Hello! Hope everyone is doing well!
I wrote this one because I was wanted something that could not be continued. No way, it's all said and done, this is the end. So, end of the world right, because every story can be continued in some way. Unless it's the end. Now, irony is that this story has two parts, the second I will upload later. :D
Warning, detailed description of a drowning in this fic.
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Out in the open of a large backyard lined with trees, two girls sat huddled together on a large wooden swing. They had picked a spot that was completely vulnerable, they weren't under a tree or an awning, nothing that would give them any sort of protection from what they knew was coming. Protection would have been pointless, they knew that, but it would have made at least one of them more at ease. The sky was a threatening color, orange and red smudge with smokey gray at spots. If their watches hadn't of told them it was really one in the morning, they would have sworn it was dusk outside. The ground shook beneath them and the quiet blond girl with a single hair curl hugged onto her girlfriend tighter. She was in tears, trembling against her.
Her girlfriend on the other hand, was stoic. She flipped her long silver hair back and adjusted her hold on the girl. Her face didn't give away any fear of what was happening, she looked as if she was a solider marching into battle. Strong willed and determined to see it out to the bitter end. But of course she was scared, deep down, however she knew she had to be brave for the woman in her arms. Who even though she was frightened, gave her comfort.
"I-I think I forgot something in the house. Let's go in and g-get it, e-eh?" Madeline asked hopefully, looking up to her girlfriend. Julchen shook her head, kicking her foot to make the swing rock.
"Nien, you didn't. It's more dangerous in ze house, we agreed. Shush, everything ist going to be fine." She said, forcefully but calmly too, kissing Madeline's forehead as the girl let out a whimper.
On this swing, in each others arms. That was how the end was going to find them.
It had happened just a few short hours ago, a large rock from outer space smashed into Earth. Doomsday, The End, life is over as we know it, all the news outlets had been saying it for weeks. Of course it incited panic and chaos, looting in all the major cities, crime and just about every thing bad about humanity came bubbling to the surface.
Madeline's twin brother, Alfred, had been killed in the violence, because he was trying to enforce the law. And because the world was ending, the cops didn't care to give him a proper burial, or even notify her. They dropped his body at Madeline's door step with a condolence and kept moving. Madeline had been beside herself with grief but also grateful he was returned to her. She knew it was only because he was a captain in the police force that he was brought to her. Lowly officers probably suffered a worst fate.
He was buried just yards away from where they sat, Julchen had seen to it.
It took a few minutes of rocking of lull Madeline back into the calm she came out in here in. Then she reached into her pocket with a shaking hand and pulled out her cellphone. Julchen sighed.
"You aren't going to try again, are you? Maddie, ze lines are down you won't be able-"
"One more time, Jules. I-I just need to try and reach them one last time." She whispered back, tapping through her phone to get to her father's number. She knew it was in vain, she knew both her dads were mostly likely already dead, like her brother. But it gave her comfort to try just one more time. The last time she had heard from them, they had made it out of Paris and were heading to the London airport to get to her. That was right before the ban on travel. Honestly, Maddie doubted they had really made it as far as they had said but there wasn't much she could do.
She held the phone to hear ear and at first, all she heard was the all to familiar to her now static and garbled white noise. But then, faintly in the background she heard a ring. She grew wide eyed and looked to Julchen, hardly daring to believe it. She had to be imagining it. But then, it rang again, louder and clearer. Madeline sat straight up on the bench, holding her breath. Another ring.
"Maddie? What is-"
"Shush! It's ringing!" She replied in a harsh whisper. If someone answered she wanted to be able to hear it. The static crinkled but the phone still rang, again and again. She prayed for someone to pick up. At the end of the world, she wanted to know they weren't the only two humans left alive.
"Bonjour-"
"PAPA!" She yelled into the phone, grinning from ear to ear as she heard his pleasant sounding voice.
"Je suis desole I am unable to answer my phone at zhe moment. But! If you leave moi a fabulous message, I will return your phone call toot sweet, mon ami! 'ave a beautiful day!"
The options started sounding off about leaving a message. Madeline was heartbroken and she nearly hung up the phone, tears pooling in her eyes before Julchen stopped her.
"Leave a message. Tell them goodbye, even if they never hear it. You need to."
Of course she was right. Madeline did need to, she knew it. When the message tone beeped in her ear, she took a deep breath and started talking, hoping it didn't cut her off before she was finished saying what she needed to say. It took everything in her to remain calm and composed even though the tears were threatening to render her incoherent. Her message was short, but it was heart felt and heartbreaking, condensing 23 years of love and gratitude into a single two minute span.
When she was done, she passed the phone, still on the voice mail, to Julchen and buried her face into her girlfriend's chest. Though she was shocked to hear Julchen leave a message, she didn't stir, she didn't make a comment. It was all too surreal, for the both of them. Both of them felt numb. This really was the end of the world. Madeline sobbed and Julchen held her, herself feeling the hopelessness of the situation as she hung up the phone.
There was nothing more they could do, sit there and wait for the end. It could be hours. It could be moments. Maybe the Earth would just open beneath them and swallow them. The heat was growing unbearable, but neither of them thought that what was going to kill them. Julchen supposed they would suffocate to death the ash falling from the sky. Madeline knew they were going to be crushed by the debri falling from the sky in the distance.
Neither of them saw the wall of water moving towards them until it caught Madeline's breath in her chest. It looked like a mountain in the distance, moving steadily closer. At first she blinked away tears and rubbed her eyes, staring out at it. But the more she stared, the more she became frightened.
"J-Jules..." Her voice was barely over a whisper, as if she was afraid the water was going to hear her and find her soon. Julchen's grip on her tightened.
"Water… I see it now. Didn't see that coming. How unawesome." She shook her head with a small, macabre smile.
The ground beneath started to shake and water bubbled up at their feet. Madeline wanted to scream but she didn't, she looked up to Julchen.
"I-I love y-you."
Julchen had her in a vice grip, leaning down to press her lips against Madeline's. It was deep and passionate, both girls hoping it would bring the other some comfort. When she pulled away, she could hear the roar of the water rushing towards them. "I love you, Maddie." She replied simply, holding her tight again.
The water was thunderous now, but Julchen kept her voice low and in Madeline's ear. "Dear Lord, I pray for Madeline's soul. Let it rise to Heaven und be counted amount the angels. Don't let her suffer in the end, let it be quick und merciful. Und let her feel no pain, embrace her in your arms. Amen." Julchen prayed for her, rubbing her back. Madeline nodded, Julchen always prayed beautifully. Now was no exception.
"I-I pray the same. L-lord, let her soul rise to you a-and let her feel no pain. L-let everything be ok. Amen." Madeline trembled back, earning herself a deep kiss from Julchen once again. When she pulled away, she closed her eyes and put her forehead to Madeline's.
"Whatever happens, don't let go of me. We'll see this through together, you've just got to hold on to me, promise?"
"I-I promise."
The two shared a kiss as the water slammed into them, sweeping them up into it's deadly embrace.
Though it was hard, both girls managed to keep a hold of one another. They were violently turning over and over in the rushing waves but Madeline's grip only tightened and so did Julchen's. After a minute of being under, their lungs were on fire, they desperately kicked to try and get to the surface, a natural response to drowning. But they were being pushed to far under, there was no hope. This was the end.
Madeline was the first to give into temptation for relief. She involuntarily opened her mouth to take it a gasp of water, her lungs hoping it was air to relieve them. But when she realized what she had done, she didn't panic, she was calm, peaceful. They were still tumbling, but she laid her head to rest against Julchen's, taking in more bites and gasps of water. Her lungs filled, they wouldn't work anymore, after a few moments, they wouldn't contract for her any more. Her heart slowed down and within mere moments, her soul escaped her body, shooting up to where it would breath and be free.
Julchen was not far behind her. She refused to let the water in and with out oxygen, her system shut down. Her lungs felt like they would burst into flame, they were burning. Her head became dizzy and she closed her eyes, fighting to stay conscious. It only when her heart finally slowed down and stopped did she let herself go. Her soul escaped to be with Madeline's.
Their physical bodies drifted apart in the torrent, going deeper still into the void. But their souls entwined together, forever linked at the end of the world.