Bryan's and Tina's house was a cozy cottage nestled amongst giant Pine trees. It was not near as luxurious as Marty's house but it did bear similarities on a less grandiose scale.
"Look who wandered in out of the wild," Bryan said to Tina.
"Tim, is it really you? Damn you were the last person I was expecting to see. How the hell are you? Come to join us for the last days on planet earth party, did you?"
"I'm just riding through. Thought I would try to catch up with some family and friends. I would have called but...."
"We know no phones, hell we don't even have electricty anymore, Bryan said."
We spent the next several hours catching up on events in each others lives. Bryan and Tina informed me that before all T.V. transmissions ended, there had been stories of widespread fighting not only in the U.S. but all over the world. Whatever was occurring was apparently effecting the entire human race.
"I wonder if I'll ever me able to contact Amy?....and maybe Liz, I asked."
"Tim haven't you heard.....no, I guess you couldn't have.... Liz is gone Tim, I'm sorry. Howard's dead too.
"How, Why? I cried. The pain I felt was immediate, sharp and agonizing.
"I don't really know, it's all such weird shit, they were mixed up with one of those suicide cults....Inner Sanctuary, or something, I thing?"
"I've heard of them, I said, I thought they were peaceful."
"Yeah they were, so damn peaceful they decided to hold hands in a circle and wait there till some higher power rescured our planet. Somehow they got in their minds that if they didn't eat or drink and just waited holding hands something would come along and save the planet. Well, it didn't happen and they all died, Bryan said."
"My God, how tragic, I quietly whispered."
"Yeah, that's about all that is about now, lots of tragedy, Tina said."
I felt tremenous grieve over Liz death but it didn't last long. It was kind of like when I heard my parents had died. Death just didn't seem to be an end to me anymore. Death, I thought, was just another dimension...a different form of life.
"Did you see much of Liz before she died, I asked? Did she mention me?"
"No, we hardly ever saw her, Bryan said. Howard and her pretty messed up near the end. Lots of drugs and shit, you know?"
"Yeah, I had heard, I said. Somehow I blame myself."
"Well, you shouldn't, Bryan said. It's a fucked up world, lots of people are messed up, right now. It's the people that seem sane that you have to worry about in this environment."
Outside in the distance, we heard the rapid fire of gunshots.
"What in the hell is that, I screamed."
"It happens all the time. More frequently lately, Bryan explained.
One day soon I'm sure the shots will be directed at us."
"Who are they, I asked."
"Who knows, one group or another is always fighting one or another. All the neighbors usually meet up the road when it starts. We figure there is strength in numbers."
"How many of you join together, I asked."
"Everyone in the town that isn't mixed up with one these crazy, fucking group. No, more than 25 or so of us, we won't be able to hold out much longer. If you don't mind I should probably take Tina up there now?"
"Yeah, we should go, but all of us should stay there, Tina said."
"It's up to you Tim but i say we get Tina there, and then ride the bikes to delta for old time sake."
Bryan, I worry to death if you leave, Tina said crying."
"You will be safe at the neighbors and Tim and I will be safe at Delta."
"I suppose you're right, Tina said reluctnatly.
"It's up to you guy, one more Delta run, Bryan asked me."
"I suppose, if you're sure Tina will be safe."
"Oh, hell yes, this shit happens almost every night. You can't stop living your life over it."
The ride to Delta was great. Almost as good as it once had been. It was sad to think that things could never be the same again. Too much had chaged in our lives and in the world. Innocence was gone forever, but still I felt something new was dawning. The changes that were somehow had a reason...a greater purpose. I can't say how I knew, but I just knew. We were all leaving something behind but we were also, heading toward something.
We rode past many skirmishes on the way to Delta. Fighting the streets was rampant. Somehow, I knew though that bryan and I would come to no harm. I sensed our destiny lay elsewhere.
It was near mid-night when we arrived. the sounds of gunfire off in the distance was increasing. The moon lit the sky with it's soft somber light. We rode to the side of Delta where the cliff stands one hundred feet above the black waters of the quarry below. I climbed off my bikeand walked to the cliff ledge. i could just make the head of "Big Bertha" thirty feet below us. It seemed as though a lifetime had past since I had witnessed Dan taking that fateful plunge from "Bertha." Bryan joined me at the edge of the cliff.
"So, does it look the same to you, he asked me."
"Yeah, Delta's the same, but everything else has changed. It seems like the only constant in this world is change."
"Not so much has changed really, Bryan said lifting up a hand full of slate dust. This dust was here thousands of years before us and it will be here thousands of years after us. All the human race has done is managed ton swirl the dust around a bit. We'll leave this world basically as found her. Nature will find away to heal herself from the destruction we caused, and go on as before."
"That's all you really think it was about? I asked."
"Sure, don't you? Aren't you the same guy who comically pointed out that our significants was no more important then flee's on a dog."
"I wasn't trying to say we won't significant. I just feel we are no more or less significant then any other creature on this planet."
"Well, whatever it looks like us humans are the ones who are about to destroy ourselves and all creatures on this planet, Bryan said."
"Destroy....No, I don't think so. We are changing but I don't believe anything is ending."
"Well, the one thing about death, it doesn't matter if you beleive in it, it will still find you."
I just sighed and shook my head.
Then I saw it. Just like before.
A spiral of mutating colors slowly rising from the depths of the darks waters below. becoming larger and more brilliant as it ascended upward. It emerged from the water more illuminating bigger and magnifcant then I had ever seen it before.
Colors swirled in a frenzyfrom the transparent body. As it floated above the water giant tentacles unfolded from its body..structure?
As I gazed back at Bryan I saw in the woods behind him what resembled millions of lighting bugs illuminating the trees. it was not only the familiar yellow glow...some were green, red ,purple, blue, silver, gold...and thousands of other colors. Some of the colors weren't colors at all and these are the ones that transmitted the brightest light.
I was sweating...I was disoriented.... but much more I was ready.
I looked again at the beautiful creature leviating above the water.
It was a beacon and it had come for me.
From what seemed like miles away I heard Bryan's voice.
"No, Tim it's death, he screamed."
"No, it's life, I screamed."
I ran to the the edge.....and leaped.
I was gone....and so too was the world I had called home.
The End
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