"Endline"

"The end of the world... We all fear it, we all wonder about it, but did we ever really believe it could happen? Despite our prophets and theologists and those scientists who think they can determine time and space, did we ever truly think we would reach this point in time?

"Over the years, we were exposed to movies based around the end of the world. We watched asteroids rip our world apart, saw a world left in ruins after a nuclear war, and viewed a world where machines dominated. Ironic, isn't it? All those what if's, and we never knew which one of them would foreshadow the world that is now left."

The darkness gave way as a full harvest moon splashed orange light over the massive cemetery laid out before Jarin. As he knelt down,the moist grass kissed his knees while he plunged his hands into the soft dirt. Pulling a handful of earth up to his face, his green eyes studied the worms wriggling in his hand. Watching the soil and worms drop through the air back into the hole in the ground, he turned his attention to his hand, noticing how his ivory skin glistened in the moonlight.

Laying on his back now, feeling the softness of the earth press against his cotton black shirt and pants, Jarin sighed and ran his fingers through his red, cropped hair. He let out another breath of air, watching a small, white cloud appear before him before quickly fading away. Letting out another breath, he grabbed the cloud which slipped between his fingers.

Hearing footsteps crunch against the soil, Jarin remained still, waiting to see who was approaching him. He slowed his breathing and closed his eyes. His ears followed each step tillhe knew his visitor was right by his side, but he
remained still.

"Jarin." The soft voice was familiar, but he couldn't remember the face that went with it.

"Jarin. You are not fooling anyone. Get up!"

"Beck." Jarin opened his eyes, staring up at the Enforcer. "What brings you here?"

"You do, you fool." Jarin sat up. "I knew you would be here. I was hoping you wouldn't be, but I guess restricted areas never stopped you
from breaking the law before." Beck's eyes avoided the tombstones spread out before him.

Jarin smiled at his old friend, Beck. He noticed Beck was wearing the issued black cotton shirt and pants not his regular military uniform that all Enforcers were required to wear. Seeing the distress in Beck's yellow eyes, Jarin looked
toward the cemetery.

Running his fingers through his black hair, Beck shuddered. "Why do you insist on coming here every year?"

"To remember." Jarin and Beck studied eachother before they both turned to look at the locked cemetery gates in front of them. "It's respectful to come here on the anniversary to remember."

"I don't see why we should remember!"

"Because it's history, and it's history that teaches us not to repeat the past."

"Programmed like a true historian." Beck laughed in spite of his discomfort.

"Did you ever wonder..." Jarin trailed off as he approached the cemetery gates.

"Wonder what?"

"Wonder if we would be here if it didn't happen." Jarin looked at Beck, who stared at his feet. "What would this world have been like if it didn't happen?"

"Why does it matter?" Beck approached him.

"Because it is a what if, and that intrigues me." Jarin licked his cold lips. "The
archives are filled with torn books and movies from their culture, and you could tell that they too were intrigued by what if's. Otherwise, what was the point of wasting all that paper and film for? I wonder if, at least, some knew the world
would turn out like this."

"If they did, they would have gone mad."

Beck laid a hand on Jarin's shoulder. "Now, let's go before I am forced to detain you." Jarin laughed. "I'm serious."

"I know you are, but..." Jarin laughed again. "You never go through with it. Must be aglitch in the system, huh?"

"Don't push your luck," Beck growled at him.

"Just ten more minutes, Beck. Then, I'll report back."

"What difference does ten minutes make?"

"Because in ten minutes, I'll relive it again." Beck looked confused. "My brain will be overwhelmed with all those images that were gathered after the fact." Beck shuddered again.

"And you do this every year on the anniversary?"

"Yes, but it's not what you think. It might be painful to see those images again, but you forget. 'In the ashes of the world, our kind was born, born for them, born to continue on."

"Doctor Zachary?" Beck looked astonished. "How did you remember that? You didn't know him."

"But I remember him. I remember he was one of the few survivors who tried to make things right after..." Jarin was surprised to feel wetness in his eyes.

"After?"

"After his world ended."

A moment of silence passed between Jarin and Beck. A cool October breeze blew around them as some leaves slipped through the cemetery gates. The moonlight vanished behind a gray sky, covering both of them in darkness.

"I remember." Beck looked at Jarin, who focused on the tombstones in front of him. "I remember... A normal world, where they were all consumed with modern day problems, unaware of their final moments. Now, the world has gone black, the air is full of screams, and they are frantic, running scared! The world then went quiet, they are all gone except for a handful stumbling around, and here we come. The world is now ours, and those who accepted that lived the rest of their lives in comfort."

Jarin wiped his eyes. "Here they were laid to rest and across the
rest of the world. Their world is over, and their ways are only remembered. Only through us will they live again."

"Doctor Zachary?"

"No, my dear friend." Jarin looked at Beck, noticing the uneasiness etched across his face. "I wrote that." Beck was lost on words as he
scratched his head. "Let's go."

Beck watched Jarin walk away before turning his attention back to the cemetery. He sighed as a white cloud of breath escaped his lips, and he
shuddered again. Looking up at the dark sky to see the harvest moon slip between the gray clouds, Beck slowly moved away from the cemetery.

"Are you coming?" Jarin paused at the end of the trail that led back to their home.

"Don't push your luck." Beck hurried over to him without a look back at the cemetery. "You wasted time here, but you're right about one thing."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"I'm not going to detain you. This time!"

Laughing, Jarin said, "I'll see you next year."

"Keep walking." Beck grinned in spite of himself but then glanced back at the cemetery.

"Keep going," he whispered.

They disappeared into the night, following the trail back to their home. They exchanged looks, but neither said a word. They both resumed their normal routine once they entered their city.

©2008 Melissa R. Mendelson