End of the World

End of the World

I yawned grumpily and glared at my family. My parents rushed around packing essentials, arguing over what sentimental junk stayed or went. My sister sat there crying and my dog parked and rushed, running around excitedly. Rolling my eyes, I jumped from the bed and started making for the shower. There was nothing in the entire bathroom except for the shower itself. "UgghhhH!! Mom! What happened to the shower stuff!!" I hollered, tired of my family's antics. My mom rushed up in a panic, clutching a suitcase and makeup to her chest. She was flustered and unkempt, which was unusual for her. "Oh darling, we have to hurry, grab everything you can and pack up. We need to make for the refugee camp before the strike!"  she began fussing over her suitcase again, shoving the makeup and everything within her arms' reach. Strike? What? I flashbacked to the past weeks of news shows and newspapers advertising the 'end of the world'. I always thought this story was far too detailed to be a rag like the end of the Mayan calendar or some allegedly physic nut job's prediction. So I did what every other ignorant human being does. I believed it. Not that I cared much. I could still hear the cruel laughs I got at the dinner table.
"Hey Mom, I think the world's gonna end" I said as I forked down a chunk of spaghetti calmly. She burst out laughing, and almost choked on her own food. " Oh darling," she giggled "You know that's not true. If you had the slightest idea that it was the truth, you'd be freaking out rushing to pack precious belongings to some ridiculous hidey hole." I shook my head, slightly irked at her disbelief. "Why would I freak out if the world's ending. I mean, if there was something to freak out about. I'd just go with it." My father stifled laughter and spat a nasty remark like he does when he doesn't like what I say "Ya, sure, cause you Wouldn't freak out like the rest of the human race if the planet was going to be blown up by meteorite." he said, his tone laced with heavy sarcasm. I left with an empty appetite. The memory bringing me a pleasant satisfaction at being right. Unless they were pulling my leg.  I groaned, still tired and smirked at my success. I went back into bed to get the rest of my sleep in. My mother dragged me out and started packing. I threw my precious piles of random ancient crap into as many suitcases as I could but I snuck away from the chaos to watch some news reports. The world was in a panic at the giant hunk of worthless space rock hurtling to the earth. 'There has been word of a refugee camp that can somehow protect a select few worthy people to live inside of it and, somehow, survive the impact. No one knows how or why but the residents of planet Earth cling to it as hope. Public officials make for a space craft in hopes-' The reporter announced, trying to keep cool at his job under the horrifying pressure building up in his mind, showing in his eyes. Pictures of cars racing on the road to get to this "refugee camp" my parents had mentioned earlier. I didn't believe it. Images of loved ones that weren't in the car yet held hands, couples kissed each other and said their just in case goodbyes. It made me sick. 'Some of the world resorts to love and passion in their final moments, others to violence and destruction.' Even people lighting things on fire flashed across the screen. I guess some people react differently then the majority ruling of the human populous. I shrugged it off. If the world ends it ends. Maybe I'd pull some pranks in my final hours. The world's on fire and it's going to stay that way, in my opinion. "Dani! Darlin', we have to go! NOW!" My dad said as he started dragging the millions of possessions behind him to load into our minivan. I sighed, and followed along reluctantly. He looked sad and just started the car. We loaded up and drove, and drove fast. I felt G-force push me into the back of the plushy chair "I guess speed limits don't apply to the apocalypse?" I said but he just floored the gas pedal harder, stopping only when the other car was in danger of a nasty rear-ending.  It seemed as though nothing moved as we inched along. The air was stuffy and everywhere I looked tears were streaming in peoples eyes. I wave to the drivers but they just ignore me like their scared. They probably are. I'm a scary person, as made clearly known by ,uh, everyone. Inching forward in the large line of traffic was painful, and I felt as though we haven't even moved. Which sucked. Looking back curiously, I noticed that we had come a long way. It made me think of humanity. I felt like an idiot thinking about humanity at the end of the world, I hate stereotypes and now I'm a stereotypical hypocrite. But the humanity went through its existence slowly, inching along throughout time and space until it reaches the end of the world. Now I was along for the ride, despite my promises to myself. 'To Hell with it' I thought and decided to see how far I've come personally. I thought back till my earliest memory, absolutely wasted by ridiculous tomfoolery that essentially made no sense and completely destroyed your more youthful years. And as I got older things got worse. It always seemed the world had turned its back on me so I turned my back too. Now that I think about it I never received a single damn compliment from anyone outside my family, and they CERTAINLY stopped coming from there after I decided to turn away from the world. I didn't even change much. I just got more quiet and found a few different pastimes. But it was like I had committed murder. I thought of all the people on the TV saying their goodbyes to each other. I don't have anyone to say goodbye to, I don't have a bucket list. I don't have anything. I don't even know why the hell I'm sitting here when I know better, that the world is headed for hell. Everything is gone, no ones left and I had wasted my existence pathetically precariously sitting on my lazy ass waiting for some adventure to pop up and take me away from my bland life. I had wasted my life and hadn't bothered to join humanity and go along for the joy ride of life. I then did something I don't remember doing ever. I started crying, and I couldn't stop myself. It was like the sadness I admittedly experienced, ignored, and stored away for later disposal decided it had enough of its shelf life and burst out of me in one fell swoop. I was crying hard not because the world was burning to the ground, but because I had ruined my time on it. I wanted to ride the car, and now hated myself. My life was lame, and I should have made an adventure for myself. It doesn't burst through your window in the middle of the night, it is made by the hero and villain. And I had unwittingly discarded my heroism. I wanted someone to say goodbye to. I wanted to DO something. And inspiration struck. I didn't care anymore. I only had the one average bag of possessions that I had brought along, and took it. "Danii?" My mother asked. I looked at her with a teary grin, and leaped from the car. I ran along the sidewalk throughout the traffic, running as fast as I could. I felt like I was flying and I ran as fast as I could.  The twitter from my phone errupted as people tweeted excitedly, dumbfounded by the sight of a 'teen making a run for it' Someone tweeted a picture of me racing by with that stupid grin on my face, and I laughed. I posted the first tweet I ever posted with a picture of myself holding a peace sign as I ran. The message read ' Traffic in the apocalypse will move soon. As soon as the meteor stops an inch from the atmosphere and turns around!" I attached a link to my favorite song, befitting of the situation. I know my life was wasted, and it took the end of the world to feel alive. More and more people by the dozens jumped from their cars and followed, the meteor appearing visible in the sky as it approached. Some had bikes others skateboards and scooters and motorcycles but I just stuck with my feet. The pain surged, and I was losing breath and energy fast but it felt as though nothing was there. I was fast, and even passed a biker or two. And I didn't care when the newscaster reported grimly that the secret bunker said to save the human race was no more then a hopeful legend. The gigantic meteorite was approaching fast and becoming far more visible, and frightening as it hurtled toward the planet  quickly. I don't care, not anymore, I got to live once at least. That's far better then not at all.
I believe, the world, is burning to the ground
Oh well, I guess, were gonna find out
Lets see how far we've come
The flames of the meteor were close at hand now, the ground was burning up and more flammable objects were on fire. I stared the space rock straight in the face, still smiling.

I believe it all is comin to an end
Well I guess we're gonna pretend
Let's see how far we've come
I smiled, one final tear streaming down my face. Twitter exploded with tweet replys, all of them smiley faces.
Lets see how far we've come
I looked back up at the meteor
Lets see how far we've come
I whispered a wholehearted, grateful, "thank you" for this rock let me live.
Lets see how far we've come
The light was blinding, literally, and soon my vision failed me as it hurtled (presumably) nearby
Lets see how far we've come
I smiled, and let death take over