hidden fear between four walls, we might as well be hermits and love only ourselves without a second's touch of fondness. OR live the rest of one's life in a desert or on a mountain top and - die alone.. without memories. Keep writing... please

[Lillian Burrows]

Thank you so much for reading my work!