Chapter 2: Chapter 02: Acquaintance
Meteor? That will kill us all in three days?!
This must be a year-end prank or something... If not then this is the shittiest government secret reveal ever! They should have said that earlier but uh... Shit! Nothing will change anyways. My point still stands, fuck you, world leaders! Nothing will probably change if they have said it a lot more earlier but fuck them anyways.
Three days, my ass. I didn't know I will die in the worst and boring way. Can I at least die happily?
I snapped back to reality for after how long I've been staring at the TV for the whole time and did the most realistic thing to do. "O-Old man, give me your phone!"
"Why?"
"Just give it to me already!"
"Okay, okay... H-Here!"
I immediately opened his browser and typed what's the news was all about and all I saw were articles of it being real... Due to shock, I dropped it on the table.
"No way... No fucking way..."
"Wha... What is it? Is it a real thing?"
"Old man."
"What?"
"If we die, I hope we can eat like this one last time." I smiled bitterly at him.
"Just what are you saying?!" The old man, however, looked at me worriedly.
All I feel right now is confusion that will probably be followed by despair anytime soon.
This is just unexpected you know. I still can't wrap this around my head even after searching it... I don't know what to think anymore.
Panic? Insanity? Hopelessness? I'm not sure.
"I'm sorry old man but I will be heading out for a bit."
"..."
The old man didn't respond.
He's also in the same state of shock as me. Also, he suddenly stopped moving, looking dumbfounded. He's just like there, staring stolidly at me.
I then stood up, opened the door and went outside.
When I looked up in the sky, all I see were clouds and some of the stars.
I wonder, is it still physically far from here? Or is it actually near already?... I can't see it when it's dark. No, stupid. It's more visible at night... Calm down, me.
I started to run from places to places and slowly, a bunch of people started to gather outside, probably thinking the same thing as I do too.
Everyone was in a state of confusion and panic. A few minutes later and a crowd scuffle broke out. Everyone then began to raid the nearest convenience stores in the area. I went to the one where I bought my cup noodles from this morning because I'm quite familiar of that place and besides, it's the nearest one to my place.
Obviously, I wasn't the first one to think of going here to loot foods and any other materials but I'm glad I wasn't that late... Or not. A few minutes kicked in and the whole place became a sea of t
people. Too... many... people!
Just like them, I also join the mob and took every cup noodles I could. You know, eating your favorite food before you die is the best thing I can ask for.
Maybe I'm not thinking straight anymore because naturally, I won't hit a random stranger in the face over a food like this. "TAKE THIS!"
Going by the current flow of things, it's pretty obvious that a riot would break out which it actually did by the way.
People began to fight for their lives, showing how pitiful they can get when facing inevitable death. It's a very sad yet, the most realistic sight I see in a while. It's like a portrait from hell that shows the chaotic simplicity of humans. It's our instinct to fight for survival, even to the point of hurting others.
Before I exit, I took a box of cigarettes for the last time and ran away.
Even after getting quite a distance from there, I can see a lot of people getting somewhat active. It's totally the opposite of what they were earlier. Almost everyone at this moment was looking livelier than ever. That's not because they're happy but because they're in despair.
I had a realization.
Isn't it funny that I'm seeing the world ending right now before it even ends? Like you know, the one that will kill us isn't that meteor but our own selfish desires to live. I'm no different from them. Despite wanting to die for a long time, why do I still struggle to live? I wonder.
After getting tired going in circles, I sat on the nearest bench of the park I was currently in to rest for a bit with this foods on my hand. Good for three days, alright. I hope the old man's doing well right now.
A few moments later, a haggard office lady in her trench coat casually reclined herself beside me.
"Fancy meeting you here." She started sarcastically, as if annoying me. She then took a cigarette from her shoulder bag and began smoking.
"What brings you here? You got kicked out from that complex or something?"
"Not really. Just having a stroll, kinda. What about you?" I asked back.
"Just got fired today. My boss's wife caught me having sex with his husband this morning so yeah. You can probably guess the all the drama that happened afterwards." She explained very nonchalantly as if it's just normal.
"What a bitch." I retorted sarcastically.
"I don't want to hear that from a jobless junkie like you." She bantered back.
Things then resumed in silence.
We just both stared at nothingness, probably asking the reason of our existences once again despite already knowing the answer. It's meaningless.
"Aren't you feeling cold right now? Because you know, you're just wearing a t-shirt and a sweatpants..." She spoke once again.
"Nah, I'm fine. I'm used to it." I lazily replied.
"As expected. You used to live on streets so this temperature is probably nothing to you haha..."
"Yeah right hahaha..."
We both laugh bitterly.
"Say, what will you do if you only have three days left to live?" Since we're here already, why not have a talk with her, right?
"Hmm... Is it because of the news earlier?"
I nodded.
"You really are weird. Even when we're in high school, you only talked about depressing things. Aren't you getting tired of it?" She stared at me, questioning my question.
"Really though? Am I really that gloomy?"
"You are hahaha! What? You thought you're a normal guy in high school? No way. You actually stood out too much because you're always alone and creepy."
"Woah hahaha! I didn't notice that, really."
"Well, you have no friends to tell you that anyways hahaha!"
"You're right hahaha!"
"..."
Police sirens could be heard from across the park. That means that the convenience store raid really went out of hand... But does it really matter now? We're dying anyways in three days. At this moment, chaos amongst the countries of this world is not about a matter of "if" anymore but rather, a matter of "when".
No police or whatever will be able to handle the peace and order of the world because I doubt they can still be okay after knowing this sudden inescapable dilemma. I bet they're scared shitless just like everybody else.
To distract myself from this sudden barrage of nihilism, I brought out two cans of cold beer from the plastic bag I stole from the convenience store few moments ago to warm us up.
I offered her the other can. "You want?"
"Yeah, thanks." She took it and immediately drank it in one go. "Nothing beats a good cold beer after work." She sighed, feeling relaxed.
"Quite stressed, aren't we? But you don't have to work anymore though... Who's the jobless now hahaha!" I joked as a comeback from her insults earlier.
"Don't put me on the same level as you... Ahh... This beer really hits the spots, ain't it?"
I agreed about what she said about the beer. It's indeed the best thing I ever had ever since the news came.
Also, I didn't know I would shoplift once again. Talk about plot twists in life.
"Is this really the end?" I questioned the air.
"Yeah, I guess." She answered it lifelessly instead. "Are you fine with dying like this?" She added.
"More or less... I really don't feel anything anymore. Somehow, the shock just went off me at some point. Actually, I feel enlightened right now." I positioned myself comfortably and lied my back on the bench. I then widely opened my legs and placed both of my arms atop the bench and stared at the sky. "How about you?"
"I guess I will think of this as three days break and sleep my remaining days away...What now?" She then pondered about her words and said something else. "You know what, I don't really want to die just by sitting here together with you and dying doing nothing just like something you'll probably do. That's just pathetic. Also, stop trying to talk like a western movie character. You're not cool, you're creepy hahaha! Enlightened, my ass." She noticed my Ryan Gosling-level emotional acting.
However, good question...
What now?
Like for reals, what should I do now?
Am I fine dying like the trash I always am?
What should I do next?
Honestly, I don't mind sleeping away my remaining days just like she said but is it really alright?
"So we're both probably gotta be sleeping the three days away after all, huh? Not a bad idea." I emotionlessly mumbled as I sipped the last remaining drops in my beer. Ahh...
"No, wait. For me... I guess I want to see the fireworks once again before I die?"
"Pretty cheesy, aren't you? It doesn't suit you, ma'am."
"S-Shut up."
We then spend a bit more of our night in the park in silence.
"The moon is beautiful isn't it?"
"Stop it. Seriously, gross."
"What??" It's really beautiful, you know! I'm not saying a pickup line!
Sigh, you may not like it but this is what peak adult romantic moment is like, probably.
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