1,001,014 A.D.

            “News flash! The Sun has destroyed Venus!”

 On the large 100 inch 3D TV it showed a video of what used to be a tiny brown sphere but was now a ball of flame. The Sun was moving in on the planet, growing bigger and bigger through every passing second until Venus was no more. The news reporter stood there, looking like a deer in headlights, obviously terrified by the scenario. She bit her lip and continued to talk.

“This is a very grave situation,” the news reporter said. “Tom, give us the scoop of what made it happen.”

The camera switched to a scientist. He adjusted his microscopic glasses and began to speak. “As you can see, the Sun has turned into a red giant. It is destroying our solar system as we know it. Venus and Mercury are gone… and well… that means we’re next. And technology will not be able to save us from this. This destruction does not mean the end of humans though. A few years ago, as some of you viewers may recall, we scientists have successfully created an atmosphere on Mars. The red planet will be a suitable environment to live in, just like Earth was until the Ozone disappeared. Mars could save human life. It will last us generations and generations to come, until the Sun destroys it as well. Then the humans will be-“

The camera switched before the scientist got to finish his sentence.

“There will be more of people’s reactions to this horrible tragedy after the break,” the news reporter said quickly.

The TV went blank, and the boy that was watching the TV stared at it, dumbfounded.

Earth is going to be destroyed? he thought. We’ll have to move to Mars?

His mother came in and saw his worried face.

“I saw it too,” she said. “But do not worry. It won’t happen in our life time, it will happen thousands of years from now.”

“Really?” The boy stared up at his mother with big eyes.

“I promise,” she said soothingly. “It won’t happen anytime near it.”

One thousand years later…

            The orange brightness of the Sun filled the sky and I stepped out of my house with my heat suit on. Around the Sun was space, pitch black space. I have heard tales that there used to be blue skies, fresh air, clouds, and something that I was told about in my history class, trees, but I’m not sure if that’s actually true. I heard that trees provided oxygen for the people that lived on the Earth millions of years ago. Then they burned up like the rest of the things called plants when the Sun began to expand, and technology created our own artificial oxygen. Because of the unsuitable temperatures, everyone has to wear heat suits that give us the coldness we need to survive the hotness of the Sun. The suits covered up people’s appearances, though, all except their mouth, nose and eyes. Whenever I look in my mirror, I see my blue eyes staring back at me, and an average nose and mouth. That was all I saw. I never got to see my hair color, hair, bare arms, legs, anything. If I did take off my suit, I would die because of the intense heat the Sun gave off.

A voice interrupted my thoughts. It was my mom. “Tessa! Snap out of it! You’re going to be late for the last day of school!”

“Okay!” I yelled back at her.

My last day of school. Ever. I felt a pang of sadness as reality stabbed me in the gut. I didn’t feel this way because I loved school, though. Today was my last day on Earth. The Sun was going to swallow the Earth whole in a matter of days, and kill every living being that stayed. I wasn’t going to stay, though. My family could afford the spaceship to Mars to start a new life, a life like Earth used to be before the Sun started turning into a red giant. We were the lucky ones, unlike the people that couldn’t afford it. The people that couldn’t afford it, which was a majority of them… were left here to die. I stepped out of my house and the smell of smoke lingered through the air as I saw chaos.

People were running through the streets like maniacs, living their last days, doing what they felt like. Nobody cared anymore. But then again, why should they?  

If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, would I be the same way?

Holding on to that thought, I briskly walked to my school, avoiding the people that were going crazy. Suddenly, someone pulled me to the side and held me against the wall of a building. I shrieked, and tried to struggle out of his grasp, but his grip was too tight. I quickly looked at him, and saw that he was armed.

“Give me all of your money,” he growled at me.

“But I don’t have-“

“LIAR! Do it or I shoot!”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked in a timid voice, fear paralyzing me.

“Why not? I mean, it’s not like it’s going to matter in the future. I have no future. I don’t have enough money to live. Call me the police, take me to jail, it’s not like it’s going to matter.” Sorrow flickered across his face.

Even though he threatened my life, I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards him. He wasn’t going to live like I was. I tossed him my bag. It wasn’t like I was going to need it, anyway.

“It’s not money,” I started. “But it’s something.” Body trembling, I nervously anticipated what he was going to do. Was he going to reject it and kill me? But the armed man surprised me.

“Thank you.”

I stared back at him, and slowly nodded in acknowledgement. Then he scurried into the destruction of what used to be the town I lived in. Not wanting to be late to school, I ran like the wind, avoiding disaster, trying not to be killed.

Maybe that man wasn’t so bad before this. But at the moment, he was a lost man, desperately trying to find his way through this mess before he meets his demise.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

            I arrived at school, and the minute I walked through the door, a big blur tackled me and I fell over in surprise. I let out an oof as the air got knocked out of me like a deflating balloon. I was wrapped tightly in a hug, and I heard muffled sobs. It was my best friend, Marie. I weakly stood up and Marie was a curled up in a ball, sobbing. She sniffled and sat up.

            “Sorry,” she croaked. “I-I just… had a rough morning.”

            “What’s wrong?” I asked. I had no idea why she was acting like this. Her parents said she was going to Mars with me. “Is it because you’re sad about leaving? I am too…”

            “No,” she said shakily. “It’s not that it’s just…” She burst into tears, and I knew something terribly wrong happened to her.

            “What is it?” I asked her gently.

            She continued to cry, and I found myself getting frustrated.

“What is it?” I said again, but in a harsher tone.

She stopped crying, and stared up at me.

“I… I can’t go to Mars.”

I turned away from her, refusing to believe it. She was probably messing with me, playing a very mean joke to toy with my emotions. But then again, why would she do that?

“You’re kidding,” I said so quietly that it was barely audible.

“I wish I was,” she whispered.

A wave of emotions swallowed me whole, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground, tears spilling out of my face. My best friend, only friend, being left here to die… It was almost as if I was crying about my own death, but then again, something inside me did just die.

            “Why can’t I stay here,” I mumbled. “So I don’t have to suffer?”

            “You, unlike me, have been given a chance at life,” she said wisely. “I suggest you take it.”

            I said nothing and sat there, already grieving for the people that were going to die today. Then I heard the signal that school was starting.

            “Dang,” I muttered. “We’re late.”

            Marie mischievously grinned. “So what? The teachers can’t do anything to us. End of the world, remember?”

            “Heh, that’s right,” I chuckled. “What were you thinking we do, cut class?”

            “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” she said. “I’ve never done it before, so hey, why not now?”

            “Yeah, let’s do it,” I said. “Got to make the most of this day.”

            Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. “Hey, what are you kids doing out of class?”

Marie and I looked at each other. “Run.”

            We bolted out the school doors, and down the ruins of the town. I found myself directing Marie towards my house, and I opened and slammed the metal doors behind us. Marie heaved a sigh, pressed a view buttons on her heat suit, and went, “That’s better.”

            I did the same, turning it cooler than I ever have before. The temperature has been 1000 degrees warmer than usual lately, probably because the Sun is much closer to Earth now. We both walked over to the couch and sat down.

            “So was that exciting enough for you?” I asked her.

            “Of course it was!” she gushed. “Man, I haven’t done anything that thrilling in a long time.”

            I smiled. “Yeah, that was pretty exciting.”

            A loud noise made Marie and I jump, and I whipped around to find that it was my parents, who just busted through the door. They looked really panicked, and rushed over to me.

            “Oh Tessa, thank god you’re okay,” my mom fussed. “You weren’t at school and we were so worried.”

I frowned. Was there something urgent that caused them to look for me?

“Why were you even looking for me?” I inquired.

“There has been a change of plans,” my dad explained urgently. “The Sun is closer than expected. The spaceship is boarding very soon, and we have to evacuate the house now.”

“Now?” The news hit me with a shock. I wouldn’t be able to spend my last hours with Marie, and leave her here to die.

“Yes, now,” my mom said hastily. “We have no time to spare. Quickly say goodbye to Marie, and we’ll be waiting outside for you.”

“Okay,” I said with a huge lump in my throat.

I was holding back tears for my parents’ sake, but when they left the house, they poured out like a waterfall.

“S-so…” I sniffed and wiped the tears from my eyes. “So this is it.”

“Yeah.” Marie’s eyes were filled with sorrow, but she had no more tears to shed.

            We embraced, and I savored the seconds we did. This would be the last hug I would receive from her.

            “Tessa! Come on! We have to leave!” my mother’s voice called.

            “You better get going,” Marie said. “I wouldn’t want you to miss the ship.”

            I looked back at her, and she smiled a sad smile, but I didn’t know what to say so I left my house with a queasy feeling in my stomach. I automatically regretted doing that. I should’ve said something more, looked back. But before I could do anything else, my mother’s strong grip pulled my arm away from the house.

            “Come on, Tessa, we have to go,” Her eyes glistened with tears. “That house, your friend, your school, our town… nothing but a mere memory.” After she said that, she looked as if she was about to cry. I could tell she didn’t like saying it, but those words were said for my own good, the words of the horrible, ugly truth.

            Our family’s hands linked together, and we headed on down to the launching station, supporting each other each step of the way.

I arrived at the launch station, and there were thousands of people there. Towering over me was a giant spaceship, the one we were going to board on. Walking at a quick pace, people were boarding the ship. We eventually made it to the doors of the Mars spaceship, and we walked in. Inside was an amazing sight. It was as if we were stepping into an indoor mall, with hotels. There were rooms to sleep, restaurants to eat at, and entertainment centers. There was a giant TV screen in the very center of the whole ship. It almost took my mind off of home. Almost. I thought of the people that weren’t going, crying to their loved ones, savoring the last few hours of life. They didn’t have the luxury we did. They were going to die.

            Looking around the spaceship once more, the sights I found extraordinary didn’t seem very special anymore. I felt spoiled. And not the good kind. I didn’t deserve this, not at all. But I had this luxury, and it would be even worse to be ungrateful.

            Everyone boarded the ship, and immediately following that was a launch countdown. It seemed like the launch crew didn’t want to waste any time. I sat down next to my parents and awaited the liftoff.

            5…

            4…

            3…

            2…

            1…

            The spaceship started shaking, and I held on tightly to my seat. This is it. My new life started now. My parents held me tight, and I did the same. I looked around, and there were strangers holding each other, supporting each other as they cried out in agony, children crying, wanting and missing the home they were never going to return to… I shut my eyes at the terrible, depressing sight.

When we finally made it out of what used to be my home planet, I carefully walked to the window and gasped at the horrible sight. Earth was a giant inferno of flame. My eyes brimmed with tears as I pressed my hands against the window. I tightly shut my eyes, and let them freely trickle down my face.

The Earth, my friends, my home, my town… gone.

They were nothing but a mere memory.